Propane Tank question: thread sealing

[woggs1]

The Propane tank on my '88 Westy was leaking from around the open/closed valve. I decided to get a new one from Gowesty with the idea of eventually fixing the stock one and installing it on the passenger side so I would have 2 propane tanks. Anyways I installed the Gowesty propane tank, hooked up everything and on my way to a camping trip in Yosemite, I had it filled up. At the fillup place it started leaking like crazy from the bleeder valve! It was leaking where the bleeder valve threads into the tank. As I was on my way to a 3 day camping trip with reservations, and plans on meeting people there, I tried to fix it on the spot. That didn't work. I screwed the bleeder valve until it would not tighten anymore, all the time propane was still leaking. Anyways, I still went to Yosemite and just did not use the stove, refer or the Propex heater (although the whole time I could smell propane leaking from outside the van, not inside). When I got home, I eventually removed the tank and, because the bleeder valve was on so tight I destroyed it trying to remove it (BTW the tank was empty when I removed the bleeder valve). So naturally I emailed Gowesty about the situation, and they immediately sent me a replacement bleeder valve and thus my dilemma. How do I install a new bleeder valve so that it does not leak? I am about to take it to a propane professional to have it installed and tested, but there are very few of those in the San Francisco area that I can find (does anyone know of any?). I can get some gas-tape and try to do it myself, but I have no way of testing it before I fill up again. Anyone have any experience/ideas to how I should proceed?

Thanks for reading

woggs1
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4 speed 88 Westy

[sagebus]

I would bet the tape will work.Easy and cheap.
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1984 Vanagon GL, Wolfsburg Westy 1.9 ltr

[Scooter757]

The exact same thing happened to me on a brand new Gowesty tank.
I just used the yellow gas tape and screwed it back in. Then I filled the tank and sprayed soapy water on the valve and looked for leaks. No problems since. Good Luck.

[msinabottle]

Been there, done that. PLEASE look HERE:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=179909

I would not use tape for love nor money.

Best!
_________________
'Winston,' '84 1.9 WBX Westy
Vanagon Poet Laureate: "I have suffered in
many ways, but never, never, never in silence."

[Terry Kay]

Here's a helpful hint for any propane valve, bleeder, or any connection on the tank--

DO NOT EVER USE TEFLON TAPE, OR SEALING TAPE OF ANY KIND ON THE FITTINGS ON THE TANK !!!

Here's what will happen;
If You get a hair of that tape to break loose from whatever your installing and sealing, it'll float around in the propane tank--possibly run into the gas lines , and eventually plug a gas burner orfice in the stove,reefer, or that propane heater you've installed.
This means an eventual no go for something that needs propane to run on--
You'll be chasing this problem down, and pulling your hair trying to locate the plugation.

ALWAYS USE EITHER TEFLON SEALING CAULK, OR REGULAR PLUMBING PIPE DOPE ON ANY FITTING THREADS ON THE PROPANE TANK OR SYSTEM FITTINGS .

SKIP THE TAPE.
_________________
T.K.

[iiigoiii]

hi - just wanted to weigh in on this as someone experienced with propane - there's a lot of misinformation here and in other threads - with a couple of notes.

- you can seal threads on propane-carrying pipes with propane-specific pipe tape or dope (a gooey brush-on paste)
- not all threads are intended to take tape or dope (e.g. some flare fittings) and should be naked and clean
- BUT: if the threads are intended to have a sealant (most normal and NPT), you must use one or the other
- if you use tape it MUST be propane rated - this is usually yellow in color, and thicker than water or air tape
- if you use dope it must also be propane rated; one disadvantage of dope is that it's messy
- if your taping technique is not good, you can indeed get tiny shards of tape inside the piping, which will stick in burners, valves, etc.; start the wrap with no tape hanging over the edge of the male end. stretch the tape tightly and use the recommended number of turns
- threads should be cleaned before taping, doping, or assembly - use a fine wire brush
- nothing is meant to have huge torque put on it to seal; if you have to use excessive force there's probably something wrong - not enough/too much tape, not enough dope, metal shards in the assembly, assembly cross-threaded, poor quality threads
- spray soapy water on the joints to test them once the system is pressurized

note that in the other thread about tape problems:
(http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=179909)
it sounds like someone was using the wrong (teflon) tape.

yes tape can cause problems (i once had to strip and rebuild a 2" valve - that's a valve with 250 TIMES the area of those used here! - on one of my installations because a piece of tape the size of a fingernail clipping jammed the valve), but, if used *correctly* it's often the best choice.

[Terry Kay]

I'm just going to say this about all that.

Teflon paste comes in an almost automatic application tube.
No muss, no fuss, it's a no brainer.
Apply a small bead of it around the circumference of the first couple of threads --run the fitting in, your done.

Teflon, or any kind of sealing tape your taking a risk of screwing up an orfice in either the fridge or the stove, or if your running a propane heater--might as well mess that up too.

I'll take the high road and avoid any tape error ramifications in any of my propane appliances.
I do the job once and I'm done with it.

BTW---the teflon tape was suggested by my propane parts supplier.
Plus I have prefered it over the tape use for many years.

It's a positive, no fear sealing method for SAE, & pipe threads.
( which all of the propane fitiings are.)
_________________
T.K.