Replacing LP tank in motorhome

[Scottiemom]

My sister and her husband are on a trip from Indiana to Las Vegas in their 1997 Class C. They've not had problems with snow/rain but it has been cold. First night out (Dec. 26) they heard a "pop" and attributed it to one of the dogs dropping a bone on the floor. Spent the night in a campground and used the gas furnace and auxiliary electric heater.

Yesterday morning got up and started driving. Around 11 a.m. they were near Joplin, Missouri, when they heard the "pop" again. They knew then it wasn't a dog bone on the floor, but didn't know what it was. The next time they heard the "pop," they started smelling propane. They immediately got off the highway and my BIL inspected but could not find anything amiss with the propane tank. Sister got on her smart phone (don't you love these things?) and found 3 RV service centers. Called one and they said they were about 40 miles away and if they could get there, they had someone who could inspect and repair the tank. BIL opened all the windows and they sped away. I don't know the name of the service center, but their SIL looked it up and said of the 3 in the area, it had the best ratings.

The tech pulled the coach in the garage and got under it. While he was there, the "pop" sounded again. A secretary came running from the office having "seen something" (I'm guessing flame maybe). The tech came out from under it and said he was pulling it out of the garage because he was afraid of what would happen.

So, they found a leaking pressure relief valve. Okay. But the service center told my sister and BIL that the stationery tanks on the motorhomes were required BY LAW to be REPLACED every 10 years. Huh? I said, "Perhaps they meant inspected." She said no. The people there told them they were to be inspected EVERY YEAR and REPLACED every 10 years and their motorhome which they bought new and have always stored inside is 20 years old and it had never been replaced.

Now, we are sitting here in our Phaeton and it has a 12 year old tank which we've never changed, and never had inspected. My DH said this was not true. DOT tanks, like your grill tank, etc., must follow the inspection and replacement rules governed by DOT, but the motorhome stationery tanks are covered under ASME rules. I did some research last night and found this to be true.

My sister asked them to just remove the tank then, cap the lines and they would get it fixed (when they could do some of their own research). They refused saying that was against the law, a removed tank must be replaced with a new tank. One cannot remove and cap the lines. No other option.

But instead of just replacing the pressure relief valve, they are going to replace the entire tank and all the fittings and gas lines, because of rust and because it's past the "10-year rule." DH says he is sure it will cost them over $1000. In the meantime, sister and BIL rented a car and are driving the rest of the way to Las Vegas and will pick up the motorhome on their return as parts were not readily available.

We once had a fill valve replaced on a Class C tank, no problem. DH said that if they had gone to a propane business, they would have gotten the tank fixed.

Sister said there is rust on the tank and they told her and BIL that rust is a no-no and that again was a reason to replace it. I read where people clean and repaint them. It is possible to have a defective tank, but in their case, it is the pressure relief valve leaking.

Beware out there.

Dale

[Puddinhead]

I deleted the propane RV heater and water heater as well as frig. However, I'm unable to jack up '05 Dynquest to remove large underneath propane tank. It reads empty, and much if it's pipes are cut open. Can I assume it's totally empty ? It's been a year. Thanks

I now have electric water heater, battery operated cooler, and electric heat. Renovated 18yo RV, even removed all 4 jacks, kept slide out functions though. Just have to fix it's electric problems.

[Puddinhead]

Dutch_12078 wrote:

JaxDad wrote:

dougrainer wrote:
ASME tanks require no certifications at all. It is up to the LP fillers to notice any part or problem with as ASME tank when filling.

ALL screw/bolt in parts on an ASME tank can be serviced and replaced except the emergency BLOW which if blown, odds are the Motorhome will not be around much longer

Actually several jurisdictions require regular inspections.

Which US jurisdictions require regular inspections of the ASME tanks installed in motorhome's beyond the brief visual that refillers are supposed to perform?

[Dutch_12078]

JaxDad wrote:
I didn’t say anything about the US, this forum has members from all over the world and making a blanket statement that is not universally correct is not doing anybody any favours.

Ok, that wasn't clear then, since the OP is very much US oriented.

[JaxDad]

I didn’t say anything about the US, this forum has members from all over the world and making a blanket statement that is not universally correct is not doing anybody any favours.

[Dutch_12078]

JaxDad wrote:

dougrainer wrote:
ASME tanks require no certifications at all. It is up to the LP fillers to notice any part or problem with as ASME tank when filling.

ALL screw/bolt in parts on an ASME tank can be serviced and replaced except the emergency BLOW which if blown, odds are the Motorhome will not be around much longer

Actually several jurisdictions require regular inspections.

Which US jurisdictions require regular inspections of the ASME tanks installed in motorhome's beyond the brief visual that refillers are supposed to perform?

[JaxDad]

dougrainer wrote:
ASME tanks require no certifications at all. It is up to the LP fillers to notice any part or problem with as ASME tank when filling.

ALL screw/bolt in parts on an ASME tank can be serviced and replaced except the emergency BLOW which if blown, odds are the Motorhome will not be around much longer

Actually several jurisdictions require regular inspections.

Over-pressure relief valves are absolutely replaceable, they just thread into the tank and can be swapped out in minutes.

Look at the top of page 30 on this Sherwood brochure.

The motorhome won’t be around if the valve DOESN’T open. When it opens it just vents to atmosphere, in the absence of it being at a Stoichiometric mixture, and there being a source of ignition in range, nothing happens.

[shastagary]

did not see anyone consider that the tank may have been overfilled and if they went from a colder place to warmer area it could trigger the relief valve. i had it happen to me years ago scared the **** out of me when it got hot out and started blasting the relief valve once every 5 minutes until the pressure got low enough then it stopped. for the op i would have looked up a propane supplier and taken the rv there to get fixed not a rv dealer the propane dealer has the ability to empty it and fix it if needed. Propane Tank Safety Relief Valves info

[dougrainer]

Scottiemom wrote:
When I find out the name I will post it, but my sister and BIL are not upset with them. They think replacing the tank saved them from blowing up. And they believe everything the service center told them about the tank being bad and unfixable due to the pressure relief valve leaking. They are not interested in hearing anything else. I kind of liken it to replacing an engine when a wire popped off.

Also, I wouldn't want to have people making it hard for them to settle up once they get back.

Dale

If the pressure relief valve popped and was leaking then the tank needed replaced. Doug

[BFL13]

JaxDad wrote:
Yes, inspected not replaced.

20 pounders are not replaced after 10 years either, they are inspected and the valve replaced, it’s just that most people just swap them for another one that’s already been recertified.

Here, you have to be paying attention swapping or end up with a tank that will be time-expired before you finish using all the propane in it.

I have learned to write down all the expiry dates and know which 20s are ok to refill and which should be swapped,and so use them first.

You need a "propane status board" 😞

EDIT- "They are safe. Sister feels if they had had this work done before, they would have had a better day. They feel they are being well taken care of"

Exactly, which is what I meant by staying out of it, as you no doubt already know. 🙂

[Scottiemom]

BFL13 wrote:

Scottiemom wrote:

BFL13 wrote:
So they had three choices and took the highest rated one, and lost. Then they went on to Las Vegas. Hmmmm. Hope they did better with the one-armed bandits. 🙂

So are the other two even worse, or is the rating system "fixed"?

EDIT--Yes, it is better to have good relations with your relations and not ruin things trying to fix what can't be fixed. Just enjoy the good aspects. (Which is not news no doubt!)

They are going to LV to celebrate Christmas with their one daughter and her husband. They don't do casinos, not that it matters.

From the OP--"don't know the name of the service center, but their SIL looked it up and said of the 3 in the area, it had the best ratings"

I am the OP. It's my sister and BIL. My sister did look up the service centers but when I asked her hours later when they were on the road, she couldn't remember the names. I don't know if she called them all, but when they found one who said they could look at it right away, that's where they went. While they were getting the motorhome checked out the SIL called and told them which one had the best ratings. My niece is the one who said to her husband. . . I believe that's the one they are at. But as I said, hours later, she couldn't recall the name as they were on the road and trying to deal with two dogs, etc. They had been through a lot at that point. Breaking down in freezing weather, not able to stay warm, two dogs in the motorhome, finding a place that would help them, getting a ride to the airport to rent a car, trying to unload what they could haul in a rental car, etc. I wasn't privvy to those private conversations. I only have the information they relay.

They are safe. Sister feels if they had had this work done before, they would have had a better day. They feel they are being well taken care of.

Dale

[BFL13]

Scottiemom wrote:

BFL13 wrote:
So they had three choices and took the highest rated one, and lost. Then they went on to Las Vegas. Hmmmm. Hope they did better with the one-armed bandits. 🙂

So are the other two even worse, or is the rating system "fixed"?

EDIT--Yes, it is better to have good relations with your relations and not ruin things trying to fix what can't be fixed. Just enjoy the good aspects. (Which is not news no doubt!)

Not sure what you mean by 3 choices. They were only given one.

They are going to LV to celebrate Christmas with their one daughter and her husband. They don't do casinos, not that it matters.

From the OP--" Sister got on her smart phone (don't you love these things?) and found 3 RV service centers. Called one "

"don't know the name of the service center, but their SIL looked it up and said of the 3 in the area, it had the best ratings"

[JaxDad]

Yes, inspected not replaced.

20 pounders are not replaced after 10 years either, they are inspected and the valve replaced, it’s just that most people just swap them for another one that’s already been recertified.

[Scottiemom]

BFL13 wrote:
So they had three choices and took the highest rated one, and lost. Then they went on to Las Vegas. Hmmmm. Hope they did better with the one-armed bandits. 🙂

So are the other two even worse, or is the rating system "fixed"?

EDIT--Yes, it is better to have good relations with your relations and not ruin things trying to fix what can't be fixed. Just enjoy the good aspects. (Which is not news no doubt!)

Not sure what you mean by 3 choices. They were only given one.

They are going to LV to celebrate Christmas with their one daughter and her husband. They don't do casinos, not that it matters.

[BFL13]

So they had three choices and took the highest rated one, and lost. Then they went on to Las Vegas. Hmmmm. Hope they did better with the one-armed bandits. 🙂

So are the other two even worse, or is the rating system "fixed"?

EDIT--Yes, it is better to have good relations with your relations and not ruin things trying to fix what can't be fixed. Just enjoy the good aspects. (Which is not news no doubt!)