2004 plateau TS propane tank will not fill

[jstyles2@aol.com]

So I have read and searched all links on this forum and another. I have the rv at a generic rv repair faciliy but a large one. They did not want to take it apart as they could not order parts from pleasure way? I do not know if this is common but it appears the tank is fine and it is likely the valve at the fill as one of the rings gets frozen. Propane fill stations near me simply have a on/off cock for the flow of propane and cannot finness the fill to see if that is the problem. I did find one thread where valves were replaced and the tank not removed but disconnected to make the repair. So the main questions are has anyone replaced or paid to replace any valves in the propane tank. Also has anyone replaced the tank itself which I hope not to have to do. Also for those wondering the tank is bone dry empty, nothing out of the bleeder it was likely open for a while. I read there is a part that fails quite often and will have that replaced I cant remeber what it was but its like a $35 part. I got this rig for 19.5k! so I dont mind putting a bit into it getting her to 100%..

 

[tinman]

Might be a corrosion issue. It's not good for the tank to be left completely unpressurized and open to the atmosphere by an open valve.

 

[Rock Doc]

With a 15 year old tank that’s not working for you now and you don’t know the whole system, I’d encourage replacing the whole thing. I specifically recall that the DOT tanks (the upright replaceable ones) have a lifespan of 10 years, then are considered no longer safe. Although the ASME tanks (the ones permanently horizontally mounted in motorhomes) don’t have that age restriction, reason dictates to me that they suffer the exact same deterioration of time that the DOT tanks suffer. Also consider that if you replace just one single part that’s 15 years old to make it work again, all the rest of the parts in it are also 15 years old—and when will the next part fail? (And the next, and the next...)

So, if it’s old and not working, I’d strongly lean toward completely replacing something that can go "boom" if it catastrophically fails.

Rock Doc
2014 Pleasureway Plateau TS in 2013 Sprinter 3500

 

[Larry M]

I’d try a qualified propane dealer that recertifies propane tanks and changes valves. We have 2 DOT cylinders that are over 20 years old on our boat. They both have had valves replaced and get re-certified now every 5 years vs 10 for new tanks as per 49 CFR § 180.205(d) and 180.209(e).

RV dealers do not usually have the qualified personnel to work on cylinders other than replacing empty cylinders or filling. Contact a company like Amerigas, Suburban Propane, etc or Google “propane tank recertification” as a start.

Larry
2005 PW Plateau TS