Propane tank seal question (30 lb)

[Richard]

I've use 30lb tanks as my primary tanks for my propane fireplace. They're much easier to toss into my trunk compared to the 100lb tanks.

Other day, noticed a hisssssssssssssss when I installed one. Slight hiss, but there none the less.

Just now looked at it and it seems there is a rubber O ring inside the mouth of the tank where my pigtail screws in.

This O ring is... well... how to say, it simply looks like it's deteriorating. I looked at another tank and it has a pristine looking O ring so that showed me right off the bat what my problem was.

Are these O rings user changable and if so, where does one get them?

To swap out, just use a little dental pick to pull old one out and snap new on in place like you would anything else?

 

[tommu56]

I've never had to change one on a rv or grill bottle but we regularry have to change them on our forklift tanks.

tom

 

[ArTrvlr]

I suppose you have more than one tank, since you looked in another one. Just swap out the good o-ring from the other tank until this one is empty. Just pull it out like any other o-ring. Then just exchange it for a full tank at wally world, Lowe's, Home Depot or wherever is close. Or, if you have them refilled at an LP dealer, have them replace it for you at the next fill up. If it's where you get your tanks filled all the time, them may even replace it for free.
jp

 

[Skyco]

I've never seen the 30lb size up for exchange anywhere....I have a few of them myself and a 40.

 

[Egon]

If you have access to a store that sells Propane appliances and also fills the bottles they should have the proper o-rings available.

Many hardware stores may have o-rings that will fit but the compatibility of the composition may not be proper.

 

[Richard]

for those who say swap the tank out, I paid for these and am a bit reluctant to swap them out, giving away my ownership (as I understand the deal)

they are 30 lb tanks as mentioned and I also, have never seen 30lb tanks on the swap program, just the 20's.

I personally think for my needs, the 30lb tanks are perfectly sized! I've got a dual manifold with a 100lb tank hooked to one side and my 30's connected to the other side of the switch.

I use my 30's and fill them every week or so. If I run out of 30's (lazy and don't refil), I flip switch and have my 100lb to rely on. also, if soemthing happens and we get DUMPED with snow like happened a decade ago, I've got my 100's as my backup and can't be caught with them at 10% fill because of having been used prior to the snow.

I'll stop using the 30's about the middle of February and start to lean on the 100's to work them down, using the left over 30's for my grill in the summer. (I have 3 30lb tanks)

 

[MikeD74T]

Take your regulator to any welding supply -they've got what you need. MikeD74T

 

[CurlyDave]

for those who say swap the tank out, I paid for these and am a bit reluctant to swap them out, giving away my ownership (as I understand the deal)...

I don't think you are giving away anything. I have had no trouble getting propane tanks refilled no matter what the label on the outside says. I have maybe 10-12 tanks mostly 20 pound, but some 30s. (My hunting trailer has a propane generator, and I use a Mr. Buddy heater inside it, so I go through a lot in a two week trip.)

It used to be that whenever I had one that needed recertification I would just swap that one for a full one that had a recent recertification date stamped on it. No trouble at all getting that tank refilled.

In fact, on a lot of them, the name of the company that refilled the tank was just on a wrapper. Tear it off and you have a nice, freshly-painted generic tank.

Last year I found a place that will recertify & fill for less that the cost of exchange, so now I only exchange when one gets rusty...

 

[ArTrvlr]

Sorry, dummy me overlooked the 30 lb part. But I stand by the suggestion to get a good o-ring from another tank and have the bad o-ring replaced at the next fill up. Or, If you don't want to swap o-rings around, just take that tank on back to your LP dealer and get him to replace the o-ring.
jp

 

[Richard]

Crud... I went to a propane place today (without tank). I specifically told them I had a 30lb tank over phone and he said he knew exactly what I was talking about.

The good news is, he simply gave me the gasket, the bad news is, it doesn't seem to fit NOR, can I seem to be able to get the old one out.

Have they changed these designs and I have an old design that isn't replacable or am I doing something wrong, in my effort to extract the old one?