- In an enclosed vehicle, do not transport more than 90 lbs of total propane weight.
- When in an enclosed vehicle, one (1) cylinder can only hold a total of 45 lbs of propane.
- A pickup truck can haul up to 1,000 pounds of propane, making it perfect for transporting large tanks.
In a sedan or SUV, no more than four propane cylinders can be carried at once. A single cylinder should not hold more than 45 pounds of propane, and the overall weight of all cylinders in a vehicle should not exceed 90 pounds. All propane cylinders must be positioned vertically and upright.
A reliable propane tank holder and stabilizer is the safest way to secure a propane cylinder in a vehicle. These tank holders are safe and secure because they fit firmly around the propane cylinder or lock into the cylinder’s foot ring. Many individuals prefer to transport their milk in a milk box. The cylinders will remain vertical in the crates since they are strong. It’s also acceptable to secure a propane cylinder using rope, twine, or a ratchet strap, but make sure you have a suitable anchor point in their automobile.
In the back of an open pickup truck or trailer, you can transport up to 1,000 pounds of propane. The propane cylinders, on the other hand, must be transported vertically and upright. A 100-pound propane cylinder is heavy, and it should be loaded with caution and the assistance of another person. A fully loaded 100-pound cylinder can weigh up to 180 pounds, so be sure to ask for help loading the tank safely into your vehicle. A 100-pound cylinder should never be transported in a sedan or SUV, especially on its side.
Locate the anchor locations once the propane cylinder has been loaded into the back of the truck. Secure the cylinder in the vertical, upright position with twine, rope, or other tie-downs at the base, near the foot ring, and at the top. For those who aren’t comfortable making knots, ratchet straps and other tie-downs are available.
Even if forklift cylinders are designed to be used horizontally, make sure clients understand that they should still be delivered vertically. When the cylinder is connected to a forklift, a pin locks the cylinder into a precise position, keeping the pressure relief valve in the cylinder’s vapor area. If the cylinder is transported on its side, it may roll and relocate the pressure relief valve to the bottom of the cylinder’s liquid chamber.
How far away from the house does a 100-pound propane tank have to be?
Residential aboveground propane tanks with distance limitations start at 100 gallons.
A 100-gallon propane tank can hold up to 80 gallons (the 80 percent limit for safety) and can be installed adjacent to a house. How far away from the house does a 100-gallon propane tank have to be? The following are the minimum distances that must be maintained:
- The distance between the house and the 100-gallon propane tank should be at least 5 feet.
- Any source of ignition should be at least 10 feet away from a 100-gallon propane tank.
Smaller propane tanks can be used for heating or to power other gas-powered items like grills.
If you’re considering adding a 100-gallon propane tank, you should also be aware of the following:
What is the best way to secure a huge propane tank?
Use two lengths of strapping to secure small vertical tanks of 120 gallons or less, one just below the top of the cylinder and one just above the bottom of the cylinder. Attach straps to eye hooks long enough to penetrate not just the wall but also the studs behind it in wooden walls. Use straps that are at least 1.25″ wide by 0.035 inch thick and constructed of zinc-coated galvanized steel to secure larger tanks of 120-1000 gallons, as well as strap sheathing to protect the tank’s surface. To fasten the steel strapping to concrete pads, use adjustable anchor bolts, either earth auger anchors (3 foot lengths are suitable for our kind of soil) or concrete expansion bolt anchors. The eye hooks should be secured to concrete or masonry block walls with expansion anchors or molly bolts.
How close can I put a gas tank to my house?
Are you unsure how far a propane tank should be installed from your home? A minimum of 10 feet from anything and everything is a good rule of thumb for most homeowners installing a single tank. We’ve created a simple diagram that covers the majority of the requirements for a safe LP tank installation.
Is it possible for you to lay down a 100-pound propane tank?
Every person who uses a gas grill, runs a generator, or needs propane to heat their home or water has had a tank refilled and loaded into their car.
Are your consumers, on the other hand, doing it correctly? Is this, to be more explicit, being done in a safe manner?
Propane sellers should educate their customers on how to move propane cylinders safely. Let’s go over a few essential items to make sure they’re on the same page before they leave your lot.
In a sedan or SUV, no more than four propane cylinders can be carried at once. The total combined weight of all the cylinders in an enclosed vehicle should not exceed 90 pounds, and no single cylinder shall have a propane capacity of more than 45 pounds. All propane cylinders must be positioned vertically and upright.
A reliable propane tank holder and stabilizer is the safest way to secure a propane cylinder in a vehicle. These tank holders are safe and secure because they fit firmly around the propane cylinder or lock into the cylinder’s foot ring.
Many individuals prefer to transport their milk in a milk box. The cylinders will remain vertical in the crates since they are strong. It’s also acceptable to secure a propane cylinder with rope, twine, or a ratchet strap, but make sure consumers have a sturdy anchor point in their vehicle.
In the back of an open pickup truck or trailer, customers can transport up to 1,000 pounds of propane. The propane cylinders, on the other hand, must be transported vertically and upright.
A 100-pound propane cylinder is heavy, and it should be loaded with caution and the assistance of another person. Because a full 100-pound cylinder can weigh up to 180 pounds, make sure to help customers properly load these into the back of their vehicle or trailer.
Locate the anchor locations once the propane cylinder has been loaded into the back of the truck. Educate your customer on how to secure the cylinder in the vertical, upright position using twine, rope, or other tie-downs at the base, near the foot ring, and at the top. For those who aren’t comfortable making knots, ratchet straps and other tie-downs are available.
Even if forklift cylinders are designed to be used horizontally, make sure clients understand that they should still be delivered vertically. When the cylinder is connected to a forklift, a pin locks the cylinder into a precise position, keeping the pressure relief valve in the cylinder’s vapor area. If the cylinder is transported on its side, it may roll and relocate the pressure relief valve to the bottom of the cylinder’s liquid chamber.
If a client tries to transfer a 100-pound propane cylinder in a sedan or SUV, or if the customer places the tank on its side, take a moment to explain why this is not safe and the dangers that could result from incorrect propane cylinder transportation. Assist them in correcting their error or hold their cylinder until they can return with the appropriate equipment and/or vehicle.
Always do a quality pre-fill inspection before filling a cylinder for your own and your customers’ safety, and wear personal protective equipment at all times.
Here are a few pointers to remember the next time you sell or fill a propane cylinder. Safety should always come first, and that starts with understanding propane.
Is it necessary to anchor a propane tank?
As a result of the escaping gas, a fire may occur. Smaller compressed gas cylinders, which are frequently stored inside a house or garage, might cause similar concerns. Anchoring and bracing propane tanks and compressed gas cylinders is one approach to prevent harm.
Is it necessary to anchor tanks?
Similarly, if flood waters or seismic activity displace a unanchored fuel tank in your basement, the supply line can detach, contaminating your home with oil or posing a fire threat. Buried fuel tanks are also vulnerable to the buoyancy effects of saturated soil and should be anchored.
Each town has its own set of building codes, some require permits as well
Permits are required in some cases for tank and appliance installation. There may be a price associated with permissions in some situations; we can secure the permit. The cost, if any, is the customer’s responsibility and can be charged to your account.
Please keep in mind that we are unable to put propane tanks directly beneath decks. The installation of propane tanks under decks or areas of escape from a building or structure is prohibited under NFPA 101, The Life Safety Code. Your family is at stake if you break this code.
“No flammable liquids or gases shall be stored or handled in any area where such storage would threaten egress from the structure…” National Life Safety Code, National Fire Protection Association.
by Rich Morahan
Green’s Propane Gas, Smiths Station, AL, owner Mike Green, is committed to locking his propane tanks. To better control his tanks and increase his cash flow, he has invested in tank locks. “By stopping delinquent customers from traveling to other suppliers and protecting our tanks from tampering, Lock America’s filler valve lock will pay for itself.”
A locked tank was previously a relatively new notion in the propane industry, but it has existed in another industry for decades. Even if we learnt about self-storage from Storage Wars, most of us have a basic understanding of how it works. They will lock up your belongings if you do not pay your payment.
That’s why Frank Minnella, CEO of Lock America in Corona, California, decided to apply his understanding of self-storage “lock out” locks to propane tanks. “What happens if I don’t pay my bill?” he inquired of his propane dealer. The answer is “we cease delivering,” which almost always results in revenue loss revenue that goes to a rival.
Frank and his partner, Steve Shiao, along with his propane dealer, developed the Fill Valve Lock and the POLock based on their 30 years of experience inventing security solutions for self-storage. Although padlocks and “clamshell” locks had previously been available, these were the first locks built expressly for propane tanks. They are still the only ones designed for this application.
Wake-Up Calls and Leased Tanks
POLock and Fill Valve Lock are revenue enhancers and asset protectors, according to Bill Pohlhaus of Tevis Oil, Inc. in Hempstead, MD. The POLock is used by his company to cut off the output valve of overdue customers’ tanks. The lock, according to Bill, is a “wake-up call” that gets consumers up to date on their bills.
Tevis’ investment in leased tanks is protected by the Fill Valve. Propane tanks are owned and maintained by the propane company in almost all states, and propane customers’ contracts prevent other companies from filling the tanks. It is actually against the law in Pohlhaus’s state for any company to fill another company’s propane tanks. The Fill Valve lock enforces the law while also providing two additional benefits: it guarantees that Bill’s customers stay to their agreements to buy fuel from him, and it shields him from any liability if an unqualified outside agent interferes with his tanks.
Steady Growth in Propane
For nearly five years, Ray Murray, Inc. (RMI) of Lee, MA has distributed the Fill Valve Lock and POLock. These novel concept locks designed exclusively for propane tanks have shown steady growth in sales. Other locking goods, such as a normal padlock and a metal clamp, or “clamshell,” are outsold by them.
The industry-focused design and unique key code that each Lock America customer receives, according to John Murray, Vice President and LP Product Manager for RMI, are significant benefits. The Fill Valve Lock or POLock can only be opened by an authorized propane driver or corporate representative.
From Lock Out to Roll Out
The locks were put by Mike Svoboda of Axmen Propane in Missoula, Montana, to secure his investment. “Competitors were filling our tanks,” he recalls, particularly when properties changed hands. “The Lock America Fill Valve and POLock were used to solve the problem. The driver can secure every leased tank on his route with a single registered key code, ensuring that Axmen Propane is the only dealer that puts propane in our leased tanks, protecting our business and our consumers from private dealers and, ultimately, protecting our investment.”
Initially, propane dealers used the tank lock to disconnect delinquent consumers, but many expanded their usage of it. As Bill Green points out, “I started with my ‘Will Calls,’ then moved on to the automatics, and now I’m implementing the lock on all of my new tanks. When a customer had a past due account or an unethical firm came, the tags on our tanks would occasionally vanish. There are no talks, no disagreements, simply bills completed before delivery with the lock.”
A similar scenario is told by Brian Wanner of Silvertip Propane in Billings, Montana. “When people shopped for credit, we were losing business. When they owe us money, we now lock the fill and outflow valves. Profits have increased. We’re installing locks on all of our new tanks and gradually implementing them across the industry.”
Protection Against Potential Liability
The POLock can also safeguard a propane supplier from a consumer who tries to enter a locked tank and causes an accident.
Two multimillion-dollar lawsuits show how costly propane tank explosions can be. A jury found a Louisiana gas supplier accountable for damages caused by an explosion, despite the fact that the firm had installed what it thought was a secure outlet plug mechanism on the tank before it detonated.
The consumer allegedly had little trouble removing the device with a wrench, culminating in a catastrophic explosion. The propane firm had made insufficient efforts to secure the disconnected gas connection and protect its consumer, according to the jury. An insecure outlet valve plug and a plain red warning label couldn’t stop the consumer from reconnecting the gas line, and the corporation couldn’t defend itself from the consequent responsibility.
Any mechanism “that may be opened with simple household equipment cannot be termed a locking device,” according to the ruling.
A propane gas dealer in Indiana elected to disconnect a half-full tank and secure it with only a warning notice and an outlet plug device in a second case. Despite tampering with the outlet plug mechanism, the plaintiff in this case sought damages. Following the removal of the device, the plaintiff reconnected the tank on his own, resulting in an explosion that harmed a number of individuals.
Surprisingly, he then sued the propane company for failing to protect him from… himself.
The court found that the firm “owed a general responsibility of reasonable care to everyone who might be hurt by its gas” in that case. The court refused the company’s request for summary judgment, despite the fact that the outlet valve stopper “was suspiciously removed and the gas line was strangely reconnected.”
Both cases demonstrate how reliance on a faulty outlet valve plug and a red warning label can result in a lawsuit. Even if the propane dealer wins, legal fees might add up quickly.
Protect Revenue and Assets
The Fill Valve Lock and The POLock keep the propane dealer in control of their tanks by keeping competitors out and stopping consumers from tampering, preserving both the dealer’s company and the safety of their customers. To control delinquencies and tardy payments, a corporation can start with a “lock out” program, or it can lock all of its tanks to enforce its contracts. Propane tank locks pay for themselves in either case.