How to Fill Forklift Cylinders
Liquid propane is usually utilized to power industrial lift trucks or forklifts. There is the choice to have refueling capabilities on location or to have cylinders delivered to your facility. Operators who are working with forklifts that use propane must be properly trained to deal with extremely combustible substances.
1 Personal protective equipment must be put on prior to refueling. Thick leather gloves should be worn to prevent the hands from touching liquid propane. The liquid is very cold and can result in serious burns. Other protective equipment consists of a full face shield and goggles. A fire extinguisher should be close at hand.
2 The forklift must be shut down first. Make sure there are no open flames in the area and no lit cigarettes. Take off the protective cap on the fill valve and attach the fill line securely to the fill valve. When the fill line is in place, open the bleed valve with caution. A hissing sound is normal when the valve is open, but make sure it is air which is escaping - not propane.
3 Open the fill valve on the fill line slowly. Check around the connections and make sure that there are no leaks. After that open the valve more and let the propane enter the tank. Monitor the tank while refueling; when it is full, the bleeder valve will release a spray of white gas. Turn off the fill valve completely first prior to closing the bleeder valve. Carefully take the fill line out of the tank. The escape of a small amount of gas during this time is normal. Screw the protective cap back onto the fill valve. Check all the valves in order to make sure they are closed completely. Now, your truck is refueled and ready to be used.