Mrmegoo
Missouri
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Joined: 11/17/2007
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Fill it up, hook it up, light it up (the cooktop that is). If the burner fires up, then it must have all the air out (ie: purged), after all air don't burn too well. Does not ressemble rocket science.
Mrmegoo
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Chris Bryant
DeLand, Florida, USA
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Joined: 03/26/2003
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A couple of comments- tanks do need to be purged before the first fill- most are purged at the factory, but you are assuming that nobody has opened the valve between the factory and you.
The correct way to purge is with LP vapor at around 10-20 psi- 3 or 4 times (fill with vapor, release, repeat).
As downtheroad said- an LP supplier will have the equipment and knowledge to do this correctly.
If you do not purge, several thing can happen- any moisture in the tank will be flash frozen the first time you fill (resulting in regulator freeze ups), some air will be dissolved in the LP, resulting in having to adjust the fuel air mixture on appliances, and the partial pressure of the trapped air will make filling difficult.
-- Chris Bryant
My RV Service Blog
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Fulltimer50
Eloy, AZ
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Joined: 07/07/2001
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It is truly amazing to me how someone can think they can give advice about something as important as propane safety while have no training at all. There are safety procedures for a reason. Just because you don't understand the reasons or you haven't been blown up yet doesn't mean the safety procedures are any less valid. If you want to know the proper way to handle propane and propane tanks ask a propane professional or your local propane regulator.
George
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Starman97
Austin,TX
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Joined: 07/29/2006
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Here's a really good description of the what, why and how of purging a RV propane tank
http://home.earthlink.net/~derekgore/rvroadiervfulltimingwhatisitreallylike/id45.html
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javaseuf
Southern Cal
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Joined: 03/30/2005
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Dave H M wrote:I have always just had them filled and noticed no diference.
There was one post about putting in a little and then opening the valve to empty it. I don't know how long ago it was that you could have a tank filled that would discharge when the valve was opened. Maybe two generations back. I guess you could jury rig something to open the valve in the outlet, but like I mentioned, I am well into social security and have always just had new tanks filled.
Here is my first post:
"You fill the tank with a "squirt" of propane and then open the vent to purge the tank. When it's empty, continue to fill. This is how we did it where I worked and we had no problems."
I didn't say that we discharged it through the valve. What I said was that we discharged it through the vent. (The 20% overfill valve on the side of the main valve). And it was as recent as a few weeks ago when I bought a new tank for my PUP and filled it at a local shop. NOT "generations" ago.
Oh, and by the way, when a tank is filled, the propane supply hose used to fill the tank has a vent as well. We have also used that to empty the tank and in that case, we use the tank valve to evacuate because the fill hose is still connected to the tank, keeping the check-valve open. It then empties through the valve and out of the fill-hose vent.
Steve
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"Politically Incorrect And Proud Of It" 
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javaseuf
Southern Cal
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Fulltimer50 wrote:It is truly amazing to me how someone can think they can give advice about something as important as propane safety while have no training at all. There are safety procedures for a reason. Just because you don't understand the reasons or you haven't been blown up yet doesn't mean the safety procedures are any less valid. If you want to know the proper way to handle propane and propane tanks ask a propane professional or your local propane regulator.
 And how would you know who has had and who hasn't had training?
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Fulltimer50
Eloy, AZ
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javaseuf
Southern Cal
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"So Just what do you suppose any tank is full of everytime it runs out of propane "
Well Rich, it sure isn't air since the system is sealed from the atmosphere.
I suggest you read THIS to find out about the reason you need to purge a tank and about dimminished capacity. The newly required federal labels on new tanks stating that the tank needs to be purged, aren't there for decoration!
You built your own pressure vessel and had it filled with propane? 
Now that is scarey!
Funny how the un-informed assume that every one else is talking "BS". 
* This post was
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edited 05/18/08 12:18pm by javaseuf *
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smkettner
Southern California
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Joined: 03/21/2005
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The refill person always opens the valve at the top and allows some propane gas to escape out the top as it is filled. In my book that is the same as purging it every time.
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Fulltimer50
Eloy, AZ
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Joined: 07/07/2001
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If that bleed valve is not broken there is a tube that goes down inside the tank. It does not bleed from the top.
FWIW The fact that this tube can break is why it is not the safest way to tell when a propane tank is full. Also it does not need to be open to fill the tank.
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