Propane Safety
Propane Safety Tips
Keep propane cylinders outdoors and upright. When transporting keep secured upright and ventilated (ie. keep cool). Such as on floor in backseat of car jammed between seats with window down. Milk crates make good holders. Take out when you get home.
Propane cylinders are filled with liquid propane to the legal limit of 80% to allow for expansion with a temperature increase. The 20% vapour space above is the gas that feeds your BBQ etc. If vapour propane leaks out valve – BAD. If cylinder is laying down and leaks, then liquid propane would come out and liquid propane expands 270 times to vapour. Therefore, you would have 270 times bigger leak. REALLY BAD. Propane smells like rotten eggs.
Same thing with 1 lb cylinders (below) – keep upright and cool.
Never lay a propane cylinder on its side, unless it is specifically designed to do so
Some campers have specially designed cylinders that are meant to be horizontal (the valve remains in the vapour space)
Forklift cylinders are designed to be horizontal – when transporting keep upright if possible or if must lay down situate cylinder like it sits on forklift with pinhole at bottom so relief valve is at top remaining in vapour space.
