1st stage locked on tank valve (dumbest thing I've done in a while)

MODS: This probably belongs in equipment, but I need help fast, so I'm shooting for a thread with high traffic. Please move as you see fit.

I can NOT believe I just did this:

I was getting ready to take my pony over to the lds to get filled and decided to check the pressure. My reg/spg is hanging in the garage drying from last night, so I grabbed a spare first stage with a button spg on it and turned the valve. 500psi...cool...just what i expected, and closed the valve.

at this moment I reach for the 2nd to purge....and....yup...it's my spare 1st. So, there's just several allen wrench slots staring back at me.....locked up tighter than a drum.

What on earth should I do? I assume even the LP plugs will become tiny rockets . I've honestly never tried to just unscrew the 1st from a valve prior to purging. Not sure if I would even be able to.

The valve is OFF. Pressure is holding. I need someone to say, "I have fixed this problem by doing _______ and it did not kill myself nor others".

I'm sure I could just wait it out and eventually it would purge (brand new o-ring and virtually brandnew 1st), but I really need to get this thing filled tonight....or I'll have to just rent one.

(yup...feel free to laugh at me on this one...I deserve it)

DIN or yoke?


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CAREFULLY unscrew one of the LP plugs. Point it away from you!. Once the O ring in the plug stops sealing it should lose pressure.

if you can't loosen the plugs (get a bigger cheater on the plugs), try the SPG hose at the first stage....

but only a little bit.....

it's yoke.

Bob,
There's no hose on the spg. It's a button style ON the first stage.

So, it's sounding like if I break the seal on a LP plug, I should get a very brief (albeit large) release. I'm leaning towards this plan. Also, it's a bit south of 500psi....better that 3000.

Any other suggestions / warnings before I attempt this?

The pressure behind the LP plugs should be around 140psi.

Question: All I remember about unhooking a pressurized 1st stage is that it's loud as hell and usually damages the tank O-ring. Am I missing something? Why not put on some eye and ear protection, unscrew the first stage and just replace the blown O-ring?

just back out one of the LP plugs a small bit (from your first post, I thought the plugs were frozen). It will pi** down. Check the o-ring on the plug afterwards.

Sorry, bud! You're not the first, and won't be the last.

First, are you in a really big hurry? After a couple of days, the pressure will probably bleed off.

However, to release what is there . . . back off one of the plugs, being careful not to bend or break your tool.

As the plug backs out (and the o-ring on the plug backs out), the o-ring will suddenly blow. Pieces of o-ring could fly, so be aware. Maybe wrap a towel around the tool? Once the o-ring goes, just let it bleed off pressure. Do not back the plug too fast or it could become a bullet.

If the one you try is too tight, try another. Hopefully Godzilla did not put your plugs in. Good luck!

raoulsttexas:

it's yoke.

Bob,
There's no hose on the spg. It's a button style ON the first stage.

So, it's sounding like if I break the seal on a LP plug, I should get a very brief (albeit large) release. I'm leaning towards this plan. Also, it's a bit south of 500psi....better that 3000.

Any other suggestions / warnings before I attempt this?

Click to expand...

Ha! wow...that was anticlimactic.

I won't embarrass myself further by disclosing all the precautions I took...but mouse fart pretty much described the results.

Thanks for all the help.

Off to the LDS. Can we all just pretend that none of this ever happened?