Can a propane tank be repurposed?

[MAX-24-Dean]

I was specifically referring to the one pound bottles. They have a relief that sprays out when full. That's how you know it's full yes, the fish cooker bottles have a screw that you loosen and fill until gas comes out, then tighten. I've used butane tractors and trucks we filled from a 500 gal tank. We had a Minneapolis Moline and a John Deere 4020 that ran on vapor and a GMC truck. I know the truck was a 73 3/4 ton with 500 grand on it and still ran nice.

I didn't read your post corectly, missed the little bottles comment (one Pounders).

 

[Skeletor]

I converted a 20 pound propane tank to an air tank, 20+ years later it still smells like propane. I don't think the mercaptan smell ever goes away.

I used a grill tank on my compressor setup for a while myself. I got sick of the smell. It never even lessens any overtime.

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

View attachment 753025View attachment 753026

Will be making some yard art similiar to the flying pig.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

I didn't read your post corectly, missed the little bottles comment (one Pounders).

It's okay. We have to police each other to keep from misleading others.

I didn't read your post corectly, missed the little bottles comment (one Pounders).

I have no idea how it doubled.

 

[WM75Guy]

"I like the idea of a smaller, pressurized, hand held 2-3 gallon sprayer."

Find a used 2 1/2 gallon pressurized water fire extinguisher. You can fill it yourself and air it up with your compressor to 100 PSI. The hose unscrews so you can adapt a sprayer wand of your choice. We refilled our water extinguishers at the fire department after we used them, easy to do.

Per the NFPA standard once the label is defaced they cannot be filled and tagged for use as a fire extinguisher. They get sold as cheap as $10.

2.5 Gallon Water Fire Extinguisher - Model 240

2.5 Gallon model 240 class A fire extinguisher

amerexfireextinguishers.com

 

[jyoutz]

"I like the idea of a smaller, pressurized, hand held 2-3 gallon sprayer."

Find a used 2 1/2 gallon pressurized water fire extinguisher. You can fill it yourself and air it up with your compressor to 100 PSI. The hose unscrews so you can adapt a sprayer wand of your choice. We refilled our water extinguishers at the fire department after we used them, easy to do.

Per the NFPA standard once the label is defaced they cannot be filled and tagged for use as a fire extinguisher. They get sold as cheap as $10.

2.5 Gallon Water Fire Extinguisher - Model 240

2.5 Gallon model 240 class A fire extinguisher

amerexfireextinguishers.com

View attachment 753041

Would be kinda hard to apply a targeted herbicide spray with a steam from a fire extinguisher.

 

[WM75Guy]

"I like the idea of a smaller, pressurized, hand held 2-3 gallon sprayer."

Find a used 2 1/2 gallon pressurized water fire extinguisher. You can fill it yourself and air it up with your compressor to 100 PSI. The hose unscrews so you can adapt a sprayer wand of your choice. We refilled our water extinguishers at the fire department after we used them, easy to do.

Per the NFPA standard once the label is defaced they cannot be filled and tagged for use as a fire extinguisher. They get sold as cheap as $10.

2.5 Gallon Water Fire Extinguisher - Model 240

2.5 Gallon model 240 class A fire extinguisher

amerexfireextinguishers.com

View attachment 753041

That is why I said to add a sprayer wand.

 

[Jstpssng]

Gee, I've always pulled out the Schrader valve and crushed them in my press.

Never thought of making a piggy bank out of them.

Me neither. That was pretty clever. I especially liked the flying pig though.

 

[Smokeydog]

20# propane cylinder makes a pretty good propane forge. Top is hinged and can be blocked up if needed.

Lots of damage and injuries from pneumatic PVC and non rated steel tanks documented in industrial and farm safety stories. Hope I didn’t reach retirement age to lose it all by doing something stupid. There is lots of fabricating, repair, repurposing projects that work and save money.

 

[Vigo327]

If you are trying to make a small, lightweight, tank to carry you can use PVC pipe. Keep the pressure below 150 psi and you will not have any issues with failure. The one caveat to PVC is it gets brittle with age and can fail. I'd replace the tank every few years to prevent that.

The main thing with a portable PVC 'thing' is you have to keep the sun off it, but a paint job does that. I still wouldn't make a tank that I carry on my body with it, but I wouldn't be bothered by making the air lines in a home shop with it as mentioned.

I agree with everyone saying it's impractical to go to so much effort to devise a potentially unsafe version of what is already a cheap readily available product, BUT...

I still think threads like this are very useful for DIY'ers because you pick up tons of little bits of information that get stored away for use in OTHER diy project ideas. So we're not 'just' rattling off reasons not to do something, we're sharing information which may make THIS idea a bad one, but might lead to another good idea, or 5, or 10.

 

[Renze]

Before touching it with a torch, welder or grinder, unscrew the valve and flood it with water. The water will push out any source of explosion, whether its heavier or lighter than air.

 

[AnotherBueller]

With so many kinds of readily available sprayers to purchase why shake hands with danger? Large or small propane cylinders are not coated inside to resist corrosion.

Paint ball and SCUBA tanks are only meant for dry air.

There are some quart to several gallons spray containers made to be pressurized using a air compressor and are vary expensive.

It’s good that you ask a question. Hopefully you can understand why it’s not a good idea.

The wall thickness of my SCUBA tanks (rated 2000#) is much thicker than a 20# propane tank and are pressure tested to 3000# every 5 years

 

[Fxfymn413]

You will get someone hurt or killed with that idea. Very stupid idea. Don’t do it.

OK, I'll bite; why?

 

[ammoaddict]

I will admit to my total ignorance when it comes to pressurized storage containers and could use some help. I have had no luck trying to find answers to most of my questions on the net.

Here is an idea I have had for years and wondering if it can be safely pulled off. The goal would be to have a pressurized utility sprayer that I can carry around with me for spraying roundup etc. I am tired of pumping my 2-3 gallon sprayer every several minutes. I have a 5-gallon backpack model but once full I have a hard time getting it on/off by myself and it hurts my lower back as I walk around my 6 acres. I like the idea of a smaller, pressurized, hand held 2-3 gallon sprayer. I know they make battery powered units but I like to experiment & was wondering if an empty propane tank be repurposed (refilled with air) to provide the 10 PSI that I need? I do not think the high pressure paint-ball tanks is what I want as they are thousands of PSI and expensive.

I have long wanted to take an empty (small torch sized) 1-pound propane tank and refill it with air via my shop air compressor and try out my idea. I would attach a regulator to knock down the high pressure air down to ~10 PSI.

My 1st & most important question is what PSI can these small 1-pound propane tanks hold safely? The last thing I would want is to set my shop compressor too high & have a catastrophic failure due to too much pressure while refilling it. The next question would be where can I get a low-pressure regulator with a gauge so I can dial in the PSI into my 2-3 gallon sprayer.

I installed a tire valve in a one gallon plastic pump up sprayer and pump it up with an air compressor. It worked well but it ran out of air just as quickly as using the manual pump.

 

[Gord Baker]

Appreciate the idea......would be fine but this is not for spraying hundreds of feet of fence lines or tree lines etc.....way too much close in spraying that must be done on foot.

Use a long hose. No easy way to accomplish what you seek.

 

[Gord Baker]

OK, I'll bite; why?

Well, that's one reason. You don't understand the dangers involved.

 

[Black Dog 2]

Buy a 15 or 25 gal spot sprayer, put it on your tractor in one of several places handy plug in to battery and spray all you want without the trouble you are looking at with your method.

I have a 25 gal elec sprayer. I put the tank on top of the box blade of the tractor or on the fold down back seat of the golf cart. Works great.

 

[barts]

OK, I'll bite; why?

Because PVC degrades in strength due to a variety of factors, including sunlight and some compressor lube oils. Mechanical external impacts can also cause the entire pipe run to shatter violently if filled with compressed air. The resulting explosion sends plastic shrapnel everywhere. It is an OSHA violation to use PVC pipe for compressed gases unless buried underground or completed encased in suitable materials.

Google OSHA PVC pipe compressed air for details. It has been illegal to use PVC pipe for compressed gas in a place of employment at least since the 1980s.

 

[FordTough]

I would use an inspected (VIP - visual inpection and hydro tested) scuba pony bottle for compressed air that has a regulator with a low pressure port on that regulator. The low pressure port would give you the pressure you would need. This combination would ensure your safety and the safety of others nearby while you use that sprayer. I would never repurpose a disposable cylinder - the cylinder wall thickness will not sustain repeated air fill ups like the small pony bottle for scuba use. It may cost a few dollars for that setup but I suspect your life and the lives of others nearby you are certainly worth much more than the cost of this safer setup.

 

[Charles Zook]

I will admit to my total ignorance when it comes to pressurized storage containers and could use some help. I have had no luck trying to find answers to most of my questions on the net.

Here is an idea I have had for years and wondering if it can be safely pulled off. The goal would be to have a pressurized utility sprayer that I can carry around with me for spraying roundup etc. I am tired of pumping my 2-3 gallon sprayer every several minutes. I have a 5-gallon backpack model but once full I have a hard time getting it on/off by myself and it hurts my lower back as I walk around my 6 acres. I like the idea of a smaller, pressurized, hand held 2-3 gallon sprayer. I know they make battery powered units but I like to experiment & was wondering if an empty propane tank be repurposed (refilled with air) to provide the 10 PSI that I need? I do not think the high pressure paint-ball tanks is what I want as they are thousands of PSI and expensive.

I have long wanted to take an empty (small torch sized) 1-pound propane tank and refill it with air via my shop air compressor and try out my idea. I would attach a regulator to knock down the high pressure air down to ~10 PSI.

My 1st & most important question is what PSI can these small 1-pound propane tanks hold safely? The last thing I would want is to set my shop compressor too high & have a catastrophic failure due to too much pressure while refilling it. The next question would be where can I get a low-pressure regulator with a gauge so I can dial in the PSI into my 2-3 gallon sprayer.

Purchased a 3 gallon 18 volt battery powered sprayer and have used it for 3 years and very [pleased with it Covers a decent range for spray pattern and this will accept Black & Decker replacement or back up batteries. Would purchase again. Has shoulder strap, but I normally just pack it around by the handle as I spray. Used on a acre plus with hills and a ditch thru the center. Rest of yard & ground is either mowed and baled. CDZ