How do you fill LP tractors?

[ssgshelton]

After looking at a couple of 720 LP John Deeres that would strike
up a good conversation here in western North Carolina, my
questions is how do you fill them? I really don't mean what pipe
hooks up where but do you guys fill them off of 25lbs tanks or
larger tanks. Do you call the gas truck to come fill them up or do
you use a larger storage tank? I have a 300 gallon propane fuel
tank I use to heat my house. Can I tap into this to fill up an LP
tractor? It would seem like a PITA to call the truck to fill up the
tractor every time that is even if they would come out and do it?
Just trying to look into different options.
Thanks
Joel

 

[DEEREMEYER1]

You can fill it right out of your home LP tank. You just need a hose with the right fittings and your LP dealer should be able to help you with that. Hook up the hose, open the vent on the tractor tank and open the valves and it will start filling. When the vent starts spitting a little liquid, it's full and you close the vent valve and shut off the tank valve and unhook the hose. Piece of cake. Many guys have heard horror stories about LP tractors and think they're junk, but as the ignition system and cranking system are in good shape (a Pertronix electronic conversion really helps starting, throttle response and fuel efficiency), they run well. And you'll go a long time between oil changes. I'd recommend a giving the whole LP system a good once-over to check for leaks and you always want to shut your valves off when parking the tractor, but other than that, the old "bubble burners" are good units.

 

[CLW]

Deeremeyer1 is right on. If you plan on using the tractor to farm with where you would use a lot of fuel it may be best to get a separate tank. When I was a kid I worked for a fellow that had a new 60, a converted B and 8N. He put a tank in a two wheel trailer and we pulled it to whichever of the 3 farms he owned. When it needed filling we stopped by the LP dealer.

 

[Lee B]

Your Propane dealer needs to install what is called a 'wet leg' onto your house tank. That will tap into the liquid propane from the bottom of the tank and that can be fed into the tank on your tractor or the smaller 20 gallon bottles if you want to use them to shuttle the fuel to the tractor. The 5 gallon bottles are best left on the grill as you won't get much done with them.

The basic idea is the same no matter what, let the vapor out while the liquid is pushed in by the ambient pressure of the propane. You could buy an expensive pump and push it in with that pressure alone, but no one seems to do that except propane dealers.

Only real glitch is that unless you already have a wet leg valve on the house tank, sometimes you'll have to run the house tank empty in order to install one. And that might cause one to 'need' an inspection of your propane plumbing under the house before the dealer can restore pressure to the system - rules and regulations are like that here. Maybe you have well meaning idiots in your state legislature too?

Talk to your propane dealer, he might have a way to pump out your vapor and put it in another temporary tank for the hour or two that it would take to install a wet leg. And then put it all back in of course. You get charged a handling fee and the cost of the wet leg valve and hose. Since it's such a hassle to do this, a lot if not most modern house tanks already come with a wet leg valve installed, all you need to do then is attach the hose and get busy.

 

[Tx Jim]

(quoted from post at 23:48:42 08/29/12) Deeremeyer1 is right on. He put a tank in a two wheel trailer and we pulled it to whichever of the 3 farms he owned. When it needed filling we stopped by the LP dealer.

I agree with what Deeremeyer1 stated. I think LPG tanks with fuel in them on wheels are illegal on Tx highways today.

 

[sideconsole4020guy]

I have been filling lp tractors since i was 8 it is safe as long as people use there brains a little more than the average person, we have a 730 JD LP, a MH 444 LP and my dad and grandpa run there Ford pickups with a 460 and 390 off of LP, I opened up the 444 in HS ag class and it was so clean on the inside, the LP starts so good in the winter too but that would not apply in NC

 

[Dan in North Houston]

I recently got a 630 LP as my first LP tractor. I had my LP dealer install a wet line so I am good to go. However, I also got a hose that hooks to the small 20# BBQ tanks so I would have that as a back up. I tried using it but could only get the tractor to pop once or twice, never could get it to run on the BBQ tank. I believe that the new tanks have an internal regulator that won't open wide enough to provide enough fuel for a tractor. Has anyone else had this problem?

 

[Mike M]

I have filled them from the old type 20lb. bottles and no reason the 100 lb. won't work. You would just need a way to hoist it up higher then the tractor. Hook a proper rated hose between the two hoist it up upside down and then the liquid will come out when you open the valve. You will likely at some point have to open the bleeder on the tractor to get it all in.
Not something you would want to do all the time,but it will get some in them. Fine if just a play toy. Also if you don't use it much when you have the house filled park the tractor there and they can fill it at the same time. This may avoid some kinda minimum fill fees.

 

[Hugh McKinney]

Yes, I have had that problem with my JD 70 Lp. The solution turned out to be, I found an old-style, reverse-thread coupling that enables me to screw the coupling into the female connection on BBQ-type propane cylinders, and thus avoid the flow restriction that the modern couplings have. Plus, I ended up drilling the orifice (on the coupling) out to about 1/32 inch, gives more power under high loads. These couplings are available at welding supply stores, as they are used on acetylene tanks.

 

[Dan in North Houston]

So you are saying that the problem is in the coupling, not in the new style tank? I couldn't even get enough gas out to idle my 630.

 

[Hugh McKinney]

Yes, after I wrote and submitted that, I realized that I hadn't clarified the answer to your question. The problem is very definitely in the coupling, not the tank. I have a leak in my factory JD 70 tank, and so I only use the kind that you exchange at the hardware store for about 20 bucks. It'll pull all 47 horsepower on a five gallon BBQ tank--for a limited time! I have it chained to the left side, with a pressure gauge letting me know when I'm about empty. By the way, are you running the factory-type Century regulator? If so, have you had to rebuild it? I'm about to tackle the job and need to find a kit. Thanks.

 

[Dan in North Houston]

The tractor needs some new rear axle seals, so I have not run it enough to know what other problems I may have.
You do know that there is a special service manual for the LP system on the 2-cylinder tractors? SM-2015 (62 pages) covers the topic in detail.

 

[Ben.So.Tex.]

I have 250 gal tank, witha 16 ft hose. Just drive tractor to tank and hook up hose and fill her up. you will need a bleeder valve to bleed of the vapor. when you start to see vapor shut it off and tractor is full. 3 720LP's 1 730 lps Good tractors. good luck.

 

[buickanddeere]

ssssssssSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS............Bllammmoooo

 

[CLW]

(quoted from post at 06:46:03 08/30/12)

(quoted from post at 23:48:42 08/29/12) Deeremeyer1 is right on. He put a tank in a two wheel trailer and we pulled it to whichever of the 3 farms he owned. When it needed filling we stopped by the LP dealer.

I agree with what Deeremeyer1 stated. I think LPG tanks with fuel in them on wheels are illegal on Tx highways today.

You could be right. This was in the late 50's. But if someone has two or three farms say 6-10 miles apart how do they fuel them?

 

[Walt in Jaxn Tn.]

Our local propane dealer did the wet leg hose for free, in North Central Missouri back in 1970

 

[pnellis]

Yes, after I wrote and submitted that, I realized that I hadn't clarified the answer to your question. The problem is very definitely in the coupling, not the tank. I have a leak in my factory JD 70 tank, and so I only use the kind that you exchange at the hardware store for about 20 bucks. It'll pull all 47 horsepower on a five gallon BBQ tank--for a limited time! I have it chained to the left side, with a pressure gauge letting me know when I'm about empty. By the way, are you running the factory-type Century regulator? If so, have you had to rebuild it? I'm about to tackle the job and need to find a kit. Thanks.

Could you submit photos of your setup please

 

[MJMJ]

Could you submit photos of your setup please

This is a 12 year old thread and you asked a question to someone that hasn’t been here in 7 years.

 

[Tom in Mo.]

Completely agree with MJMJ above and that being said it was easy for me to snap a picture of my tank and set up. Note that where the hose attaches to the nurse tank, it is a wet leg which is a pipe that extends down low into the tank in order to draw liquid propane.

 

[buickanddeere]

You can fill it right out of your home LP tank. You just need a hose with the right fittings and your LP dealer should be able to help you with that. Hook up the hose, open the vent on the tractor tank and open the valves and it will start filling. When the vent starts spitting a little liquid, it's full and you close the vent valve and shut off the tank valve and unhook the hose. Piece of cake. Many guys have heard horror stories about LP tractors and think they're junk, but as the ignition system and cranking system are in good shape (a Pertronix electronic conversion really helps starting, throttle response and fuel efficiency), they run well. And you'll go a long time between oil changes. I'd recommend a giving the whole LP system a good once-over to check for leaks and you always want to shut your valves off when parking the tractor, but other than that, the old "bubble burners" are good units.

How much fuel is wasted by blowing vapour to fill the tank ?