Propane container not releasing propane?

Crazy Ray wrote:
People keep saying NEW OPD Valves, there not new became law Oct 1998. IS THAT NEW? JMO

Hey... I was made in 1950 So 1998 is NEW to me.

And there are still alot of POL tanks out there.

Thank you, Old Biscuit, for this great explanation. That's most likely why my propane grill has been giving me fits.
You don't know what you don't know.
Randy

Crazy Ray wrote:
People keep saying NEW OPD Valves, there not new became law Oct 1998. IS THAT NEW? JMO

New is relative.

Ronda, Spain has a DEEP gorge running right through the center of the town. There are 3 stone bridges crossing the gorge. The locals call them the Old Bridge, the Roman Bridge, and the New Bridge.

The New Bridge was built in the 1790's, but is still called the New Bridge. The Roman bridge was built 2,000 years ago by the, yep, you guess it, the Romans. The Old Bridge is even older.

OPD......Overfill Protection Device. Basically an internal float that shuts off at 80% liquid level. Device is designed to help prevent overfilling of a propane cylinder
Doesn't stop flow of propane out of cylinder only into cylinder when filling.

ACME nut...large green nut on hose.
*Has a 'nipple' that opens a spring activated shutoff valve inside propane cylinder service valve. Propane will not flow out of cylinder unless hose is attached and nipple is holding spring loaded valve open.
*Has a 'thermal bushing' that will melt if temps exceed 240*F. When it melts the 'nipple' slips back about 1/4" allowing spring activated valve in cylinder service valve to close.
*Has a flow limiting device...excess flow. Basically a ball bearing that moves towards back of ACME nut when you open cylinder service valve. Then will move back to center position when downstream system is pressurized.
This excess flow device will close off if hose breaks...leak occurs.
(But if you open cylinder service valve quickly.....ball bearing may not return to center position allowing flow. Just close service valve...wait 30 seconds. Open valve slowly)

2 stage LP Regulator
1st stage reduces cylinder pressure to 15 PSI. 2nd stage reduces to 0.4 PSI.
Regulators are typically rated to flow 200,000 PLUS btu per hour...otherwise they wouldn't be able to supply enough propane flow for all propane appliances.
100% of propane devices should be in service to set regulator for 11"WC (can be done with at least 50%)

No flow from cylinder....
ACME nut not on properly...nipple isn't opening the cylinder service valve spring activated shutoff

OR

Opened cylinder service valve to quickly and tripped the flow device inside ACME nut.

Take the tank and drop it from about 4" off of the ground 2 or 4 times. Hook it up and turn the valve on SLOWLY. That will fix it.

HI,

Like stated above, if the tank is not tight, or the propane valve is slightly open, the overflow protection device might trip.

To reset the overflow protection device, shut the valve, and open it slowly. Then I normally shut it again, and open again slowly, and by this time there is high pressure propane on the outlet of the valve, and the OFPD will stay open.

Are you running a propane generator? Those can also trip the OFPD. Any time there is more than about 100,000 Btu's per hour leaving the tank, the device will close. And it will not open at all if the regulator is not attached tightly.

I would try the first tank again, and it will probably work fine.

Fred.

People keep saying NEW OPD Valves, there not new became law Oct 1998. IS THAT NEW? JMO

I was going to suggest turning off unhooking and reconnecting but since you removed I would say as others have, hook it to something and turn on slowly.

have seen this many times when I sold tanks. people would bring them back as not working. put it on another device and they would work. open slowly and give that a try. some times they over fill them and the valve sticks

The other thing is if the connection is not TIGHT,,

Well there are 3 valves in that valve assembly

1: YOU control
2: Excedss flow (explained above)
3:High temp shut off (Also loose connection)

The large nut contains a plastic part that can melt at relative lot Temps, compaired to brass,, Note this is still plenty hot. In the event of fire this melts and allows the nose of the connection to back out a bit from the valve body.. There is a valve, similar to a tire valve stem valve.. that is thus closed NOTE this valve is also closed if you disconnect the line from the tank.