Storing Propane

[Olphy]

Hi guys,

I recently made the switch from buying the tanks of Coleman gas at £18+ a pair to forking out for a whole 6kg Calor gas tank in order to save some pennies and not have to worry about supply chain issues of the former. However I only feel safe storing this tank out in the shed owing to it being a tank of flammable liquid an all.

Trouble is I've filled one of my old Coleman tanks up with it tonight and the gun is cooling down like crazy, if you even think of firing a burst the ejection port covers itself in icicles and the blow back is really spluttery.

I'm assuming it's cause I'm keeping the tank out in the cold, what is your advice? Is it safe to keep something like this indoors? If it isn't then what would you recommend?

For instance would it be safe sitting the Coleman bottles in maybe a bucket of warm water to warm the gas up or no?

[The General]

Re: Storing Propane

Course it would be safe to warm the bottle up with warm water, these bottles are seriously over built steel containers with safety features.

I would fill your old Coleman tank and then leave that indoors to warm up, then test.

People use this size of bottle (6kg) in homes every day of the week for heaters and such (butane as well). The only time you need to be concerned is when you are allowing the gas to escape (filling etc) and there may be a source of ignition nearby or you are not in a well ventilated area. Yes there are risks if you are stupid or abuse them.

[Boo-Sabum Ben]

As said, the main tank leave it outside, and bring the smaller colemans ones indoors once filled. It should only really pose a problem unless you are filling the bottles instantly then Filling mags up. On warming them, don't fill them up, then use something like a radiator on full to heat them. They can go bang if you heat them too rapidly and too much. Warm water would be fine though.

I'm about to start doing this myself (parts should arrive this week) and I plan to leave the big tank into parents garden (I live in a flat) and just fill them up there.

[danhc]

Re: Storing Propane

our uni's large tank is kept in our shed, smaller ones inside and all filling of the smaller tanks is done outside, personaly i would just leave it near a radiator not on one mind oh and when filling the cans you need to release some gas from the releasevalve and then fill it up again, that way you will get a full tank

[Boo-Sabum Ben]

If actually advise against doing that. You'll still fill the bottle to 80%, and leaving 20% of the space to expand into means that if for any reason it does warm to fast it's got that room there. I'd rather it was safer, than full to the brim!

[danhc]

Never had a problem with leaking and they where only filling up to a max of 60%

[The General]

Re: Storing Propane

The Coleman cans have a side pressure release valve. Perfectly safe. It is important to store them upright though to allow this to properly work.

[Olphy]

Re: Storing Propane

Thanks guys, all points duely noted.

Also looking on Youtube and the t'internet I am getting confliciting advice on how to prep the Coleman bottle before filling, some are saying put it in the fridge for 30 minutes, others are saying the freezer for the same amount of time. Which would be correct?

[dave38x]

Re: Storing Propane

I freeze it - much lower temperature. The other way to cool it down (more rapidly) is to dump a load of the useless gas out of it, making it get very very cold!

[mirlock]

Re: Storing Propane

ive had a good fiddle with refilling. and best way i found was as dave said dump a quick burst of propane out the colamans and and let it sit in freezer while having calor gas botle in some warm water. i stick mine in the sink but i use a 3.9 calor tank but im sure you can sort something out.

but once the calor tank is warm get it ready go get your colmans and fill it .
you will feel the colmans tank get warm as it fills and store them inside and ya sorted.

when playing on a day like today damn cold get some pocket/hand warmers to put near mags / propane tank to keep the cold off. and also you can wrap some of that thin thermo pad stuff thats like foam and tin foil on outside ( stuff you get in the cheap family bargains shops etc ) and fix it round the body of the colmans it will keep the chill off and easier to hold etc


thermo stuff pic

212-6621_PI_TPS1327129.jpg

[Olphy]

Re: Storing Propane

Thanks guys, this is all great advice.

I am struggling to get a decent consistent fill between my three Coleman tanks and when brimming my pistol and rifle magazines the mags are only getting 60-70% full because of the lack of pressure. Is there something I am doing wrong, I have been putting the tanks inside the freezer for about 30 minutes beforehand, do they need longer?

[mirlock]

Re: Storing Propane

as i said warm up main calor tank and freeze colmans for at least 30 mins or dump the gas from it to instantly freeze it.

but if your doing this and no gas is going in you may have colmans tanks with none reverse valves as i had.

the way to test is release all the gas from one colmans shake it etc while releasing propane so it all comes out.
then try fill it if nothing goes in then you have none return valves in.

there is a way round this so it you test it and need further advise give a shout

[Olphy]

Re: Storing Propane

Hi guys, can you please help?

I have filled up about four of my old Coleman bottles with the 6kg Calor propane I picked up about a month ago as I mentioned. This is what is happening when I fire off a few shots with my supposedly cooldown proof G39.



Yes that is frost built up from cooldown. Bearing in mind this gun is designed to empty whole magazines without any of this happening, this is happening after only 10 or 20 rounds.

I am adamant that it is something to do with the Propane or my methods but I don't seem to know what, I have since moved my main tank into the garage to keep it out of this cold snap we have had over the last few weeks. This is only happening with the magazines that I have filled up from the Calor bottle, when I fill up with one of my remaining Coleman bottles I don't have this issue. Warming the Coleman bottles doesn't seem to have much effect but then I am only sitting them in sink of warm water for five minutes at a time.

I can't be having this happening on a skirmish day otherwise the weapon will be useless.

Please help.