BBQ Propane Tanks

I see more and more (full) small propane tanks being set out for haul away. I have picked up half a dozen of them. I know little or nothing about them. What can I use them for? I have lots of gas fittings and some propane fittings in cans in my shed. All my barbequing has been with charcoal, I never used gas or propane.

Could I hook one of these small tanks (they weigh about 20 or 30 pounds full) up to gas connect line and run a small natural gas heater with it? Maybe I could rig up some flexible hose and walk around my yard burning up weeds with it? I don't know. In using these old propane tanks, will it be necessary to use regulators and check valves etc...just to say run a 6 foot rubber hose off of it to burn weeds? I mean: are they THAT explosive that they would require a check valve inline?

Reply to
MelvinSlankerd
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The reason you are seeing so many of them around is that it is no longer legal to refill the old style bottles.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Keep the whole world singing. . . . DanG

about them. What

never used gas or

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up weeds with

necessary to use

rubber hose off of

would require a

Reply to
DanG

You are seeing a lot of these, because it is illegal to fill these after their expiry date. There is also an older style tank that is no longer allowed to be refilled.

If you want to recycle these, maybe you can use them to make some type of art work, or useful construction that requires these types of cylinder shaped pieces. There are some people north of here that are painting them with faces and funny designs. They use them as lawn and garden ornaments (painted with designs of coarse).

Reply to
Jerry G.

About the only thing they are good for is an air tank. your Ng line has to little pressure, the tanks need new saftey valves for propane. So you have alot of junk.

Reply to
m Ransley

Just a little note of caution here... if the "artwork" or "useful construction" involves welding or brazing, it would be a *real* good idea to flush the tank with nitrogen, argon, or carbon dioxide first.

Reply to
Doug Miller

If you want to recycle these, maybe you can use them to make >>

Most people are misunderstanding my post. I don't want to recycle them. I want to USE them because most all that I find are FULL of propane. The thing is...I am not familiar with using these things. I don't have a (new or old) gas grill. If I had a brand new (politically correct) propane tank, I don't know really how to use that either.

As long as I can get these things free, I thought I might heat a small shed with them (one at a time) or burn weeds or...weld? I wanted a good jack-of-all-trades, handyman type of guy to suggest uses for them and tell me how to safely put them to use.

Reply to
MelvinSlankerd

Get a roofing torch good for weed burning starting a fireplace .

Reply to
m Ransley

Well, find someone who is throwing out a gas BBQ grill and I think you are all set :) What you suggested is ok too - hook up a torch head to a flexible hose and use it to burn weeds in summer and ice in winter. I've seen these same things advertised in some home flyers.

Walter

Reply to
Walter Cohen

You can pretty much do whatever you want with them. Buy a small propane heater, and you can heat your shed. Buy a weed torch, and you can burn weeds. I don't thing that you can weld with propane. You could solder if you can figure out how to connect a torch to the tanks. I'd be sure before buying any propane powered toys that your tanks have the right connectors. Some of the older ones may not hook up to newer tools without the correct adapters.

Reply to
DaveG

That works. THEN when they are empty, you can turn them into art projects. You won't be able to fill them again (legally, that is).

Reply to
Grandpa Koca

A new valve assembly that passes regulations I beleive costs under 14 $ , cheaper than a tank.

Reply to
m Ransley

Take them to Home Depot. They will exchange it for a modern one that is filled for about $16.00

Steve

Reply to
SteveB

I collect the full ones. I replaced my male adaptor with one off a discarded grill, and I can use the old tanks. It is probably not worth the effort, but I get a kick out of free gas. Yes, you can use them for propane heaters, but it is a little tricky because you have to get the plumbing right or it doesn't work. And... unless the heater has an automatic shutoff, it is illegal to use a 20 pound tank indoors.

Reply to
Toller

That is an assumption you are making, without having any idea what the dates on the tanks are, and whether or not they are equipped with an OPD.

What is against the National Fire Protection Association code is filling tanks that are not equipped with an overflow protection device (OPD). These will have a triangular-shaped wheel. Besides that, if they are beyond a certain date (12 years old?), they are still usable, and legal, provided they are inspected and approved by a certified inspector.

Bottom line is, if they have a triangular-shaped wheel, they are equipped wioth an OPD, and can be filled.

Reply to
Retiredff

Not every state has adopted the new codes.

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I still fill mine and will continue to do so. About a dozen states are maintaining their sensibilities and not trashing perfectly good tanks.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

That's true. My mistake.

Reply to
Retiredff

The portable heater I have has no plumbing. Connect the hose and you are ready. It does have the auto shut off feature though. Ed snipped-for-privacy@snet.net

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Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

What you may need is a fitting adapter. Many of the older tanks have a different type of fitting. If you are trying to use it with a newer grill, you will need a fitting adapter. Many of the super hardware stores might have them, so look around.

There are many un orthodox uses for the old tanks. There was a recent discussion on the HVAC group on using them for floats. Some people have used them for air tanks or Mickey mouse freon recovery tanks for automotive use. Not exactly kosher, but it has been done.

Bob

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Reply to
Bob Urz

This is Turtle.

Here in South Louisiana we still fill them any time as you want to. Even Harbor Freight place has a valve to attach your House propane tank for your house to fill the 5 gal. bottles too. I just had my old bottle filled at the Feed Store about 2 days ago. Here in Louisiana we don't read newspapers much and maybe we had not got the word yet. Hey Walmarts still sells hose , regulator and attachment kit to hook up these bottles to anything you want.

TURTLE

Reply to
TURTLE

This is Turtle.

Louisiana is the only hold out as I see. We were always different.

TURTLE

Reply to
TURTLE

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