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propane service knowledge

Started by r.man, February 13, 2014, 08:19:06 AM

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r.man

February 13, 2014, 08:19:06 AM
Learned something the other day. About ten days ago a friend who manages a sawmill and single propane kiln had the boiler fail in the cold snap and cause a few problems. When the service tech came to fix it he poured hot water on the regulator to de-ice it and get the unit going. My friend then did the same fix a few days later on the same regulator. I got a call yesterday from a woman looking after a customers house saying it was cold. I don't work on furnaces but I dropped in as a courtesy to give her advice on who to call. When I checked the tanks to make sure they weren't empty I noticed the regulator was heavily frosted. Took a pail of warm water out to it, slowly poured it over the regulator and the unit started when I reset it. Not sure if there are any dos and don'ts with this but it worked well for me. A cheap easy and quick fix, the kind I like.
Life is too short or my list is too long, not sure which. Dec 2014

drobertson

#1
February 13, 2014, 08:59:01 AM
Heck yea! anything that works! and it sounds like it does,  I bet she was happy!
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

pineywoods

#2
February 13, 2014, 10:48:00 AM
Propane makes a pretty decent refrigerant. The regulator drops the tank pressure (normally 50-75 psi) down to 1 or 2 psi, the temperature drops a bunch. Any water or vapor present will freeze. Likewise any vapor present in the vicinity.. Outside air temp doesn't have much to do with it. Hot water is the only fix I know of , but it usually is temporary. Sure don't want to take a torch to the regulator  ::).
1995 Wood Mizer LT 40, Liquid cooled kawasaki,homebuilt hydraulics. Homebuilt solar dry kiln.  Woodmaster 718 planner, Kubota M4700 with homemade forks and winch, stihl  028, 029, Ms390
100k bd ft club.Charter member of The Grumpy old Men

Rockn H

#3
February 13, 2014, 12:04:26 PM
Piney, before propane, do you remember the old "buried" butane tanks.  Anything below 30 degrees and butane would just go back to a liquid.

John Mc

#4
February 13, 2014, 04:53:57 PM
If it's freezing up, I wonder if she's got moisture in her storage tank?
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

r.man

#5
February 13, 2014, 06:52:01 PM
There is probably moisture in the tank but it may be a one time problem due to the extreme cold. With the kiln tank when it happened the second time the tech recommended that the supplier be informed to they could keep it from happening again.
Life is too short or my list is too long, not sure which. Dec 2014

justallan1

#6
February 13, 2014, 11:42:53 PM
I've seen this a few times and it seems that it didn't matter if it was 0* or -30*, but more a case of the regulators that were getting hit by lots of wind in the cold. Every one that I thawed out had the lid open previously for extended periods, so after thawing them I'd wrap them for protection from the wind and it seems to have done the trick.

Allan

ryguy777

#7
February 15, 2014, 07:15:15 PM
propane is nasty cold stuff, and even in the summer if your running regulators wide open they'll freeze up sometimes. I fill tanks at the hardware store I work at (going to school too) and when it sprays out from the nosle when your unscrewing it and it sprays your hands you know it, especially in this nasty cold we've been having. it'll freeze burn you, it really doesn't feel good haha

John R

#8
February 15, 2014, 07:52:42 PM
Need to add some alcohol to the tank, it'll stop the freezing.
John


Sthil MS 361 20" Bar
Sthil MS 260 PRO 16" Bar
Oregon 511 AX Chain Grinder

beenthere

#9
February 15, 2014, 08:35:26 PM
From the OP
QuoteI noticed the regulator was heavily frosted.

I'm puzzled, as this frosting up of the regulator seems like moisture from the air, not moisture from within the propane gas.

I'd be wondering how one could "add" alcohol to the propane tank.  Empty it first... and then what?
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

pineywoods

#10
February 15, 2014, 08:43:34 PM
Quote from: Rockn H on February 13, 2014, 12:04:26 PM
Piney, before propane, do you remember the old "buried" butane tanks.  Anything below 30 degrees and butane would just go back to a liquid.

Yup, there's one under a lilac bush at the corner of my house. Hasn't been used since the first gas well came in about 60 years ago. Propane will do the same thing if it gets cold enough.
1995 Wood Mizer LT 40, Liquid cooled kawasaki,homebuilt hydraulics. Homebuilt solar dry kiln.  Woodmaster 718 planner, Kubota M4700 with homemade forks and winch, stihl  028, 029, Ms390
100k bd ft club.Charter member of The Grumpy old Men

John R

#11
February 15, 2014, 09:52:29 PM
Quote from: beenthere on February 15, 2014, 08:35:26 PM
From the OP
QuoteI noticed the regulator was heavily frosted.

I'm puzzled, as this frosting up of the regulator seems like moisture from the air, not moisture from within the propane gas.

I'd be wondering how one could "add" alcohol to the propane tank.  Empty it first... and then what?

No they have an injector to put it in the tank along with the propane.
When the regulator freezes on the inside from moisture it will get frost on the outside.
John


Sthil MS 361 20" Bar
Sthil MS 260 PRO 16" Bar
Oregon 511 AX Chain Grinder

elk42

#12
February 15, 2014, 09:53:31 PM
They put  methanol in LP gas for controlling water freezing in reg.

    www.propanecouncil.org/.../REP_11992%20Methanol%20to%20Contro...

Machinist Retired, Lt15 WM 25 HP, Stihl 044, Stihl 311, Kubota M2900w/FEL, KUBOTA L4800 w/FEL,
Lincoln Ranger 10,000, stihl 034,

ryguy777

#13
February 18, 2014, 08:30:19 PM
im thinking its a problem with the regulator needing to be replaced. but this has been a really cold winter... if they're using a lot of propane, id think that's why. the propane is just that cold. so if the regulator isn't 'regulating' and theres not much control how much goes through and its running near wide open I think that's whats freezing it up.... I would try a new regulator
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