30 lb propane bottle

[NMWildcat]

We transport all kinds of long, pressurized cylinders on their side, secured in an open pickup bed. Usually only from the seller to the farm. After transport, stand them up, secure them, then attach them and open the valves. Against some reg? I'm sure, but sometimes real life situations require more logical solutions than those dictated by state/fed regs.
What makes me nervous is all the folks I see transporting propane tanks in enclosed vehicle spaces, standing up or laying sidewise. This includes passenger areas, trunks, and pickup beds with toppers. No ventilation. Just gives me the heebie-jeebies.
Saw a lady exchange a 20lb at a 7-11. She had two kids in car seats in her back seat. Where did she transport the empty and full tank? Between the two car seats. Got the 7-11 employee to tell her that was not safe, and even offered to transport it for her, but no dice. And the employee let her drive off. Oh well, you can only do so much.

[Tundra 2014]

In TX, gas cylinders must be transported upright. For welding gas exchange, you have to have a cap on 20 cf or larger tanks. You will get a citation for either putting tank on side or no cap.

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by NMWildcat

Saw a lady exchange a 20lb at a 7-11. She had two kids in car seats in her back seat. Where did she transport the empty and full tank? Between the two car seats. Got the 7-11 employee to tell her that was not safe, and even offered to transport it for her, but no dice. And the employee let her drive off. Oh well, you can only do so much.

That story reminds me of the one I saw on the national news this morning. It shows a car stopped at a red light that basically explodes from the occupant area. A guy driving by in the video stops and pulls the driver out, with both getting burned.

Come to find out, the driver was hauling a can of gas in the car, and smoking a cigarette which ignited the fumes.

[Bob2019]

If for some reason (who knows?) the tank valve leaks or gets damaged or some reason expels propane and catches on fire, it is a total rocket and there is no stopping it. I always transport tanks in the upright position. As the mafia guys say "Why take chances?"

A side note: Did you see on the news tonight the guy who had his vehicle engulfed in flames when transporting gasoline inside and a tank spilled? A hero get him out. He was also also smoking inside his vehicle.

[justpassinthru]

Originally Posted by Adony

Is it safe to transport a 30 lb propane bottle on its' side after refilling? It is to tall to carry in the trunk from the refilling station back to the trailer?

Food for thought, many moons ago I live in the north, and required a Propane Company to fill my 100lb tanks for the winter months, and as I recall that truck that had propane in it I can’t recall it ever driving down the road to my mobile home to refill my tank in a upright position. Just saying!!! Hope this helps :

[jwfrede]

I would never put a propane cylinder or any container with that much hydrocarbon inside a vehicle.

Relief valves are designed to allow a certain minimum flow rate at a specified pressure of the gas , liquid, or combination to protect the integrity of the vessel and prevent a catastrophic lost of containment via a vessel failure. For a propane tank this would only be caused by excessive pressure resulting from high temperatures. If the tank relief valve was sized for vapor only and you had a liquid or a mixture of liquid and gas because the cylinder was laying on its side the flowrate of propane through the relief valve would be less than the design scenario. So for the design case of heating the tank the vessel might fail. Most likely this design scenario is based on some type of fire and specified rate of temperature increase.

I am not 100% sure if the temperatures possible in the trunk of a car would cause this, but it would be a low risk for temporary transport of a secured tank on its side. This assumes you didn't have your car sitting in the sun all day at 110 F ambient in the Arizona sun before going for the propane. Otherwise it would a long time to heat up, even in the Arizona sun.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by justpassinthru

Food for thought, many moons ago I live in the north, and required a Propane Company to fill my 100lb tanks for the winter months, and as I recall that truck that had propane in it I can’t recall it ever driving down the road to my mobile home to refill my tank in a upright position. Just saying!!! Hope this helps :

Apples to grapes.

A bulk delivery truck is designed to carry LPG in the horizontal position. It's constructed of a lot thicker steel than a 30# cylinder and also is capable of retaining the product in ANY position should the vehicle ever be in an accident.

There's also little chance it's safety valves will ever "vent" while the truck is in an enclosed space like the back seat or trunk of a car

[BandJCarm]

You know..........just thought of this........I know 20 lb tanks fit perfectly in those plastic milk crates (bought on Amazon). Don't know if the 30's have the same footprint or not. You'd think I'd know that, but I don't. But for the 20's at least, the crate keeps them from rolling around. And I have NO idea why, but the brown milk crates on Amazon are about half the price of the brighter colored ones!!!

[5picker]

Originally Posted by BandJCarm

You know..........just thought of this........I know 20 lb tanks fit perfectly in those plastic milk crates (bought on Amazon). Don't know if the 30's have the same footprint or not. You'd think I'd know that, but I don't. But for the 20's at least, the crate keeps them from rolling around. And I have NO idea why, but the brown milk crates on Amazon are about half the price of the brighter colored ones!!!

They do have the same footprint and fit the crates exactly the same.

The 30 pounders are simply taller, hence the whole reason for this 50+ post thread.
The OP couldn't put the taller 30 pounder in their vehicle in the upright position and asked if it was OK to lay it down to transport.

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by 5picker

They do have the same footprint and fit the crates exactly the same.

The 30 pounders are simply taller, hence the whole reason for this 50+ post thread.
The OP couldn't put the taller 30 pounder in their vehicle in the upright position and asked if it was OK to lay it down to transport.

5picker, just to make sure your quoted post is accurate, I am posting this one.....so now we are at 50 posts in this thread instead of 49. Lol

[5picker]

Filled today.... as Elmer Fudd would say... shhh... be vewy vewy quiet!

[frank4711]

Originally Posted by 5picker

Filled today.... as Elmer Fudd would say... shhh... be vewy vewy quiet!

Wait What!! oh shh......

[Kenneth Deiss]

I move the passenger seat forward as far as it will go,I put the 30# bottle on the rear floor put one of those kneeling foam pads between the front seat back and bottle and run back the seat so it is snug...

[Crofoot]

Most states have laws against transporting gas bottles or tanks in the cargo area or trunk. Years ago I worked for a propane company and if you took your propane tank out of a car, I wasn’t even allowed to fill it knowing that the customer was going to put it back in enclosed environment because if a leak happened for any reason it could cause an explosion in the enclosed space.

[Half Pint]

IMHO, we have forklifts at work and their tanks are all mounted on their sides. Not sure if they are different types of tanks but something to ponder

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by Crofoot

Most states have laws against transporting gas bottles or tanks in the cargo area or trunk. Years ago I worked for a propane company and if you took your propane tank out of a car, I wasn’t even allowed to fill it knowing that the customer was going to put it back in enclosed environment because if a leak happened for any reason it could cause an explosion in the enclosed space.

Years ago my wife used our 27'Terry as an "apartment" at our daughter's house. I had two 100# tanks I kept full from the local Co-Op.

When empty I'd toss the tank in her Chrysler, close the trunk lid and secure with a bungee cord. 3 miles to the Co-Op and I'd park on the street.

"edge rolled" the tank to the fill station, got tank filled, then edge rolled the full tank back to the car still parked on the street. Back in the trunk and 3 miles home.

I got passed and was sometimes followed by Police Officers and never once got stopped.

Just another sin I'll have to pay for when I kick off.

[cavie]

It's nor legal but nobody is gonna stop you. I transport my 30# on there side as my pick up cover isn't doesn't allow them to stand up. I built a 2 x 4 frame to keep them from rolling around and secure them to the frame with a bungy cord.

[waybeck2018]

Originally Posted by Anderson15

I recently had a tank filled at a local farm supply store (similar to Tractor Supply). They have a sign which says you are prohibited from leaving with a tank on its side. It must leave heir lot in the upright position.

Interesting.

That in fact is true. And, they also are required to NEVER put it inside a closed vehicle. These are Compressed Gas Manufacturers Association generated and endorsed by most jurisdictions, as well as the service facility Insurance Carrier. How do I know? Over the past 17 years I have inspected at least 150 facilities where propane is sold and transported. These prohibitions are in every underwriters checklist that I use.' If I do not see the signs and a printed form for the customer to sign that they understand these requirements, I write a critical recommendation.

Okay, bring on the nay sayers...LOL.

[waybeck2018]

Originally Posted by Half Pint

IMHO, we have forklifts at work and their tanks are all mounted on their sides. Not sure if they are different types of tanks but something to ponder

Fork lift tanks are constructed differently and valved differently. They are designed for side way installation.

[TonyR]

Originally Posted by CHICKDOE

here is how i transport a cylinder. move the front passenger seat all the way forward. put the tank on the rear floor behind the passenger seat. then move the seat back and it will wedge the tank between the front and rear seat and hold it in place.

X2