propane tank blankets

[Mr. Wizard]

Anyone have any experience with these? This will be a good one to experiment with this weekend. Propane vaporizes on the surface of the liquid in the tank at temps above -47. Vaporization (technically evaporation in this case)is a cooling process; energy in the form of heat is removed from the environment in order to put the molecules into a gaseous state from the liquid state. So, I would think then that the tank blanket would keep the cold in from the cooling process and act like a freezer vs. a blanket to keep things warmer.

[cavalierowner]

What makes a propane tank freeze up? I've had propane heating stoves since the mid-1970's when I built a fish house heater using 2 gas burners out of a gas rangetop. I've had 2 other stoves since then, the current one being a Portable Buddy. I always had 20# bottles and have never had a freeze-up even in temps a lot colder than what is being predicted. In really cold weather I've seen frost form on the outside of the tank and that's it; didn't affect performance.

[kfk]

I've never had a problem with a 20 lb. tank freezing up in my 30+ years of ice fishing. Why do you think you need a blanket on your tank?

[Twisted]

Unless it is a heated blanket, you are doing more harm than good. The tank needs to absorb the heat from the surrounding air. -25* sounds cold but there's still enough heat to turn your LP into a gas.

[McGurk]

The tank will be fine. It's the regulator that will freeze up on you, unless you run high pressure hose into the house and have the regulator inside with you. Then you run into the gunk form the high pressure hose, though, and possibly needing a filter before the regulator. I'm referencing the buddy heater/ lp tank deal, where the regulator is built into the heater instead of mounted at the tank, requiring a high pressure hose from the tank to the buddy. That is, unless you are using the quick connect camper-style connection, where there it bypasses the internal regulator so you need on at the tank.

[Lusid]

Just go to Menards/HD/Lowes and buy some R-22 insulation and duct tape the tank. Save yourself some money if you want to experiment with insulating the tank. Good luck.

[hunt fish repeat]

when it's really cold throw a couple disposable hand warmers on the regulator and cover it with an old blanket.

[rustysetter]

when it's really cold throw a couple disposable hand warmers on the regulator and cover it with an old blanket.

Have you tried this? I was going to try it this weekend.

[gonehunting]

How about a battery operated heated sock on the regulator? Just be careful not to cut the wiring when creating a hole in the sock for the hose.

[woodsmanmn]

when it's really cold throw a couple disposable hand warmers on the regulator and cover it with an old blanket.

Or how about one of those soft sided six pack coolers that are normally useless.

[hunt fish repeat]

[/quote Have you tried this? I was going to try it this weekend.

I have done it the problem is did it help? Or would it have been ok without it?

[stealth3350]

i got one of those plast covers for dual tanks on wheel house. i bought a black one to absorb the sunlight and insulated the inside then slid the whole thing over the tanks .. works good