Propane tank issues

[JamesnTN]

I've been using one of those tanks for grills for my bench source annealer. Today I went to fire it up to anneal brass and I have no pressure. The tank is half full but no pressure. Is there a fix or do I just swap it out?

I don't have any sort of pressure Guage on it or regulator but never had a problem until now.

 

[Riesel]

How do you know it's half full?

 

[wapiti25]

How do you know it is 1/2 full? What is the temp.? Float valve my be stuck shut. You could have butane instead of propane, butane does not like low temps.

 

[JamesnTN]

How do you know it is 1/2 full? What is the temp.?

It's a guess but I can shake it and feel the liquid inside and it's still pretty dang heavy. Temp is around 68-70* that's what I keep the reloading shop at.

 

[skiutah02]

I've been using one of those tanks for grills for my bench source annealer. Today I went to fire it up to anneal brass and I have no pressure. The tank is half full but no pressure. Is there a fix or do I just swap it out?

I don't have any sort of pressure Guage on it or regulator but never had a problem until now.

As above, but if you ARE sure its 1/2 full, I had a tank that would, for lack of a better word, "lock out" if the device I had it hooked up to turned off suddenly. Had something to do with the Overfill Prevention Device (OPD) that is a safety feature. There was a tool that you could screw into the (internal) threads that relieved the pressure in the headspace that had activated the "lock-out". Sometimes it would lock out if the valve was opened too quickly. However, if it is indeed locking out because of overpressure in the tank, you'd want to get that looked at.

Drew

 

[JamesnTN]

As above, but if you ARE sure its 1/2 full, I had a tank that would, for lack of a better word, "lock out" if the device I had it hooked up to turned off suddenly. Had something to do with the Overfill Prevention Device (OPD) that is a safety feature. There was a tool that you could screw into the (internal) threads that relieved the pressure in the headspace and that had activated the "lock-out". Sometimes it would lock out if the valve was opened too quickly. However, if it is indeed locking out because of overpressure in the tank, you'd want to get that looked at.

Drew

I'll just swap it out and thanks. I get a flame if you call it that just no pressure behind it

 

[LHSmith]

I'll just swap it out and thanks. I get a flame if you call it that just no pressure behind it

My mentor would weigh the bottles, when they were down to 1/2 full, he'd switch them out in order to maintain the desired flame. Now he uses a 20# refillable bottle w/gauge and it's much more user friendly....always a good thing.

 

[Changeling]

It's a guess but I can shake it and feel the liquid inside and it's still pretty dang heavy. Temp is around 68-70* that's what I keep the reloading shop at.

It happened to me, just like you said. I just returned it to WM for a free exchange.

 

[dkhunt14]

Did you unhook it and try again? Matt

 

[JamesnTN]

Did you unhook it and try again? Matt

Yes several times and even turned the sucker upside down. And back upright.

 

[Joe Salt]

James I just have to say this LOL. You know its half empty when you are using it. But its half full if you were filling it.

Joe Salt

 

[eric32]

Just swap it out at the gas station and grab a 6 pack of your favorite beverage

 

[DJSBRS]

I've been using one of those tanks for grills for my bench source annealer. Today I went to fire it up to anneal brass and I have no pressure. The tank is half full but no pressure. Is there a fix or do I just swap it out?

I don't have any sort of pressure Guage on it or regulator but never had a problem until now.[

I suspect the lines are blocked with an oil like substance.
Close the main valve, take it loose at the main valve, open both valves on the burners and hold it up so it can drain the oil out over night.

DJ

DJ's Brass Service
205-461-4680

 

[savagedasher]

I had the same problem it was the valve on the bottle. Larry

 

[Mozella]

I don't know exactly how your annealer is set up, but here's what happened to my BBQ grill not long ago. I had a half full 20# tank and, like you, it produced only enough gas for a low flame. I even bought and installed a new regulator; no joy.

I found out that there is a safety device built into the tank OPD. My grill burners were off, as usual, before I opened the valve on the tank, as usual. But I didn't realize that the side burner was on when I opened the tank valve. The safety device detects that situation and won't allow full flow. The answer was to turn off ALL the valves before opening the tank valve. The OPD then detects a pressure build up downstream of the tank valve and allows full flow once you open a burner valve. Without that pressure build up, you may not get full flow.

So, be sure your annealing machine valve is off and that you have no leaks. Then open the tank valve, and finally the annealing machine valve and light the flame. See if that doesn't give you full flow.

I've been using propane for many years, but I never realized that the new OPD valves had such a provision.

 

[noload]

What Mozella said, happened to me also. I want the old tanks back.

 

[trpcboy]

If you are using a propane torch with the bottle fitting it, it has a built in regulator. The torch I use has the bottle end removed and replaced with a barbed hose fitting. I have a propane regulator at the tank and set the flame for the correct temp.

john
Mims, Fl

 

[billlarson]

What Mozella said, happened to me also. I want the old tanks back.

+3

 

[Larryh128]

You can't have your old tank, the feds have decided that we aren't smart enough to use them. So they are saving us from ourselves.

 

[SmokinJoe]

As usual - but does it matter if it still works or not? Typical regulatory BS.