Moving a 250 Gallon Propane Tank In Middle Tn.

po boy · #1 09/01/14, 04:19 PM

Tank is about 15 miles from my residence, but has 150 Gallon of Fuel in it.
Need suggestions on someone or how to move.

Thanks

topside1 · #2 09/01/14, 04:40 PM

Carefully, sorry I just couldn't help myself....Maybe call the gas supplier for advice better than mine. My other first thought was a rollback tow truck...Topside

po boy · #3 09/01/14, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by topside1

Carefully, sorry I just couldn't help myself....Maybe call the gas supplier for advice better than mine. My other first thought was a rollback tow truck...Topside

I planned to move it myself until i found out the amount of fuel it had in it.

Looks like all the gas suppliers are closed today. I'll start calling tomorrow.

unregistered353870 · #4 09/01/14, 10:15 PM

Gas suppliers will be the only ones allowed to move it...need the right haz-mat certification. They'll pump the fuel out into their truck and move the tank with another truck.

Bellyman · #5 09/01/14, 10:36 PM

Probably need to let a gas company handle this one. If it were just a few gallons, it might not be a big deal. But that's over 600 pounds of propane. Plus, the tank is probably another 500 pounds, give or take a little.

Nimrod · #6 09/02/14, 01:19 AM

We had this discussion on here a year ago. I know there are people that will argue that it has to be moved by the "licensed professionals". The one I moved was almost empty. I just winched it onto a tilting flat bed trailer with a comealong, tied it down, and moved it. Yours has the propane in it. Can you have the propane company buy it back from you? I don't think I would try to move it with the extra weight.

The "licensed professionals" have co-opted the government so that there are laws that everything has do be done by a "licensed professional". Want to sell meat you butchered yourself? Want to design your own septic system? Want to do any of a hundred things that people have been doing for themselves for thousands of years?

TnAndy · #7 09/02/14, 04:55 AM

I moved two 500gal tanks several years ago. One from down below Harriman TN to my location, about 125 miles, and one from up in Virginia, about 75 miles.

The first had 25% gas reading in it, the second had 60%.

The one in Harriman, I called a local rental center, and they brought me a Bobcat out with forks, waited for the 10 minutes it took to load the tank on my 16' trailer, then took it back to the store. Cost $100. I strapped the tank down, and hauled it home, where I unloaded it with a neighbor's Bobcat.

The second was in a very rural location, (no close rental store) so I had to take the neighbor's Bobcat with me on a trailer hauled by a friend. Same procedure.....loaded the tank on my trailer, and we drove back home.

Nobody said anything to me, and both were hauled down interstate highways. Not saying you wouldn't run into a problem with DOT if they stopped you, but I didn't. And for a 15 mile haul, I wouldn't even think twice about it.

po boy · #8 09/02/14, 06:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TnAndy

I moved two 500gal tanks several years ago. One from down below Harriman TN to my location, about 125 miles, and one from up in Virginia, about 75 miles.

The first had 25% gas reading in it, the second had 60%.

The one in Harriman, I called a local rental center, and they brought me a Bobcat out with forks, waited for the 10 minutes it took to load the tank on my 16' trailer, then took it back to the store. Cost $100. I strapped the tank down, and hauled it home, where I unloaded it with a neighbor's Bobcat.

The second was in a very rural location, (no close rental store) so I had to take the neighbor's Bobcat with me on a trailer hauled by a friend. Same procedure.....loaded the tank on my trailer, and we drove back home.

Nobody said anything to me, and both were hauled down interstate highways. Not saying you wouldn't run into a problem with DOT if they stopped you, but I didn't. And for a 15 mile haul, I wouldn't even think twice about it.

I remember reading about your experience.
My problem is I don't have a trailer, tractor or the experrience to operate one.

geo in mi · #9 09/02/14, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by po boy

I remember reading about your experience.
My problem is I don't have a trailer, tractor or the experrience to operate one.

Well, then you probably let someone else with experience handle it. Otherwise you might get a boom truck.........

geo

po boy · #10 09/02/14, 06:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geo in mi

Well, then you probably let someone else with experience handle it. Otherwise you might get a boom truck.........

geo

Geo,

That's my intent, but i do have a truck......................If I move it my truck would turn into a boom truck

ChristieAcres · #11 09/02/14, 11:23 AM

My DH just moved all of our tanks. For our bigger tank, he used a log boom (on the back of our truck), lifted it up onto our equipment trailer. It was properly secured with the other propane bottles/tanks. He wasn't stopped by any one.

Something to think about... What about all the RV's traveling all over the Country with full propane tanks of varying sizes?

unregistered353870 · #12 09/02/14, 12:02 PM

Quote:

The "licensed professionals" have co-opted the government so that there are laws that everything has do be done by a "licensed professional". Want to sell meat you butchered yourself? Want to design your own septic system? Want to do any of a hundred things that people have been doing for themselves for thousands of years?

Chances of being caught breaking that particular law are low...consequences if you are caught outweigh the low probability. For me, anyway.

Moving propane tanks with fuel in them isn't one of those things people have been doing for themselves for thousands of years. I'm also against a lot of government nonsense laws about what I do on my own property, but I think this one makes sense. Take it from a naval firefighter...explosions aren't fun. And they often affect innocent bystanders not directly involved in the risky behavior that causes them.

Bellyman · #13 09/02/14, 12:03 PM

One of the problems is the level of propane in that particular tank. It's approximately 1/2 full / 1/2 empty. I'm sure it could be properly secured but the sloshing in that tank going around corners, stopping and starting again might be more than I'd trust to someone who never moved something like that before.

Were it nearly empty or nearly full, I'd be less troubled about moving it. But half full seems like about the worst possible state to be in.

Honestly, I wouldn't be bothered by the risk of explosion as long as the tank is in good condition and well secured. I'd be way more worried about the tank not being secured well enough and it end up in the middle of the road somewhere where you don't have your tractor or front end loader or bobcat to pick it back up again and perhaps causing an accident.

RV tanks are not that big. Sloshing is not really an issue. RVs often travel with the propane tanks turned on so that the rv refrigerator can be cooling while going down the road.

Hey, if you have what it takes to make it a secure load and can move it, go for it. If not, please don't.

Just my thoughts.

Good luck!

po boy · #14 09/02/14, 12:28 PM

Thanks all,

The add said that the tank may have some propane in it and i thought only a few gallon. I looked at it and it registers 150 gallon and at that point I knew that it was something i didn't want to tackle.

It's a job for professionals and I have called all the ones near me and only one will move it. Their service truck is out of service and no telling when it will be repaired.

Thanks for all your input.

||Downhome|| · #15 09/02/14, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChristieAcres

My DH just moved all of our tanks. For our bigger tank, he used a log boom (on the back of our truck), lifted it up onto our equipment trailer. It was properly secured with the other propane bottles/tanks. He wasn't stopped by any one.

Something to think about... What about all the RV's traveling all over the Country with full propane tanks of varying sizes?

Those tanks are designed for that purpose, unlike a tank you find at a home.

ChristieAcres · #16 09/02/14, 12:52 PM

Quote:

RV tanks are not that big. Sloshing is not really an issue. RVs often travel with the propane tanks turned on so that the rv refrigerator can be cooling while going down the road.

Hey, if you have what it takes to make it a secure load and can move it, go for it. If not, please don't.

DH is fine there, has a lot of experience moving propane tanks of various sizes. He moved our 250 gallon tank with zero issues (1/3 full). We don't plan on moving any more larger tanks, but still have the equipment if we need to. Yes, sometimes the RV's have the propane on, but most of the time we don't. We also use the largest tanks that fit, when we go on longer trips.

Quote:

It's a job for professionals and I have called all the ones near me and only one will move it. Their service truck is out of service and no telling when it will be repaired.

Good call and hope you don't have to wait too long!

ChristieAcres · #17 09/02/14, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ||Downhome||

Those tanks are designed for that purpose, unlike a tank you find at a home.

DH moved a 250 gallon propane tank and other tanks larger than RV tanks, as well as RV size and smaller. *Just got what you meant, true they are, but all propane tanks can be dangerous. That was my point.*

Sawmill Jim · #18 09/02/14, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ||Downhome||

Those tanks are designed for that purpose, unlike a tank you find at a home.

RV and auto. tanks are DOT approved got a tag on em saying so

Again follow the money .

||Downhome|| · #19 09/02/14, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sawmill Jim

RV and auto. tanks are DOT approved got a tag on em saying so

Again follow the money .

True but what I was pointing out to Christies question about RV's rolling around with a tank was that they are indeed constructed differently for that purpose, not all tanks are constructed the same.

I have yet to see a fork truck with a 20lb grill tank on it...

I'm not a nagging nelly either, I do things all the time people say you can't do that, ya sure sure I can't watch this.... lol

But of coarse I have a few ounces of common sense which is no longer common, if you lacking better do what the nanny says...

Sawmill Jim · #20 09/02/14, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ||Downhome||

True but what I was pointing out to Christies question about RV's rolling around with a tank was that they are indeed constructed differently for that purpose, not all tanks are constructed the same.

I have yet to see a fork truck with a 20lb grill tank on it...

I'm not a nagging nelly either, I do things all the time people say you can't do that, ya sure sure I can't watch this.... lol

But of coarse I have a few ounces of common sense which is no longer common, if you lacking better do what the nanny says...

Reason you don't see a fork lift with a 20 lb grill tank is the fork truck has a liquid draw then the vaporizer on the motor changes the liquid to a vapor . To use a 20 lb grill tank on fork lift or auto just turn it up side down I've done it

Correct common sense an't common no more

Buddy and I rebuilt a supper frack heater once that thing would burn a easy 125 gallons per hour of lp

No vaporizer in effect till it got hot .