LC Mesh Strainer Maintenance
LC changed from a 100-mesh strainer basket to a 200-mesh In September
of 2000. The
reason for the change was to reduce the amount and size of foreign
material passing through the
strainer in order to extend the measuring chamber service life.
Liquid propane may include fine
rouge, rust and other contaminants picked up through the distribution
chain from refinery to the bulk
transport truck. Another source of contamination is rust following
hydrostatic testing.
Foreign material that can pass through a 100-mesh strainer may
be a potential cause for
seizing of the measuring chamber. It is very important to inspect
and change the mesh strainer as
soon as your gallons per minute slow down or at least once a year
in your slow season.
Directions to Depressurize
Meter and Perform Strainer Maintenance
1. Close the ball valve before (A) and after the meter (B). On
a Lin’s truck, it is a 2” ball valve
before the meter and a 2” or 1-1/2” after the meter.
2. Close the 3/4” ball valve for the vapor return on the
meter (C). This is the line that goes to the
vapor eliminator.
3. To depressurize the meter, break the flexible connector, by
slowly loosening the lines that
connect the differential valve at the right side of the meter
and the vapor eliminator on the left.
There will be liquid coming out of these lines, so you need to
use caution! When the escaping
liquid stops and the vapor subsides, remove the lines completely
to ensure depressurization.
4. Next remove the strainer cover. The strainer cover is located
on the lower left corner of the
meter. It requires a 9/16” wrench or socket. After removing
the strainer cover, pull out the
strainer, keeping it level to prevent foreign material from falling
into the strainer basket. Using a
blow gun, shoot air over the external surface of the mesh strainer
to loosen embedded debris. If
this doesn’t loosen the debris, soak the strainer in parts
cleaner to loosen the embedded material.
5. Once the strainer has been cleaned, reinstall with the small
opening heading in first. A new o-ring
may be required for the strainer cover reinstallation.
6. Bolt the strainer cover back on and reconnect the removed lines.
7. Repressurize the meter by cracking the vapor ball valve open.
When equalized, open the ball
valves before and after the meter. Check for leaks.
Lin’s recommends keeping a spare 200-mesh strainer on hand
[LC part #A2439] to
reduce truck down time. Also, refer to your company policy for
truck maintenance and LC’s
meter maintenance manual. Personal injury or death may result
from working on a system under
pressure. Only trained technicians should attempt this procedure.
