leaky recovery tank valves in freezer

Sunfire · Jan 22, 2015

I have two friends that told me after a few months in the freezer the twist valves on their tanks started to leak.

Anyone else experience this?

I have seen some designs where the top of the tank and valves are sticking out the top of the freezer lid. I just modified my 100# tank to fit completely in the freezer too damn it!

One them is trying this goo that a professional sold him that might fix the problem. I forget what it's called but it's only 5 bucks and he's going to let me know once he tries it and I'll report back.

I've always been sketch on the white Teflon tape on recovery tanks too. When is manchester going to make tanks specifically for this industry? Anyone one have any leads on anything like that?

A6 Grower · Jan 22, 2015

Ya these valves/seals dont like the extreme cold(below 0F) and will leak eventually. Not leak while closed or fully open but just when your unscrewing them. Ive had a tank that did this and till i could get a new one i just would warm up the valve assembly before i opened it. A better method is to just have your tank sitting in the room, maybe in ice water and have a prechiller to get you liquid coming out of the tank down to -30 or so with ISO/DI and have an after cooler after your recovery pumps so the butane going back into the tank is as cool as you can get it. Im a few parts away from this setup my self.

Sunfire · Jan 23, 2015

Shitty thing for me is I live an hour away from di. I don't want to step up to ordering pallets of it either.

One friend said valve leaked open or closed, the other said it only leaked when open and they both said they tried opening all the way but that didn't help either of them.

My after coolers are in the freezer too. I silicone sealed all the seems inside the freezer incase of a leak the condensor won't ignite it. One of my friends said they tried to take off the valve stem to replace it but wasn't happening even with an 8 foot extension bar on his wrench.

GratefulOne · Jan 23, 2015

A pool of butane vapor rolling out of a freezer when the door is opened is a perfect set up for some really scary air/fuel ratios.

Sunfire · Jan 23, 2015

Yes, which is why I'm looking into a gas detector and will be performing regular leak check on all connections

vividavis · Jan 23, 2015

I just picked up this one

Sunfire · Jan 23, 2015

I was given a link in the leaky recovery valve thread by roji, it's 25 bucks on amazon and he says it's really sensitive to butane but not sure on propane.

Didn't see anything in the description that it will detect either so what are your experiences with this one plz?

GratefulOne · Jan 23, 2015

How will you know if the tank was leaking all night? The leak detector won't pick up butane in a sealed freezer until the door is open.

vividavis · Jan 23, 2015

Sunfire said:
I was given a link in the leaky recovery valve thread by roji, it's 25 bucks on amazon and he says it's really sensitive to butane but not sure on propane.

Didn't see anything in the description that it will detect either so what are your experiences with this one plz?

I haven't received it in the mail yet. Ill let you know how it works. I almost went with the one Roji got but I wanted to try this one for some reason. IDK maybe I should have saved the 10 bucks.

HL45 · Jan 23, 2015

The only CLS explosion I have heard of was from a leaky tank in a freezer...its not worth the risk. Please consider your safety and the reputation of CLS operators...

Make a cooler with a s.s. wort chiller, compression fittings and ball valves. Put it in a 5 gallon bucket pull a vac on it close the ball valves and fill it up with water. Freezer the cooler solid and then take it out and hook it up inline before your injection t/flood valve. You can make several of these so you always have one ready to go.. Please take your tank out of the freezer..

Gray Wolf · Jan 23, 2015

HL45 said:
The only CLS explosion I have heard of was from a leaky tank in a freezer...its not worth the risk. Please consider your safety and the reputation of CLS operators...

Make a cooler with a s.s. wort chiller, compression fittings and ball valves. Put it in a 5 gallon bucket pull a vac on it close the ball valves and fill it up with water. Freezer the cooler solid and then take it out and hook it up inline before your injection t/flood valve. You can make several of these so you always have one ready to go.. Please take your tank out of the freezer..

I share this sentiment. Shit happens and valves sometimes leak.

I saw a slick setup where two chest freezers were filled with water and the water was circulated through a barrel with the butane tank in it. No liner was even needed for the chest freezers.

HL45 · Jan 23, 2015

http://q13fox.com/2014/01/07/police-loud-blast-rocked-vacant-building-off-foundation/#ixzz2poZwP062

HL45 · Jan 23, 2015

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showpost.php?p=6136264&postcount=137

You can order ss wort chillers online.

gholladay · Jan 23, 2015

I bought this one and it worked well. Good battery life and simple function. Very sensitive

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001TOLFUA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

GH

Roji · Jan 23, 2015

Can confirm with my sniffer. Newer tanks in the freezer were leaking at the valve and there was detectable butane in the bottom of the freezer. Looks like my freezers are going outside for good.

Dab Strudel · Jan 23, 2015

I had a 50# with leaky valves. I investigated it and found that when I didnt completely open the valves (snugly stuck from closing, if that makes sense) it would have a slow leak. I stopped using it and am going to change my valves and not freeze my tanks anymore. Moving on to a precooler

Pure777Extracts · Jan 23, 2015

Has anyone one tried replacing the valves like ironfist suggest? He uses ball valves and a dip tube but I cant remember exactly how, but its on his instagram.

Gray Wolf · Jan 23, 2015

adeptextracts said:
Has anyone one tried replacing the valves like ironfist suggest? He uses ball valves and a dip tube but I cant remember exactly how, but its on his instagram.

It may depend on the tank.

I tried to take one of the tank plugs out to install a pressure transducer, but couldn't budge it without heat (hot wrench), because of the type of sealant they use.

I took it into RSD refrigeration supply to have it done for me, and they said they send them out.

GratefulOne · Jan 23, 2015

Getting factory sealed plugs out of tanks (various uses) was always something I found extremely difficult. With one 80 gallon tank we could never get the plug out even with heat and a giant impact wrench. We turned that one into a smoker. Was really nice to have a pork shoulder smoking out back at work after that.

We never had huge issues with valves, just plugs.

Sunfire · Jan 23, 2015

Well my freezer IS outside and I silicone all the seems so a leak couldn't access the compressor.

I planned on just hanging the wire for the detector inside the freezer with the lid closed and check it before opening, if there was a leak, I planned on turning off freezer before venting

I got my chillers from new York brewery, a chiller just in ice water on the injection line won't help much to get the liquid temps down since the ice water won't be below freezing, I mean, it could help I imagine.

So I have seen set ups with very small chest freezers where the top of the tank sticks out the lid. The freezer is only for the tank and you pretty much never open the lid after you cut a hole in it and seal it. Has anyone done this at all or seen it done?

leaky recovery tank valves in freezer

Active member

Member

Active member

Member

Active member

Member

Active member

Member

Member

Well-known member

A Posse ad Esse. From Possibility to realization.

Well-known member

Well-known member

Member

Active member

Active member

Member

A Posse ad Esse. From Possibility to realization.

Member

Active member