Propane is frozen solid

[miss t]

Propane keeps freezing solid here. -20 but everyone says it cant freeze but i have no liquid just a block of ice IN the tank. What do i do?

 

[5picker]

Welcome to the forum, I see it is your 1st post.

Sounds as if the tank(s) was not properly purged before filling.
How do you know it is frozen solid? Ice forming on the outside of the tank(s) when used is common.

You could always get one of these...
Propane tank heater

 

[miss t]

Unfortunately my rv has no outside power. Im out in the middle of 40 acres limited power and have so many others things heatwrapped water tank heat cover water line heat wrap ect. Heck now its -24 here. Hope it warms up some what. Will look at swapping some heat things around to make this work thanks for all input though you never know what might help

 

[5picker]

I seriously doubt your LP tanks are frozen solid. LP doesn't freeze until somewhere around/below -300ºF.

Like I said, you might have some water droplets in a line that have frozen because your LP tank(s) were not properly purged but at -24ºF the LP is not a "block of ice" in the tank. (your words) But as you are finding, with those temperatures, R/Vs and living in them are simply not made to withstand that extreme.

 

[RobbieH]

I seriously doubt your LP tanks are frozen solid. LP doesn't freeze until somewhere around/below -300ºF.

It would be pretty hard to go outside to determine if your LP was frozen at -300F huh?

 

[5picker]

It would be pretty hard to go outside to determine if your LP was frozen at -300F huh?

It would be!
You never really said... do your LP appliances not work?
Again, frost/ice on the OUTSIDE of a LP tank being used is not uncommon.
In fact, many of us use that frost line to gauge the level of LP in the tank.

If you do have some moisture in your LP system, many reputable LP filling places can add an additive to help absorb that moisture when they fill your tank.

 

[{Tpc}]

I've found in the past that when LP tanks get really cold, and start frosting on the outside, the gas doesn't flow as well, and things stop working. Maybe this is what the OP is having issue with. I don't know if wrapping blankets around it would help, but step one would be to move it to a warmer area, at least temporarily, and then reattach it, and maybe wrap some insulating blankets around it.

 

[jimmoore13]

At -24F, you are approaching the operational limit of propane, which is -44 F. At -44 F, propane reverts to liquid, and you have little or no gas and gas pressure to operate appliances.

How Do Temperature Changes Affect Propane? | Foster Fuels

In extreme cold, it is possible that heater performance will suffer and failure will occur. Contact us to learn more about propane tanks in the cold.

fosterfuels.com

I grew up in far upstate NY, and we always used propane for cooking and hot water. We also experienced periods of extended very cold weather...seeing -30F quite often. We had problems with propane appliance performance, too.

You reference having what might be defined as inadequate electrical power to run all the heating devices necessary to prevent your rig from freezing up. Yet, as you can see, you need to heat your propane tanks enough to maintain adequate evaporation of liquid propane into gas. Unfortunately, resistive heat loads are surprisingly large and add up quickly, and you have many. I don't know what generator you have, but for argument's sake, let's assume the typical 2KW inverter genny. That's 2KW peak...to, say, kick start a microwave. That genny will only put out about 1500 watts continuously. So, 100 watts (at 120 volts) for this and that heating device adds up quickly.

The answer, sadly, is simple. You may need more electrical power to run all the "resistive" heating devices you need to maintain your rig. Especially if you also are running things like your microwave, the furnace, and other larger loads...and especially if you want to use electricity to heat hot water...or suplement your propane to heat hot water. If you don't have one already, I suggest you get a larger generator and an external fuel storage system to feed the generator. A larger inverter generator will run through fuel at a surprising rate. 5 gallons a day minimum.

On the up-side, Honda (as an example) has systems that allow an external fuel tank to feed fuel the the generator's tank and then keep the engine running.

You are operating at the ragged edge of the RV's limits...even in a 4-seasons RV. Keeping your propane tanks warmer will help a lot.

 

[Aussieguy]

no amount of tank heating is going to unfreeze any water IN the propane TANK
the propane is liquid form.... at around -40 degrees
any water in tank will be solid until tank has been emptied of propane and then warmed up
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

tanks are also designed to have a gas expansion zone that's why they never fill them up all the way to the TOP.... they leave enough room for some of the liquid gas to expand .... then it goes through the pressure gauge while you use it


Liquid propane and contamination is NOT usually a problem in a propane tank
as the expansion point and outlet are positioned ABOVE the normal propane level

If your tank is over filled.... you will have problems...
especially those tanks that are build laying flat... RV non removable tanks
Carefully empty some of the gas ... (use bleed valve if one is installed)

work out how it got over filled too?

Like I said, you might have some water droplets in a line that have frozen because your LP tank(s) were not properly purged but at -24ºF the LP is not a "block of ice" in the tank. (

This ^^^^
Water IN line is more likely IF ice is present in fittings and hoses


PS.... lost count of the number of tanks of propane for a forklift i have filled
also the COLD burns you get when you forget your gloves!

 

[TitanMike]

Since the boiling point of propane is stated to be -43.6F, when one uses propane from a tank that is already --30F, for example, the "evaporation" that occurs when the liquid turns to vapor will further cool the propane where little if any will build pressure to supply appliances.

When I wintered in Colorado the LPG supplier rented me a horizontal tank rather than a vertical cylindrical tank. Said horizontal tanks provided more surface area of the liquid so pressure was easier to maintain during extreme cold.!

 

[Reverse_snowbird]

Propane keeps freezing solid here. -20 but everyone says it cant freeze but i have no liquid just a block of ice IN the tank. What do i do?

What is the year/make/model of your rv?
Do you have an onboard propane tank or removable ones that are on trailers?

You may be out of luck until it warms up some. Do you have an alternative heat source other than your furnace?

 

[miss t]

Propane keeps freezing solid here. -20 but everyone says it cant freeze but i have no liquid just a block of ice IN the tank. What do i do?

Well guy at big r overfilled 1 tank and when frozen blew the valve out, so 1 problem figured out but my tanks are frozen before i xan even get then to the rv and hooked up. These are frozen in 10 minutes outside, and my neighbor came over and ouldnt believe it either so has to be tanks have moisture inside he said and again he got to seee them completely frozen too and couldnt believe it.

 

[TitanMike]

Propane keeps freezing solid here. -20 but everyone says it cant freeze but i have no liquid just a block of ice IN the tank. What do i do?

If you choose not to believe what is said here perhaps an answer from a company that handles Propane for their living:

Propane's freezing point is an incredibly low -306°F. This is the temperature at which it transitions from a liquid to a solid. In your propane tank, the propane remains a liquid under pressure, while it converts to gas when released for use in your home.Jan 23, 2025

Residential Propane Delivery & HVAC Service in PA & DE

Kauffman Gas offers propane delivery and HVAC services for homes in South Eastern PA & Northern DE. You won't be left out in the cold (or the heat).

www.kauffmangas.com

Very likely you are mistaking the mass in your tank for a solid block of ice when it's just a liquid mass that's too cold to become a gas.

A full tank doesn't have much room for content movement which makes it easy for one to think the contents have frozen.

 

[Chuck_S]

Exchange (or buy) a Blue Rhino cylinder at several places and enjoy heat again.

If you're emotionally attached to your existing cylinder buy a fresh Blue Rhino and use the original cylinder when the weather warms up and thaws.

Blue Rhino short-fills to only 15 pounds but their cylinders hold 20.

-- Chuck

 

[5picker]

Well guy at big r overfilled 1 tank and when frozen blew the valve out, so 1 problem figured out but my tanks are frozen before i xan even get then to the rv and hooked up. These are frozen in 10 minutes outside, and my neighbor came over and ouldnt believe it either so has to be tanks have moisture inside he said and again he got to seee them completely frozen too and couldnt believe it.

I'd be very interested in seeing a photo of this tank that was overfilled and blew the valve out.

Legal propane tanks can only be filled to 80% and they have a mechanism in them that keeps them from being overfilled. And if the supply valve "blew out" (your words) that would be quite the disaster that could easily kill someone. Again, the LP liquid did not freeze at -25°F.

It seems there's more going on here than we know. Almost sounds as if they were filled with water?!

 

[Reverse_snowbird]

Exchange (or buy) a Blue Rhino cylinder at several places and enjoy heat again.

If you're emotionally attached to your existing cylinder buy a fresh Blue Rhino and use the original cylinder when the weather warms up and thaws.

Blue Rhino short-fills to only 15 pounds but their cylinders hold 20.

-- Chuck

X2.
It sounds like the easiest solution would be to exchange them for new propane tanks.

 

[GolfingDave]

Can I offer a different opinion? The rapid usage makes sense to me.

Freezing Propane Tank - Why It Happens and How to Prevent It

Preventing Propane Tank Freezing: A Comprehensive Guide - HOP Energy

 

[Chuck_S]

Yep. Standard propane cylinders hold 25 (twenty five) pounds but at 80% that's only 20 pounds and hence calling then "20 pound cylinders." Blue Rhino has been depending on folks thinking they can only fill their "20 pound" tanks to 15 gallons.

Internal valving in propane cylinders (the past 20 years) mechanically limits them to 80% of volume. Easy to confirm if you just take your empty Blue Rhino cylinder to a refill location than measures (and you pay) by the gallon or pound and not by the tank. Full there'll be 20 pounds of propane in it. (Tare -- empty -- weight is stamped on the collar.

-- Chuck

 

[miss t]

Yep. Standard propane cylinders hold 25 (twenty five) pounds but at 80% that's only 20 pounds and hence calling then "20 pound cylinders." Blue Rhino has been depending on folks thinking they can only fill their "20 pound" tanks to 15 gallons.

Internal valving in propane cylinders (the past 20 years) mechanically limits them to 80% of volume. Easy to confirm if you just take your empty Blue Rhino cylinder to a refill location than measures (and you pay) by the gallon or pound and not by the tank. Full there'll be 20 pounds of propane in it. (Tare -- empty -- weight is stamped on the collar.

-- Chuck

Yep we are .gonna just go swap the tanks out today, the one that was overpressured and leaking split yesterday, didnt blow up just cracked that one i will try to just get rid off but yes it was solid soooo i believe the place i took it to filled it up with water. No wonder it never worked or thawed out. Will not go back to get anything from them again. It was never hooked up to anything but a propane heater thank god.

 

[5picker]

Yep we are .gonna just go swap the tanks out today, the one that was overpressured and leaking split yesterday, didnt blow up just cracked that one i will try to just get rid off but yes it was solid soooo i believe the place i took it to filled it up with water. No wonder it never worked or thawed out. Will not go back to get anything from them again. It was never hooked up to anything but a propane heater thank god.

miss t,
Having water in a very large propane tank at a refilling place, to fill a smaller tank with enough water to where it freezes and splits the tank, is highly uncommon.
I'm not defending the refilling place but... it is also not out of the question they received contaminated LP (from whomever fills their big tank) and are not even aware of the situation. You really should show someone there in charge, the split tank and let them know what is going on. This needs run up the chain of possession.