Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Propane tanks

["Dan H." <machine@epix.net>]

Ray,
I agree with using a new tank instead of an old one.  With all the work that goes
into building a sub, it doesn't make any sense to use a rusty tank to save a few
bucks when you have to fill it with a few thousand dollars to turn it in to a
working sub.
Besides the disadvantage of building the whole thing through a small hole since the
ends are already on, I don't see the problem you keep pointing out about not knowing
the material a tank is made of.  I'm sure with a telephone call to the manufacture
you could find out what the material is.  I don't know for sure, but I would expect
it might be pressure vessel quality material anyway, wouldn't it. A tank like that
would have a ID plate and documentation in a drawer somewhere.

Dan H.

Ray Keefer wrote:

> Hi,
>
> Or use a new tank. It comes pressurized with nitrogen.
>
> If you have to use a propane tank, my recommendation is to use a new one.
> You avoid dealing with:
>
>         propane fumes
>         order soaked metal
>         metal fatique
>         rust
>         bumps and dents
>
> You still have the risks of unknown metal and the costs of a new tank over
> some old used tank but you avoid some drawbacks.
>
> Regards,
> Ray
>
> > Date: Fri, 21 Dec 2001 13:40:16 -0500
> > From: "Michael B. Holt" <mholt@richmond.edu>
> > X-Accept-Language: en,ru,zh
> > To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
> > Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Propane tanks
> > Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
> >
> > HeyCLOWNeY@aol.com wrote:
> > >
> > > I spoke to a company about  ethyl mercaptan and they told me if i use bleach
> > > inside the tank it will convert the mercaptan to a much less odiferous
> > > compound,,then they advise steam cleaning the mercaptain out of the surface
> > > of the metal,,they did say that if the tank is still compleate to make sure
> > > it has a good opening,,they claim they have collapsed a tank ,a large tank
> > > when the steam cooled and created a vacum..also i have a freind,,a marine
> > > biologist at the brookhaven lab and he tells me mercaptain is a carcinagyn
> > > and is harm full even at 5 parts per million
> >
> > Thanks.  This is a lot of information in one place.
> >
> > All of this suggests that maybe a propane tank is NOT
> > a good start.  Even my idea of making a hull out of
> > fiberglass seems safer.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Mike