New to CNG

[John_K9jgs]

Hi All,

I'm John in Indiana. No CNG vehicle yet but I do want to learn more. There are only three places in the area to fill up so I guess a home unit is the only option.

Is there any way to carry some CNG along as a spare in case of a traffic jam or other delay that causes one to run low?

Happy Days,

John

[CNGLO]

Re: New to CNG

It would be great to be able to do that. However, I think there may be laws that require tanks to be securely fastened to the vehicle. It would be nice to simply be able to set an added tank in the trunk for those times when a longer trip is necessary. During just this morning's commute, I pondered the feasibility of having a temporary tank that is not connected to the fuel system while driving and is only connected to the regular fueling port while the vehicle is stopped as a means to extend a road trip 50 miles or so (such as LA to Phoenix). If NFPA 52 and other laws allowed it, there would still be some realities that make this difficult. The weight of the tank makes it difficult to easily lift in and out of the trunk. It would need to be secured at least to the standards for temporary transportation of compressed gasses, especially if it were in the bed of a pick-up. While you might be able to put five GGE in the spare, portable tank, you would not be able to use it all because what you could transfer into your vehicle's tank would be limited by the relative pressures of the two tanks. Once the pressures in the tanks equalize, no more gas will come out of the temporary tank. Understand as well that a portable tank may cost hundreds of dollars and weigh hundreds of pounds when filled.

I'd like to know what some of the experts think of the idea of placing a portable tank in the trunk to use to transfer CNG to the vehicle's main tank when the main tank is depleted. Is it legal to carry a portable, filled CNG tank that is not connected to the fuel system while the vehicle is moving and is not securely fastened to the vehicle? I imagine that even if it were legal, it might not be very safe.

[CraziFuzzy]

Re: New to CNG

Standard compressed gas cylinders are carried all the time in passenger vehicles, vans, trucks, etc. There is liscensing and placarding issues, and it is regulated by the DOT. As long as it is not connected to the vehicle's fuel system, NFPA 52 doesn't technically apply, but you would have to meet the DOT's hazardous material, compressed gas rules, including flamable gas placarding, and any special liscencing required in your state.

Of course, technically, those rules also would apply to carrying a filled gas can in your vehicle... (this is actually a joke, as non-bulk packaged flammable liquids are exampt)