How much air PSI can a standard propane bottle safely hold????

[prostreetC-10]

I have an older style 5 gal propane bottle that doesn't have the safety valve. I thought it would be a great candidate for a small air bottle to air up tires and what not. Just didn't know how much they can safely hold. I think my compressor goes to 125 or so. THANKS!

[LONGHAIR]

It can handle well above what your home compressor can produce.
@ 70 degrees the propane vapor pressure is around 125 PSI and it goes up with the temperature. The vent valve of a normal gas grill type tank is set for 375 PSI so the tank can take at least that.....but your home compressor will never pump that much.

[prostreetC-10]

Sweet! my fastback has a flat tire and my hose won't reach. Problem solved and thanks for the good info!

[El Jay]

FWIW: I have read at least 1 account of somebody using a popane tank in air service & having an explosion.
I don't know what the source of ignition was except maybe heat of compression.

[GMC406]

I have heard of so called explosions as well but I think its just air pressure do to a shotty weld when people cut holes and weld on their own fittings, same with old freeon tanks have seen that to. I think if you dont modify the tank any you can use it as a air tank all day long and not worry. The shotty modified ones I have seen on many a farm scare me a bit though.

[prostreetC-10]

So much for the propane bottle idea.......I'm the black thing to the left!!!

[cableguy0]

we had 2 freon tanks with a steel bar welded across the handles. just unscrewed the valves and added air valves with a crossover. my dad had them around as long as i can remember. they would hold whatever you could put in them. think each tank was rated around 300psi

[71swb4x4]

Someone around here did die from using the propane bottle as an air tank. They had a wheel problem and welded on the wheel with the tire on and aired up. The tiny amount of propane left in the tire did explode killing both the man doing the welding and the farmer standing next to him. The man doing the welding had young kids at home. Very sad accident.

[prostreetC-10]

Originally Posted by 71swb4x4

Someone around here did die from using the propane bottle as an air tank. They had a wheel problem and welded on the wheel with the tire on and aired up. The tiny amount of propane left in the tire did explode killing both the man doing the welding and the farmer standing next to him. The man doing the welding had young kids at home. Very sad accident.

Okay....none of that made sense. Why was there propane in the tire? How many beers have we had??

[cableguy0]

thats a very highly unlikely set of circumstances for that explosion. in any case the tank should be vented or at least left open.for a while

[463]

i converted a 20 lb LP tank to an air tank. i removed the tank valve and purged and washed with soap and water two or three times then left it to dry. i used pipe fittings and a psi relief valve rated at 125 psi with a small psi gauge and the open close valve with a quick coupler. this is all flush with the top of the tank protection handles on the tank. the 20 lb tank at 120 psi will fill one 15" tire from flat to 35 lbs. the time and money i spent 8 years ago on it was worth it. today the portable air tanks are cheaper to buy than retro fit a lp tank. these tanks are rated for 375 lbs or what the stamp on the top of the tank says.

[PanelDeland]

Originally Posted by 71swb4x4

Someone around here did die from using the propane bottle as an air tank. They had a wheel problem and welded on the wheel with the tire on and aired up. The tiny amount of propane left in the tire did explode killing both the man doing the welding and the farmer standing next to him. The man doing the welding had young kids at home. Very sad accident.

In a lot of farm areas the old farmers use propane burners to get rid of weeds.Since the tank is in the truck they build an adapter to fill those farm tires.So the tire has propane instaed of air.Most tire guys in farm communities are very careful of smoking while working.

[sneakysnake]

In the old days( when propane was cheap) farmers would use propane to air up tires,(tractor tires hold a lot of air) you had 100+ psi and lots of volume that a regular air tank cant compare to but it was dangerous if you had a very big leak.

[west9378]

I am in the propane business and yes the propane pressure is far greater than what your compressor will produce, that being said I have people pick up old tanks that we can not fill for one reason or another mostly old valve regulations and they will grab them and change the valve and use that for an air tank. I do not feel comfortable myself doing that just because it is not what it was made for but it does work. The real chance for a problem is the propane vapor in a tank and static electricity that can be caused during the purging of the propane vapor from a tank, propane vapor is heavier than air so open the tank urn up side down and leave it for a few days and if you are a chicken like myself get a little nitrogen purge the tank and off you go. Sorry to be so long winded.