LP Gas Use in cold

LP, NG, gas burners of all types. Wood, coal or Steam equipment.

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ga flatwoods
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LP Gas Use in cold

Post by ga flatwoods »

I see many of our members are in areas the are very frigid right now. This would make it a good time to work on a distillation with good ventilation for working with gas. My question is though, have you had your propane to freeze while using it and what do you do about it? Mine will ice the outside of the tank down here where 40*f for a high for the day is very cold. Just wondering, never experienced such cold.
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humbledore
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Re: LP Gas Use in cold

Post by humbledore »

I have a propane switch over, connect two tanks and switch between them when one freezes. I brewed down into the single digits like that. But it was still a pain. I recently converted to natural gas for the brewstand. It doesn't freeze, it's nice. Electric for my boiler so I can do that indoors.
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Re: LP Gas Use in cold

Post by jedneck »

I've read that some people set their tanks in a bucket of water. Some even do it in the summer that recirculae their water to help keep it cool. Just what I read I run elect.
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Re: LP Gas Use in cold

Post by yakattack »

I could run it if I really wanted too. I would have to move my cooling barrel to beside the tank. Put my aqua heater in it to melt it ( its frozen solid) and then use the water to keep the tank from freezing. Its a pain and its still just to dam cold for me to be spending 5 to 6 hours in my uninsulated garage ( specially since both doors are cracked open for venting.

No good solution for LP. Natural gas or electric is way to go in winter if your outdoors or otherwise open to the climate.

Though if you used a heating pad it may help, but its the internal regulator that's freezing also so its hard to control.

So it will be a few weeks before I run again.
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Re: LP Gas Use in cold

Post by Drunk-N-Smurf »

I've run propane in as cold as -30c as long as it's warmer than -40, the tank shouldn't have a problem. It's typically the regulator that's gonna freeze up at that point as it tries to vapourise. But it doesn't take much to help it along. I used to have a propane truck that would freeze up if I left it over night. (Watching liquid propane pour out of your regulator and running down the street is pretty cool) my solution was to buy a chunk of plumbing heat trace wire and wrap the regulator with it.

You could do the same, just wrap the tank and reg with a strip of heat trace wire, and that should provide enough warmth to keep the propane in a vapourisable state.

On some of the construction sites I used to be on, they would run the lp tanks to a "vaporizer" which was just an enclosed box with a pilot light that warmed up the line as the lp ran through it.
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Re: LP Gas Use in cold

Post by Plaincrazy »

At -42 you could carry LPG in a 5 gal pail, it stays liquid and will not flow out of the tank. I've seen people use fire to warm up the tank, scary shit :crazy:
I BBQ year round, got to turn up a notch or two at -30, doesn't work worth crap at -35....
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Re: LP Gas Use in cold

Post by buflowing »

I cook in my attached garage. Coldest it gets inside is mid 20's °F with outside at or below 0. Never had a propane freeze up.
bellybuster
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Re: LP Gas Use in cold

Post by bellybuster »

great quick read on LPG on the CDN Propane Society page
http://www.propane.ca/en/about-propane
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Truckinbutch
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Re: LP Gas Use in cold

Post by Truckinbutch »

I put my tank in a tub of water .
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shadylane
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Re: LP Gas Use in cold

Post by shadylane »

I'm posting this for an ugly, computer illiterate friend.
The content has been edited.

"If your firing a toy still, the tank has to get mighty cold for the pressure to drop too low
The pressure regulator you boys use will freeze up first. Use the hot water from the condenser wisely"
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hawgwrench
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Re: LP Gas Use in cold

Post by hawgwrench »

I've had frost form on the outside of the tank, but never really noticed any performance diff's. 'Course we think 40's is cold...and lord help if somebody see's a snowflake. Wont be a loaf of bread or jug of milk in sight for days...
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Re: LP Gas Use in cold

Post by chris_zx2 »

I've got snow here higher than big rigs in a lot of places. I can't see my backyard the snow is so high. Worst of all....the city water main has broken 8 times this winter. Idiots just keep replacing the damaged foot instead of changing the line!
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