For years, I've kept my propane bottles and torch in a drawer under my workbench.

Today, I was doing a little silver solder work... finished, put the torch and bottle away, then realized I needed to solder one more item. Pulled out the bottle... and heard a wee little "hisssss". It was leaking at the schraeder valve. And oddly, it wasn't making much smell.

I shudder to think what would have happened if I had left the bottle there... my workbench is about three feet from the water heater and furnace.

It's now out on the front porch where it will stay until it starts to behave better.

I have noticed this too,now lately I leave the torch connected.Maybe spray with some soapy water to check for leaks?

From Benzomatic's site:

"Store fuel cylinders away from living spaces..."


Not a good idea to store them with the torch head attached... the schraeder valve is propped open, and your only seal is the valve in the torch head.
Maybe a good gasketed cap installed on the bottle would let me sleep better... not even sure if anyone makes one?

.

Caps: yep, they do.




http://www.cabelas.com/heaters-acces...Fa5DMgodLkMA-w

I always store mine with the torch removed. That way if the C3 bottle falls, at least there is no long appendage to break off and leak.

I have both propane and mapp gas cylinders under my bench, and have never had any leaking problems.

Put the torch on the bottle and remove it again, then check with some soapy water, a speck of material from inside the bottle.

Nick

NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER!
In the house!!! I could care less if my garage burnt down but not where I sleep.
The only thing I would use a torch in the house for is sweating pipes, otherwise the torch is stored out in the garage.... It's all insured and can be replaced. My life cannot.
My two cents!
Bob

When I removed the torch head, I had one start discharging gas in a big white cloud once. Fortunately I was outside, but I had a charcoal grill burning at the time. The cloud passed just under the grill and I threw the bottle into the woods. This also happened to a friend in his basement. He threw his out through the window. As a result I do all my plumbing with compression fittings and pipe threads.

Show the leaker to the air lock and JETTISON!!

My propane and MAPP are in the garage, which is also my workshop. The oxy-acetylene rig is in the shed.

A few years ago I was working in a remote community on the west coast of the island and the power had been out for a few hours. Fellow had placed his propane tank with light on the electric range, gone off to visit another family - power came on, range element heated up - I wasn't far from the house when it literally blew up - was a write off - no fire but explosion blew the gutters off, blew out the windows - luckily no one was injured. Keep mine out in the garage as well!

I'll be right back....I need to move something :-)

OK, got that taken care of. Something I never thought of before I got a warning note, don't place any magnifier/magnifying glass near a window. Magnifier +sunshine. = FIRE. The 3rd hand I have came with a warning of this possibility.

After I soaked my cell phone in the pond last summer, I spent the evening
going through OLD cell phones looking for something to use till wet cell phone dried out.
What I found was two cell phones with batteries all puffed up from being neglected over the years.

Removed both batteries and later disposed of them.