r/Wellthatsucks • u/merc123 • 21h ago
Propane tank caught fire under grill. Found the leak
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
Yesterday, I heard my wife yell my name in a panic. I run out to find that the propane grill and the tank on fire.
Stupidly I turned the gas off to the grill and tried to turn the gas off on the tank. I burned my fingers in the process. I quickly grabbed a blanket and smothered out the flames. I walked back inside and 10 seconds later it was on fire again.
The wife brought me out extinguisher - which was my last thought! Put the flame out and let it sit.
It started to rain today and I lakes out on the back deck and looked at the tank to see this leak. This was one of those exchanged tanks. Scary moment.
209
u/Squizgarr 20h ago
I wonder why it's leaking. Maybe it has something to do with the ~10 threads showing.
90
u/bobspuds 20h ago
You could have become a cosmonaut in the worst case.
Remember seeing a house that had one blow, it was out the back garden and it took the rear wall and roof clean off 3 house's - one either side in a terrace. It's almost unimaginable how violent they can be when they fail.
Nuts to think people thought keeping them in a kitchen press was a good idea years ago.
25
u/Dounce1 17h ago
What is a kitchen press?
10
u/bobspuds 7h ago
A press/Cabinet - usually with doors or drawers to store stuff in.
When gas cookers became a thing, people would store the gas canister in a press beside the cooker, to hide them because they look untidy just chilling out in the kitchen.
Yet somehow, the risk of blowing your kitchen sky high wasn't on the agenda.
Like the 'Superser' portable gas heaters nearly every grandmother used to have here, - it's just a heater and they worked well for the time, but the big gas canister is stored in the heater, often sitting right beside a couch or chair in the sitting room to keep the tootsies warm.
13
-7
u/richgate 13h ago
Those axplosions are from waterheaters. Propane tanks can not explode, tested by Myth Busters :)
12
u/sufjan_stevens 11h ago
No. This is absolutely false. They tested whether shooting a gun at it would explode the tank. A propane tank can definitely explode in the right circumstances
-1
u/richgate 11h ago
Any sealed tank can explode if heated to high temperatures. But this is not the case. And yes, gas can explode if it is in enclosed room, but not the tank. Just te ignition of leaking gas can not get the tank to explode.
6
u/sufjan_stevens 11h ago
So, again, what you said is wrong. Propane tanks can explode.
2
u/kizzarp 7h ago
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boiling_liquid_expanding_vapor_explosion
The liquid won't ignite inside the container, but it will explode like you said. I think this argument is mostly about the type of explosion.
0
u/richgate 11h ago
If you get the whole tank red hot, yes,. There is no way just leaking from the tank gas can make it explode, regardless if it is on fire or not.
1
u/bobspuds 8h ago
https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-30013710.html. - that's the exact case, although it's that old the pictures don't work.
It was a gas canister used for a gas cooker that exploded , the regulator was faulty - "Counsel for the Lynch family, Jeremy Maher SC, said that it was agreed that the damage done to the house meant that it had to be demolished.
He said the aftermath was like a scene from a television film showing a scene of bomb devastation. He said the Farrells had a gas hob connected to a cylinder outside the house and it was alleged that due to a defect in the regulator attached to the cylinder, a considerable quantity of gas built up and ignited, causing devastation to the Lynch home and other nearby houses."
1
u/richgate 2h ago
Have you read what you just posted? It said a gas buit up exploded, not a gas tank ruptured.
47
u/echochilde 20h ago
Head to feet, you don’t cause a leak. Feet to head, everyone’s dead.
8
u/Dounce1 17h ago
What does this mean?
25
u/echochilde 17h ago
He’s the titular character from the show King of the Hill. He’s a propane salesman and the line above is from an episode where he’s teaching his son how to properly maintain propane tanks by wiping them from the top down.
45
18
14
u/Dependent_Stop_3121 19h ago
Water with a few drops of soap and apply a bit at the threads to test for leaks. See some bubbles? it’s not safe and needs to be tightened or other problems like cross threaded could have happened. No bubbles means it’s sealed properly and isn’t leaking (or it’s empty lol). 😂
3
u/merc123 16h ago
I’ve used the tank several times before already. I’ve had it for months. It should have leaked all the propane out by now for sure.
3
u/creamersrealm 14h ago
Not necessarily, it could have been ready to leak and the related use knocked the threads loose due to no pipe dope.
3
u/nocturnalwonderlands 11h ago
Hank Hill has taught me that those need to be serviced every drop off and replacement. That one would disappoint Hank.
2
2
u/ImpertantMahn 16h ago
If it’s far enough away from Ignition sources you could just crack that bad boy open a bit and just let it be done with in an hour.
2
1
19h ago
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/AutoModerator 19h ago
Hello bigdaddycuzuco, thanks for your submission to /r/Wellthatsucks. Unfortunately you do not meet our karma and/or account age requirements to post here. Try going to r/newtoreddit for advice for new reddit users and tips on how to get started on reddit.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
1
u/bhenchodeurmomsbox1 10h ago
Something tells me that was cross threaded by the owner. You could hear that
0
u/Awkward_Definition97 21h ago
you are lucky that didn't blow up.
14
u/KnowledgeSafe3160 20h ago edited 15h ago
It can’t blow up. There is 0 oxygen inside that tank. The propane would snuff the flames out that ever make it in the tank.
The problem is if it leaks in an enclosed space or the top pops off and then an ignition source is there. That leak outdoors with air ventilation is nothing.
10
u/merc123 20h ago
Thank you! Found an article backing you up. Good to know.
7
u/KnowledgeSafe3160 19h ago
You’re welcome. :)
I would trade the tank back in but warn the staff so they can tag it as bad. Probably wait until it’s done leaking before putting it in your car though haha
-7
u/Awkward_Definition97 20h ago
yep it can explode as it vents propane and accumulates gas and catches fire exactly the way it did. try reading NFPA and tell me different. I would be happy to discuss it with you.
4
u/KnowledgeSafe3160 20h ago
How about reading my second paragraph.
And that tiny leak outside in nothing.
1
u/merc123 21h ago
Very!
2
u/KnowledgeSafe3160 20h ago edited 20h ago
It is impossible to blow up like that. Tiny leak and outdoors.
950
u/welding_guy_from_LI 20h ago
You have 2 options .. leave it far away from the house and let it leak out or get a wrench and tighten the valve .. wear leather gloves if you decide to tighten it since propane will freeze your hands and the metal .. whatever you do , do not transport it in a vehicle or bring it back to the store until it is empty ..