lpg tank "useable date range"

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gazza345 · #1 Post by **gazza345** » Mon Apr 02, 2012 9:37 pm

hi folks, i have been offered a factory fit 57 ltr lpg tank from a vectra which i am considering using in an astra with a new front end kit but i believe the tank is 10 or more yrs old, the tank was taken from a crashed car quite a few yrs ago and is in perfect condition and near full of gas!! I was wondering is there a useable life after which a tank may not be used ?? Thanks Gary

sijones · #2 Post by **sijones** » Mon Apr 02, 2012 9:51 pm

10 years is the usual life, although that depends on if your getting a cert on it or not.

Don't forget you can't see the inside of it tho....

gazza345 · #3 Post by **gazza345** » Mon Apr 02, 2012 10:02 pm

Yeah thats a good point, i will def want to get a cert for it so think i'll just get the complete kit to be on the safe side, Thanks for the quick reply mate, Gary

sijones · #4 Post by **sijones** » Mon Apr 02, 2012 10:10 pm

Ross (who does installs and inspections) has said as long as he see's the inside and outside of a tank and it looks clean then you would get a cert for the install, but for what it's worth and the hassle, new will be better, peace of mind!

rossko · #5 Post by **rossko** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 2:28 am

sijones wrote:Ross (who does installs and inspections) has said as long as he see's the inside and outside of a tank and it looks clean then you would get a cert for the install

It's a judgement call which another inspector may not entertain at all. I also said I'd expect to see new valving - and of course it'd be extra charge (and two trips) because I'd want to see it on the bench before install. So yup overall not worth it.

tommo2009 · #6 Post by **tommo2009** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 8:55 am

COP11 doesn't say that a tank has a ten year lifespan, it needs to be inspected after 10 years. If a tank is fitted on the outside of a vehicle and open to all the weather and salt etc from the roads it is going to be in a far worse state than one that is sat inside the vehicle. In which case a perfectly good tank may be thrown away for no reason.

tommo2009 · #7 Post by **tommo2009** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 8:57 am

Also just to add, the date on the tank is not usually the date it was installed, it may well have sat around doing nothing for a while.

Tubbs · #8 Post by **Tubbs** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 9:00 am

That's an absolutely salient point there Tommo. 2010-2011 tanks are not uncommon. In fact I saw my first 2012 tank only a few weeks ago. All the rest have been 2011 this year.

sijones · #9 Post by **sijones** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 9:41 am

tommo2009 wrote:COP11 doesn't say that a tank has a ten year lifespan, it needs to be inspected after 10 years. If a tank is fitted on the outside of a vehicle and open to all the weather and salt etc from the roads it is going to be in a far worse state than one that is sat inside the vehicle. In which case a perfectly good tank may be thrown away for no reason.

So there's no chance of rotting inside out?

Martec · #10 Post by **Martec** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 3:00 pm

Hi,

My tank ran out of test certificate in February this year, I tried many tank testing companies and LPG installers (locally). Of nearly 20 enquiries I got one reply redirecting me to someone else, from this I realised there was no chance of getting it tested and re-certificated (assuming I had the correct British Standard number it would have cost £150 for a copy).

I bought a new tank from Tinley Tech delivered next day £104 all in. I got £50 for an article I wrote on the car and the rest was my birthday present.

I ran the car until it wouldn't accelerate anymore, when back home idled it on gas until it stopped then slackened the 6 multi-valve bolts and eased it up, there was a mild fart and nothing came out. Minor alterations to the mounting frame and back on the road again.

What do I now do with a perfectly good tank cluttering up my garage.....weigh it in???

Brian

Gilbertd · #11 Post by **Gilbertd** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 3:05 pm

Martec wrote:What do I now do with a perfectly good tank cluttering up my garage.....weigh it in???

May as well. Or leave it outside for a few minutes and I'm sure somebody else will come along and weigh it in for themself.....

tommo2009 · #12 Post by **tommo2009** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 3:22 pm

sijones wrote:
tommo2009 wrote:COP11 doesn't say that a tank has a ten year lifespan, it needs to be inspected after 10 years. If a tank is fitted on the outside of a vehicle and open to all the weather and salt etc from the roads it is going to be in a far worse state than one that is sat inside the vehicle. In which case a perfectly good tank may be thrown away for no reason.
So there's no chance of rotting inside out?

I didn't say that, but most tanks are confined to the bin because the outer metal has corroded. I am sure the tank manufacturers would say their tank would last more than 10 years. This is 3mm steel we are talking about so that would be an awful lot of corrosion from the inside, from a liquid it is designed to carry!

Clifford Pope · #13 Post by **Clifford Pope** » Wed Apr 04, 2012 3:53 pm

Do they just suddenly go with a bang, or would there be a tell-tale smell of gas seeping out and perhaps a thin stream of vapour?

tommo2009 · #14 Post by **tommo2009** » Wed Apr 04, 2012 6:21 pm

never seen one go. seen some tanks that have been externally fitted and had very bad corrosion on the outer skin, and were more than 10 years old ut never seen one leak

rossko · #15 Post by **rossko** » Wed Apr 04, 2012 7:24 pm

tommo2009 wrote:that would be an awful lot of corrosion from the inside, from a liquid it is designed to carry!

You have no idea - or rather, no-one else can have any idea - what else has been sitting in the bottom of the tank for ten years, water from the storage tanks and/or road salt from the filler etc.

I really don't want to find out if a tank seeps or bursts, either is unacceptable to innocent bystanders (even if it is most likely a seep)

Relevant reading
http://www.lpgforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php ... 68&p=68126

mat_fenwick · #16 Post by **mat_fenwick** » Wed Apr 04, 2012 10:24 pm

Something else to consider would be the behaviour of an old tank in a crash. It may be perfectly safe in 'normal' use, but not in a critical situation. I also wonder whether fatigue strength is an issue, as well as visible damage from corrosion?

tommo2009 · #17 Post by **tommo2009** » Thu Apr 05, 2012 8:02 am

I agree with you mat, but these are all unknown quantities. All I tried to point out is that tanks do not have to be replaced after ten years, COP11 says they must be inspected( although i did have a quick scan through and couldn't find where it says about it) and does not say they have a ten year lifespan

Clifford Pope · #18 Post by **Clifford Pope** » Thu Apr 05, 2012 8:28 am

I wasn't seriously advocating waiting to see how it fails, just curious and a little bit sceptical.

I had an old C02 fire extinguisher, which is a similar design of tank and perhaps a comparable pressure. It was full, and had been sitting in a damp shed for perhaps 30 years. It was encrusted in rust and looked like something fished out of the harbour. I let it off after carefully carrying outside.

It showed no sign of leakage despite deep pitting where I tried scraping the rust off.

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lpg tank "useable date range"

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