Smell

[HD08Rocker]

Just got some old propane tanks and took the valves out.To turn into storage. And boy does that ethyl mercaptan stink! How do I get rid of the smell????????????????????????

 

[muncybob]

Try a search on this, I recall seeing several threads that will help you.

 

[maple1]

How soon are you installing?

Mine sat out in my yard for a couple of months, open on bottom & top, with a funnel in the top hole on a vacuum hose that I kept pointed into the prevailing winds.

If you're installing right away, I'd just install. The system will be sealed anyway. You will get a pretty bad stink if you bleed air off afterwards, but if you hook a hose up to an air bleed point (ball valve up high?), you can hose the stink out through a window. I think the air will stink anyway, mercaptan or not.

 

[stee6043]

I'd personally want to clean those tanks. I don't think it's just an odor. Can you see any sludge or junk in the bottom?

There are some recipes on this site that will help. Cleaning tanks can be quite a process from what I've read...

 

[genedarrell]

I did the same thing. I cut wound up needing to shorten mine so when I had it cut apart, I took to the car wash and washed out with the degreaser. Then I welded it up. I did notice a little smell when I drained after first test run.

 

[maple1]

I'd personally want to clean those tanks. I don't think it's just an odor. Can you see any sludge or junk in the bottom?

There are some recipes on this site that will help. Cleaning tanks can be quite a process from what I've read...

Yes, definitely clean if there is stuff or dirt in them - I was just speaking on smell. I did hose mine out with a pressure washer too, but I don't think I had to. Not much dirt came out and I didn't see anything in them with a light before I pressure washed, but did it anyway. Get a light in there & look. I had a skinny flourescent I could just squeeze in. If it's only the smell and you're installing right away, I wouldn't let just the smell hold me back from installing. If you see sludge or dirt on the bottom, you should be able to get most of that with a pressure washer.

 

[BoilerMan]

Didn't someone on here use Oxyclean? I remember a discussion on this and someone smarter than me had the chemicals that Oxyclean will attach to and flow out with the rince water.
TSP would work to get the grease/sludge (if any) out but the Oxyclean gets the mercaptan out if I recall.

TS

 

[JP11]

I used simple green.

they still stunk.

fill em with water.. after you clean em. that'll stop it.

 

[lotawood]

I used tide and oxyclean for a 500 gallon tank. I didn't use a very strong dose, but I left it in for a day. It worked pretty well. After a few rinses it had a minor amount of smell. After that I used two quarts of ammonia and let it sit half a day. After more rinsing it was about as good as it was going to get.

I had to get right at the tank opening to smell mercaptain. It was even better when the tank inside dried.

I was trying to prevent the welder that was going to weld the weld-o-lets from saying I aint working on that bomb.

 

[maple1]

I still say just worry about the crud & not the smell.

When I first brought my tanks home they stunk. I thought I'd get a little fun out of things first off with some flame on a long stick - that was a disappointment.

 

[sixroses]

TSP in tank 5 pounds for 500 gallons. Bring to temp, circulate for a few days, drain, no smell...