Propane extraction ???

[ice_it_06]

Is there any way someone could extract the propane from a 100lb tank mounted on the outside frame of my house.

Tank felt very light tonight when I put my hand on the top and wiggled it. I have only used one hours worth of fuel from it as this house has only been on the lake a week and the heater went bad the first hour.

I had no time to unchain it and actually lift it, but I don't recall being able to easily move it ever like I did tonight.

Lifting it up in to it's location I know is a challenge.

I tapped the tank with the chain a little and the tank echoed as if it was empty. Thus my curiosity of someone being able to use some method to steal the propane out of the tank.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Is it possible that someone swaped tanks with you?

Are you shure the tank is not leaking?

[ice_it_06]

airjer:

The tank is definitely mine and has not been swapped.

There is no reason for me to believe it leaks. I bought this house two years ago and although it never hit the lake until last week, I have operated the heater and burner in it during that period on a very minimal amount of propane left in it upon purchase.

I had it filled and delivered by local coop in early December.

Going out now to relocate my other house and will check the 100lb tank on the one in question.

Hope its still full, the heaters pilot assembly was found all rusted and ate out after taking it in. Old Dearborn model over 25 years old so I'm looking @ a new direct vent need seeing parts are unavailable to repair the heater.

House has been bad luck so far although I did catch seven crappies in a half hour the day I set it up and had heat for a hour.

[MIKE IN lINO III]

Did I read that you had the pilot light on???

I have a garage heater that I use a 100 lb tank, when I leave the pilot light on it uses quite a bit of propane.

Just a thought.

Mike

[boatfixer]

You say it was chained to the house? Was it chained in a way that you are confident that it was never removed? If so than I doubt someone removed the liquid. The valve never comes in contact with the liquid inside the tank, unless it is turned upside down. could someone transfer vapor off the top to pressure up a 20lb'er? sure. But that's no where near enough to empty your tank or even make much of a difference for that matter.

[ice_it_06]

I was out to move my other house and did not look @ the 100 lb tank on my big one.

Weather is just brutal out there on the lake so wrestling with the one was enough. My auger started jumping and no drilling so we have yet another issue now. I was so darn mad that drilling with the hand held seemed ok. (lol) Going back out soon to chisel boards out of ice so I'll look it over for sure.

 Quote:

could someone transfer vapor off the top to pressure up a 20lb'er? sure

Could that process be done more then once ?

[boatfixer]

Oh yeah, of course it could. How many times to empty a tank is the real question though. propane expands at a rate of 270:1. WILD WILD guess, but, for example only, IF IF it took 1 lb of propane to equalize the pressure between your 100 and a 20 lb (because thats all thats going to happen) they would have to do this 100 times. Mathematically, i know this doesn't equate but it might put it into prospective. Any physicists out there? Either way, an awful lot of messing around your house without getting caught. judging from the last discussion about propane, this one could go on and on.

[ice_it_06]

Well I found the tank to be full.

I must have pushed it allot harder then I thought when it moved what I thought to be far to easy!!

I appreciate the extraction education though.

Good info to know that it's not worth the effort to pull such s!!t.

[boatfixer]

Thats good news! Good luck with the auger issues.