# 30Lb Propane Tank Problem



## rdrunr (Oct 23, 2009)

I bought my Outback Loft a yr ago Nov. so this is only our 2nd season using it. We purchased it new. I brought my 30 lb propane tank to be refilled yesterday and it won't take propane, it acts like the valve is stuck or something so you can't get any propane to go into it. Has anyone else had any trouble like this in the past. Does anybody know what the manufacturer's warrenty is on these tanks?


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

Well the first thing I would do is take it to a different propane dealer. That said there is a very slim chance the OPD valve is stuck but that would be very rare. I suspect you took the tank to your local gas station and the clerk that tried to fill the tank did not open the vent on the tank. Propane is pumped in as a liquid and the tank must be vented to atmosphere during the filling process as the propane pumps only make 100 psi and this can not overcome the internal pressure in the tank.


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## mmblantz (Jul 1, 2007)

X2 on what Andy said. Take it to a different shop. A good propane shop would have been able to handle the problem on the spot. They would have told you immediately whay was wrong and what if anything needed to be replaced on the tank. I take my tanks to a local shop in my town that services and fills home units and they inpect them everytime they fill them---Mike


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## rdrunr (Oct 23, 2009)

mmblantz said:


> X2 on what Andy said. Take it to a different shop. A good propane shop would have been able to handle the problem on the spot. They would have told you immediately whay was wrong and what if anything needed to be replaced on the tank. I take my tanks to a local shop in my town that services and fills home units and they inpect them everytime they fill them---Mike


 The guy that tried to fill my tank is also a friend of mine and me's been doing it for quite some time now. He filled one right after trying to fill mine and he had no problem. I thought of the fact that I should try somewhere else and I will do that when I pick the tank up from his store on Thurs. We will soon see!


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## SDCampers (Oct 29, 2008)

I've worked in a propane plant for a number of years, and we've seen this on occasion in the summer when it gets hot. If it was hot, or you had it in the trunk for a while before filling, it is very possible it was pressured up. This would prevent the propane from going in. Solution to this is open the spitter to relieve pressure as it fills. Other option, if the tank had a build up of pressure when the valve was opened to fill it the valve checked, solution to this, there is a fitting that can be put on to release the check, you will hear a short pssst sound when it resets, then open valve slowly. Sometimes we just put it on a different hose to fill and it worked. If these do not remedy the problem it is possible that the valve is defective. I have seen this on a few occasions with a brand new cylinder. It should cost about $25 for a new valve. If the cylinder is pretty new, you may be able to get a replacement where you bought it. 
Not sure the experience level of your friend, but a lot of places that have people that just fill cylinders like at a truck stop or RV shop really don't know about this stuff. If you have a propane bulk plant near where you live, they should have the experience to take care of this for you.


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## Wisconsin-Knight (Mar 10, 2011)

Ditto on taking it to a bulk plant. Propane tanks have a ball bearing that will plug the valve if a hose breaks and propane is extracted too fast. The new ones also have a float valve that could be stuck. If the pressure was so high that the gas blew the ball bearing up into the valve when the valve was opened, slamming the tank down on a hard surface will sometimes knock the bearing loose. I had a guy do this at a bulk tank facility once. Another time, he got a device that allowed him to open the valve without releasing much gas and that fixed the situation.

Rowland


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