Mosquito Magnet®
Propane Tank Tips
- What is an OPD Valve?
- Why have an OPD Valve?
- How does an OPD Valve work?
- Why do I need to purge my tank?
- Why you should only use a 20 lb tank.
- Permanent Installation Information. (Commercial Pro ONLY)
- Why will my tank work on a gas grill but not on a Mosquito Magnet?
What types of gas can I use?
Propane and Butane are the ONLY types of gas that can be used. The Mosquito Magnet® was designed using propane gas and operates in a better temperature range with propane. Butane can be used but the Mosquito Magnet® will run a little hotter using Butane vs. propane. Using Butane in a hotter climate may not be the best choice because if the unit runs too hot it may start repelling mosquitoes. If Butane is your only choice then make sure that you have the Mosquito Magnet® placed in a shady spot to lower the operating temperature.
Natural Gas should NOT be used under any circumstances. Natural Gas runs at a much higher temperature and could possibly damage the Mosquito Magnet®.
[TOP]What is an OPD Valve?
Required by national fire and safety standards, an OPD is a safety feature that helps prevent small propane cylinders from being overfilled.
[TOP]Why have an OPD Valve?
There are limits on how much propane can be put into a cylinder. A properly filled cylinder will have a vapor space left in the top of the cylinder to allow room for expansion of the liquid with a change in atmospheric temperature. An overfilling prevention device is a secondary means of assuring that cylinders are not overfilled.
[TOP]How does an OPD work?
During the refilling process, a valve inside the cylinder closes when the proper level of propane is reached. Since the OPD currently in use measures the volume of propane in the cylinder, the weight of the propane will vary depending on its temperature. Check the posted information where you purchase propane to determine the net weight of propane in your cylinder.
[TOP]Why do I need to purge my tank?
Having your propane tank purged will remove excessive air from the tank which can cause the Mosquito Magnet® to shut down while it is running. It may also prevent the Mosquito Magnet® from starting. Having your tank purged will ensure that air has been removed and will aid in the start up of your Mosquito Magnet®.
All containers, new or used, that are not plugged or kept closed may be infiltrated by water, air, or other contaminants. These contaminants must be removed, or purged, before the container is filled and put into service. The purged process should be done by your propane gas supplier.
Air in the propane tank is a contaminant. Purging should be done prior to the initial filling to remove air. If the container is not properly purged, air in the container dilutes the propane gas vapor. Failure to purge the tank may cause excessive tank pressure, slow filling and poor trap operation of the OPD valve. This condition will exist until all air is depleted, leaving pure propane gas vapor.
[TOP]Why you should only use a 20lb tank.
A 20lb tank has the correct amount of output pressure for the Mosquito Magnet® to operate properly. Using a different size tank can cause the Mosquito Magnet® to operate in an undesirable manner. For the Mosquito Magnet® Commercial Pro there are Permanent Installation Instructions that must be installed by a certified pipe fitter.
[TOP]Permanent Installation Information. (Commercial Pro ONLY)
The Mosquito Magnet® Commercial Pro is designed for portable placement and connection to portable propane cylinders. In some installations, it is desirable to pipe the propane from a larger stationary tank for minimum maintenance and lower fuel cost. This option is ONLY available on the Commercial Pro model. This type of installation MUST be done by a certified gas pipe fitter. Please contact technical support, we can Fax, Email or standard mail the Permanent Installation Instructions to you.
[TOP]Why will my tank work on a gas grill but not on a Mosquito Magnet®?
If there is an excessive amount of air in the tank, the Mosquito Magnet® will not start. The unit is already calibrated to a certain air-to-gas ratio and introducing more air into the system will not allow the Mosquito Magnet® to start.
A gas grill will work regardless if there is air in the tank, as it has a flame, the Mosquito Magnet® does not. The flame in the grill will burn off the air. If this case then you may need to have the propane tank purged.
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