Propane gas home liquid filling (nurse line)station.

[Skydiver]

I have searched the internet and can not find the lagalities of having a liquid line attached to my 500 gallon at home propane tank. I have seen these refill lines a few times around town and need ond to fill the 10 gallon bottles my 5'ver uses. Dealer says he can install me one to fill a motor home tank. I don't yet have a m-home.

They move the liquid from the larger tank to the smaller tank only using the pressure from larger tank and opening the gas bleeder on the smaller tank.

I am not yet willing to take no for an answer from my dealer.

It seems to me there would be no way to overfill a smaller tank with no pump involved and using the gas bleeder while filling.

What does the law stipulate on these "nurse lines"

Any LP guys ?

Some body help me. I'm only trying to save a few dollars.

Tim

 

[daveshoe]

I ran an old '74 chevy gasser on propane for years. The installation on your tank would involve taking one of the vapor draw fittings off the top of your tank and adding a liquid draw fitting with a dip tube inside that reaches down into the liquid propane inside. The natural process of the propane trying to escape the confines of the tank will drive the liquid up the tube to the receiving tank. Your 500 gallon tank would need to be empty for this process to take place. If you are trying to save money,is it possible to add a second tank so you can get bigger fuel deliveries? Our local dealer offers a pretty good discount when a fillup is 600 gallons or above. You could add a second tank with the liquid draw,or just get a 1000 gallon tank all set up for liquid draw. Food for thought.

 

[John Prince]

I have a tap on my 500 gal. I fill up all my small tanks. I bought the fitting a a local propane dealer. My tank (that I own) had a liquid tap on top. It had a shollow plug with a washer covering it. Under the plug and washer is a ball valve that has the tube going to the bottem of the tank to the liquid. To install the valve I removed the plug and screwed in the new fill valve. It has a long male fitting that pushes the ball valve open on the tank as it screws down. It do not leave the fill hose on the tank all the time just when needed. When the fill hose is off the tank I cap the outlet for the fill hose on the valve.

If you look around in old farms you will see the valves on tanks. They were used to fill the tractors.

I fill the small tanks till liquid comes out of the vent ( a small flat screw on the side of the valve. )hole on the small tank.

Hope this helps. I just had my tank topped of on 12-1 it was $ 1. 96 a gallon.

John

 

[Skydiver]

Thanks for the info.

Please inform me of the legalities of having a liquid line.

I Worked for a propane supplier for 1 month this summer doing maintenance. I would like to know that I am correct bofore asking my supplier to install one. I rent my tank. 500 gallons.

Tim

 

[John Prince]

check with your state about legalities. I bet with a rent tank you might have a hard time. Call a dealer (not yours) and ask them about renting a tank with a fill line and see what happens.

John

 

[daveshoe]

In this age of liability, the threat of a lawsuit --some joker suing the propane supplier because you vented propane to the atmosphere while filling your tank-- may be reason enough to deny your request for the fill hose. If you live in the country a lot less likely to be a problem. If your goal is saving money,check with your supplier to determine how much you can save by setting a larger tank and getting fewer fill-ups. My supplier gives the best price to fills of 600 gallons or more. If you ''ask'' if something is legal,the person who answers your question is obligated to play it safe. If you ask for a service,the dealer will be more likely to provide it to keep your business. You mentioned that you have seen tanks with nurse lines around town. My recommendation is that you stop in and ask these people who own the nurse lines who supplied them and if they save money by having them.

I would think that the valve,hose ,and tank fitting could run at least 150 bucks. I had to buy mine,even though I was renting the tank at the time I bought it. Hope this helps.

 

[Alphacowboy]

what do you need the small tanks for, is it for somthing like a grill, or do you need to fill up a small tank to take with you some where? if its just for your grill at home... just add a line directly to your grill and install a regulator at the grill and be done with it. if its for offsite uses, well then i guess I would look into what you are asking.

 

[Skydiver]

I had a talk with the man in charge of the company. He said it's a go.

Thanks again,Tim