I bought a boat with the original 1983 propane tank in it. I bought the Worthington replacement but the valves are different. Is there an adaptor or am I going to have to replace the whole piece with the new valve and line to the stove? Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Old propane tank
- Thread starter safety-guy
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1. As long as the new parts are certified for "gas"
2. and you use an accepted thread sealant
3. and you're comfortable using a few wrenches, no problem.
You can find the parts in a nearby industrial supplier on in the McMaster Carr catalogue.
2. and you use an accepted thread sealant
3. and you're comfortable using a few wrenches, no problem.
You can find the parts in a nearby industrial supplier on in the McMaster Carr catalogue.
Some around 1983, the propane industry changed the piping in the tanks. They were called an "Overfill Protection Device" or OPD valve. It is distinguished by large right-hand external threads as opposed to left-hand finer threads. The good news is that hoses that would connect to the old valve design will also thread into and connect to the new design. If this is your issue, you don't need to do anything except connect the existing hose to your new tank, tightening it CCW (left-hand).
Most propane tank have a 10 year life and require recertification as the valve is also a safety valve (PSV).
Thanks for the help. I will see if the old hose will just attach. I will be surprised if it is that simple but it sure would be nice.
I changed the fitting that connects to the tank to the newer fitting. They can be hand tightened and are way easier to use than the old ones.
Greg
Amazon.com : KIBOW Propane Pigtail Hose Connector with Acme Nut X 1/4 Inch Male NPT Flare-20 Inch Long Hose : Garden & Outdoor
Amazon.com : KIBOW Propane Pigtail Hose Connector with Acme Nut X 1/4 Inch Male NPT Flare-20 Inch Long Hose : Garden & Outdoor
www.amazon.com
I just finished the exercise of updating the entire propane system on my '83 H34. The original "system" consisted of a bottle tied to a U-bolt in the lazarette, a pigtail to a regulator with no gauge, and a line from there to the stove. Everything exposed was rusted and/or deteriorated. We never felt safe operating the stove without leaving the lazarette open, and we shut the bottle off except when actually using the stove.
I bought a new Xintex-Fireboy P-2BS fume detector with a solenoid valve and two propane sensors, and a new regulator. I ran a new hose from the stove to the lazarette and put one of the two sensors below and behind the stove. I built an airtight plywood propane locker that I put a layer of FRP over that fits under the centre of the lazarette. It can hold two of the 9"Ø x 16" high 5 kg propane bottles (one in use and a spare). The locker is vented with a 5/8" line out the transom, and has the second sensor in it, along with the regulator, gauge, and solenoid valve. I mounted the Xintex control unit above and to the right of the ice box.
The Xintex unit shows two green lights for the sensors, and a push of a button in the galley turns the propane on and off.
The system is fully up to current ABYC standards, and I feel a whole lot safer. Two comments, though: the locker takes up a lot of space in the lazarette, and it's right in the middle. I couldn't make it any smaller, nor will it fit anywhere except exactly in the middle. Second, I initially put the sensor in the locker right on the bottom. The vent uses a through-hull fitting to exit the locker, which is necessarily an inch and a half or so off the bottom. That sensor would periodically trigger an alarm, because the teeny-tiniest leak would accumulate in the bottom below the vent until it became concentrated enough to set it off. And by tiny leak, I mean ABYC standards say the system should hole pressure for 5 minutes; this system holds pressure for a week, dropping only a couple of psi in that time. Still, that was enough to set it off. I moved the sensor slightly above the vent, and no more nuisance alarms.
I bought a new Xintex-Fireboy P-2BS fume detector with a solenoid valve and two propane sensors, and a new regulator. I ran a new hose from the stove to the lazarette and put one of the two sensors below and behind the stove. I built an airtight plywood propane locker that I put a layer of FRP over that fits under the centre of the lazarette. It can hold two of the 9"Ø x 16" high 5 kg propane bottles (one in use and a spare). The locker is vented with a 5/8" line out the transom, and has the second sensor in it, along with the regulator, gauge, and solenoid valve. I mounted the Xintex control unit above and to the right of the ice box.
The Xintex unit shows two green lights for the sensors, and a push of a button in the galley turns the propane on and off.
The system is fully up to current ABYC standards, and I feel a whole lot safer. Two comments, though: the locker takes up a lot of space in the lazarette, and it's right in the middle. I couldn't make it any smaller, nor will it fit anywhere except exactly in the middle. Second, I initially put the sensor in the locker right on the bottom. The vent uses a through-hull fitting to exit the locker, which is necessarily an inch and a half or so off the bottom. That sensor would periodically trigger an alarm, because the teeny-tiniest leak would accumulate in the bottom below the vent until it became concentrated enough to set it off. And by tiny leak, I mean ABYC standards say the system should hole pressure for 5 minutes; this system holds pressure for a week, dropping only a couple of psi in that time. Still, that was enough to set it off. I moved the sensor slightly above the vent, and no more nuisance alarms.
Also the knob is triangular instead of round. Propane refill places are not permitted to fill non industrial tanks that don't have the OPD valve. (In the US anyway). That's why they made the valve look different. Most of them can put a new valve on it for you. Be aware that after 12 years all propane must be recertified and then every five years thereafter. Once again you can't get them refilled until that's been done and apparently finding a shop to do it is difficult. For that reason when I installed propane on my boat I built the locker for regular 20# patio grill tanks. No problem getting them filled or exchanged and the exchange places (almost every gas station in the country) don't even check the dates. I had one that was expired, I took it to the corner gas station and they just have me a new one, didn't even look at the old one. The tanks are steel, but since you get a new(er) tank every time, rust is not a problem. They clean and repaint them before refillling.