How to Fill Forklift Cylinders
Industrial lift trucks, or forklifts, are usually meant to operate on liquid propane. There is the choice to have cylinders brought to your facility, or to have refueling capabilities on site. Operators who are working with propane-powered forklifts must be trained to deal with substances that are highly combustible.
1 Personal protective equipment must be put on prior to refueling. Thick leather gloves should be worn in order to prevent the hands from touching liquid propane. The liquid is extremely cold and can cause severe burns. Other protective equipment consists of goggles and a full face shield. A fire extinguisher must always be close at hand.
2 Before doing something else, you must first shut down the forklift. Make sure there are no open flames within the area and no lit cigarettes. Remove 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. It is normal to hear a hissing noise when opening the valve, but make sure it is air escaping - and not propane.
3 carefully open the fill valve on the fill line until you are sure there are no leaks around the connection. After that open the valve more and let the propane enter the tank. Check the tank while refueling; when it is full, the bleeder valve would release a spray of white gas. Turn off the fill valve completely first prior to closing the bleeder valve. Slowly take the fill line out of the tank. A small amount of gas that is escaping during this time is normal. Make certain to screw the protective cap back onto the fill valve. Check all of the valves in order to make certain that they are completely closed. Now, your truck is refueled and ready to drive.