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Posted By: simonkenton7 Propane Tank Question - 09/13/20
Out here in the country we all have 500 gallon propane tanks.
My neighbor is a Florida Yankee, came up for a few weeks from Miami because his restaurant is closed due to Corona.
Mr. Know It All.

His propane tank shows 30 percent. His water heater is showing a yellow flame not a blue flame. He insists that the problem is due to the low level of the
propane in the tank, there is not enough pressure to run the water heater, and he needs to get more propane.
I told him that the pressure of the propane is plenty good at 30 percent and he needs to clean the pilot light of his water heater probably has dust on it.
Whatever, he needs maintenance on his water heater.

I told him that, he will continue to have good pressure of propane, until the tank runs dry.
Who is right?
Posted By: wabigoon Re: Propane Tank Question - 09/13/20
30% is plenty.
Posted By: Dutch Re: Propane Tank Question - 09/13/20
As long as you have liquid, you have pressure....
Posted By: blindshooter Re: Propane Tank Question - 09/13/20
As long as there is a regulator in the line he will have whatever pressure it passes until the supply equals whatever that is.
Posted By: Bristoe Re: Propane Tank Question - 09/13/20
I don't get mine filled until it gets below 15%. I've never had a problem.
Posted By: slumlord Re: Propane Tank Question - 09/13/20
He knows it all

Hell with him
Posted By: plainsman456 Re: Propane Tank Question - 09/13/20
He should be good for a while longer.

But he might have a bunch of that nasty stuff they put propane for smell.
I drained the last 15-20 % from a bulk tank at the Aunts house and it had a bunch of yellow crap come out.

It stained the tanks and smelled so bad i threw the gloves away.

It won't hurt to clean the pilot.
Posted By: Jim_Conrad Re: Propane Tank Question - 09/13/20
Does he have a blue flame when his tank is full?

Might need to adjust the pilot.
Posted By: SPQR70AD Re: Propane Tank Question - 09/13/20
Originally Posted by Bristoe
I don't get mine filled until it gets below 15%. I've never had a problem.
hate to pay that bill
Posted By: byron Re: Propane Tank Question - 09/13/20
Simon, I retired 2 yrs ago from the propane industry. You are right, and those that say that he will have pressure till the tank runs dry are right.

Sounds like he needs to either have the pilot and burner cleaned or adjusted. Another thing that many don't know is that sometimes running a humidifier will
cause the same thing.

Byron
Posted By: byron Re: Propane Tank Question - 09/13/20
Haha! Good ole ethyl mercaptin.
Posted By: ironbender Re: Propane Tank Question - 09/13/20
Propane boils @ -46*F. Plenty coming off the liquid especially at your temps.

Yellow flame indicates an air problem, not lack of fuel.
Posted By: BobMt Re: Propane Tank Question - 09/13/20

you threw in Florida yankee...why?.....whats with the yankee part......bob
Posted By: byron Re: Propane Tank Question - 09/13/20
Originally Posted by ironbender
Propane boils @ -46*F. Plenty coming off the liquid especially at your temps.

Yellow flame indicates an air problem, not lack of fuel.



Yeah a little bit of yellow is no big deal, but a large lazy yellow flame could indicate not enough air getting to the burner
or a clogged vent.
Posted By: Morewood Re: Propane Tank Question - 09/13/20
Posted By: savage2400 Re: Propane Tank Question - 09/13/20
tell him to return to Miami---propane pressure different closer to equator
Posted By: 12344mag Re: Propane Tank Question - 09/13/20
Let him fill it, he'll be a little lighter in the pocket but still have the same problem.
Posted By: wabigoon Re: Propane Tank Question - 09/13/20
We used to dry corn with a Belhen dryer, and tank on wheels. The burner would keep going for 20 minuts when the gauge was on 0.
Posted By: hardway Re: Propane Tank Question - 09/13/20
I had a regulator take a crap on mine.
Posted By: GeoW Re: Propane Tank Question - 09/13/20
Originally Posted by BobMt

you threw in Florida yankee...why?.....whats with the yankee part......bob




Better than carpetbagger?
Posted By: simonkenton7 Re: Propane Tank Question - 09/13/20
Originally Posted by BobMt

you threw in Florida yankee...why?.....whats with the yankee part......bob




A Florida Yankee is a person who grew up in New York, but, probably in their twenties, moved to Florida. Now, in their fifties, they get a house in the North Carolina mountains. Tend to be arrogant, especially towards anyone with a Southern accent. If you have a Southern accent they think you are stupid.

They are also called a "Halfback." They left Florida but only made it half the way back to New York.


I had another neighbor a few years back, a Florida Yankee from Buffalo, by way of Ft. Lauderdale. He bought a log cabin near by. He was going to install a wood stove.
I knew he had never been around a wood stove. I bought him a book for fifteen bucks off of Amazon. "Proper Installation and Operation of a Wood Stove."
I gave him the book.

Two weeks later he installed the wood stove. Two weeks after that, his house burned up. Second time he lit the wood stove, his house burned up. I read the Fire Marshall's report, "IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF WOOD STOVE" it said.

And I said to him, "Say did you ever get a chance to read that book I bought you about wood stoves?"
He said "No I never read it. That book burned up in the fire."

A Florida Yankee.
Posted By: hanco Re: Propane Tank Question - 09/13/20
Some are yellow at times. It has a regulator, pilot light will burn until tank is empty.
Posted By: Fugawe Re: Propane Tank Question - 09/13/20
Turn it off and blow the spider webs out of the pilot vent and burner vent.
Posted By: wagner Re: Propane Tank Question - 09/13/20

Originally Posted by ironbender
Yellow flame indicates an air problem, not lack of fuel.

Originally Posted by Fugawe
Turn it off and blow the spider webs out of the pilot vent and burner vent.

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