How far is far enough?

farmerwithmutt · Aug 8, 2014

Noticed neighbor working on large maybe 500 lp tank he is using a torch and if that is not enough he is also using a sledge hammer calves already left they went through a hot wire .i thinking thats not a bad idea im not sure how far to go till its safe

jeremy in NE · Aug 8, 2014

Firefighter instructor told us to use the thumb rule. Hold your thumb up and if you can see any part of the tank you are too close

dgasper · Aug 8, 2014

The calves have more common sense than the torch guy.

Alan K · Aug 8, 2014

Cattle around the tank wouldn't be good.....or there would be a BIG "Cow"boom....

Wile E · Aug 8, 2014

Hurry up and go get a life insurance policy on the guy.

FBH44 · Aug 8, 2014

Aw shoot, that"s nothing. Last tornado went by our place [ true story] missed us by 100 feet, destroyed next subdivision, I went over to help, neighbor had his pick-up sitting on top of his propane tank, nothing I could do, just walked up to and shut off the gas. Walked away pretty fast.

Bob · Aug 8, 2014

WHAT could go wrong with a propane tank that would incite a BLEM to attack it with a sledgehammer and a torch?

BIZARRE!!!!!

Anonymous-0 · Aug 9, 2014

If the tank was drained and all the fittings were out, there shouldn't be any propane left. Anything left would evaporate but it's still a good idea to steam it out or at least flush it out with water. Do you know if he did any of these things first?

jennifer408 · Aug 9, 2014

there has to be a safe way to do it, and apparently he knows how, otherwise a bunch of old tanks would go to waste. dennis would fill them with water to cut on them till he found out that as long as they are aired out good, you could cut on them. utube is your friend.

Ian Beale · Aug 9, 2014

From an instructor on a radiation course

"Live by the D-squared rule - the bigger the D the bigger the safety factor"

Ron in Can · Aug 9, 2014

I took a fire fighter course a few years back and they told us a small tank 3ft across and about 8 ft long had a revac radius of about a mile

Owen Aaland · Aug 9, 2014

Actually as long as there is only propane in the tank there is no danger of an explosion in the tank. If you were cut into the tank there would be no explosion but you would have a big torch as soon as the fuel started to escape through the first hole.

A tank is in danger of exploding only when they are heated to the point where the relief valve cannot allow enough fuel to vent to control the internal pressure. When that happens the tank can rupture ( BLEVE - Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion) due to internal hydraulic pressure. As soon as the rupture occurs the liquid in the tank that has been under extreme pressure instantly vaporizes creating the huge fireball.

How far is far enough?

farmerwithmutt

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jeremy in NE

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dgasper

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Alan K

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Wile E

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FBH44

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Bob

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Anonymous-0

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jennifer408

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Ian Beale

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Ron in Can

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Owen Aaland

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