Re: [A/S] Re: OPD "Deal"

[Charlie/Betty Burke <burke@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Airstream started experimenting with horizontal mounted bottles in the
Argosy when it redesigned it in the mid 80's. The last two years they
stopped using them because there was no available OPD version.

The horizontal tank in question is not the same type of tank used on
motorhomes. The motorhome tank is a permanently mounted tank designed to
SAE standards. It has had the stop flow feature of the new OPD in it for
many years.

The portable horizontal tank used in the trailer is governed by DOT
standards, which are much stricter. The stop flow feature is what has
been causing the delay in all horizontal tanks. In order to work the
feature must be able to detect the liquid level in the use position
(horiz.) The older design used a curved supply tube to supply gas to the
valve. With the OPD requirement they had to redesign the tank to
relocate the valve and float higher in the tank. Until recently only a 5
gallon steel tank was available. Now a 7.5 gallon steel has been
introduced. These retail for $110-160. A steel tank cannot be readily
used to replace an aluminum tank because the dimensions are not the
same. Worthington tank has been the supplier of aluminum tanks. Perhaps
Chris at Airstream Dreams can work out an arrangement as he did with the
vertical tanks.

Charlie