Frozen propane

[FullTimer]

Lol, you guys are way out west, Googled it lol. Yeah on the pads, just be careful about whether they are controlled or not.

[Festus2]

Steve -

I am a bit puzzled as to why you are having recent issues with "frozen propane". According to your IP address, you live in the western section of the Fraser Valley where the temperatures have been unusually "warm" for this time of year. Except for a couple of nights of frost and night-time temperatures of +3 to +4C, the temperatures in this area of BC have remained slightly above freezing during the night and up to about 9 to 10C during the day.

While your propane may be "cold", I can't see how you would need electric blankets to keep it flowing properly. Dropping in a 60w light bulb still seems the cheapest and equally effective way of keeping the tank "warm". 60w light bulbs are still available whereas anything above that will be hard to find. Some retailers may have a few 100's in stock.

I can see where freezing temperatures could effect the flow of propane but not if the temperatures we have experienced and are currently having now would cause the problem you are having. ????

[SAABDOCTOR]

yep MISAILOR our leaders Know best, Bull ^%$t Some of the kids in my wife's middle school class can't tell time on an analog clock!!!!

[geo]

Originally Posted by Festus2

Steve -

I am a bit puzzled as to why you are having recent issues with "frozen propane". According to your IP address, you live in the western section of the Fraser Valley where the temperatures have been unusually "warm" for this time of year. Except for a couple of nights of frost and night-time temperatures of +3 to +4C, the temperatures in this area of BC have remained slightly above freezing during the night and up to about 9 to 10C during the day.

While your propane may be "cold", I can't see how you would need electric blankets to keep it flowing properly. Dropping in a 60w light bulb still seems the cheapest and equally effective way of keeping the tank "warm". 60w light bulbs are still available whereas anything above that will be hard to find. Some retailers may have a few 100's in stock.

I can see where freezing temperatures could effect the flow of propane but not if the temperatures we have experienced and are currently having now would cause the problem you are having. ????

Festus2 & Steve -

Actually, what may have happened, Steve . . . when you got your propane tanks filled last, was it warmer? It might be that the place that filled your tanks had an incorrect mixture of LPG (liquified petroleum gas - what we commonly call "propane") for the season. If you have too much butane, propylene, etc., then as the temperature drops, the vaporization pressure drops and it appears that your "propane has frozen". All above advice, thoughts, etc., aside . . . either use a light bulb, etc., even a heating pad if you must and if it is safe, to warm the tanks you have now and run them out of LPG as soon as possible. Then take the tanks down to get refilled, probably from a different supplier, and you will find you have better results. Honestly, my thoughts are is that you have too little propane and too many other LPG components.

Maybe an outside source can explain better: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-....htm#slideshow.

Ron

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by SAABDOCTOR

yep MISAILOR our leaders Know best, Bull ^%$t Some of the kids in my wife's middle school class can't tell time on an analog clock!!!!

Hey Barney, Ask her if any of them can figure change from a $1 bill. I haven't had any of the "kids" at McD's or BK or ?? be able to give me change from a 98 cent purchase when I give them a $1 bill. They, somehow, forgot (or never learned) that 100 - 98 = 2..... I could see it if the transaction was more complex, but.... What has happened to our ability to "think' rather than "rely on the machine" to think for us ??????

As for light bulbs... We exchanged the "global warming threat" and incandescent bulbs to the "mercury disposal crisis" (pending) with CFL's.....

Which foot did who get shot in????

[MadMax]

Originally Posted by Steve S

So my propane is frozen every morning, it's getting kind of cold between 5 am and 10 am
I really don't mind the cold but my little dog runs under the covers and stays there
Beside heated wires and things like that is there another way to insulate the tanks
Oh btw I turn the furnace off @ night and I assume that might be the cause of the problem

I encountered a similar problem with frost on the tanks in the morning and sometimes the tank pressure was so low that the gauge showed empty (even when the tank was still 1/2 full). I purchased two Battery Warmer blankets and wrapped them around the base of each tank. Then I plugged each one into an extension cord connecting to a timer. The time comes on at dusk and off at dawn. No more freezing/frost and when a tank shows empty on the gauge, it is empty.

[Steve S]

Originally Posted by Festus2

Steve -

I am a bit puzzled as to why you are having recent issues with "frozen propane". According to your IP address, you live in the western section of the Fraser Valley where the temperatures have been unusually "warm" for this time of year. Except for a couple of nights of frost and night-time temperatures of +3 to +4C, the temperatures in this area of BC have remained slightly above freezing during the night and up to about 9 to 10C during the day.

While your propane may be "cold", I can't see how you would need electric blankets to keep it flowing properly. Dropping in a 60w light bulb still seems the cheapest and equally effective way of keeping the tank "warm". 60w light bulbs are still available whereas anything above that will be hard to find. Some retailers may have a few 100's in stock.

I can see where freezing temperatures could effect the flow of propane but not if the temperatures we have experienced and are currently having now would cause the problem you are having. ????

It's only during the night it freezes and the furnace is always off at night. If I was to let the furnace run all night then I don't have a problem.
I'm just outside of Langley and I'm surrounded by trees so it get's pretty cold.
So far this has only happened about 5 times.
It's really not the end of the world for me I'm more concerned about my dog.

[Steve S]

K so the heated blankets and the magnetic heaters sound like a plan.
I really want to stay away from light bulbs as to me it's a safety issue.
I did get very close to the R.V place today though

[Ken / Claudia]

I have been following this but, never had that problem. I, we elk hunt in Dec at 5-6000 ft. Temps are highs 20s low 0 to -0F. 3 RVs lots of propane tanks. They sit in the snow/ice on the ground until needed. Trips go like that 7-9 days. Last one 4 years about but, never had propane freeze. Maybe we have just been lucky. Water and battery problems every day, that is different.

[Steve S]

K I'm now convinced that the tanks aren't freezing as it wasn't - weather this morning.
I'm getting propane to the stove but very little, it's almost like there's no pressure.
Yesterday like most mornings the gas just to start flowing at some point and works great all day and night.
I'm stumped!

[Ken / Claudia]

If I had that problem, I would first unhook the tanks and lift them, feel how much propane is in them, likely not full and go fill them. Hook them up, turn both on and look at the window regulator to be sure it does not go red. If it does than likely the regulator failed. but, try one tank at a time. Turn on propane items on and see what happens. If it quits go back and see what the regulator shows.

[geo]

Originally Posted by Steve S

K I'm now convinced that the tanks aren't freezing as it wasn't - weather this morning.
I'm getting propane to the stove but very little, it's almost like there's no pressure.
Yesterday like most mornings the gas just to start flowing at some point and works great all day and night.
I'm stumped!

Steve -

Sounds like the valve in the connection pigtails . . . now. I had some problems on the Alpine where I was getting restricted flow. As in, light the stove and turn on the furnace . . . stove goes out. I finally got some connection pigtails from a marine supply! They worked perfectly and didn't restrict the flow unneccesarily. Had no further problems. So, with your additional information, I retract the propane blankets and propose marine pigtails!

Ron

[Steve S]

Thank Ron
I'm starting to thing that the problem is in the connection pigtails as well. At 5 am I was looking at it and I can shut off the gas and then turn it back on again and I can hear that it goes really slow.
I thought maybe the cold but when I was at the RV place this morning she said that it should rush through and that it's not cold enough to freeze propane.
Tomorrow it rains, will be warm and I'll post up if the furnace fires up right away.

[B&T]

Watching this thread with interest as we had this happen a few nights ago when the temp dropped to 14 -- after warming up the next day gas flow returned to normal. another cold snap is coming so will see if it happens again.

[Steve S]

And we have heat, don't need it but we have it
It's raining and a little warmer today so I guess that changed things
I'm going to buy a remote thermometer today and place it in front by the tanks and post the temps when the propane works and when it doesn't.

[Albert]

You can tell it is a cold winter this year by the number of posts this thread has. If the weather was warmer we would all be outside getting our RV's ready for spring and not sitting in the house trying to find something to stay busy, me included!

Only a few more months of this global warming left.

[dea3851]

Originally Posted by Steve S

So my propane is frozen every morning, it's getting kind of cold between 5 am and 10 am
I really don't mind the cold but my little dog runs under the covers and stays there
Beside heated wires and things like that is there another way to insulate the tanks
Oh btw I turn the furnace off @ night and I assume that might be the cause of the problem

Steve S. Been watching your thread and this might help, I worked for LP gas comp soon years back in the 70s here in michigan and this would happen on houses with lp it would get very cold at night and at the regulater they would freeze up get a little water in it and freeze , try pouring hot water over the regulater and hear the regulater make a popping noise then see if furnance works, if it does take regulater off of system and pour denatured alcohol thru it to dry up moisture out of it and put it back together and see if it works the next cold night, worked for us in michigan,

[Steve S]

Thanks for the tip! I'll try that next week when it freezes again.
Wish I bought the trailer in the winter when the RV guys certified it then I wouldn't have this problem.

[Steve S]

I went to fill one of the tanks, was told that it wasn't empty and it was weighed and there was still 15 lbs left in the bottle.
I told the guy that the furnace wouldn't light and that I thought it was empty. I also told him that I turned the knob and nothing came out and then he schooled me on something that I didn't know.
He said that my tanks have over fill protection valves on them and that even if I open the valve nothing will come out.
He also told me that if the gas comes out too fast then the valve will think there's a leak and will shut off.
So when everything is off during the night, the valves are cold and then I expect propane to rush rush through and fire things up do you think the valves are turning off?
Just a thought but what do you guys think?
Here's a pic of the sticker on the tanks.

[jsmith948]

Steve,
I think you have been given the answer in previous posts. There have been several discussions regarding this issue. Many of us have found that the OEM pigtails are sometimes defective or, at least, do not perform well for very long. We have replaced both of ours after only 18 months of use. Replacing the pigtails (about $30) solved the problem! Give it a try!