The Difference
is DiSanto

Technology
A Look at the Technology of Propane Cylinder Exchange

NEW "OPD" VALVE MANDATED FOR ALL SMALL PROPANE CYLINDERS
OPD Valves Required on all Cylinders 4# - 40# by April, 2002

Now required by National Fire and Safety Standards, all new propane cylinders (sizes 4 lbs. to 40 lbs.) manufactured after October 1, 1998 are fitted with an Overflow Prevention Device. This new requirement most notably impacts users of Propane Gas Grills, which account for over 60 million grill tanks in use today.

Overflow Prevention Device fitted valves are the result of extensive research into improving gas safety for you and your propane gas tanks. The new OPD valves prevent overfilling of propane cylinders, making filling and using propane cylinders safer than ever before. They are also compatible with your current gas appliances so it is easy to upgrade.

Older style valves were more susceptible to overfilling which leaves no room for the liquid propane to expand. As a result gas may escape, creating a potentially hazardous situation. OPD valves solve this problem by using a special float (shown at right) which rises during refilling to block the filling process when the tank is filled to the proper level.

How It Works

1. Liquid propane (dark blue in illustration at right) fills the cylinder through the OPD valve.

2. At a safe level, the float cam (yellow) triggers the pin (orange) to fall into the recess of the cam, sealing this path off and preventing any more liquid propane from entering the cylinder.

3. The propane builds up pressure in the chamber (center spring) and pushes the piston arm up to form a seal, effectively stopping the filling process.

4. Using propane from the cylinder resets the OPD for the next fill.
 

 

It's Easy to Identify the New OPD Valve

The new OPD valve is distinctive in several ways, both by it's markings, and it's shape:

What About Your Existing Cylinders?

An OPD type valve must be installed on your old cylinder. If your cylinder is inspected for requalification before April 1, 2002, an OPD-equipped valve will be installed at that time (All DOT cylinders require periodic requalification to ensure that they are safe for continued use). Even if your cylinder is not inspected for requalification before April 1, 2002, it must still have an OPD-equipped valve installed on it by that date.
 

What happens if I don't have an OPD installed on my cylinder?

As of April 1, 2002, cylinders without OPDs cannot be refilled, by law.
 

At Jet Gas, we are continuously evaluating the latest changes in the Exchange Cylinder Program, both in terms of physical hardware as well as the latest in federal and state regulations.

As you can see, new grills have mandated new valves and Jet Gas provides these couplings at no incremental cost as long as an OPD tank is exchanged "in kind" for an OPD tank.

Jet Gas will manage this transition from the older type of couplings, known as "POL" couplings and "QCC" couplings, since this upgrade will obviously occur over many months and years, as older cylinders are retired from use. We will stock your cabinet with an appropriately changing mix as your OPD demand increases.


What's The Difference?

Here is what the older "POL" and "QCC" couplings and fittings look like: 

The older POL-style valve is shown on the left, while the QCC-style valve is shown at right.