LP TANK HANDLING & SAFETY

I have had several questions on the use and handling of LP tanks as well as safety concerns.

LP is stored in liquid form and used in gas form. The pressure inside an LP tank is 270 PSI at 70 degrees. As a result the regulator on the LP tank is critical. As the outside temperture goes up so does the pressure inside the tank. This is why overfilling an LP tank is dangerous. There is an - OPD - Overfill Prevention Devise on all new tanks. It is a toilet float type devise that prevents further filling once the maximum level is reached. A full LP tank is only filled with liquid to 80% of capacity to allow for expansion and contraction due to outside tempreture. The gas out of the tank comes from that 20% gas space. You never want to allow liquid LP to come out of the valve. An LP tank leaks by design. There is a pressure release valve on the back side of the tank valve that allows excess pressure to escape rather that rupture the tank. LP gas is heavier than air. It will fill a hole and lay in it until it is forceably removed.

1. Never put an LP tank in an enclosed area. The garage, a storage shed, etc. should not be used. If you have a storage area in a BBQ enclosure be sure it is well ventilated AT GROUND LEVEL to assure the gas will disipate. A vent half way up a wall will allow the gas to fill/collect to the bottom of the vent. That volumn of gas can deliver a lot of "BOOM!" When the tank leaks the gas will lay in the enclosed area until it is circulated away or exploded. Remember, gas explodes for a living. We use a controled explosion to our benifit. Control being the key word.

2. Store an LP tank in an open area and exposed to the sun is far better than the enclosed spaces mentioned above. Think about the large LP tank in gas stations where you get a tank filled. They set in full sun and have hundreds of gallons of gas in them. Sun/natural tempreture isn't a problem.

3. Never lay an LP tank on its side or at an angle. There is an internal tube from the valve to the 20% gas space. If you lay a tank on its side, that tupe isn't in the gas space any longer, it is submerged in the liquid. If liquid is allowed to escape the tank it will blow the regulator and the valve of the grill. The volumn of gas is 270 time the size of the amount of liquid released.

4. If you turn off your LP tank after every use, you will never come home to a yard full of LP gas and smell. The regulator has a rubber diaphram that can dry out and crack with age and the tempretures and dryness here in Arizona. It will happen in time. If when you turn on the LP tank you smell gas, turn it back off. Check the system for leaks before you use the system again.

Don't hesitate to give us a call if you have any questions about your grill be it LP or natural gas.