The Lite Cylinder Propane Tank Recall

[Bob S]

http://www.phmsa.dot.gov/portal/sit...7b310VgnVCM1000001ecb7898RCRD&vgnextfmt=print

Phil,

I haven't been to the boat but will check. I bought a composite cylinder a few years ago from SBO. Not sure who built it but came across this in a Catalina 30 Yahoo group and thought it should be posted.

 

[kloudie1]

Re: The Lite Cylinder Co. Recall

Thanks for thee post, Bob.. I have a composite cylinder, I don't know if it was made by "LITE" or not.. Seemed like a fine thing for boats since it won't rust..

 

[Phil Herring]

Here's a link to the recall order.

Tanks referenced in the order appear be those marked as DOT-SP 14562, DOT-SP 13957, or DOT-SP 13105, which include the 10 lbs, 20 lbs, 25 lbs, and 33 lbs tanks.

I have also attached a photo of the tank that was most commonly sold to boaters.

In the order is a description of the models that are effected. Please check your tank immediately to see if it is one of them. (I'll post that here shortly.)

If so, stop using the tank NOW. In the order you'll see that their manufacturing process and testing practices were called into question in later years, and there is a small but significant failure rate in the smaller tank sizes.

The manufacturer promptly closed their doors when the recall was announced so I'm not sure that sending the tank back to them will accomplish much. It could come back to you.

I am not a lawyer, or a recall or gas expert but if I owned one of these tanks I would take it a propane dealer, have it drained, then disable or destroy it so it can't hold propane.

We'll continue digging into this and post more information as it comes up.

 

[judybuddy]

A little more information. No help though. Although a glimmer of hope in the appeal process.

http://www.sotar.com/lite-recall.html

 

[alexco38]

Why? No scientific reason given. Did they pxss off the inspector?

 

[Ross]

And it seemed like such a good idea.

 

[Phil Herring]

The report talks about QC procedures that weren't followed, failures that weren't reported, that kind of thing. The concept sounds fine, I think it was their execution that got them in trouble. That, and the 33 lbs tank that had a 65% failure rate in 2010 and 36% in 2012. The other tanks were in single digits.

 

[Bob S]

There are other manufacturers that are OK. Just The Lite Cylinder Company units are being recalled. I'm not sure who's SBO were selling a few years back. I won't be to the boat until Saturday to check mine. Been using it for 2-3 seasons.

 

[Gunni]

There are other manufacturers that are OK. Just The Lite Cylinder Company units are being recalled. I'm not sure who's SBO were selling a few years back. I won't be to the boat until Saturday to check mine. Been using it for 2-3 seasons.

Roger that. Those Tennessee-built Lite Cylinder tanks were the subject of many complaints long before the regulators came down on them. My chandlery wouldn't sell them. Trident / Seaward composite tanks are fine products.

 

[Jim Seamans]

This is a sorry state of affairs. I enlarged my propane locker last fall to accommodate these Lite tanks sold by SBO. I have removed them from my boat this last week and put the original steel tanks back in until this can be resolved. I fear that we are screwed since Lite closed the doors and said we don't want your tanks back. If they felt these tanks were great why shut the doors. Money comes to mind.. This will screw a lot of dealers including SBO trying to figure out how to support their customers...

I've checked my tanks and are not showing any leaking, but not going to risk my life or boat on that...

The Lite tanks were only about 9.5 inches in diameter which fit most of the propane lockers. Other tanks are 12 inches.

 

[Phil Herring]

Latest word from The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safet

Information on proper disposal and reporting.

 

[Bob 04 H260]

Is there a propane tank available in the correct size to replace these Lite cylinders ? I think they are 9.5 " dia. X 15" tall.
Bob

 

[Phil Herring]

The only two we know of that are close are: 12 x 18 and 12-1/2 x 15-1/4.

 

[mitiempo]

Is there a propane tank available in the correct size to replace these Lite cylinders ? I think they are 9.5 " dia. X 15" tall.
Bob

The 10 lb Lite cylinder is 9 3/4" x 17 1/2"

Seaward makes a 10 lb tank that is 10 3/8" x 17"

Worthington makes a 10 lb tank that is 10.3" x 15.9"

Both are aluminum and about $240 each

I do not know of a composite tank that is close in size - most are much larger in diameter.

 

[Phil Herring]

That's right - I was thinking only composite tanks.

 

[Jim Seamans]

Phil,

Any word on what is going to happen for those of us that have these tanks?

I'm not sure I can retrofit a 12" tank into my propane locker....

 

[mitiempo]

Phil,

Any word on what is going to happen for those of us that have these tanks?

I'm not sure I can retrofit a 12" tank into my propane locker....

The 2 tanks listed above are just over 10" and there are others made of steel that may fit.

 

[Bob S]

Jim,
I had an aluminum tank on my boat before I bought the Lite Cylinder. It did fit but I remember you fabricating your wells. You did a beautiful job. Did you do them around this tank? I'm a little disappointed I only got a few seasons out of the fiberglass tank. No one could have predicted this happening. I am removing mine off the boat and replacing it with the Worthington
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004FPZABU/ref=pe_385040_30332190_pe_175190_21431760_M3T1_ST1_dp_1

I'll let you know if it fits.

 

[Stu Jackson]

For Solstice if he's around

There is a group of skippers with brand new mid-sized Catalinas that have only a Google group rather than an Association website for their communications. That Google group is all agoggle about Catalina NOT telling all the owners about this issue. It seems to me they may not be as attuned to issues in the industry because they limit themselves to their Google group rather than that one as well as other website message boards, as well as the potential complacency that may come with new boats, and the expectation that the builder will advise them of all issues of third party vendor equipment on their boats. They're really mad at Catalina, when they should be mad at the vendor. And of the 100 or so new skippers of these boats, only a handful seem to be active on their Google group, although there could always be more lurkers than writers.

As I understand it, the tank company got dinged by the Feds, but then went out of business so quickly that they simply couldn't let everybody who could possibly have purchased their stuff about it.

I really feel for those skippers with brand new boats, but kinda sometimes feel they should expand their website horizons a bit beyond only their boat. It seems there's a lot of back and forth, and learning going on here on this website that is really heartening to see on a daily basis.

 

[seadaddler]

Keep

WOW what a bummer for all you guys and for jim redoing all that work,sorry Jim.
I have 2 tanks one is the one that came with the boat and the other one I purchased not cheap when I was making the trip from NY to Florida back in 08 but since than have seen them in forget where but think I saw them at not a bad price from either RV store or Propane refill station.
Ever year or when I refill them I wire brush them up and repaint them with rustoleum spray paint and so far they doing OK,they don't look pretty just some primer looking spray paint with very little rusting.
Nick