# advice on hauling propane tank



## busybee870

since my propane company are being "donkeys" I may be telling them to come pick up their 200 lb tank. I do have a 100lb tank that I can haul and have filled at an rv park. I know this is dangerous but we need heat. any suggestions on how to haul it, can it be laid down, does it have to stand?


----------



## james dilley

You can lay it down, But block it in if you do. Otherwise ,If you can Stand it upright and Tie it in so it won't move! I have seen folks put them in there trunk down here, and haul them.


----------



## tamsam

I haul ours laying down all the time. Like said just make sure you get it tied down good. Sam


----------



## Bearfootfarm

http://www.htfd.com/sfeature.html

Transporting Propane Tanks 
*Transport tank in an upright and secure position*. Never allow tank to be bounced around. 
No smoking is allowed in the vehicle in which the tank is being transported. 
The maximum number of tanks that can be transported is four (4). 
Remove the tank from the vehicle as soon as possible after transporting. 


I guess the answer depends on who you ask


----------



## busybee870

i would be scared to haul it upright, i feel safer with it laying down. maybe i can make a cradle for it too to lay on, keep it from rolling around as well as tie it down. Thank yall. Im just tired of the way my propane company is doing, i think its the hardnose secretary, and if I have problems tomorrow after the 3rd contact trying to get propane im calling the boss on the cell phone and demand he come pick up their tank immediately!


----------



## Ross

I'd make a cradle to haul it upright myself, I'd worry the thing could slide and knock off the valve more easily than falling over. Secure it well regardless.


----------



## celticfalcon

if you have a "cradle" and strap it down, it should be ok. but i would let it stand for about , at least , 3 hrs. just to let any gasses settle.
jmo
tom


----------



## WisJim

Here's a site that has some good info on propane, with reasons for some requirements:
http://www.balloonlife.com/publications/balloon_life/9702/dodont.htm

Most states have adopted the NFPA standards, which require any cylinders of LP being transported to be in an upright position, so technically you could be in violation of some law or regulation if you carry them on their side. Not sure who might stop you and give you a ticket for it, though.


----------



## OkieDavid

Transport upright. Transport laying down with valve facing away from the cab and in a vehicle accident w/fire you have a blow torch heating up the fellow that rear ended you and a pretty potent rocket pointed at the cab. Transport laying down with valve pointed toward you and you simply exchange a rocket for the blowtorch. Don't fool yourselves, you can't block/strap it down well enough to overcome those forces. Valve pointed "up" and the torch is in the air and the rocket is simply trying to push your vehicle into the ground.....


----------



## agmantoo

Vertical for the 100 lb tank is the law here in
NC


----------



## radiofish

And I thought that transporting full oxygen and acetelyne tanks was a risky proposition!! I tie them in 7 ways to Sunday and make sure that they can not shift at all!!

I wonder what the laws are here in California, for transporting propane????


----------



## farmergirl

Do not try to haul it around and have it filled. If you're going to do that, use the little refill tanks they sell for RV's. A dispute with the local propane distributor is not worth killing yourself over. In fact, if you mention to the secretary this crazy plan you've thought up, they'll probably bring you out the gas, just to avoid being liable if you off yourself picking up the gas yourself. Not to mention, even the "small" 100 gallon tanks are HEAVY.


----------



## OkieDavid

radiofish said:


> And I thought that transporting full oxygen and acetelyne tanks was a risky proposition!! I tie them in 7 ways to Sunday and make sure that they can not shift at all!!
> 
> I wonder what the laws are here in California, for transporting propane????


I know of one specific instance involving oxy/acetylene that turned out horrible. State Wildlife Department employee transporting a cutting rig (chained on a shop dolly) and chain/boomer set up to hold it in place. Flash flood had taken out a small bridge and he didn't see it until he went nose first into the creek. Probably survived the crash as it really wasn't that hard of a hit (other than grill/headlights the thing would have been driveable). Near as the accident reconstruction team could come up with, the impact forced him forward against the steering wheel and he couldn't get free from the seatbelt. Chains holding the cutting rig broke and slammed into the headache rack on the back window knocking the tops off the cylinders (gauges were left on during transport). Electrical fire in the dashboard was all it took to ignite a blowtorch to the back of his head. Not long after it killed him, the whole dolly shot off almost 100 feet back the direction he came from. Like I said, that's the best accident reconstructionists could come up with based on what little was left to tell the story.

Edit: The dolly was loaded and laid down flat (gauges toward cab) for transport as confirmed by a coworker who helped load the truck. Chains and boomers were used to keep it in place.


----------



## mdharris68

OkieDavid said:


> I know of one specific instance involving oxy/acetylene that turned out horrible. State Wildlife Department employee transporting a cutting rig (chained on a shop dolly) and chain/boomer set up to hold it in place. Flash flood had taken out a small bridge and he didn't see it until he went nose first into the creek. Probably survived the crash as it really wasn't that hard of a hit (other than grill/headlights the thing would have been driveable). Near as the accident reconstruction team could come up with, the impact forced him forward against the steering wheel and he couldn't get free from the seatbelt. Chains holding the cutting rig broke and slammed into the headache rack on the back window knocking the tops off the cylinders (gauges were left on during transport). Electrical fire in the dashboard was all it took to ignite a blowtorch to the back of his head. Not long after it killed him, the whole dolly shot off almost 100 feet back the direction he came from. Like I said, that's the best accident reconstructionists could come up with based on what little was left to tell the story.
> 
> Edit: The dolly was loaded and laid down flat (gauges toward cab) for transport as confirmed by a coworker who helped load the truck. Chains and boomers were used to keep it in place.


Acetylyne (sp) is not to be hauled laying down because it has acetone in it to stablize a very unstable gas.


Propane can be hauled any way you can haul (unless you have a specific law in your area) it as long as you have enough common sence to secure it so it can't rattle around and make a spark. The bulk truck tank lays horizontal. It's also good to use the lid that covers the valve on the cylinder.


----------



## mdharris68

celticfalcon said:


> if you have a "cradle" and strap it down, it should be ok. but i would let it stand for about , at least , 3 hrs. just to let any gasses settle.
> jmo
> tom


propane is pumped into the tank as a liquid and boils off as a gas inside the cylinder when you are using it. You don't have to settle the tank for any time. Just unload, hookup and turn on.


----------



## Windy in Kansas

I agree that it is law that requires propane tanks to be hauled upright. I expect that is it national transportation law rather than just local laws.

Hauling any of them is a pain. Cutting one bead out of a golf cart tire works well to keep 20# bottles upright while hauling. Of course you have to put the bottle inside of the horizontal tire--grin.

An old truck rim with a bottle placed in the dish of it also works well to facilitate hauling bottles. 

Safety first or everyone suffers from the results of new idiotic laws.


----------



## Blu3duk

the problem as I see it in laying a propane tank down [and yes i have done hauled the small tanks on their sides but not by first choice and seen it done on bigger tanks] is the safety popoff valve is then covered with liquid gas and there can be no pressure relief if the tanks gets heated by the sun [yes that is why they are painted white to reflect as much as practical] so a person does in one effect take a chance of a problem, though how likely depends upon the distance and time traveled after filling. even the tanks on rigs have their valve setups on the top of the tank in the middle for those reasonings.....

Locally we have two outfits that serves the area, however there is a company 70 miles away that will deliver cheaper than both of them just to get into the market here..... so it pays to call around and ask......

William


----------



## Iddee

Not only is vertical required in NC, but the screw on caps must be over the valve, also.


----------



## suitcase_sally

mdharris68 said:


> propane is pumped into the tank as a liquid and boils off as a gas inside the cylinder when you are using it. You don't have to settle the tank for any time. Just unload, hookup and turn on.


According to my gas company, that's not so. There will be sludge in the bottom of the tank. There are impurities in that gas along with water that has formed. There could be scaling from the inside of the tank also.


----------



## daytrader

OK. Must step in. YOU CAN TRNASPORT a 100 pound cyclinder. NOT A 100 GALLON cyclinder(in most states)
. 

The tank must be secrured in a UP RIGHT position. With a cap on the valve.

Other then that you are fine.

The tanks are drop tested and put into some very tight testing liked filled and dropped from a 2oo foot drop test. They are safe.

The valve is the weak point.

Call you state DOTfor their state laws. The ones I quote are federal for hauling in a truck. You should not need any permits for your own use. I would call and check. JUST TO MAKE SURE yoou are in complaiance.

I have to ask. Why not go right to the propane wholesaler and buy it? The RV place is going to break you.


----------

