Off Topic: Underground Propane Tanks

[SuiteSuccess]

Totally off topic, but need to pick the brains of some of you since the knowledge of this group covers lots of areas.  I live in the country and have a buried 1000 gallon propane tank that is not leaking but might be getting to the end of its service life since it was installed in 2000 and is now 24 years old.  I would assume it is anode protected with magnesium anode bags but cannot find any wire connecting points.  Trinity Industries manufactured the tank but sold off that division 10 years ago and can’t give me any guidance.  I cannot find anyone in my area that can test the bags or has a copper sulfate half-cell electrode equipment to rent.  I can buy the electrode and test myself which is option 2. (YouTube explains how pretty well).  So here are my options:  1.  Continue searching for pro service (unsuccessful after many calls). 2.  Buy the half cell electrode and test myself. ($100).  3.  Just buy new anode bags and attach (need two 17# bags at $350 a piece) 4.  Bite the bullet and replace the whole tank. (~$10,000 including installation).  
Conceivably these tanks are good for 25-30 years underground but don’t have any previous experience myself to base that on.  So any suggestions/ help from anyone with experience?

[spindrift]

What's your liability in the event of a tank failure?

[SuiteSuccess]

21 minutes ago, spindrift said:

What's your liability in the event of a tank failure?

Low based on location.  Most likely failure would be perceptible leak that should be easily detectable.  Low risk of explosion or fire.

[Darryl&Rita]

Got any pipelines in your area? They're all anode protected, and have access to companies that test/install/maintain anode beds and the underground services they protect.

[spindrift]

If you have plans to stay in the house, I would be inclined to change out the whole enchilada.  Of course, I always enjoy spending other people's money.

[lappir]

Is there a requirement that your tank be underground, or is it just your preference? 

A home I owned in Florida had an underground tank with underground piping to an old Hot Tub heater that had been removed before I purchased the property. Didn't think anything about it until on of the dogs we had at the time passed out on the enclosed lanai behind the  house. After an emergency Vet visit that couldn't find anything I decided to investigate the area where she was found. Got lucky and caught a faint whiff of the LP and found the cap the person who terminated the line with had a small hole rusted into it. If it wasn't for the dog I doubt I would have found the issue. 

In Iowa most of the tanks are above ground, but there still have been issues with a line developing a leak and going into the basement's of the home and it's found after the explosion. Thankfully they don't happen often, but I can remember  a few. 

I'm glad to not have to worry about a sticks and bricks and my propane tanks are all just 20#. I do spray the connection with each change and at least once a year spray all the connections I can see. One day I will remove the Gas cooktop and eliminate one of the connections that is really difficult to get to. 

Not an answer to your question, but I'd put in a well camouflaged above ground tank that had a solid line to the house with an entrance above ground well away from any potential ignitions sources. 

 

Rod

 

[Chalkie]

For what it is worth my in-laws bought a house in 1993 that was built in 1957. It still had the original propane tank installed and it was underground. They knew it was original as the owner/builder of the house stated it had never been replaced. They never performed any maintenance other than what the propane delivery folks did to the valves on the top.  

[Phil D]

I'd try an online search for "cathodic protection maintenance contractors near me", or some variation of that.  Even if all it brings up are companies that only work on larger projects, they may know of small outfits that do small jobs like yours.  Also, I'd think that your propane distributor should know of CP contractors that work in their service areas, as you're likely not their only customer with an underground tank.

[SuiteSuccess]

Unfortunately my HOA (I live in an acreage neighborhood in the country) requires buried tanks NO above ground.  I have called every propane distributor in my area and they know no one that does this inspection.  Most have not even heard of routine testing.  Called a couple of suppliers and installers of above and underground tanks and they likewise don’t know a service.  They said they just install a couple of anodes, hook them up and bury them.  Had no information on inspection intervals ( yeah, really gives you the warm and fuzzies).  I will try Phil and Darryl’s suggestion next. Exhausting that, I’m going to just buy the half cell, pull out the multimeter and test myself.  Interesting this group has better ideas than anyone of the so called “experts “.  Thanks for the input.  

[Darryl&Rita]

If you have a rural gas co-op, or any kind of natural gas piping in the area, they'll either have someone who installs and test their cathodic (and like donuts) or will have a contractor. The contractors will also like donuts.

[rickeieio]

Problem is.....Carl likes donuts too.  The crew would never see them.

[palmeris]

5. Don't worry about it unless it's leaking,  deal with it , if you're still the owner, then.

Our 500 gallon tank put under ground 2005. Filled and inspected annually. High pressure regulator replaced in 2022 due to leaking. 

 

How many more years do you plan on living there? Maybe the home gets an inheritance and you want it future proofed, otherwise I would say out of sight out of mind rather than worry. 

Just another perspective. 

[Darryl&Rita]

15 hours ago, rickeieio said:

Problem is.....Carl likes donuts too.  The crew would never see them.

You say that like it's a personal fault. There's a reason the local donut shop sells multiple size containers. The usually sell donut belly buttons, too, if you're watching your carb intake.

[rickeieio]

Well, Carl is "fiscally sensitive".  He watches his pennies.  So, he'd only buy 1/2 dozen donuts.  Of course he'd need to sample one in the interest of quality control.  Can't be giving the crew inferior donuts.  But, to get a statistically significant sampling, he'd better eat another to be sure that first one isn't a fluke.  While sitting at the traffic light, he'd accidently grab a third and have it half gone before realizing these are for someone else.  Arrive back at the job site to fine four guys on the job.  Dang, there's only three donuts left.  Now what?  Destroy the evidence.

[SuiteSuccess]

14 hours ago, rickeieio said:

Well, Carl is "fiscally sensitive".  He watches his pennies.  So, he'd only buy 1/2 dozen donuts.  Of course he'd need to sample one in the interest of quality control.  Can't be giving the crew inferior donuts.  But, to get a statistically significant sampling, he'd better eat another to be sure that first one isn't a fluke.  While sitting at the traffic light, he'd accidently grab a third and have it half gone before realizing these are for someone else.  Arrive back at the job site to fine four guys on the job.  Dang, there's only three donuts left.  Now what?  Destroy the evidence.

Wow, try to ask intelligent people a legitimate question and it comes to this?

[Darryl&Rita]

17 minutes ago, SuiteSuccess said:

Wow, try to ask intelligent people a legitimate question and it comes to this?

Haha! Look who he's calling intelligent.

[mike5511]

18 hours ago, rickeieio said:

Well, Carl is "fiscally sensitive".  He watches his pennies.  So, he'd only buy 1/2 dozen donuts.  Of course he'd need to sample one in the interest of quality control.  Can't be giving the crew inferior donuts.  But, to get a statistically significant sampling, he'd better eat another to be sure that first one isn't a fluke.  While sitting at the traffic light, he'd accidently grab a third and have it half gone before realizing these are for someone else.  Arrive back at the job site to fine four guys on the job.  Dang, there's only three donuts left.  Now what?  Destroy the evidence.

😂😂😂😂

[rickeieio]

5 hours ago, Darryl&Rita said:

Haha! Look who he's calling intelligent.

Well, Carl knows me pretty well, so I'm sure I'm not included in that "intelligent" group.

And Darryl, I think you know me well enough to also exclude me from that description.

You can call me anything except "late for supper".

[Phil D]

Another possibility, Carl, if you know someone that works for the local gas company (assuming that some of the neighborhoods nearby have natural gas service) or a pipeline, ask them if they know if any of their corrosion techs (every company with steel pipe in the ground either has them or contracts it out, and the more pipe they have in the ground, the more likely it is that they have their own techs) might work on the side to check your tank's cathodic protection.  If you happen to live anywhere near the Texas Eastern or East Tennessee Natural Gas (Enbridge) or Tennessee Gas (Kinder Morgan) pipeline systems, they will definitely have their own corrosion techs working in the area.

[SuiteSuccess]

On 9/30/2024 at 4:39 PM, Phil D said:

Another possibility, Carl, if you know someone that works for the local gas company (assuming that some of the neighborhoods nearby have natural gas service) or a pipeline, ask them if they know if any of their corrosion techs (every company with steel pipe in the ground either has them or contracts it out, and the more pipe they have in the ground, the more likely it is that they have their own techs) might work on the side to check your tank's cathodic protection.  If you happen to live anywhere near the Texas Eastern or East Tennessee Natural Gas (Enbridge) or Tennessee Gas (Kinder Morgan) pipeline systems, they will definitely have their own corrosion techs working in the area.

Thank you.

[ddm502001]

Owned on on first real Stick Built home we owned, converted to Nat Gas and no longer needed, Gas company came out, filled with water and purged all remaining gas, walked away.  Is NO Cathodic Protection, coating on tank is all it has ever been.  No Anodes, no induced charge to tank, NADA ZILCH.  At the power station ALL piping and metal systems in full burial had Anodic or Cathodic protection systems.