DIsconnected a high pressure LP hose last night and foamy stinky oil sprayed out. Inspected everything and discovered the regulator, the hose between it and the heater and the heater itself were run through with the stuff. Couldn't find any in the hose between the tank and the quick disconnect at the regulator, but everything on the regulator side (as mentioned above) was full of it.
Where did it come from? Can I clean everything out with brake cleaner or something like that? Do I need a new regulator and hose now? I have read all kinds of stuff on line about excess mercaptin (odorant), oil in the tank, high pressure LP causing oil to leach from the hoses (wouldn't the propane hose manufacturer have used a propane safe material?)
Help! It's cold here
------------------ 1986 SE Aero coupe.
3.4 DOHC swap is complete and running, now just have to finish the rest of the car...
Oil in your propane lines? Yer doing something wrong!
it's a bit odd...would a regulator contain a liquid/oil for any reason and have leaked it out?
the propane hose will be oil/solvent resistant. Not sure if you'd want to use brake cleaner on it (tends to have chlorine in it), but something oil-based shouldn't bother it...
I have been running it for weeks without issue until last night. Lots of web searching has revealed that this is very common. Apparently the "oil" comes from any or all of the sources I listed above. There is even a special green colored hose that is impervious to the oil leaching phenomenon. Mr. Heater sells a kit for their Buddy heaters that includes a filter just for this if you want to run it off of bulk cylinders instead of the little throw away ones. The filter only has threads for the throw away fittings, though. Oddly enough, Mr. Heater recommends that if you are running a heater like that from a bulk tank, you close the valve and run all of the gas from the hose and then disconnect after each use. This keeps the high pressure propane from leaching the oils from the rubber hose. Who knew?
I learned a lot and then reconfigured the system by putting the regulator just after the valve on the tank and running the hose to the heater with a quick release. Everything now works and there is no oil- so far. I removed the cheap, stiff hose that Mr. Heater supplied (which I think was the source of the oil) and am running the low pressure gas through a 25' fuel, oil and vapor rated 3/8" rubber hose.
BTW, I cleaned the regulator out with brake cleaner and compressed air and it appears to have survived.
------------------ 1986 SE Aero coupe.
3.4 DOHC swap is complete and running, now just have to finish the rest of the car...
Seen this running 10# to 100# tanks not just bulk tanks 250# or more. Is a very old problem too. I never looked at the issue in 30+ years since stopped using Propane.
Plus seen this without any rubber hoses. Only soft parts are in the reg and/or the appliances.
Can clean hard lines but soft lines and other things can be very hard to impossible to clean. If the crap got to the appliance(s) then could junk them. If cleaning then do not poke tools thru small openings. You can damage them causing big problems. Their job is often to regulate fuel like Car Carb's jets and air bleeds.
------------------ Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should. (Jurassic Park)
I don't pretend to know anything about this but, I have to ask, if this substance is truly a petroleum product, does it hurt anything as it gets processed through a furnace? If it's coming from the hoses, it makes sense that the loss from the hoses affects flexibility but, other than that, what is the danger? Clogs up the regulator?
------------------ Ron
Isn't it strange that after a bombing, everyone blames the bomber, his upbringing, his environment, his culture, his mental state but … after a shooting, the problem is the gun?
My Uncle Frank was a staunch Conservative and voted straight Republican until the day he died in Chicago. Since then he has voted Democrat. Shrug
[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 01-25-2016).]
It will clog EVERYTHING and ruin the appliance if not caught in time. On my heater, it was dripping out of the burner, but I was able to clean everything and it is up and running again. I have been running propane for decades and have never seen this before. After running it for a few hours yesterday without problems, I am convinced it was from the hose supplied with the heater. It's a mystery to me why the propane heater company (Mr. Heater) supplies hoses that aren't compatible with propane.
It will clog EVERYTHING and ruin the appliance if not caught in time. On my heater, it was dripping out of the burner, but I was able to clean everything and it is up and running again. I have been running propane for decades and have never seen this before. After running it for a few hours yesterday without problems, I am convinced it was from the hose supplied with the heater. It's a mystery to me why the propane heater company (Mr. Heater) supplies hoses that aren't compatible with propane.
Got it, (quoting some guy from Armageddom) The scariest environment imaginable.
------------------ Ron
Isn't it strange that after a bombing, everyone blames the bomber, his upbringing, his environment, his culture, his mental state but … after a shooting, the problem is the gun?
My Uncle Frank was a staunch Conservative and voted straight Republican until the day he died in Chicago. Since then he has voted Democrat. Shrug
Originally posted by tesmith66: It will clog EVERYTHING and ruin the appliance if not caught in time. On my heater, it was dripping out of the burner, but I was able to clean everything and it is up and running again. I have been running propane for decades and have never seen this before. After running it for a few hours yesterday without problems, I am convinced it was from the hose supplied with the heater. It's a mystery to me why the propane heater company (Mr. Heater) supplies hoses that aren't compatible with propane.
Note that Many portable items can/will void UL and Warranty when fuel is not in 14 - 16 oz size.
UL only test them with small retail tanks. UL can't test w/ bulk size, anything 5# and bigger, because can't say what hoses adapters etc needed for whatever setup you try to use.
Worse Big tanks often are contaminated w/ Moisture, oil, etc, from filling them. Could be the contamination is reacting with the portable hoses, like oil can kill car's brake/clutch hydraulic parts. Natual Gas is not totally clean fuel either. Nat Gas Pipes often have rust moisture etc. Is why most Building/Fire Codes call for traps at/near an appliance to prevent rust/dirt problems in control valves. Traps are small length of pipe T'd and pointing down at/near gas Water heater etc. Example: base image source from http://www.homedepot.com/c/...ater_heater_HT_PG_PL step 8
It was designed to run on bulk cylinders (20, 30, 100lb, etc.) That have a POL fitting at the valve. I have it connected to the same 1000gal horizontal tank that supplies my house.
------------------ 1986 SE Aero coupe.
3.4 DOHC swap is complete and running, now just have to finish the rest of the car...
Oh... Most times I see that name is on small portable heaters using 14-16oz bottles.
House likely have very few soft parts... Contaminated fuel is still possible. "Cheap" hoses could be problems.
If heater have valve to kill fuel at the unit... I would shut off fuel at the source and let heater to burn last pressure in the hoses when done. No fuel in the hoses then might stop the problem. Problem might be fuel @ full pressure not isn't flowing for hours to days.
