By Heidi Bodette
LovingTheRVlife.com
Has your RV propane tank ever been overfilled? Well, it happened to us in January. Here’s what we learned so you can help ensure it doesn’t happen to you.
Warning signs
Looking back, there were warning signs that our propane tank was overfilled. First, when the man came to fill it, he mentioned he forgot to bring his glasses. Second, he had to change the hose adapter a couple times before he had the right one. Third, he didn’t open up the bleeder valve which is used during the refill process to alert when the tank is nearing the full mark (80%). And, last, when he released the connection, there was a stream of liquid propane that came out of the propane tank. Normally, there would be nothing or a momentary spurt.
When we left, we didn’t realize the tank was overfilled. Fortunately, while driving to our next location, it was cooler weather and the propane tank was in the shade at our new site.
What happens when your tank is overfilled?
When we arrived at our campsite, we turned the propane on and didn’t realize anything was wrong. In the evening, we turned on the furnaces as temperatures were going into the lower 40s. When we woke up, the RV was cold and the furnaces wouldn’t come on. Mark checked our propane stove and it came on but wasn’t acting normal so he shut it off. He checked the propane tank and the fill indicator was buried past the ‘full’ line! That isn’t supposed to be like that!
To allow for expansion, propane containers should be filled to only 80% of their capacity. The same amount of propane can take up more or less space depending on the temperature. The extra space in the tank is a cushion against pressure that builds up inside a tank when it is hot outside.
We found this on the Internet
“An overfilled propane tank can explode, causing damage and even injury. The risk of overfilling is complicated by the fact that the liquid in the tank will expand in warmer weather as pressure in the tank increases. The tank may also cause the relief valve to open and spill propane onto the ground.”
When an RV propane tank is filled correctly, it shouldn’t overfill because all tanks have safety devices to prevent this. But, because it actually did happen to us, this is what we did to fix it.
- First, we called Mark’s brother because he has a similar propane tank/setup. We also researched and connected with people in the Tiffin Motorhome Owners FaceBook group. This same situation had happened to a few others as well. Knowing our propane tank had a pressure relief valve to release excess pressure, we felt comfortable moving forward to resolve the situation on our own.
- Since propane is heavier than air, we made sure there were no ignition sources near the propane tank (open fire, someone smoking, etc.). We opened the bleeder valve slowly and shut it off again. When overfilled, you will get a SOLID stream of near-liquid propane. If the tank is at or below 80%, you get a mist of propane that is mostly vapor. When Mark checked the bleeder valve, it had a solid stream of liquid propane!
- We started the propane stove because it is less finicky when it comes to flow pressure. We turned all the stove burners on to burn off the gas. After 15 minutes, the stove burners returned to normal.
- Next, we turned on our propane furnaces and they started working immediately. We turned on the gas water heater and it worked correctly too. Then, we ran everything for quite a while to help reduce the propane in the tank. We continued to do this on/off the next few days. It turns out our propane tank holds 36 gallons.
- We continued to watch the propane indicator that showed that the level was going down on the tank and on our inside panel. It took about a week for it to get down to the 80 percent level.
Be informed and educated!
If this happens to you and you do not have confidence to proceed, we recommend you contact someone that does, i.e., mobile repair technician, RV dealer, or a reputable seller of propane.
This was quite the experience for us and we wanted to tell you how important it is to be educated and informed, especially with regards to propane.
Heidi Bodette and her husband, Mark, own and operate the fine blog Loving the RV Life. Sign up to learn about new posts from this interesting couple.
##RVT936
I have a 2012 motor home with a 9.8 gallon/42 pound tank. It does not have the OPD valve. I ‘thought’ the guy over filled my tank. Looking at the gauge, the needle was past the ‘F’.
After looking closer at the gauge, I realized the ‘F’ was at the 75% mark. So maybe he filled the tank to 80%, which is fine.
How do you adjust the release valve Or did you say relief valve? Either way how do you adjust it and what tools do you need?
This is one of the reasons that in Canada regulation dictate that portable tanks are filled by weight, They are not permitted to fill using the bleeder value.
My propane tank was overfilled at a CG once. Later, we ended up opening the relief valve (no liquid came out) for a couple of hours until the excess pressure was bled off. Since then, I always watch as the tank is filled to make sure the relief valve is open during filling.
I bought a 1998 travel trailer September 2019, the 3rd time I needed to fill the 30 pound tanks, I was told my tanks were not certified and that had to be done after 10 years. He filled them anyway. I have looked into getting them re certified but I believe it’s cheaper just to purchase new tanks. Tractor supply seems to have the best price.
Thanks!
We had our propane tank overfilled at a campground — same symptoms. After having it looked at by an RV tech, we ended up in an empty parking lot, bleeding the tank for almost two hours.
TWO HOURS???
I wonder how many RVers know that you need to have your PORTABLE Propane Tanks inspected and Re-Certified. There is a MANUFACTURE DATE STAMPED ON THE TANK and is REQUIRED to be inspected and Re-Certified 10 years from the Date of Manufacture. And then every 5 years after that.
ASME Tanks (tanks permanently mounted in Motorhomes) are totally different. Since I don’t have a motorhome or an ASME Tank, I cannot comment on them.
So, those of you have Portable Propane tanks on or in your RV need to check those manufacture dates. And if there is any RUST or Corrosion on these tanks, they need to be replaced as well.
Most Propane Companies will inspect your tanks for FREE or a small fee. But, it needs to be inspected by a Qualified and Certified Technician!
I agree with “Wolfe’s” recommendation to use a remote hose and torch. I had a vapor valve malfunction on my permanently mounted propane tank and had to have it replaced. That required removing all of the propane. The experts recommended flaring all the gas to empty the tank. I found a propane supplier who would do that and he attached a very large industrial burner to the tank with about a 30 foot hose. It took a long time to burn off all the propane but it was by far the safest way to drain the tank. Using a torch on a long hose as Wolfe suggested would be a lengthy task but would be much safer then bleeding the liquid off. There can be a problem finding a professional to do it. I live in SE Florida and only found 1 propane supplier who would do the job.
My hat is off to you for starting the stove to burn off the excessive propane. I believe the damage done to our environment is less this way. We are all caretakers and must be as responsible as possible. Cracking the valve in an open area is even more work than doing what is right. The earth works hard enough.
Dear Al,
Thanks for your concern for the environment, but you have got it backwards! The greenhouse effect comes from burning fuel, not releasing the product into the air. The formation of photochemical smog requires the addition of nitrogen that is in the air. CO2 is formed when the propane is burned. CO2 is lighter than air. It migrates into the environment. Propane is heavier than air and migrates toward the earth where it disperses.
Steven A. Speer, Ph.D.
Atmospheric Scientist
University of California, Irvine
CO2 is definitely heavier than air. CO2 molar mass is 44 g/mol, air is 28.97 g/mol. The density of CO2 is not at all relevant to this conversation, as gases will dissipate.
Photochemical Smog is formed by Oxides of nitrogen (NOx) that react with carbon monoxide, and un-burnt hydrocarbons (i.e. released Propane) in the presence of UV rays from sunlight, resulting in ground level ozone. Ground level ozone is an air pollutant that is harmful to life. Nonreactive atmospheric nitrogen (N2) is not involved in the Smog process. NOx compounds are formed during improper combustion process when there is excess oxygen (O2), O2 that does not get used up burning fuel. The excess O2 combines with the N2 (in the combustion air) where the high combustion temperature can cause N2 to be reactive.
Un-burnt propane in the atmosphere will contribute to the formation of ground level ozone. Pick your poison, CO2 green house gas contributing to global warming or ground level ozone that destroys lung tissue.
Another irresponsible comment from the ill informed members of society, just like the story of Chicken Little about the sky is falling, RESEARCH, RESEARCH before engaging the keyboard.
Considering the size of this planet, a one time bleeding off of at most 20% of a 30 pound propane tank is insignificant! AlGores mansion, is another story! Ha
As I understand it portable propane tanks have an overfill prevention device, though expansion can negate its effectiveness. I’ve been traveling for 3 months now and have probably had my 7 gallon (30lb) tanks filled 20 times. I’m currently in New Mexico and they do things differently here, they never use the relief valve and they only ever put 6.4 gallons in the tank. In California, Utah, Nevada and Arizona they have always used the screwdriver in the relief valve and have always put 7 gallons in. The last time I filled was at a wholesaler because I needed to get my tank re-certified, the employee seemed knowledgeable and competent so I asked about the relief valve. She told me that in their training they were told it was only needed to bleed air from the cylinder, not when re-filling This experience with the different states has been confirmed by a friend who has been following a similar route.
Why do you need to bleed air from a cylinder if not refilling???
3 months and filled them 20 times!!! Dang you must be bbqing morning, Noon and night!
I can see if you’re in a campground or other crowded environment, reducing an overfilled tank might have issues. But the one time I found us ‘overfilled’ we were camping out in the Nevada desert. I disconnected the tank and removed it from our travel trailer, opened the valve and let some propane out, and life was good. I made sure we were not in the direction of the wind.
I used to deliver propane about 30 years ago and still retain ‘some’ 1075 knowledge. 🙂
What would you recommend I do if an overfill happens to me? I have a 2016 Leprechaun MH, 25′ and the on-board propane tank underneath is not so easily removed. From now on I will keep my eye on the person filling my tank.
I would probably call for a technician. I have a healthy respect for things that can explode and don’t think I would have the confidence to do bleed it off myself.
Others noted this, but the advice in this article is a bit dangerous… Most tanks have OPD’s of some variety, but if needed, I myself would dare to flare off the extra propane through a remote hose, NOT inside the RV.
What did I just say? You SLOWLY run out the gas though something like a torch or torpedo heater MEANT to burn the gas. Remotely, so you don’t burn your house down.
Why burn it instead of venting? Because LP gas is an explosive you don’t want to make a big cloud of and accidentally ignite later or elsewhere… once burned, it’s inert.
If I really had to use the stove to do it, you hold the knob the entire time you’re doing it so you can shut off in under a 1/4 second if you get flaring liquid. But really, try not to.
a local filler at a convience store overfilled our tanks on numerous occations. they ruined our tanks. we bought new tanks with in tank gauges and stopped filling there. we moved to filling at a dedicated LP place that has certs for all their operators to fill during office hours never had that issue again. We dont use the trade out a tank services at places like circle k (we did that at times as well) either and we dont fill with just anyone anymore.
This article can easily get you hurt or killed dont ever ignite anything near an overfilled tank and/or propane system. Go to a reputable propane company or RV dealer and let a qualified technician evac your tank to a safe amount. If that tank was filled to capacity liquid could have been pushed into the regulator causing it to fail and sending tank pressure to the stove creating huge flames and lighting the RV on fire. This article is ill informed and dangerous.
Nowhere in the story does it mention that the tank is in a motor home. Finally! a different animal than the tanks you take out and have refilled. ASME tanks do not need to have overfill protection. she/he should have said something when they saw he didn’t open the bleeder. Onus on them as much as the filler of the tank.
One time while filling up at a U-Haul location, the young lady couldn’t even get the hose connection onto the fill valve. After fumbling with it, I knew my place, and politely asked to ” let me give it a try”. That went over like a lead ballon. She finally got it connected and began to fill the crap out of my onboard tank. I closely watched the onboard guage hit full, and she was oblivious. I yelled STOP. I’ve been around, so I no longer allow dumbness… to occur when i know a bad outcome will ensure. Boy, i sure felt bad for a second or two, then i thought, nope, not on my watch.
Every propane tank except 100# and above have OPD’s on them so it is impossible to overfill. On a motorhome they also have OPD’s on them making them impossible to overfill. If this person was having this much problem he wasn’t qualified to even pump propane. There are only two different kinds of connections, not three. If in a rare circumstance that the OPD is not working only then should you use the bleeder. Tanks other than on motorhomes are filled by weight and this is a law.
Completely possible to overfill OPD equipped tanks. High pressure fill and/or filling through service valve will overfill it. OPD is designed to fail closed so it will not accept a fill. There are plenty of tanks left in circulation without OPD… and there are more than 3 different kinds of connectors. There may be local municipal ordinances stating that the tank should be filled by weight… but no universal standard that’s followed by every filler/refiller, let alone any enforceable laws.
Unfortunately, stupidity seems to always win… common sense just isn’t common anymore. Do solid research from multiple sources and educate yourself on the proper usage and hazards associated with propane systems.
David, you are mistaken. Please do a quick search on OPD tank systems, and you will see your post is in error. I always encourage posters to do their research, before they post false information. This will help the ” I saw it on the internet, so it has to be true” crowd.
You are right on! If a tank is overfilled then something is wrong with the automatic cutoff inside the tank.
Really, where? No one uses scales here. I have been getting my cylinders filled for 12 years. Sometimes at propane dealers.
Hi Dave,
The problem with the OPD in exchange tanks is that the drop tube that goes to the bleeder valve has fallen off inside the tank. The 80% fill level has very little to do with safety. Without substantial vapor headspace above the LPG, the tank will not function. The headspace is needed to keep up with the volatility demanded by the regulator. Just a few inches of reduced headspace will cause the tank to produce too little vapor for the burner to even ignite. I have had to drain three pounds off of a five gallon tank, every time I receive an exchanged tank. I use an adapter to connect the five gallon tank to empty one pound propane bottles I must also pull-up on the relieve valve, that is on the one pound bottle, until liquid spurts out. Needless to say, this must be done in the open air, where there are no smokers or camp fires at ground level.
Thanks for your patience,
Steve Speer
Aliso Viejo, CA
I always watch as they fill my propane tank and if they don’t open the bleeder valve I remind them to do so. I also watch the needle on my tank as it fills to make sure it isn’t overfilled. Now days you have to watch what everyone does or do it your self. I let some one borrow my snowblower with a full tank of gas and when it came back the tank was empty. People don.t think nowdays like the older ones of us do.
Our campground still uses an old fashion scale when they fill tanks. They put the tank on the scale, set it to what the weight should be when filled. Connect the fill hose, open the bleeder and turn the fill off once the scale shows the correct weight. Never had a problem with them filling our tanks. Sometimes the old ways are the best ways.
Didn’t fill the tank and bring a 12 pack as a thank you!!!??? Some people are rude and just users. Of course you won’t loan this person anything ever again.
Hey John, can I borrow your snowblower, and make sure the gas tank is full for me too.
Thanks very much for this article. From now on I will know what to watch for when my tank is being filled.