20-Year-Old ASME propane tank

[avanti]

This discussion has been getting out of hand--I just cleaned up a number of posts. Please stay civil, gang.

 

[Mr. Merk]

Since the exact tank (Manchester 6881) is 1800$ and 5 months lead time…. has anyone used a slightly different tank to fit up under there? Would really appreciate any advice. Now ,I can’t sell it and can’t use it.

Yes. We fitted the 5.9 gal tank from Flameking where the Manchester tank was originally installed on our Airstream Avenue. It did require some brackets and spacers to lift the tank.

 

[jjrbus]

I do not know alot about tanks and recently had a fitting leak. From the tank to the regulator, a high pressure line so I was a bit more careful in choosing lines. Having some difficulty finding a proper line, I noticed that my tank is different, it does not look like a standard RV tank. It looks to me like a tank used on fork lifts.

I do not know if this is common in Canada or RV's or if the tank is modified for RV use? To get the right ends, fittings and length I had to order a stainless steel replacement line. I also purchased a gas detector tool to carry with me.

02C200P Roadtrek.

 

[youngnretired]

I'm by no means an expert at propane or tanks, but with radius'd corners and radius welded area to the tank suggests that the mounting bracket was installed with the tank manufacturer. Plus, it has what looks to be the spit valve for filling, so it's meant for horizontal installation. I highly doubt any rv manufacturer would weld on someone else's ASME certified propane tank, likely voiding the ASME rating and warranty from the original manufacturer.

 

[jjrbus]

I'm by no means an expert at propane or tanks, but with radius'd corners and radius welded area to the tank suggests that the mounting bracket was installed with the tank manufacturer. Plus, it has what looks to be the spit valve for filling, so it's meant for horizontal installation. I highly doubt any rv manufacturer would weld on someone else's ASME certified propane tank, likely voiding the ASME rating and warranty from the original manufacturer.

Is your 210 tank like this??

 

[youngnretired]

No, ours has the fittings on the side. It's hard to see, but here's two pics. The bottom of the tank has been ground and painted since these were taken.

 

[jjrbus]

No, ours has the fittings on the side. It's hard to see, but here's two pics. The bottom of the tank has been ground and painted since these were taken.
View attachment 2504644View attachment 2504646

Thanks, that is what I think of as a regular RV tank. Might want to consider an oil undercoating for your RT if you plan on keeping it.

 

[youngnretired]

Might want to consider an oil undercoating for your RT if you plan on keeping it.

It has more rust under it than when we looked at it and purchased it, but, it's not a serious rust issue. The rust looks to be the type from sitting on gravel for extended periods and having moisture underneath it, not from driven on salt roads. None of the seams anywhere show signs of rust. I know the vehicle spent the first 10 years of it's life in Arizona, likely parked outside 100%, and since 2008, the previous owners always kept it inside when not in use, but I think it was a dirt floor barn. The amount of rust on the propane tank has always been a question as to why. I think, but don't know for certain, that the prep work from the tank manufacturer maybe wasn't so great, maybe no use of primer, coupled with always sitting over dirt and moisture, but that's speculation on my part

 

[jjrbus]

It has more rust under it than when we looked at it and purchased it, but, it's not a serious rust issue. The rust looks to be the type from sitting on gravel for extended periods and having moisture underneath it, not from driven on salt roads. None of the seams anywhere show signs of rust. I know the vehicle spent the first 10 years of it's life in Arizona, likely parked outside 100%, and since 2008, the previous owners always kept it inside when not in use, but I think it was a dirt floor barn. The amount of rust on the propane tank has always been a question as to why. I think, but don't know for certain, that the prep work from the tank manufacturer maybe wasn't so great, maybe no use of primer, coupled with always sitting over dirt and moisture, but that's speculation on my part

Sandblasted in AZ but not driven in the rust belt LOL

 

[youngnretired]

Yea, something like that. And I meant to say that it has more rust on it than I thought it had on it when we looked at it purchasing it. However, it's solid for sure. The next one I'll be a little more focused on certain things when looking at one to buy. The propane tank has held up well since I painted the bottom of the tank last spring. I used the high zinc content primer before paint and even though we've driven it down many miles of dirt roads, it's still solid paint on the tank.

 

[booster]

When rust gets as thick and scaly as that looks, it is probably time to do something as was mentioned by another poster earlier like and oil based rust treater/preventative.

Parker over damp ground in wide temp swings like we get in the north can really take a toll on the underside including the floors, frame, and any other stuff under there which Class b van have a lot of. Condensation at temp swings is the big deal that causes it and that occurs on both the inside and outside of the parts. The underbody parts warm up very slowly during the day while warmer, moister air passes over them and condenses. It is not unusual to see underbody pieces actually dripping. I was in the hotrod/restoration crowd for a long time and you would be amazed at what folks go through to prevent the issue during storage, including laying heavy plastic sheets under the vehicle even if stored on concrete unless climate controlled and a very dry floor. Without temp swings the issue is very very much reduced.

In an old van you don't know if the body and frame drains are plugged with dirt or dead bugs so yo also don't know if they hold water that can be very harmful. Our van stores like many others except on concrete in a tight garage held above 40*F and we don't even get rusty rotors over the winter.

If I were you I would try to find a shop that uses an oil/wax type treatment that will penetrate and stay put over time. Doing the inside of the frame sections is critical. Crown and Fluid film come to mind and maybe Rust Check. We had the underbody sprayed with Rust Check mostly to get into the frame sections and the stuff clings great but is super messy and melts the factory wax coating into a black slime that makes it really evil during repairs.

I think the rust at the bottom of the tank is that is probably at the level of the liquid in the tank, which will stay cold much longer every day so more time to condense water on the tank surface.

 

[youngnretired]

We rented a storage unit to park the camper in while not in use. We have a separate storage unit for the popup camper that we use for other types of camping and a few other things. This past spring, when it got warm out, the concrete where the camper was parked was a swimming pool. Nothing I could do about it when I discovered it and yes, there was moisture everywhere! I really was amazed. Our other storage unit does not do this, so there must be insulation under the slab to help stop this, not really sure. But, this coming spring when it starts to get warm, the camper is coming home and going to sit in the driveway. At least there's air movement (the storage unit would NOT let me set up a fan to move air, and it wouldn't have done anything anyways) and I can open the camper up on days when precipitation won't happen, things like that. Our garage at the house is heated to 45 in the winter and we run a dehumidifier in the summer to take care of any moisture accumulating, especially on the slab. Our house has a crawlspace, so chemicals and other products are stored in the garage because there just isn't room in the house. The garage heater is very nice because none of those products needs to be moved around, they can just stay where they are and don't freeze.

I will investigate the coatings mentioned and try to get under the camper and look at things. I do know that sand etc inside the frame typically never goes anywhere and isn't good. It's probably not good that we drove down 90 miles of dirt road in Labrador a month ago during the rain. That was a treat and there is still Labrador mud under the camper.

You are probably right on the liquid in the propane tank causing a temperature difference and the paint issue. We'll see how well the paint I put on it lasts. So far 2 years, 20,000 miles and it's still solid.

 

[jjrbus]

Not only the tank should be treated but the entire unit! Back in the day my peeps in the rust belt treated their daily drivers with used motor oil and had 15-25 year old cars that were rust free!

Used oil would be frowned upon these days but there are plenty of DIY options such as Fluid Film and also commercial options that will apply it for you. Downside is needs to be done every year or so.

 

[booster]

Not only the tank should be treated but the entire unit! Back in the day my peeps in the rust belt treated their daily drivers with used motor oil and had 15-25 year old cars that were rust free!

Used oil would be frowned upon these days but there are plenty of DIY options such as Fluid Film and also commercial options that will apply it for you. Downside is needs to be done every year or so.

Very common in the old days here also to use the waste oil to spray underbody often when the oil change done. My step father who ran a gas and repair station would pack the front fender eyebrows over the headlights with grease as they rotted very quickly from trapped sand and salt.

I use LPS3 very a lot for rust proofing as it is an oil plus wax that does really well. Expensive in spray cans but you can get gallon cans and use a hand or power sprayer which reduces the cost a lot.

 

[jjrbus]

In high school helped a friend with an old Pontiac that the fender eyebrows were rusted out on! I have not heard of the LPS3 but anything other than the "rust proofing type products"

I've used Fluid Film because it was on sale and if sprayed on one side of a leaf spring within a couple weeks will show up on the other side. Wish I had access to a lift or pit.