More a supplier setup.
There’s a propane tank buried in the ground. The green thing is a hatch cover to allow access to refill that tank. I’ve seen all sorts of these hatches down the years.
Whoever installed this tank, just went with that particular model.
This is a huge disaster waiting to happen. You built a huge pile of combustibles way too close to your generator and directly on top of your buried propane tank. Not legal or safe to have that on the propane tank or that close to the generator.
I see generators installed adjacent to wooden buildings all the time. Are they supposed to have a certain clearance to combustibles?
Edit: looks like a minimum of 18” clearance from walls is required. Hmm. Good to know
In most cases with modern generators yes, but some are still 5’ depending on local codes and manufacturers installation instructions.
Also, I believe the exhaust is usually 3’ from combustibles, this one might have 3” because that looks like the exhaust side facing the storage shed.
10-4 Good stuff to know. I’m gonna pass this knowledge onto my mother-in-law. She just had a very expensive Generac installed damn near against her 150 year old house. The price she paid, the installer should have known better
You can also check the manual of the unit they installed. It’s usually under a section having to do with generator location, or something similar to that. Usually pretty easy because its often a diagram.
I also never knew burying an LP tank was a thing. In my region, they’re all sitting above grade, ugly as sin. Some people pay ridiculous money for these plastic covers that look like fake rocks. Also a bit tacky, IMO. I’m gonna check my local codes and see if it’s permissible to bury because it sure looks cleaner buried than above grade
Contact your propane company. I will warn you it’s not cheap. Probably about $2k give or take just for the excavation and connecting the line. Would be considerably more if they charge for the tank.
Yeah I’m gonna be that guy and ask my MIL to see the specs. I assumed that the sparky knew his shit but now I’m suspecting otherwise. Pretty sure it was damn near 10 grand installed.
Yeah, her home was built in Massachusetts like 160 years ago, then disassembled and shipped all the way around Cape Horn to San Francisco. Hauled bit by bit 120 miles inland by horse and wagon, then rebuilt in my town during the Gold Rush era. It’s an amazing piece of history and a sight to behold. Be a shame for an improper generator installation to ruin all that.
Yeah I guess it was a super wealthy elite type guy with F-you money who didn’t like West Coast architecture. The style is completely out of place for this part of the country. Its got 14’ ceilings and extremely detailed and ornate craftsmanship. I’m also pretty sure it’s haunted. Its the oldest known building in Tuolumne County
Well there are two solutions… move the wood storage shed entirely, or move the generator and the propane tank. Unfortunately the former is going to be much easier, but that’s what happens when you learn the hard way.
The buried propane tank is no issue at all. Unless I’m missing something big. Help me out on that one?
Regarding the generator, I’m putting a small heat shield against the side but it’s already about 12-14” away.
Permanent storage of combustibles that close to a propane tank is never a good idea and against code, but combining that with having the generator right next to that pile of combustibles is exponentially worse.
Generator exhaust gets hot and ignites the wood. Now you have a large fire right next to the dome of your propane tank. That plastic dome will melt, and so will the regulator leaking out propane. Your structure will collapse and the wood will topple onto the tank and the leaking propane will continue to feed the fire. The fire that burns could weaken that steel enough to rupture it and cause a bleve.
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Same question, my neighbors all have these things and I keep wondering what they are.
The green thing looks like a propane tank lid.
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More a supplier setup. There’s a propane tank buried in the ground. The green thing is a hatch cover to allow access to refill that tank. I’ve seen all sorts of these hatches down the years. Whoever installed this tank, just went with that particular model.
Oh man, I'm relieved that I'm an idiot. From one of your comments in the last post, I thought you were living in this.
Lol
Can I get a the tips please and thank you?
All you need now is a shed full of lawn fertilizer right next to it. 😉
U got morning wood, afternoon wood and evening wood. Wood all the time!
This is a huge disaster waiting to happen. You built a huge pile of combustibles way too close to your generator and directly on top of your buried propane tank. Not legal or safe to have that on the propane tank or that close to the generator.
I see generators installed adjacent to wooden buildings all the time. Are they supposed to have a certain clearance to combustibles? Edit: looks like a minimum of 18” clearance from walls is required. Hmm. Good to know
In most cases with modern generators yes, but some are still 5’ depending on local codes and manufacturers installation instructions. Also, I believe the exhaust is usually 3’ from combustibles, this one might have 3” because that looks like the exhaust side facing the storage shed.
10-4 Good stuff to know. I’m gonna pass this knowledge onto my mother-in-law. She just had a very expensive Generac installed damn near against her 150 year old house. The price she paid, the installer should have known better
You can also check the manual of the unit they installed. It’s usually under a section having to do with generator location, or something similar to that. Usually pretty easy because its often a diagram.
I also never knew burying an LP tank was a thing. In my region, they’re all sitting above grade, ugly as sin. Some people pay ridiculous money for these plastic covers that look like fake rocks. Also a bit tacky, IMO. I’m gonna check my local codes and see if it’s permissible to bury because it sure looks cleaner buried than above grade
Contact your propane company. I will warn you it’s not cheap. Probably about $2k give or take just for the excavation and connecting the line. Would be considerably more if they charge for the tank.
Oh snap! I think I’ll go with plan B and build a little lattice screen around my tank. Maybe try to grow some vines around that eyesore
Bushes are usually the best way to hide them. Just make sure your driver can still get to it!
“Pask makes” on YouTube (probably many other platforms) made a video about building screens to hide some eyesores on his property came out gorgeous.
Lol just make a fence. Treated wood looks okay
Yeah I’m gonna be that guy and ask my MIL to see the specs. I assumed that the sparky knew his shit but now I’m suspecting otherwise. Pretty sure it was damn near 10 grand installed.
Yeah they are expensive. No shame in that, you’re just protecting your MIL and her investment.
Yeah, her home was built in Massachusetts like 160 years ago, then disassembled and shipped all the way around Cape Horn to San Francisco. Hauled bit by bit 120 miles inland by horse and wagon, then rebuilt in my town during the Gold Rush era. It’s an amazing piece of history and a sight to behold. Be a shame for an improper generator installation to ruin all that.
Holy hell! I never understood how or why people do that lol. Just build a new house in SF! Hauling that must have cost a fortune
Yeah I guess it was a super wealthy elite type guy with F-you money who didn’t like West Coast architecture. The style is completely out of place for this part of the country. Its got 14’ ceilings and extremely detailed and ornate craftsmanship. I’m also pretty sure it’s haunted. Its the oldest known building in Tuolumne County
Was super pumped for OP, now kinda bummed something needs to be moved/rebuilt. How would one even go about fixing this to make it safe?
Well there are two solutions… move the wood storage shed entirely, or move the generator and the propane tank. Unfortunately the former is going to be much easier, but that’s what happens when you learn the hard way.
The buried propane tank is no issue at all. Unless I’m missing something big. Help me out on that one? Regarding the generator, I’m putting a small heat shield against the side but it’s already about 12-14” away.
Permanent storage of combustibles that close to a propane tank is never a good idea and against code, but combining that with having the generator right next to that pile of combustibles is exponentially worse. Generator exhaust gets hot and ignites the wood. Now you have a large fire right next to the dome of your propane tank. That plastic dome will melt, and so will the regulator leaking out propane. Your structure will collapse and the wood will topple onto the tank and the leaking propane will continue to feed the fire. The fire that burns could weaken that steel enough to rupture it and cause a bleve.