Propane

With an automatic regulator you just fill when the indicator says one bottle empty. Otherwise propane does not go bad and does not need to be topped off for storage.

nevadanick wrote:
You can open the valve and pour it out at -40

No I can't. That would mean I was somewhere I just am not meant to be. ;)

Hauled millions of gallons of propane, butane, isobutane and stuff called alky feed which was natural gasoline and water with green slime in it. None ever froze on us. I've had propane in NM, OK and Va, all of which had temps well below 19 degrees. We had lines on propane vehicles freeze but it was from using pure liquid and not having the water heated in the radiator enough to stop the frost buildup in the regulator.It also pays to ahve them full incase the heat goes off in the house and you want a place to sleep.

Thanks to all that posted.
OP

Always try to keep mine filled. You never know when you might need to use it.
Plus my Bigfoot is true 4 season so it can be used in the cold and want to make sure you have heat.
Also has a built in LP generator so it can also be used in an emergency to sleep in when hot (AZ) and the power is out or you need a power source.

Francesca Knowles wrote:
Tank full is O.K., but we shut it off and purge lines for winter. Climate's fairly mild here but we do get freezing weather and propane will/can freeze and crack lines and regulators, especially if it's not moving through them- just like water.

See this link

That's because in places like where you live you are not getting pure propane. It has other stuff mixed in. Also, you can get water in your propane lines. Because you are in a mild climate they don't worry about it out there. Here in MN it's a real drag when that happens. I heat my home with propane down to 25 below F. Trust me it propane doesn't freeze. (until apparently 40 below. I've just learned)

But, I have had moisture problems getting into my home tank and then the moisture freezes in the regulator. Sucks when I wake up in the middle of the night and it's 20 below outside and I find my house has fallen to cold temps because the stupid computerized furnace thinks it's not getting the propane fast enough and it shuts itself off on the safety. Then I have to run outside in my boxers to pour hot water in the regulator. I will never get propane from that company again. It's really, really, cold outside at those temps.

nevadanick wrote:
The link provided talks about snow and ice breaking stuff, not the propane. I have built many ice bridges over propane tank valves and associated equipment on mtn tops where towers are located to protect from ice falling from the towers.

:S

Thanks for the lesson in reading comprehension... now to point that out to my husband, who first brought that page to my attention!

The link provided talks about snow and ice breaking stuff, not the propane. I have built many ice bridges over propane tank valves and associated equipment on mtn tops where towers are located to protect from ice falling from the towers.

I like having the tank full in case we need to bug out during hurricane season (June 1 to Nov 30)... And then we head south mid-January.

tshirtman wrote:
Do all of you that leave the propane on the trailer fill b-4 winter?
or is it ok to leave and fill b-4 first trip of the spring?

:h

Not really sure as to the real question so I will cover a few possible answers.

I leave my propane tanks in place on the trailer year round, mine are tucked back behind a tongue box which makes removal rather difficult for thieves.. If yours is out in the open and easy for thieves to take while storing you might want to consider removing the tanks and storing them in a secure place.

I however do not keep the tank valves open until I am camping.

As far as filling them, empty the tank, then fill it, I do not refill the tanks when they are not empty. The reason for this is most propane places charge you a FLAT RATE which is for a completely empty tank. They OFTEN do not prorate for partially full tanks and they make more money and you basically overpaid (IE if you use 5 lbs of propane from a 30 lb tank and get it refilled they will charge for full 30 lbs).

Propane tanks can not be "hurt" by keeping them full, empty or even partially full while not in use or being stored.

Propane unlike gasoline won't go bad so long term storage is not a problem.