DouglasW Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 Hello Can I travel with a portable 20 lb. propane cylinder (full of course) laying on it's side. I'm using it with an adapter to fire up my Coleman camp stove when I want to cook outside. In use it's designed to stand vertically. Thanks DouglasW on Gabriola Island Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
90toydolphin Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 http://www.propane101.com/propanecylinderstorage.htm a site that talks about safely storing propane tanks. tells me laying bbq type tanks on their side is not a good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiter Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 I travel with a BBQ tank on its side all the time. Just don't use it while on its side. I carry it under one of the bench seats. When I stop for the night, I take it outside and set it beside the propane compartment. I then disconnect the hose from the normal horizontal tank and connect the BBQ tank. ( Mainly for heat and cooking) Although its a little inconvenient connecting and disconnecting the external BBQ tank when we stop for the night, I have never run out of propane while on a trip. I will usually go through two or three BBQ tanks before I need to re-fill the horizontal tank. One of the big advantages of the BBQ tank, they can be exchanged almost anywhere. Places that can actually re-fill a tank are a little harder to find while on the road. JOhn Mc 88 Dolphin 4 Auto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 The only issue I could see if the tank vents on over pressure as a liquid it would expand instantly to a gas at a large volume filling the area with an explosive mix. Personally I think the chance of it getting hot enough to vent is pretty slim.but that's the only reason I can think of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiter Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 The tank would need to be involved in a fire in order to get it to overpressure and vent. See temperature chart. If the internal pressure is high and the tank is moved from a warm to cold, the internal pressure will fall as the gaseous propane re-condenses inside the tank. (If you could see inside the tank, you would see propane droplets on the inside wall (like a cold glass of lemonade on a hot humid day) Going in the other direction, If the internal pressure was low, and you moved the tank from cold to warm, the internal pressure will rise and propane evaporates until it achieves the equilibrium pressure. Note that generic Propane is worthless when the temperature starts dropping below about -10 F. The internal pressure may not be high enough to (about 20psi) run the dual stage regulators. John Mc 88 Dolphin 4 Auto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLink Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 I have a 1989 Dolphin. When I got it the propane tank was missing and a new tank was more than I wanted to spend. I modified the compartment so that a BBQ type tank would fit standing upright. I don't know why the manufacturers don't just use these tanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiter Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 Post a couple photos. I've been thinking of doing this, and use two tanks along with an auto switchover regulator. JOhn MC 88 Dolphin 4 Auto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siskiou Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Would love to see some pics, too, before spending money on a horizontal use tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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