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Author Topic: vapor lock in propane tank?  (Read 11769 times)

Offline Tree Toad

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vapor lock in propane tank?
« on: Jan 24, 2011, 09:48 AM »
Anyone had a propane (11lb) develope a vapor lock? Last trip out my heater simply stopped working. OK, time to have it filled again. U Haul tried but said there was a bubble in it and it wont fill up and suggested I open the small valve on it to empty it. I took it home and put it in a warmer place for awhile and then it fired up again. I was a little hesitant to go out yesterday (-7 degrees) and not know if it would work. Any suggestions or solutions?

Offline Adventurer79

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Re: vapor lock in propane tank?
« Reply #1 on: Jan 24, 2011, 10:25 AM »
Propane tanks are equipped with an excess flow valve.  Its possible that this tripped and stuck shut.  Usually shutting the valve and waiting a few before        s l o w l y       opening the valve will fix.   Not sure in your case.  "Vapor Lock"  Hmmmmmmmm not so sure about that.

Offline esox slayer

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Re: vapor lock in propane tank?
« Reply #2 on: Jan 24, 2011, 10:31 AM »
Anyone had a propane (11lb) develope a vapor lock? Last trip out my heater simply stopped working. OK, time to have it filled again. U Haul tried but said there was a bubble in it and it wont fill up and suggested I open the small valve on it to empty it. I took it home and put it in a warmer place for awhile and then it fired up again. I was a little hesitant to go out yesterday (-7 degrees) and not know if it would work. Any suggestions or solutions?

The only way your tank would "vapor lock" (and that term is a falsehood in itself) would be if it was extremely cold, the tank was low and the BTU demand was greater than the tank described above could vaporize in order to provide the demanded BTU's.

U Haul is full of crap.

Even if the tank did have to excess flow valve tripped, it would easily fill.  The ONLY exception to this I can think of is if the excess flow valve was soaked and froze in the "closed" position, but in all my years I've never seen it happen.

They jerked your chain.
Marine Infantry NCO- Semper Fi!!!

Offline Tree Toad

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Re: vapor lock in propane tank?
« Reply #3 on: Jan 24, 2011, 11:42 AM »
Well note in defense of U Haul but I watched the guy at -5 degrees try repeatedly to get the tank to take propane and then give up. Im guessing it was either frozen or I opened the valve too quickly. Once warmed it fired up nicely. Any reason to believe it will stop again?

Offline dachmation

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Re: vapor lock in propane tank?
« Reply #4 on: Jan 24, 2011, 01:15 PM »
propane safety regs, may help out.  http://www.propane101.com/propaneregulatorfreezing.htm

Offline Tree Toad

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Re: vapor lock in propane tank?
« Reply #5 on: Jan 24, 2011, 01:53 PM »
propane safety regs, may help out.  http://www.propane101.com/propaneregulatorfreezing.htm
Thanks, that covered it completely.

 



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