At 08:30 PM 6/20/2006 -0400, neil wrote:
>The tank is quite rusty; one or two tack welds on the
>ID plate have come loose. An indicator that a new tank
>needed. Or so I was told.
>
>Since I'm a bit of a Cheap-A**, can a rusty LP tank
>(dep. on cond.) be cleaned, checked, repainted and
>used safely? Or is this risky? i.e. it could soon leak
>where rust made metal too thin, leak at the threads
>and/or a part could pop off due to LP pressure and
>mega rust. (please forgive my ignorance on that last
>idea!)

These are very substantial tanks, built to A.S.M.E.
standard.  They're something like 1/4" thick.  Unlike the
DOT/BBQ-type tanks, they have no requirement to be re-certified
periodically.  However I think that Manchester Tank were brain-dead
tacking that certification plate on so it would trap water and
salt.  You might have quite severe wasting of the tank under that
plate.  I suggest you have it inspected by a local LP person who
understands this type of tank -- not someone who is familiar only
with the DOT tanks which are very lightly built by comparison.  Or
take some photos and send them to Manchester Tank (who made those
tanks) to evaluate -- they certainly ought to understand them.

--
David Beierl - Providence RI USA -- http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'84 Westy "Dutiful Passage," '85 GL "Poor Relation"