Deri,

The issue with the meth is that the "labs" are filling the tanks with
ANAM stolen from large fertilizer tanks at farms and agricultural supply
centers.  Meth, BTW, is generally manufactured in rural areas--not in
small part due to the noxious and rather volatile fumes produced in the
process.  The ammonia is combined with lithium (from batteries) to make
some sort of metallic sodium (I'm not really sure how the chemistry
works).  The problem is particularly bad here in the Midwest and in the
southern states--buying pseudoephidrine or ephedrine OTC at a pharmacy
(chemist) around here is difficult, if not darn near impossible. 

Anyway, the jamokes that cook this stuff up are filling those tanks to a
far greater pressure than the valves were meant to withstand.  The steel
tanks themselves can probably handle the overpressure, but the
valves...?  I looked at my grill's propane tank last night and there was
no pressure relief port on either the tank or valve.  The agri tanks
have stainless steel valves.  I could envision a valve popping off if,
say, there was a drug bust at a lab and some police officer mishandled
the tank after the brass had oxidized.

In the southeastern (Appalachian) part of Ohio the poverty rate is
pretty high, so the lure of making easy money in the relative seclusion
of the backwoods is, for some folks, too strong to withstand.  Marijuana
farming used to be the big problem in that corner of the state, but meth
production is catching up.  News reports of lab explosions and resulting
fatalities are not uncommon.

Most people would realize that a corroded valve is not a good thing on a
propane tank, but the teenage kid at the corner gas station that refills
these things may not notice or care.  If he lets the corroded valve take
a good hit it could turn into quite the rocket.

Kyle
-----Original Message-----
From: Cerebral Palsy List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Deri James
Sent: Thursday, May 22, 2008 5:00 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: this might be something everyone needs to know

On Thursday 22 May 2008 19:07:32 ken barber wrote:
> Okay this is something serious. If you buy gas for a grill take a
look.
>
> I did snopes it and there is something to look at  and be a concern.
Better
> safe than sorry.
>
>
> Meth cooks are getting the propane tanks from the exchanges at
Wal-Mart,
> Kroger, etc. and emptying them of the propane. Then, they are filling
> them with anhydrous ammonia (which they now have a recipe for by the
> way). After they are finished with them, they return them to the
store.
> They are then refilled with propane and sent back for you and me to
buy.
> Anhydrous ammonia is very corrosive and weakens the structure of the
> tank.
>
> It can be very dangerous when mixed with propane and hooked up to our
> grills, etc. You should inspect the propane tank for any blue or
> greenish residue around the valve areas. If it is present, refuse to
> purchase that one."
> Check
> out the following website for more details. They also have pictures
you
> can show.
>
> http://www.npga.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=529
>

The reference to Meth Cooks is irrelevant, just do not pick propane
tanks with 
corroded brass valves. Ammonia corrodes copper and brass into a
blue-green 
salt. The steel body of propane canisters is unaffected by ammonia.
However 
brass "corrodes" in normal circumstances to a blue/green "patina", so I 
assume its wise to look for a "salty" deposit near the join to the
canister 
(probably like you see on the brass terminal of a leaked battery).

Cheers

Deri

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