CA rules on Propane bottle without the new I/O port :-)

I'm thinking that you got fed a line of BS. There are new tanks with the now-required "OPD" gizmo in them in all sizes, from the traditional foot-or-so tall 5 gallon unit that's often used in BBQ grilles, on up to the full-sized 5 foot tall monsters that hold I-have-no-clue-how-much available pretty much anyplace you can buy propane or tanks.

Well this is nothing new. There is Kalifornias rules and regulations and then there is the rest of the worlds rules and regs. Funny what other countries and states deem safe there is always a Warning labell as required by Kalifornia on it just the same. Either Kalifornia is "right" and the rest of the world is in left field, or Kalifornia thrives on seeing its name on stuff no matter what the real cause is.

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I have been buying propane for 40 years. I have half a dozen bottles around the house and shop. I don't think my dealer that fills (in fact my route man) my 500 gallon tank would feed me a line. You can buy the new OPD on anything you want it installed - just you have to have it on less than 15 gallons in Ca. e.g. those used in campers and barbie at home.

Since you live in 'Chaotic' areas - it might be anything :-)

My 500 gallon tank doesn't have OPD on it that is for certain!

Martin

I'm having a hard time trying to figure out what you're saying. Obviously, you're typing english words, but the way that you're sticking them together is confusing as hell. So let's make sure we're both on the same page...

I don't know about you or anyone else, but I'm reading the rather awkward phrase "The smallest allowed by law is 15 gallon bottle. (Maybe forklifts are exempt)." to mean that you think the smallest tank size that can be legally bought in California is 15 gallons?

If that's the case, you're operating on misinformation - whether because of your own misunderstanding, because someone gave you bad information, or a combination of both. You can still legally get (and in fact, many places will hand you a new one in exchange for your old one and an extra

If I'm misunderstanding your statement, please feel free to let me know what you actually intended it to mean.

What kind of nonsense is that? You can buy small propane tanks in any camping supply store, Costco, sporting goods store, Home Depot and many other places around San Francisco. Probably many more places around the state.

And having them filled is not a problem either. I use a couple in my shop.

Abrasha

You must be related to Schwarzenegger, who could never figure it out either.

Yo Bro, it's California! Abrasha

I think you missed his statement of OPD.

I understand what he meant.

Less than 15 gallon can NOT be purchased without the OPD valve. That is the law. Not just in California, but across North America (Canada and the USA)

The OPD equipped tanks do not drive the torch well due to restricted flow - and smaller than 15 gallons without OPD can no longer be purchased or legally refilled.

In Washington State you can get the old tanks filled still. This isn't just some rumor, I do it all the time.

Grant

clare wrote:

OK, *NOW* we're on the same page. The original, confusing sentence should have read "The smallest allowed by law WITHOUT AN OPD is 15 gallon bottle. (Maybe forklifts are exempt)."

Minus those three words, the whole thing turned into a severe case of "Say WHAT??? I can go buy a five gallon tank from AT LEAST 5 stores right here in town, and be perfectly legal. What's this crazy man talking about???"

I don't know where in WA you live, where I am, north of Seattle I can't get any small tank filled unless it has an OPD. I have had no problems with fork lift tanks. The entire regulation is just plain nuts.

They've dione the same damned thing here in NZ and now, athough you can get the old cylinders refilled, you can't buy new ones without the new valves.

As someone who only ever uses liquid-draw from these little tanks (by up-ending them) this is a right pain in the backside.

Even the 47Kg Liquid-draw tanks I'm now using have an annouing excess-flow valve that means I can't draw anything like the flow-rate I need -- so I have to use two separate tanks.

What next -- all tools must be made from Nerf material to stop people hurting themselves?

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I think he means the smallest tank you can buy without the OPD valve. OPD valves are not required for all sizes of propane tanks. I have a tank that is about a 60 lb tank that does not have a OPD valve that the local feed store is happy to fill.

Dan

Is that in CA only? According to my propane supplier in KS, I can fill all the non OPD tanks I want from my 500 gallon tank. Buy a one hundred pound bottle with a wet tap and fill your non OPD tanks too.

Let me know if my propane supplier is wrong, I'll call him on it before I blow something up.

So has anybody worked out a hack for these (protecive of fools etc.) ridiculous valves? Like, for example taking a new, never been filled, tank, drill a hole and weld a pipe bushing on the bottom. Put a standard valve there! Go get it filled - no one looks at the bottom - and at home or the shop turn the damn thing upside down and attach the regulator. Ken (feeling bullet/flame proof at the moment)

....>> >>

i am now wondering if everyone here is aware of the screwy "low-flow" behaviour that these valves exhibit when turned on with low restrictions on the outflow? the valve tries to close but does not completely, you are left with a useless volume of gas, not off, but not really "on".

there have been threads here and on a camping ng that did well explaining this quirk. anyone with a BBQ and an OPD tank has either figured this out or has set it out on the curb. i can almost guarantee that a weed burner will not have the kind of restriction needed to "open" the OPD device inside the tank. the BBQ valves _must_ be off prior to cracking the tank.

i don't have any experience with weed burners but if you know of what i speak wrt gas BBQ's, you may be able to figure something out. maybe another control valve on the handle of the burner that can be closed when the tank valve is opened(?). if you figure the largest BTU BBQ on the market is close to your max wrt weed burners, then this should be all that is needed. good luck, --Loren

Hey Grant,

You can here in Ontario too, but it's "grandfathering". If the tank is still within the 10 year manufacture/inspection period/legal date conformity, it can be refilled. if it's "out-of-date", it can't be. All new tanks have OPD.

Take care.

Brian Laws>In Washington State you can get the old tanks filled still. This isn't

On Fri, 05 Dec 2003 08:20:25 +1300, Bruce Simpson put forth the notion that...

Seatbelts on bar stools?