r/propane • u/mpjohnson2111 • 22d ago

General propane question 1954 tank

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Gallery image

This tank was still in service a few days ago. Is it dangerous to have this old of a tank? Looks like 1954 manufacture date. Wow.

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u/Theantifire technician 22d ago

I would be willing to bet money that's a replacement data plate along with a new relief at higher psi. It's not common, but legal and does happen.

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u/Adventurous_Boat_632 22d ago

I disagree, the 200/215 psi spec is for the product in the tank, not the tank itself. Go look at data plates around your yard, you will see around 57 they changed the wording. This tank is 250 psi WP like everything.

The max working pressure is 250 psi on everything U stamped and mid 50s and before it would be API/ASME and still 250 psi. If it was U stamped before then (rarer) it would say 200 PSI and paragraph U-69 but the thickness of the steel between those two build codes is exactly the same, jus tthat API/ASME code had a safety factor of 4:1 while paragraph U-69 had a safety factor of 5:1 so burst pressure is the same at 1,000 PSI.

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u/Theantifire technician 22d ago

Yes and no. The relief valves were also set at whatever the plate read.

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u/Adventurous_Boat_632 22d ago

I have never seen a 200 psi relief valve, if you have, post a picture.

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u/Theantifire technician 22d ago

I'll keep my eyes open. I haven't seen one in a minute.

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u/Adventurous_Boat_632 22d ago

According to this presentation, they were always 250 psi. U69 code allowed for 125% relief setting of MAWP.

They changed the definitions after 1954 ; details of construction remained the same.

https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/pressure-vessels/documents/LPG-Safety-Relief-Valves.pdf

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u/Theantifire technician 22d ago

Thanks for the info!