How to Fill Forklift Cylinders
Industrial lift trucks, or forklifts, are usually designed to run utilizing liquid propane. There is the option to have cylinders delivered to your facility, or to have refueling capabilities on location. Operators who are working with forklifts that utilize propane should be correctly trained to deal with extremely flammable substances.
1 Prior to refueling, you should wear personal protective equipment. Thick leather gloves must be worn in order to prevent liquid propane from coming into contact with the hands. The liquid is very cold and can result in serious burns. Other protective equipment consists of goggles and a full face shield. A fire extinguisher should be close at hand.
2 The forklift must be shut down first. Make sure there are no lit cigarettes and no open flames within the area. Take off the protective cap on the fill valve and securely attach the fill line to the fill valve. When the fill line is in position, carefully open the bleed valve. It is normal to hear a hissing sound when opening the valve, but make sure it is air 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. Check the tank while refueling; when it is full, the bleeder valve will emit a spray of white gas. Completely turn off the fill valve first prior to closing the bleeder valve. Carefully take the fill line out of the tank. The escape of a small amount of gas at this time is normal. Screw the protective cap back onto the fill valve. Inspect all of the valves in order to make certain that they are completely closed. Now, your truck is refueled and ready to drive.