propane question

[Lefty]

i remember reading a thread about meth heads refilling propane tanks with chemicals used for cooking meth, resulting in some greenish crap around the nozzle of the tank...i got a tank today with some greenish crap around the nozzle and there are non stop shooting star looking things in my flame.should i still use the tank or what? these wallgreens and gas station propane are garbage! if anyone could provide a link to that thread i'd appreciate it.

[Simeon]

Not sure about that but I do not recomend exchanging tanks. I would look into somewhere you can have them filled, a place you can take your tank, get it filled, and get YOUR tank back. There are many reasons for this.

1. When exchanging you may be getting a new tank, or one that is very old but has been sandblasted and re-painted. I've seen em do it, scary.

2. When you exchange next time, look the tanks over and find a brand new one, the best way to tell is to look at the valve and the bottom of the tank. I dont care if you have to look through all the tanks, find a new one.

3. It is usually way cheaper, generally by 10 bucks or more to have a tank filled verses exchanged.

4. You have no idea how the tank you are getting in an exchange has been treated where as if you own it from new you know it has not been abused.

Where are you living? If its anywhere near agriculture you definately dont want to get a newly painted "farmer johns tank", trust me, I farm.

[Lefty]

where would i get a tank that i can get filled? could i get one at airgas? which size should i get??the guy wouldnt exchange my tank because i took the blue plastic cap off....called blue rino and had to go back and have her talk him into giving me another one.what a bunch of bs

[styles1 torchlife]

Home depot or Loews.

[JohnnyHigh]

I know the Airgas near me fills propane. Call yours and ask so you don't waste a trip...unless you're going there anyways ;)

[Julian]

Wow, that meth biz sucks. Not sure if that would result in particle in your flame, though (unless they fill the tank with metal shavings or something?).

The tank exchanges are expensive, too - 50% to 100% more per fill like Simeon pointed out. Don't pay that excess cost for nothing.

You can usually rent 40 or 100 pound tanks of propane from welding companies, if you don't want to purchase a tank. Otherwise as noted you can just buy a normal tank at a hardware store. In most towns U-Haul has a filling service (ha, that brings back memories - I'm just getting back to blowing and haven't been to fill a propane tank in like 4 years).

There's no reason you shouldn't be able to get the tank you already have filled, if you own it. There's nothing special about the exchange tanks.

[wfsupply]

Where to buy Propane?

Home Depot
Lowes
Wal-Mart
Walgreens
CVS
Most grocery stores
Most gas stations

Oxygen is the hard part! :)

[gn0me]

^most of those stores run propane exchange systems, at least near me.

It can be useful if you've got a rusted out janky ass tank, and pick through the exchanges till you find a near new one...

However, one funny thing that the exchanges don't actively point out is that your propane tank is only 3/4 full, and just as much (if not more) $$ as if you had it filled somewhere else - usually it will say "Net Wt. 15 (or 17) lbs" despite the fact that your propane cylinder is a 20 lb tank.

Where to get it filled, then? Most U-hauls have a propane tank, and pretty reasonable rates. So do most other tool and truck rental spots... just drive around and look for one of those enormous white cylinders sticking 20 feet into the air - bingo!

Finally, tanks can be acquired new at Home Depot pretty reasonably, and you can even get 30 or 40 lb tanks there which you'll need to fill less often. Just don't exchange your new tank ever, because some other jerkoff (like me) last brought in a rusty one they got off craigslist for $5, and now gets that tank full from Uhaul for less than an exchange cost in the first place.

[Emmett's Glass]

Another propane question: Why do people always tailgate me when I have propane in the back of my truck?
E

[Simeon]

^ hahaha some people just like to be close to death I guess....

[Jimi The Don]

Another propane question: Why do people always tailgate me when I have propane in the back of my truck?
E

Sorry, I was just trying to read your bumper stickers..

[Lefty]

ha..ya duh, i know where to buy propane at...i was wondering where to get a tank that i wouldn't exchange and what place fills MY tank like Simeon pointed out. im just gonna go get one at airgas tomorrow tho. thanks again

[Icarus]

You can buy a new tank damn near anywhere. Home Depot, Lowes, Menards, Ace hardware, etc....

You can get them filled at some large truck stops, Mounds pet food, if you got one of those in your area, ferrellgas, Uhaul, or you can go to google and type something along the lines of

{my town} propane fill

(with {my town} being replaced with the town you live in)

[Julian]

Often places that sell fuel oil (the trucks that go around and refill houses with heating oil) also sell retail propane.

[sleepingpeople]

i get my propane tank filled at the farmer supply store for 2.50$ a gallon. there is another farmers supply store that i see fills them for 2.50 a gallon, and i saw another sign today for 2.99 a gallon for a filling place located in a USED CAR LOT. dont be a chump and trade your tank, get it filled. theres someone around you who fills them and its gonna save you hella ched

[nicko0]

i get mine filled at the oxy supply. they dont fill by weight or gallons. they just open up the little screw on the side and fill till propane shoots out the side. i definitely get at least a half gallon more than from filling it at the hardware store. most of my propane tanks will only take 4.5 gallons at the hardware store(they do charge by the gallon which is good). the rhino orwhatever tanks definitely only have like 4.5 gallons.

its probably in my head but i think my oxy supply has better propane than rhino. you know, the varying amount of butane allowed in propane.

[elad65]

i get mine filled at the oxy supply. they dont fill by weight or gallons. they just open up the little screw on the side and fill till propane shoots out the side. i definitely get at least a half gallon more than from filling it at the hardware store. most of my propane tanks will only take 4.5 gallons at the hardware store(they do charge by the gallon which is good). the rhino orwhatever tanks definitely only have like 4.5 gallons.

its probably in my head but i think my oxy supply has better propane than rhino. you know, the varying amount of butane allowed in propane.


This as got to tell you how stupid some gas suppliers are.... Its illegal to fill a 5 gallon (20 pound) tank unless it has OPD valve on it. OPD valves do not have the vent valve on side of main valve.

http://www.propane101.com/opdcylindervalves.htm

A little FYI.

All propane comes from same source ( from oil refinery- its a by product of oil distillation) , brand name makes no differences it is bulk shipped in rail cars, and "local" vendors bulk storage is filled form tank cars via trucks ... There is no brand certification on tank cars.

Ferrell Gas (bulk seller-home delivery) is owners of Blue Rhino. So gas source they are filling exchange tanks with is probable the same.

New propane tanks have a 12 year certification from date of manufacturer. Ever 6 years there after tank has to recertified. Check for date of latest certification on tank safety collar.

It is illegal to fill 5 gallon (20 pound tanks) that do not have OPD valve.
Larger tanks 10- 20 -50 -100 gallon (not pounds) are exempt from OPD valve rules.

A link or two:

http://www.flameengineering.com/Propane_Info.html
http://www.gasco-propane.com/Files/safety.html
http://nagshead.govoffice.com/vertical/Sites/%7BB2CB0823-BC26-47E7-B6B6-37D19957B4E1%7D/uploads/%7BC537B4E7-BAC4-481E-8736-A44BE612581E%7D.PDF

There is so much factual information on the internet. Why rely on myth and rumors.

Elad

[phab]

This as got to tell you how stupid some gas suppliers are.... Its illegal to fill a 5 gallon (20 pound) tank unless it has OPD valve on it. OPD valves do not have the vent valve on side of main valve.

http://www.propane101.com/opdcylindervalves.htm

A little FYI.

All propane comes from same source ( from oil refinery- its a by product of oil distillation) , brand name makes no differences it is bulk shipped in rail cars, and "local" vendors bulk storage is filled form tank cars via trucks ... There is no brand certification on tank cars.

Ferrell Gas (bulk seller-home delivery) is owners of Blue Rhino. So gas source they are filling exchange tanks with is probable the same.

New propane tanks have a 12 year certification from date of manufacturer. Ever 6 years there after tank has to recertified. Check for date of latest certification on tank safety collar.

It is illegal to fill 5 gallon (20 pound tanks) that do not have OPD valve.
Larger tanks 10- 20 -50 -100 gallon (not pounds) are exempt from OPD valve rules.

A link or two:

http://www.flameengineering.com/Propane_Info.html
http://www.gasco-propane.com/Files/safety.html
http://nagshead.govoffice.com/vertical/Sites/%7BB2CB0823-BC26-47E7-B6B6-37D19957B4E1%7D/uploads/%7BC537B4E7-BAC4-481E-8736-A44BE612581E%7D.PDF

There is so much factual information on the internet. Why rely on myth and rumors.

Elad

...ive had tanks filled at suburban propane they have the new valves and there is still a relief screw on the side. even if you open the screw youre only getting 4.5 gallons of fuel. i fill 3 tanks at a time. the dude that fills them said you do get a little more in if you open the screw but you dont have to open the screw to fill it.

[elad65]

...ive had tanks filled at suburban propane they have the new valves and there is still a relief screw on the side. even if you open the screw youre only getting 4.5 gallons of fuel. i fill 3 tanks at a time. the dude that fills them said you do get a little more in if you open the screw but you dont have to open the screw to fill it.

Just for the sake of general knowledge I have two tanks with new OPD valves and they DO NOT have bleed/vent valve. So my guess it would be the manufacture of valve whether it has vent or not.

Elad

[phab]

Just for the sake of general knowledge I have two tanks with new OPD valves and they DO NOT have bleed/vent valve. So my guess it would be the manufacturer of valve whether it has vent or not.

Elad

...yeah i just remember having the conversation with the guy because at one time i felt that i wasnt getting a full fill because i didnt see the blow off gas. i will check again if i remember, maybe its just 1 tank i have, dont really remember...

[elad65]

...ive had tanks filled at suburban propane they have the new valves and there is still a relief screw on the side. even if you open the screw youre only getting 4.5 gallons of fuel. i fill 3 tanks at a time. the dude that fills them said you do get a little more in if you open the screw but you dont have to open the screw to fill it.

Well propane weights 4.23 pounds to the gallon, and tanks with OPD valve are supposed to fill to 4.8 gallons (then cutoff fill)...

4.23 x 4.8 = 20.304 pounds..

A "full" tank should have "net" weight of 20.3 pounds...

TARE weight is weight of tank less fuel (empty).

TARE weigh of tank should also be on safety collar along with any manufacturing or inspection dates.

Total weight of tank + fuel. Less TARE weigh, will give you "net" weight which will convert to gallons of fuel.

Scales and a little math is only way to assure yourself if you are getting a "full" tank.

Elad

[nicko0]

my tanks (which were rhino tanks) definitely only take 4.5 gallons according to the hardware store pump; not 4.8,ever. so there is a discrepancy in what is and what is "supposed to be".

so i question everything that goes on.

yes, they are out to get me.

the rhino tanks last significantly less time than a "topped off" tank. its infuriatingly obvious

btw a 20# tank holds WC 47.6 or 5.7 gallons of water. dunno how much the vent lets it get filled to but there is some room to play with.

[elad65]

the rhino tanks last significantly less time than a "topped off" tank. its infuriatingly obvious

.

Some time ago, the exchange sellers decided as propane prices were rising, to reduce the amount of propane in tanks so the could keep the exchange pricing about the same (about $20)...

Check the "net weight" posted at exchange place.... No body is cheating you.... You just may not be getting a good value....

If anyone is interested in cylinder specifications, here is what Worthington Industries publish.

http://www.worthingtoncylinders.com/Libraries/pdfs/Propane_Steel_Portable.sflb.ashx

Elad

[Headdi Retti's Glass Art Studio]

Most places that carry home fuel will refill your small tank (20lb) at there facility which will be actually full! and cost you less.=]