Contaminated Lp

jramsey · 07-12-2012, 07:16 AM

I'll try and keep my question short. While on the north coast of California a few weeks ago I ran into a problem with the lp on my cougar 5er. During the night I heard the heater firing up as normal the fan would run and then I could hear the lp ignite and run for about 60 seconds, then the flame would go out and the fan would continue to run, all sounds pretty normal except that the flame would not continue to burn. I knew that I had at least one full lp tank and a partial. So at o dark thirty I went outside to check and found the changeover valve on the reg and saw the red flag switched the changeover valve to the full tank and got the green flag, until the heater fired off again and the flag moved to red again while the valve was on the full tank. I did a few more trouble shooting things to try and fix the issue, including switching tanks, finally I was able to get the heater to operate properly buy keeping two full tanks on the system at all times. Took the 5er to my dealer because I thought it may be a bad regulator. The dealer had the unit for about a week and found contaminated lp in one of the tanks that blocked the pig tales, piping and reg with oil. They replaced all of the parts and blew out the piping and charged only the deductible. Now the question, how do I clean out the contaminated lp tank? I don't want this to happen again.

hankaye · 07-12-2012, 07:21 AM

jramsey, Howdy;

I would suggest that you take the contaminated tank to a
reputable Propane dealer and have them do the job.

hankaye

SAABDOCTOR · 07-12-2012, 07:34 AM

honestly buy a new tank. how ever you can slowly empty the tank. do not open the valve and let her rip. you need to conect to a pipe that is about 12ft tall so the gas can disipate before it collects on the ground and goes boom. then when empty you can remove the valve assembly( it is realy atight fit. so eat your wheaties) once the valve is out then you can clean out the tank. a lot of work. tractor supply sounds better.

jramsey · 07-12-2012, 07:50 AM

Hankaye and Saabdoctor,
Thank you for your quick replies. To be safe I think I'll take both tanks to the propane supplier in my area. If need be I'll buy two new tanks $ ouch. But this will be cheaper than contaminated lines again.

SAABDOCTOR · 07-12-2012, 07:56 AM

good move brother. any chance you can get the suplier to kick inn?

Halibutman214 · 07-12-2012, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hankaye

jramsey, Howdy;

I would suggest that you take the contaminated tank to a
reputable Propane dealer and have them do the job.

hankaye

While I could probably do this myself I too would let someone do this that knows what they're doing. Having been around for more many years a contaminated propane tank is a new one on me. Had you just got them filled?
It is also a bit confusing that oil was found in the piping. Propane in the tank is a liquid but in the lines is a gas. It would seem rather odd that oil could make it's way up and into the lines unless of course they overfilled the tanks. In any case this is another good tidbit of info to store away (although the harddrive is really full).

SAABDOCTOR · 07-12-2012, 08:23 AM

the shop were i work is a propane dealer. so i have done the valve change on thanks that have had bad over fill protection floats. but i gotta agree. where the heck did the oil come from? that's a first

**hankpage** · 07-12-2012, 09:16 AM

You may have a regulator problem .... some are oil filled. (I think.. not sure.. will have to look that up.. I did get oil in a BBQ once and a new reg. fixed it)

Okay... I did find this info and it is worth the read. Also explains why replacing my BBQ's reg fixed it. RV Doctor had this to say about the problem.

Also found that over 140°F solids can separate from LP gas. Like paraffin and oils. Not that hard to reach for a black rubber hose laying in the sun on a hot day.

jramsey · 07-12-2012, 10:26 AM

I am just as stymied as everyone is

the service manager at the dealership said that he has only seen this one time before. Not knowing much about lp and all of the problems associated with it I just keep asking a lot of questions from people that know more than I do. I have a call in to the service dept. at my propane supplier and I am waiting for their reply. All of the regulators and flexible supply hoses have been replaced but if I have a contaminated tank I don't want to put more junk into the clean lines. What is a man to do? We have a trip coming up to lake Tahoe in a couple of weeks and I would like to solve this problem ASAP.

SAABDOCTOR · 07-12-2012, 10:38 AM

well Hank thanks i did not know that some regulators are oil filled, you tought an old dog something new

Roberson4 · 07-12-2012, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SAABDOCTOR

well Hank thanks i did not know that some regulators are oil filled, you tought an old dog something new

If the regulator was the source of the oil then the propane in the tanks should be fine to use? No?

SteveC7010 · 07-12-2012, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jramsey

I am just as stymied as everyone is

the service manager at the dealership said that he has only seen this one time before. Not knowing much about lp and all of the problems associated with it I just keep asking a lot of questions from people that know more than I do. I have a call in to the service dept. at my propane supplier and I am waiting for their reply. All of the regulators and flexible supply hoses have been replaced but if I have a contaminated tank I don't want to put more junk into the clean lines. What is a man to do? We have a trip coming up to lake Tahoe in a couple of weeks and I would like to solve this problem ASAP.

The "oil" is most likely an excess of captene which is the stuff that makes propane stinky. I suppose it is possible that somehow an overabundance of the stuff ended up in one of your tanks. If that is the case, have your propane supplier purge AND clean out your tanks before refilling them.

On my '99 Sunline, after years of use, I began to notice an oily captene build up on some of the low pressure fittings. I jury-rigged a connection to my air compressor and gave all the lines and fittings a good blow out. By the time I was done, I had several paper towels that were pretty much soaked in the stuff. But it took 5 or 6 years for this to build up to the point it was noticeable.

jramsey · 07-12-2012, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roberson4

If the regulator was the source of the oil then the propane in the tanks should be fine to use? No?

I don't think I am going to take the chance. I am going to have my propane supplier purge the tanks.

Roberson4 · 07-12-2012, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jramsey

I don't think I am going to take the chance. I am going to have my propane supplier purge the tanks.

I agree with your choice, but wonder if there is a way to find out if the propane is actually contaminated?

IF its the same propane supplier that you got the 'contaminated' propane from in the first place maybe they could/should do it for free...

hankaye · 07-12-2012, 04:16 PM

Howdy All;

FYI, the product to oderize propane is ETHYL MERCAPTAN;

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_th..._leak_in_a_car

http://www.chemblink.com/MSDS/MSDSFi...8-1_Arkema.pdf

They only use a very small amount to oderize propane.

**hankpage** · 07-12-2012, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hankpage

You may have a regulator problem .... some are oil filled. (I think.. not sure.. will have to look that up.. I did get oil in a BBQ once and a new reg. fixed it)

Okay... I did find this info and it is worth the read. Also explains why replacing my BBQ's reg fixed it. RV Doctor had this to say about the problem.

Also found that over 140°F solids can separate from LP gas. Like paraffin and oils. Not that hard to reach for a black rubber hose laying in the sun on a hot day.

Okay, let me start again. The regulators are not oil filled. My Bad! Explained in the above link by RV Doctor is the source of the oily substance is from an over fill or the separation of LP gas from high temps. And it explains how get rid of it. Sorry for any confusion I caused.

Hank

jramsey · 07-12-2012, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roberson4

I agree with your choice, but wonder if there is a way to find out if the propane is actually contaminated?

IF its the same propane supplier that you got the 'contaminated' propane from in the first place maybe they could/should do it for free...

At this point I just want to get the issue settled and put my effort to something like waxing the 5er

. I will talk to my propane supplier and try to work out an equitable solution. I will let everyone know what I find out.

jramsey · 07-12-2012, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hankpage

Okay, let me start again. The regulators are not oil filled. My Bad! Explained in the above link by RV Doctor is the source of the oily substance is from an over fill or the separation of LP gas from high temps. And it explains how get rid of it. Sorry for any confusion I caused.

Hank

Hankpage,
You don't need to apologize we all get confused at times. No harm no foul!

SAABDOCTOR · 07-13-2012, 04:56 AM

thanks hank for the update on the regulator. the supplier for the propane products we sell told my i was nuts! well that's true but what about the regulators ha ha ha. but i sure can see the black rubber hose delminating or decomposing inthe high heat. i wounder if wrapping the hose in that reflective insulated pipe wrap. that gets used in a/c systems would help on these super hot days.

there i go thinkin again. man thats gotta stop time for a cold one yet?

blackty · 07-16-2012, 05:43 PM

I'll tell you how it happens, because it happened to my company. Delivery truck was sent out to pump out an old set of 1000 gal. tanks that were sitting at a vacant resort property that we serviced. Resort was closed for years, but was very popular for a long time. With alot of propane being used through the tanks over the years, the oil builds up and settles at the bottom of the tank. Since propane vaporizes and you use the vapor from the top of the tank, the oils do not leave. Now what happens when you pump the tank into a delivery truck, through the bottom of the tank liquid withdrawl valve, is ALL of the oil goes right in the truck. Instead of pumping the truck into the storage tank at our shop, the driver went from the resort to the rv dealer and made a delivery to their pump station. Pump stations deliver to your tank, you guessed it, from the bottom of their tank. If you get the oil on your clothes, do not go in your house. Throw them in the garbage...Jim

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