Propane bleed valve

If the fill indicator (What you folks are calling the bleeder valve) is not working, the fuel technician is not supposed to fill the tank.

So getting it fixed is indeed good advice.

trutone wrote:
The bleeder valve has a tube connected to it. The tube is set at the 80% level in the tank. When filling, the liquid reaches the tube and the liquid comes out the valve. I don't think it's a good idea to fill using the OBD valve. That's only to prevent the tank from rupturing from too much pressure. Get the tank checked!

The OPD is not a pressure relief device, it is an "Overfill Prevention Device". The "bleeder valve" is the primary full level indicator, while the OPD serves as a backup if the attendant is not paying attention or attempts to overfill the tank or cylinder. Both ASME tanks and DOT cylinders have OPD's, although the implementations are slightly different.

The bleeder valve has a tube connected to it. The tube is set at the 80% level in the tank. When filling, the liquid reaches the tube and the liquid comes out the valve. I don't think it's a good idea to fill using the OBD valve. That's only to prevent the tank from rupturing from too much pressure. Get the tank checked!

Thank you for all your advice, when we get home we will be finding the appropriate fix it place.
Judie

HobbsHauler wrote:

and I do realize that there will be air trapped in the tank?
Thanks

There is no air in the tank now, and none can enter if the tecnician does his job correctly so what makes you think air will be trapped in the tank?

I recently (2 days ago) found out the proper name of that valve, this may not be exact but "Automatic fill level indicator" or some such. It has nothing to do with bleeding the tank and everything to do with letting the refill tecnician know the tank is full. That is it's only job.


Now to answer your question about what to do about it.

Go to a propane tank recertification facility, often this will be at a propane wholesaler (Someplace with a big tank farm, not your local dealer/gas station type operation but the place they buy from).

Talk to them.


Oh, how did I find out... Well there was a propane tecnician training class in session about 20 feet from me in a very quiet room (We were only ones there)

One question they had to answer:

If you get the proper mixture of propane vapor and air and add a spark what happens....

I could not resist and said "You land one county over"

After the instructor got done laughing... He confirmed my answer.

mowermech wrote:

olfarmer wrote:
You should take it to an authorized LP service facility and have it checked. Don't mess around with LP gas, it is just too dangerous if the equipment is malfunctioning. I would not remove the bleed valve if there is LP in the tank, if the restriction would break loose it will shoot very cold, very flammable liquid out under high pressure!

EXACTLY! I would never, EVER take anything propane related to an RV dealer! They are probably clueless for anything other than filling the tank or performing a system leak check.
If there is a problem of any kind with the tank or cylinder, get it fixed!

Maybe in your State. In Texas, the law requires that ANYONE working on Natural/LP gas systems/appliances take and pass courses in safe operation and maintenance. FILLING tanks is a seperate license. The fines for having NON licensed people working on a LP RV system are steep. So, your Texas RV dealer will have the appropriate licensed people to work on your RV LP system. Doug

PS. In Texas, you cannot even install a Clothes dryer/Gas Oven/Range/Water heater without being licensed by the Texas Railroad Commission.

I am always amazed at how some state that air got into the tank (DOT portable or ASME). HOW would air get into a pressurized tank?????? Once the tank is purged of the air when it is NEW, there is no way to get air into a tank as long as it has any liquid and pressure in the tank. Doug

Dutch_12078 wrote:
Just to add a bit to Doug's excellent post, the bleeder valve does NOT "bleed air" from the tank. A properly purged tank has no air in it. As Doug noted, the bleeder passes propane gas until the liquid level reaches the valve at the 80% full mark.

I recommend "Propane 101" to anyone wanting to learn more about their LP tank or cylinder setup.

After 40 years in the LP business I second your reference to Propane 101 as a good primer for general information regarding tanks and cylinders used in the storage and transportation of LP gas.

The info provided is well presented and should be helpful to most users. It would have been more useful if it had addressed more specificly the tanks used on our motorhomes and as motor fuel tanks for some vehicles. Rather than me typing a lot of words that will only confuse, I would suggest that anyone seeking additional knowledge on the subject would be well served by Googleing RV Propane tanks. One of the more prominent results will show images of various tanks and a piping drawing of an ASME tank, typical of an RV tank.

Just to add a bit to Doug's excellent post, the bleeder valve does NOT "bleed air" from the tank. A properly purged tank has no air in it. As Doug noted, the bleeder passes propane gas until the liquid level reaches the valve at the 80% full mark.

I recommend "Propane 101" to anyone wanting to learn more about their LP tank or cylinder setup.

olfarmer wrote:
You should take it to an authorized LP service facility and have it checked. Don't mess around with LP gas, it is just too dangerous if the equipment is malfunctioning. I would not remove the bleed valve if there is LP in the tank, if the restriction would break loose it will shoot very cold, very flammable liquid out under high pressure!

EXACTLY! I would never, EVER take anything propane related to an RV dealer! They are probably clueless for anything other than filling the tank or performing a system leak check.
If there is a problem of any kind with the tank or cylinder, get it fixed!