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Subject:Re: old propane tank lost cause?
From:David Beierl
Date:Fri, 20 Jul 2001 00:14:18 -0400

At 10:35 PM 7/19/2001, Edward Maglott wrote:
>under the bottom, and no information plate attached to it.  I think they
>rusted off.  The tank itself seems sound despite all this rust.  I am
>getting nowhere in dealing with local RV repair places.  They tell me to
>throw it out and buy a new one.  They say no one can legally "do anything
>with it" without that ID plate.

That's right.

>  They say if it is rusty, no one will repair
>it.

Yup.

>  I am inclined to rig up some fittings to put compressed air into it to
>test it before trashing it.

I'd think carefully about that.  The tanks are rated for something like 300
psi, so you can't give one a good test with regular shop air.  Not to
mention that you might find yourself in an embarrassing situation if the
tank *did* fail, with the pieces flying about your ears.

OTOH these are extremely stout tanks with no requirement for periodic
certification.

>   If it passes the leak test, I would paint it
>and buy the parts to get it back in shape.  But my question is about that ID
>plate.  Am I really outta luck with out that?

Yup.

>  Can I make one based on info
>from another westy tank?

Not unless you are an accomplished forger in steel.

>  Anybody been down this road?

Don't go there.

sorry...
david