LPG tanks might explode - govt. person

[Ext User(the fonz)]

perhaps the rebate thing is going better than they budgeted for? :)

Warning on rupturing LPG tanks

December 21, 2006 12:00

MOTORISTS who drive LPG vehicles should consider having their gas tanks
tested for safety, a federal MP says, following a series of LPG tank
ruptures.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer Chris Pearce says there have
been a limited number of tank ruptures since early 2005.

Motorists who had their tanks retested between mid-2003 and August 2005
should be particularly concerned, Mr Pearce said.

"Since early 2005, there have been a limited number of pressure
ruptures of LPG tanks on motor vehicles, so far without causing any
serious injury," Mr Pearce said.

"However, rupture of an LPG tank due to a build up of pressure can
generate very significant forces with the potential for serious injury
and damage to property."

Most of the ruptures have occurred in vehicles with two or more tanks.

"Motorists who had LPG tank installations or tanks retested between
mid-2003 and August 2005, in particular if two or more tanks have been
fitted, are requested to contact an LPG tank installer or fitting
station to arrange an inspection and pressure relief valve replacement
if required."

[Ext User(the fonz)]

atec 77 wrote:

> >
> I would like to see the proof , just recently I saw a car fire which
> involved an lpg tank , as designed the thing vented excess and the fire
> was put out safely , if it had been petrol it would not have been so easy .
> I think they are trying to scare folks away from lpg and the rebate.

i read somewhere about this that its the pressure relief valve that is
the problem. so it doesn't vent properly

[Ext User(Norak)]

>From what I hear LPG is just as safe as petrol. Patrol tanks can
explode as well but it is rare. LPG tanks are very strong and have
numerous safety features to prevent any problems.


the fonz wrote:
> atec 77 wrote:
>
> > >
> > I would like to see the proof , just recently I saw a car fire which
> > involved an lpg tank , as designed the thing vented excess and the fire
> > was put out safely , if it had been petrol it would not have been so easy .
> > I think they are trying to scare folks away from lpg and the rebate.
>
> i read somewhere about this that its the pressure relief valve that is
> the problem. so it doesn't vent properly

[Ext User(Bobman)]

This is well known and there is a sticker on just about every LPG bowser
I've seen in Melbourne.

Apparently affects Manchester tanks and other tanks installed between those
dates you mentioned.

People who got LPG installations with the rebate need not worry (unless they
got an el-cheapo system installed in a backyard then certified by a dodgy
installer) :)

--
Regards
Bobby

[Ext User(Athol)]

the fonz <arthur.fonzzarelli@gmail.com> wrote:

> Motorists who had their tanks retested between mid-2003 and August 2005
> should be particularly concerned, Mr Pearce said.

This is obviously a reference to the faulty batch of relief valves that
were mentioned in here ages ago - mitsu fitted them to production magmas.
:-) There has been a warning sign stuck next to bowsers in almost every
servo I've been in for about a year...

http://www.lpgaustralia.com.au/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=17

However, there is also an info sheet from 12th January, 2006:

http://www.lpgaustralia.com.au/associations/4076/files/InfoSheetpw1IS0106%2Epdf

> Most of the ruptures have occurred in vehicles with two or more tanks.

Because they were running on one tank and leaving the other tank full, or
one of the check valves in the sherwood valve was faulty.

Reading the above info sheet also reminds me that it's a good idea not
to fill multiple tanks from one filler (Tee the line to multiple tanks)
unless the make a practice of switching tanks each time you fill. An
AFL does not completely block off the input to the tank, so a full tank
will continue to slowly fill further while filling another tank on the
same fill circuit. If you switch tanks every time you fill, you use
fuel from the tank that has potential to have been overfilled.

I'm planning on running 4 or 6 fillers on my bus, depending whether I
end up with two tanks or three. I'll have 2 fillers per tank, with one
on each side of the bus so that it doesn't matter which side of the
bowser I pull up at. :-)

--
Athol
<http://cust.idl.com.au/athol> Linux Registered User # 254000
I'm a Libran Engineer. I don't argue, I discuss.