How to Fill Forklift Cylinders
Forklifts, or industrial lift trucks, are usually designed to run utilizing liquid propane. There is the choice to have cylinders brought to your facility, or to have refueling capabilities on location. Operators who are working with forklifts that utilize propane must be trained to deal with highly flammable substances.
1 Personal protective equipment must be put on prior to refueling. Thick leather gloves should be worn to avoid liquid propane from coming into contact with the hands. The liquid is extremely cold and could cause serious burns. Other protective equipment includes goggles and a full face shield. A fire extinguisher must always be nearby.
2 Prior to doing anything else, you must first shut down the forklift. Make sure there are no lit cigarettes and no open flames in 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 place, carefully open the bleed valve. It is normal to hear a hissing sound when the valve is open, but make sure it is air escaping - and not propane.
3 Open the fill valve on the fill line carefully. Check around the connections and make sure that there are no leaks. Then open the valve more and let the propane enter the tank. Monitor the tank while refueling; as soon as it is full, the bleeder valve will emit a spray of white gas. Totally turn off the fill valve 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 sure to screw the protective cap back onto the fill valve. Inspect all of the valves in order to make sure that they are closed completely. Your truck is now refueled and ready to drive.