Propane at altitude?

[dbledan]

Was just camping at fishing bridge and found an issue I want to confirm. I should start with the fact that I come from Ks and do most of my camping at lower altitudes. Not sea level but not 5000+ft. I filled my propane tanks at home.

We were using propane for the water heater and furnace. Overnight I had set the furnace to 60 degrees and when we woke up it was 50. I had only turned on one tank. The furnace will kick in but acts as though it is not getting gas and shuts off as I never hear the clicking to ignite. The water heater is heating just fine at this point. I checked the burner and we still have gas. I check the switchover and it appears red so no or low pressure. I turned on the other tank and everything lights and works....for a while. After about 20min the water heater and the furnace start acting squirrely sputtering and relighting. Now both tanks are on so I have no heat, and limited hot water because the DW likes to use all high amp stuff at the same time.

I think perhaps the propane from lower altitudes was my issue and was freezing up. That said what do you do? Do I need to buy a full tank at altitude? I can wait for it to thaw but it will simply refreeze after light use. I am back down at lower levels and everything works fine now but I would like to be ready for next time.

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[BriaBeck]

The propane inside your tanks doesn't care what altitude it was at when you filled your tanks, so that is not your problem. Temperature determines how much pressure is inside the tank, not the altitude where it was filled.



Are you sure that you don't have a leak, and most all of your propane is gone?

[TheGerman]

That has come up here before, search for "butane" in the menu bar. In some parts of the country LP (butane) is often added in higher percentages.

[dbledan]

Originally Posted by BriaBeck

The propane inside your tanks doesn't care what altitude it was at when you filled your tanks, so that is not your problem. Temperature determines how much pressure is inside the tank, not the altitude where it was filled.



Are you sure that you don't have a leak, and most all of your propane is gone?

No leak. [emoji26] Still have one full and one half tank 24hrs later with everything on.

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[dbledan]

Originally Posted by TheGerman

That has come up here before, search for "butane" in the menu bar. In some parts of the country LP (butane) is often added in higher percentages.

Hmm limited to the app right now still camping. Search with it sucks and only returns this thread. Butane search will help me from a PC later to find something maybe. I did see those previously but could not find them and don't recall a resolution only the explination.

What can I do about it? Do I just empty the tank and refill it with something from the local area to get around it?

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[Bama Rambler]

Sure sounds like a lot of Butane in your mix. I think I'd either vent the half empty cylinder and refill it locally, or get a new full cylinder locally and see if that solves the problem.

[dbledan]

Ok will have one close to empty for the next trip. Does using the one with less butane work fine in lower altitudes? If so I would just fill one up completely where there is less in the mix.