Bottles slowly leak

[SMEGMA STENCH]

Hi all probly a dumb question but will propane containers slowly leak over time? Got a guy at my work who seems convinced that even if they are sealed well, that eventually over the course of years, they will eventually leak. Is this true? If so is it also true with other compressed gas like for cutting torches and stuff? Even painball gun refill tanks? Helium balloon tanks? Do all tanks leak one day?

[JC316]

The dive shop where I get my scuba gear has a scuba tank from the 40's there, still with 40's air inside. I have two tanks for my cutting torches and they don't leak.

[Cooter]

Guy over at your work is a dumb ass or a limp wristed woman who can't close a valve

[ceyko]

I had a tank hooked up to my grill for 2 years and saw no evidence of it leaking. It was never used and the goofy little gauge on it never budged.

[JimD]

Mine don't leak, but valves are off unless being used.

[SMEGMA STENCH]

Hmm maybe different gasses will behave differently in this manner. Maybe a gas with smaller molecules will leak out easier.

[Magnimike1]

Also depends if it is exposed to heat and has a purge valve

[slow84lx]

If you leave the bottle hooked up to your grill and the valve open, yes, you will probably have a leak. If you close the bottle valve when it is not in use it will not leak.

[ceyko]

If you leave the bottle hooked up to your grill and the valve open, yes, you will probably have a leak. If you close the bottle valve when it is not in use it will not leak.

heh, that's where it gets to be a little tricky to say for sure. At least for me.

My tank on the grill - has one of those 10-20 dollar gauges, but it's not like that is a precision piece of equipment.

I have 4-5 other tanks, they seemed fine but no gauge to know for sure.

[Roger]

I've had one of the small propane bottles develop a slow leak before. It was a cheap off brand camping bottle but the same could be true of the small propane torch bottles since they use the same fitting and valve. I don't know if it was a valve failure or maybe a little trash got in the valve and kept it from closing properly.
I've used dozens of those small propane bottles for torches, camping gear, and portable grills and have only had that happen once. So I wouldn't say it's normal but it is possible.

[SMEGMA STENCH]

All right well what about those big propane bottles that some people use for hot water and such. Its like a 6 foot long silver propane container outside the house .

If you filled one up, and just let it sit there for say 50 years, it wouldn't slowly leak? Kind of like how car air conditioners can have nothing really wrong with them, but eventually, on a long enough timeline, they slowly leak out their fluid. Then you fill it back up and it doesn't all just leak out. Takes years to do it again,.

[03shadow4v]

i can count to potato

[ceyko]

All right well what about those big propane bottles that some people use for hot water and such. Its like a 6 foot long silver propane container outside the house .

If you filled one up, and just let it sit there for say 50 years, it wouldn't slowly leak? Kind of like how car air conditioners can have nothing really wrong with them, but eventually, on a long enough timeline, they slowly leak out their fluid. Then you fill it back up and it doesn't all just leak out. Takes years to do it again,.

50 years, I'm sure once it rusted out.