Shutting off propane at the tank? - Page 2 - Dutchmen Owners
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×

Go Back   Dutchmen Owners > Dutchmen Technical | Towing, Maintenance and Repairs > Plumbing, Water and Propane Systems
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 10-31-2018, 11:41 PM   #21
Member
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Riverton
Posts: 36
Utah
One thing that may be causing the propane smell is the design of the tanks. If you fill your tanks full on a cool morning and then have a hot day the gas inside the tank expands as it gets warmer.

The tank is designed with a bleed off valve so as the gas expands and contracts due to environmental heating and cooling during days and seasons it may bleed off some fuel and you will smell it. Otherwise the tank would bulge or compress through this natural process.

Just something for the OP to consider.
__________________

Grizzly660fan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-31-2018, 11:44 PM   #22
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Northern
Posts: 173
Indiana
Quote:
Originally Posted by Grizzly660fan View Post
One thing that may be causing the propane smell is the design of the tanks. If you fill your tanks full on a cool morning and then have a hot day the gas inside the tank expands as it gets warmer.

The tank is designed with a bleed off valve so as the gas expands and contracts due to environmental heating and cooling during days and seasons it may bleed off some fuel and you will smell it. Otherwise the tank would bulge or compress through this natural process.

Just something for the OP to consider.


Thanks.
__________________

Jayro88 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-31-2018, 11:52 PM   #23
Senior Member
 
sundancer 87's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Tahlequah
Posts: 3,079
Oklahoma
The propane fill station will only fill any tank to 80% to allow 20% for expansion.


Propane tanks do come with a bleed off valve but normally don't operate unless there is a great increase of pressure as may be caused by direct flame impingement.
__________________
2013 Voltage 3800, 2012 Chevy 3500 HD
2010 Yamaha V Star 950
2009 Yamaha Raider
Volunteering with Habitat for Humanity Caravanners
sundancer 87 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-01-2018, 12:30 AM   #24
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Milwaukie/Oak Grove
Posts: 84
Oregon
I have observed that after turning the valve off there is still gas in the lines that allows a fridge, furnace, or hot water heater to run for another minute or so, and then when it stops, you may think you might be out of propane, I have also observed that it does take time to "prime" the system, and I do this by opening the stove outlets until they ignite. As far as leaving the gas open in transit, I agree some do and some don't, but, in terms of safety particularly with a travel trailer, I turn the gas off when we are on the road.
Randy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-01-2018, 03:26 AM   #25
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Tulsa
Posts: 97
Oklahoma
Quote:
Originally Posted by sundancer 87 View Post
The propane fill station will only fill any tank to 80% to allow 20% for expansion.


Propane tanks do come with a bleed off valve but normally don't operate unless there is a great increase of pressure as may be caused by direct flame impingement.
By law they can only fill to 80% but I have had neighbors and others home fill their tanks from their main residential propane tank and they fill 'em up to overfull, and vice versa I have paid for tanks to be filled only to find out they only filled to 50% .... so I don't trust anyone saying whats what but invested in a scale to weigh my tanks....

Also as an aside - got rear ended in 2012 going tent camping, I had 4 propane bottles in the back of the 10' trailer... when the 1 ton truck hit it at 80 mph ( I was getting ready to turn and had decelerated to about 20) I was reminded of the 2 mortar attacks I survived while on active duty... nuff said
__________________
USAF; 1973-1988 SP & Disaster Preparedness
2015 Kodiak 291RESL
2015 Chevy S-2500 HD (Diesel)
Red Badger is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-01-2018, 01:45 PM   #26
Senior Member
 
capeharj's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Gregory
Posts: 124
Michigan
Shutting off propane at bthe tanks.

You should shut the propane off whenever you are not using it. As far as while towing, the wisdom is turn it off. If your refrigerator or hot water heater for that matter, is on you have a flame while driving down the road that can be fanned by the breeze and possibly cause a fire. There are no barriers between the outside and the interior of the trailer at the refrigerator. The only thing that blocks the outside at all is the decorative flange on the front of the refrigerator. The refrigerator is completely open so air can flow around the coils. Unless your traveling for 2 or 3 days without stopping your food will be fine with the refrigerator turned off, just turn it on when you stop for the night. I've had travel trailers since 1968 and it's never been a problem.
capeharj is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-01-2018, 02:26 PM   #27
Senior Member
 
wildwest450's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Sparta
Posts: 1,726
Tennessee
Quote:
Originally Posted by sundancer 87 View Post
The propane fill station will only fill any tank to 80% to allow 20% for expansion.


Propane tanks do come with a bleed off valve but normally don't operate unless there is a great increase of pressure as may be caused by direct flame impingement.
This. They are also called pop off valves, when they go off you'll know it, they sound similar to a shot gun blast, there's nothing gentle about it. It takes a lot of over filling and higher temps for one to go off, it should be a rare occurrence if the valve works properly.
__________________
2014 Aerolite 213 RBSL
2016 Chevrolet Colorado
wildwest450 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-01-2018, 03:11 PM   #28
Senior Member
 
sundancer 87's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Tahlequah
Posts: 3,079
Oklahoma
OK, so a propane tank has a bleed off valve that is manually operated, usually the fill station will allow the air in the tank to bleed off so a proper fill may happen. The valve is closed and the filling process is accomplished.


A pop off valve will open under extreme circumstances as previously mentioned. As far as sounding like a shot gun blast I wouldn't know. On the occasion while on a fire scene with a pig, or large propane tank was approximate to flame the first thing to do was shut the valve. If possible drag it out of the way not worrying so much about fittings and lines. If no way to move it then it was 'surround and drown' in the hopes of keeping the tank cool and stable until such time the fire was under control or out of fuel.


A pop off valve will close once the condition causing it to open has been remedied. Lessons were learned many years ago about cooling down a pop off valve when conditions weren't quite right. Hence the acronym BLEVE came into being. BLEVE has been a major focus in fire department training following the deaths of so many firefighters in Kingman, Arizona.

Mobile homes in rural areas and RVs are a major concern for firefighters regarding propane. It's a top priority after life safety.


Semantics aside, propane is extremely dangerous and deadly and should be handled carefully.
__________________
2013 Voltage 3800, 2012 Chevy 3500 HD
2010 Yamaha V Star 950
2009 Yamaha Raider
Volunteering with Habitat for Humanity Caravanners
sundancer 87 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-01-2018, 03:34 PM   #29
Senior Member
 
wildwest450's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Sparta
Posts: 1,726
Tennessee
Quote:
Originally Posted by sundancer 87 View Post
OK, so a propane tank has a bleed off valve that is manually operated, usually the fill station will allow the air in the tank to bleed off so a proper fill may happen. The valve is closed and the filling process is accomplished.
I think the confusion is in the terminology. The valve you open when filling(besides the service/shut off valve) is called a "spitter valve" or liquid level valve, when vapor comes out the tank is 80% full and it prevents overfilling. The relief or pop off valve only operates when there is excessive pressure in the tank, and can not be operated manually.

I guess I was confused as people are calling the spitter valve a pressure release valve, it "technically" can, but only manually operated.

On my work tanks the spitter/filler valve can be opened by hand, on most RV tanks it is a screw on the side of service/shutoff valve.
__________________
2014 Aerolite 213 RBSL
2016 Chevrolet Colorado
wildwest450 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-01-2018, 03:41 PM   #30
Member
 
GGreGG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Palmetto
Posts: 45
Florida
Stove Pilot

We left the stove pilot on last trip out. 30 days later, when we camped, one 30 lb tank was empty. I did find out that I don't have an auto switch valve, so we did have the second tank full. So maybe I will turn the tanks off now.

Only downside is that we do run the fridge as we travel, so initial start up will require priming. Always something to think about!
GGreGG is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-01-2018, 06:17 PM   #31
Senior Member
 
sundancer 87's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Tahlequah
Posts: 3,079
Oklahoma
Quote:
Originally Posted by wildwest450 View Post
I think the confusion is in the terminology. The valve you open when filling(besides the service/shut off valve) is called a "spitter valve" or liquid level valve, when vapor comes out the tank is 80% full and it prevents overfilling. The relief or pop off valve only operates when there is excessive pressure in the tank, and can not be operated manually.

I guess I was confused as people are calling the spitter valve a pressure release valve, it "technically" can, but only manually operated.

On my work tanks the spitter/filler valve can be opened by hand, on most RV tanks it is a screw on the side of service/shutoff valve.

Call the valves whatever you want, whatever suits you. All I know as when fighting fires on mobile homes or RVs the whole thing was called 'oh ****'. The concern was to get it off, out of the way or wet as hell.
__________________
2013 Voltage 3800, 2012 Chevy 3500 HD
2010 Yamaha V Star 950
2009 Yamaha Raider
Volunteering with Habitat for Humanity Caravanners
sundancer 87 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-03-2018, 12:20 AM   #32
New Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Shoreline
Posts: 3
Washington
Get in the habit of shutting off the propane and stay safer. Been doing this for the past 12 years and we're still around to talk about it. Yes, it does take a moment or so to fill the lines - so what! Use your stove or oven, turn on your fan! Breaking camp - turn off the gas! If you must get into the refer while you are traveling, make it fast. Have heard enough horror stories over the years that I really don't care to add to the statistics.
Rog St. Pierre is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-04-2018, 11:33 PM   #33
Senior Member
 
Wanderer's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Jellystone
Posts: 489
Wyoming
Quote:
Originally Posted by dsol View Post
How many RV’s have you seen burnt out on the side of the highway because of propane fires caused by accidents that you know are the result of refrigerators turned on while towing?

While I don’t disagree that it would be safer to travel with propane turned off and it is probably a good idea to do so I just can’t believe this is a regular occurrence for you.

Again, not trying to start a fight or be a jerk because I agree you are probably right but just curious how man you have seen.
I have seen at least four burnt out RV's. All of them were obvious where the fire started. The kitchen area. I have been RV'ing for many years all over western Canada and the Western US.
Wanderer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-05-2018, 01:03 AM   #34
Site Team
 
wahoonc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Sprung Leak
Posts: 3,157
North Carolina
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wanderer View Post
I have seen at least four burnt out RV's. All of them were obvious where the fire started. The kitchen area. I have been RV'ing for many years all over western Canada and the Western US.
But what triggered the fire? Without a full investigation it is anecdotal evidence at best. I was in a salvage yard the other day that had over a dozen RVs, only 2 of them had burned, one was a kitchen area fire, the other was caused by a brake catching on fire, the burned area was across from the fridge area. The rest were damaged by collisions of one sort or another.

Aaron
__________________
There is madness to my methods
2015 Coleman CM16FBS(traded) 2016 Concord 300DS
2015 Ford Fusion Hybrid following along
wahoonc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-05-2018, 03:31 AM   #35
Senior Member
 
Wanderer's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Jellystone
Posts: 489
Wyoming
Quote:
Originally Posted by wahoonc View Post
But what triggered the fire? Without a full investigation it is anecdotal evidence at best. I was in a salvage yard the other day that had over a dozen RVs, only 2 of them had burned, one was a kitchen area fire, the other was caused by a brake catching on fire, the burned area was across from the fridge area. The rest were damaged by collisions of one sort or another.

Aaron
Kitchen area fires or any fire in an RV can only be worse if the propane catches fire. My point is, why take the chance? Freezing ice in your freezer to keep the fridge cold during travel days works extremely well for us. Of course, if you have a family and need the freezer space for extra food this wouldn't work.
Wanderer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-05-2018, 12:42 PM   #36
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Beaver Dam
Posts: 890
Wisconsin
In the thread "Correction: Propane tanks on or off?" Frank T collected polling data on this issue. Almost everyone who answered the poll answered, that they traveled with both frig and tanks on.
I frequently travel with both On. My intent is to travel with them Off, but I frequently forget that step.
When someone asks if they should travel with them on I say "turn them off. It is the safest way to go."
The pilot on my Cub frig goes out if I exceed 50 MPH. Of course the tank stays on. It is illegal to have an "open" flame at a gas filling station. I don't know about diesel. Some high traffic tunnels prohibit tanks on, some prohibit propane tanks period.
On the other hand, with so many TT's and RV's traveling with both on and so few propane fires, the risk of having a propane fire is low, even if the cost of having a fire is high.
persistent is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-05-2018, 03:26 PM   #37
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Elberta
Posts: 114
Alabama
I err on the side of caution and travel with gas off. The two times I use propane is using the furnace or cooking on gas. Usually, we prepare meals ahead and use the microwave. Propane is not cheap and if you are in a full service campground, electric is included. By running the frig ahead of time before leaving, my food and drinks never get warm and the ice stays solid even on a long run.
__________________
1996 F350 7.3L Turbodiesel
Dually w Banks Powerpack
2012 Komfort 3130
Livin the Life
OldOneTwo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-05-2018, 04:08 PM   #38
Senior Member
 
wildwest450's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Sparta
Posts: 1,726
Tennessee
What oil do you guys run in your trucks?
__________________

__________________
2014 Aerolite 213 RBSL
2016 Chevrolet Colorado
wildwest450 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Dutchmen RV or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT. The time now is 02:13 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2020 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.
×