Propane tank question....

I need some help, today when i went to turn off my propane tank it was frosted up. I have never seen that before and it wasn't cold enough out for something like that to happen and the spare was fine. I am totally dumbfounded. Anyone know why this happened? has it ever happened to anyone else? Thanks guys.

What was the outside temp and humidity, Shelly?

Sounds like it was leaking.

This info came from http://www.algas-sdi.com/why-vaporizers.html

If you've ever seen a layer of frost form on your propane tank or bottle, you have seen first hand the limits of natural vaporization. Seeing frost on your tank means that the rate of heat being transferred into the tank to the liquid propane is less than the energy being used to actually convert the liquid to vapor, which results in a pressure reduction thus creating a refrigeration effect. This refrigeration effect continually reduces the rate of vaporization by forming an insulating frost layer on the tank, further causing a loss of vapor pressure. This can have a devastating effect on your ability to run your equipment.

Porkbeak
Thanks that sounds right i will read it again tom. when i am rested. Not getting it tonite. (knowing me, i won't get it tomorrow either. But thanks for the info.

The propane in the tank is a liquid and before you can use it, it has to change to a gas. The liquid propane has to absorb heat to change to a gas and the tank will be cold or cool.

Since the tank and line has frost on it, this indicates that the gas is being use as fast as it can be converted from a liquid. The line and/or the tank maybe under size. Thus your burners are not as hot as they should be and as you turn up the heat the problem gets worse.

Also, your tank may have been over filled, leaving very little room for gas to form. But his should have been a self-correcting problem as the tank emptied.

Talk to your propane suppler, he should be able to help. You may need a larger tank with less liquid propane at each refill so that there is more room for the gas to form in the top of the tank.

Assuming there are no leaks, but a leak you should be able to smell.

I hope this helps and wasn’t too long.

porkbeaks,
That was a good link about propane.

I wounder if a simple waterline heater (the electric strip kind that you warp around the line) would help if the out side temp was really low?? Anyway talk to your propane suppler!!

Shelly,
if you are using a 5 gallon tank it is only rated to something like 19,000 btu's in 40 weather. If your grill runs hotter than that it will frost up (even when it's warmer) and have less pressure, thus giving you less flame. You might try a couple of things. A larger tank will help, or if you already own a couple of 5 galloners try linking them up. A propane guy should be able to build you a y hose and valve for a lot less than buying a 10 gallon or larger tank. This has helped me quite a bit as I will work all winter burning dogs on a street corner.

If you need to rework your propane system, this is a good time to add in enough propane for a propane heater. It will make working in winter alot nicer. I won't go into the types. I figure there are going to be enough people that are using them that can recommend ones they like. RJF