propane leak... dangerous?

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zorak1066
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propane leak... dangerous?

Post by zorak1066 »

i cranked my blichman one complete rotation (360 degrees) because my 5 gals of wort werent coming to a boil. this fixed that problem however during the boil i noticed the soap solution i sprayed to test for leaks was bubbling where the flow control valve stem enters the tank.

it was fine on just one crank (180 degrees turn).... but two was making bubbles.

question: the tank is usually kept the full length of the hose away from the burner. i have approximately 6.2 lbs of propane still to burn before i can swap it out ( blue rhino ) and not take a loss. since i brew outdoors... is this okay? or do i need to immediately exchange the tank because of the leak?

advice?

thanks muchly...

-z-
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RickBeer
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Re: propane leak... dangerous?

Post by RickBeer »

Propane hugs the ground until it finds an ignition source. Using it with a leak is very dangerous. Blue Rhino has a defective tank. They should replace it. .
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Bottled 5 gallons of Ann Arbor Red on 4/18/17. Bottled 5 gallons of Michigan Red on 5/8/17.

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Re: propane leak... dangerous?

Post by jimjohson »

It ain't worth the money, replace the tank...
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Re: propane leak... dangerous?

Post by mashani »

Not worth going boom.

Please do not go boom.
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zorak1066
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Re: propane leak... dangerous?

Post by zorak1066 »

wrote blue rhino and was told to call them for 'support'. so I called and explained to the operator that:
I leak test the tank before use by spraying soap solution on it to check for bubbles...

response? you spray soap on it? why do you spray soap on it?

if it leaks propane there should be soap bubbles where it is leaking. so I was using it yesterday. I checked for leaks , and didn't see any ...started brewing. during the brew I happened to glance at the control knob that opens and closes the tank flow. I saw lots of foamy soap bubbles under the knob?

response: I don't understand. it was fine and then it wasn't? why did you put soap on it?

I started to re-explain.. got pissed off and told her it wasn't worth it. their product was shit and so was their 'support'. massive head ache from dealing with this idiot. guess I return the tank and hope the next was not passed through and refilled without being checked for leaks. apparently blue rhino has a bad rep according to multiple google searches for doing just that. their inspectors suck. some ppl have actually had fires because of their "paint it blue and pass it through" policy.

:/
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Re: propane leak... dangerous?

Post by Beer-lord »

I quit doing exchanges more than a year ago. I go to a Uhaul center near my house where they charge only for what you need. On average when filling up at Uhaul vs. an Blue Rhino exchange, I get about 2 more brews out of it.
I'm told that due to trucking, they only fill the exchange tanks to 75% if that much so for almost the same price as an exchange, I get mine 100% filled.
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RickBeer
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Re: propane leak... dangerous?

Post by RickBeer »

Zorak: "My tank is leaking when I open the valve. I would like to return it to one of your centers and get a new one for FREE, and have this one marked so it gets repaired. I don't want to BLOW UP MY HOUSE, nor have someone else BLOW UP THEIR HOUSE. Can you help me do that so everyone stays safe and Blue Rhino doesn't get sued?".

Rep: "Yes".

Nothing about soap, brewing, etc.
I have over 9,000 posts on "another forum", which means absolutely nothing. Mr. Beer January 2014 Brewer of the Month with all the pomp and circumstance that comes with it...

Certificate in Brewing and Distillation Technology

Sites to find beer making supplies: Adventures in Homebrewing - Mr. Beer - MoreBeer
My Beer - click to reveal
Currently using 6 LBKs.

Beers I regularly brew:
Bell's Best Brown clone
Irish Hills Red - I call this "Ann Arbor Red"
Mackinac Island Red - I call this "Michigan Red"
Oatmeal Stout - I call this Not Fat, Stout - Oatmeal Stout

Bottled 5 gallons of Ann Arbor Red on 4/18/17. Bottled 5 gallons of Michigan Red on 5/8/17.

Brewed in 2017 - 22.13 gallons (19.91 in 2012, 48.06 in 2013, 61.39 in 2014, 84.26 in 2015,46.39 in 2016)
Brewed in lifetime - 282.14 gallons
Drinkable beer on hand -  13.58 cases, with 6.11 cases ready in May and early June.
Average cost per 12 pack through all beer brewed - $6.27(ingredients only)
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