Home Propane Tank Mount/Base?

[TerryMiller]

Concrete blocks are fine. Just level them up and place them to match the feet of the tank. The only regs you need to worry about are distance from an occupied structure (25 feet) and keeping it off the ground to avoid rust and corrosion. That's how the propane company would install it.

Check with the propane company as to distance from any structure. If I remember right, Oklahoma goes by an industry safety standard that specifies distance from nearest source of flame based on the size of the tank. Unless it has changed, it is ASME standards. (See link below.) Oklahoma regulations could have changed, so still check with your LPG supplier.

ASME Standards for Placement of LPG Tanks

Oddly enough, even though all sizes could leak, a smaller tank can be set closer to the structure than what a larger one can. If I remember right, a 100 gallon "tank" could be placed as close as 6 feet from the nearest flame source. In our case, it was within the distance to the hot water heater on our RV, which is basically on the outside edge of the RV.

 

[SlugSlinger]

I would bury the tank.

 

[Firpo]

My tank at the lake house has been on 4" thick cap blocks for many many years. Something else to consider is getting the "Nurse Tank" option on the tank you get. It has a pipe inside to the bottom and gives you the ability to easily re-fill your own BBQ bottles.

Here Here for the nursing tank. Being a city boy I hadn’t heard of them before but when I did I got curious. My refurbished tank was made in the 60s and from what I’m told that’s a good thing as they built them to last back then. So anyway, I heard about nursing tanks and thought since I’m in a rural area and the tank was older I wonder???? Yep, my tank has the added fitting so I had a hose built for about $100 with all the connectors and valve and am in business. It sure is nice having the ability and convenience to fill all my 5 gallon bottles and do it for 1/2-1/3 the price.

 

[Mr.Glock]

I would bury the tank.

A completely different type of tank for underground use would be needed.

 

[OK Corgi Rancher]

Check with the propane company as to distance from any structure. If I remember right, Oklahoma goes by an industry safety standard that specifies distance from nearest source of flame based on the size of the tank. Unless it has changed, it is ASME standards. (See link below.) Oklahoma regulations could have changed, so still check with your LPG supplier.

ASME Standards for Placement of LPG Tanks

Oddly enough, even though all sizes could leak, a smaller tank can be set closer to the structure than what a larger one can. If I remember right, a 100 gallon "tank" could be placed as close as 6 feet from the nearest flame source. In our case, it was within the distance to the hot water heater on our RV, which is basically on the outside edge of the RV.

It does go by tank water capacity (# gals of propane). OP said he had 1000 gal tank. That's why I said 25'. Smaller tanks can be closer to the structure but are still limited by distance to source of ignition or building opening (door/window).

The NFPA is the regulating agency that sets the rules. It's like the bible for propane companies.

 

[OK Corgi Rancher]

A completely different type of tank for underground use would be needed.

Correct. You can't just bury a standard propane tank...for a lot reasons. I guess you could...you just couldn't do it safely and have it meet code.

 

[rickm]

And most companies wont fill a tank if it dont meet code so your out of luck ever getting it filled so your can use it, the older tanks that was buried was filled with butane not propane

 

[SlugSlinger]

A completely different type of tank for underground use would be needed.

Are you sure? I thought if there is cathodic protection or sacrificial anodes, a steel tank would work fine. The tank might need different valve connections, but the tanks I’ve seen installed don’t appear to be different.

 

[Mr.Glock]

Are you sure? I thought if there is cathodic protection or sacrificial anodes, a steel tank would work fine. The tank might need different valve connections, but the tanks I’ve seen installed don’t appear to be different.

Yes. I owned a Propane Business at one time.

 

[Deleted member 47532]

More questions for the newbie country livin' guy.

We have a 1000 gallon propane tank I bought refurbished that will feed our new 24kw standby generator getting installed next week. We will, over time, convert a lot of our home appliances over from electric to propane. Currently whole house is electric and don't care for that. So, I see tanks of all sizes just sitting in yards with the tank's feet sitting on concrete blocks, paver stones or whatever flat hard surface the homeowner had laying around. Rarely see them actually bolted down to a concrete pad or whatnot. My original plan was to forum up two 12"W x 12H "x 4'L concrete "beam" with anchor bolts stubbed up to bolt the feet down. My thought is this will keep the tank off the dirt/grass and give it a bit more sturdy footing andkeeping it in place. With time and energy being so valuable at this time I'm looking to do something else. My next thought was to go buy two best condition railroad ties I could find. Cut them to about 5' long and drill two holes in each one to match the tank's feet down. Would be a one day project rather than take 5 times as long to do the concrete beams.

Do you all think this is a reliable way to keep the tank secure on the ground, etc? I would think the railroad ties would give me 10-15 years of serviceable life before they would need to be replaced. What do you think and what have you all done with your tanks?

If you have the money put in the ground, you will lose less to venting than if it is set above ground. At least with one that size plus that will take care of the mounting that you want.