Class C built in propane tank.

jrloucks wrote:
I thought the OP might be interested in our propane tank 'rejuvenation' with photos. The tank was originally built in 1983. I had it inspected by propane tech before we purchased the '84 motor-home in 2012 (required here to obtain vehicle insurance.)

In 2015, I removed the tank because I wanted to inspect/repaint it because (even though it was certified) I was concerned a propane attendant might refuse to refill the tank because of all the rust on it. (See photos.) All of the fixtures/valves were fine.

I used a cup wire brush on an angle grinder to completely (easily) remove all the original paint. I used Tremclad Rust Reformer as a primer, and two coats of Tremclad Rust Paint - Recreation White.

Mine didn't look quite as bad as yours when I finally decided to overhaul it.

Most of my "rust" was thick caked on road snot with dirt and stuff picked up over the years that never quite washed off using normal washing ending up looking like burnt crispy coating on chicken!. I was able to just use the metal brushes to get most off and a couple spots needed a sanding wheel to get to bright metal, but overall, the rust wasn't as bad as it looked.

I couldn't get your product as it's not available here but I used it's cousin Rust Reformer all over regardless of how bare the metal was. I coated that a few times with the epoxy primer sanding it smooth. I did the final coats using the old standby Appliance Epoxy. However, I must have just grabbed two cans out of the rack not really checking that they were the same color. So, my tank is white on top and avocado on the bottom.

What I also found that helps is occasionally using a spray-on auto wax on the tank's metal surface. It does a great job of repelling dirty water and grime between full washings. I buy whatever is on sale at the auto store and it keeps the tank looking new and makes it easy to see any potential problems before they get bad.

Thanks for the photos.