# Propane tanks and lightning...



## Arravis (Feb 6, 2008)

For most of my life I've been city dweller, but that has changed recently. Now I'm a domesticated home owner out in the "country", and of course with that comes something I've never had before... a gas-grill. I treat it very carefully since, to be honest, I find it more than a bit intimidating. I've followed all the safety instructions on it, well... almost. It recommends that you put it on concrete, but it also recommends that you store 20' away from your house. Well, since I don't have concrete 20' away, it has to sit four feet away from my back door.

So, during last night's lightning and wind show in northern Alabama, I had a thought that worried me. What would happen if lightning hit the tank?

Anyway, I wanted to see if this was a known problem or if anyone has heard of something like that happening? Am I just being paranoid or is it a legitimate worry? Thanks for any info guys!


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## thompgc (Feb 6, 2008)

If it is 4 feet away from your house then odds are that the lightning would hit your house not the grill (as your house would be taller).

Depending on where the tank is on the grill (mine is underneath) even if the grill is hit the tank may not be effected.  (The electricity is trying to go to ground)

Unless your tank is leaking or the lightning hit punctures the tank there isn't any propane to explode.  

Recent mythbusters had them shooting a large propane tank.
The 9mm didn't penetrate the tank.  The larger guns (rifle, shotgun w/slug) did but didn't ignite it.  Even tracer fire didn't ignite it.  Incindary rounds from a mounted machine gun did blow it up (as did some explosives)


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## Arravis (Feb 6, 2008)

The tank is alone, free standing. My grill is a smaller portable one that I keep in the garage, the tank is the standard 20 lbs one. I'd keep the tank in the garage, but the instructions specifically state not to store indoors.


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## Pbartender (Feb 6, 2008)

Remember, generally the recommended 20' distance is not because of any danger the propane tank itself poses, the rather it is due to the danger posed by large potential flames shooting out of the top of the grill while you cook.

Grease, drippings and sauces falling down from your meat into the grill can cause surprising large flare-ups, which could cause a potential fire hazard anything flammable (such as houses, garages and trees) nearby.

These sorts of flare-ups aren't normally large enough or long-lived enough to actually set something else on fire, if reasonable about what and how you cook on your grill.  Mostly, the warning is CYA measure by the grill company against lawsuits from idiots who set their own houses on fire with a gas grill.


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## Varianor Abroad (Feb 7, 2008)

Pbartender said:
			
		

> These sorts of flare-ups aren't normally large enough or long-lived enough to actually set something else on fire, if reasonable about what and how you cook on your grill.  Mostly, the warning is CYA measure by the grill company against lawsuits from idiots who set their own houses on fire with a gas grill.




Correct. I store my grill inside my garage. I do take it outside to light it however, and make sure to turn off _everything _ before it goes away.


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## Jesus_marley (Feb 9, 2008)

The main reasons for the warning about storage of propane tanks indoors are AFAIR:

1) Propane gas is heavier than air. in the event of a leak, the propane will accumulate along the lower areas of an enclosed space, causing possible asphyxiation a lot faster than a lighter than air gas even without an ignition source.

2) SEVERE FIRE HAZARD!

3) Did I mention SEVERE FIRE HAZARD!


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