Old propane tanks on new RVs

[falconbrother]

I bought a brand new 2017 Coleman 262BH in 2017. Went to get my propane tanks filled today and found out they expired in 2013, 4 years before I bought my 2017 model camper new off the lot. They would not fill them. The test date was 2003 (expires 2013). Feeling kinda cheated. They told me it would cost $120.00 to get new, filled bottles.

[falconbrother]

drsteve wrote:

Huntindog wrote:
I have read where the RV industry thinks that the average TT is used 3 times a year for the first 2 years, and then never used again by the original owner.... Whe then eventually sells it.

Here we have an owner who went 2 years before attempting to refill his propane!

They may be on to something. And this would explain why many are built so cheaply, and the existance of ST tires.

A lot of people are always on hookups, and never camp in cold weather, so they use very little propane.

We camp in the winter, in fact we're back out for two weeks for Christmas. But, we use electric heat when possible, and take a lot of our showers in a bath house..just because.

[falconbrother]

ItsyRV wrote:

falconbrother wrote:
I just found a mom-n-pop place and had them filled. I'll get the re-certified as suggested and not bother with hassles. It just crawled on me when I couldn't get what I considered to be new-ish tanks filled. Ethics are a thing of the long lost past.

Just out of curiosity, have those tanks ever been taken off the trailer? I'm wondering if you ever took them for refilling and left them for pickup. Or have you noticed that your neighbor's BBQ never seemed to run out of propane?

No, I keep it in storage. I know those are the bottles that came on it. I had the filled when I first bought it. Didn't know bottles expired and such at the time. I know how much was in them, and how much I had used. I'm certain they are the bottles that I bought. Heck, to look at them they look new.

[GrandpaKip]

drsteve wrote:

Huntindog wrote:
I have read where the RV industry thinks that the average TT is used 3 times a year for the first 2 years, and then never used again by the original owner.... Whe then eventually sells it.

Here we have an owner who went 2 years before attempting to refill his propane!

They may be on to something. And this would explain why many are built so cheaply, and the existance of ST tires.

A lot of people are always on hookups, and never camp in cold weather, so they use very little propane.

That’s us. Two tanks usually last a year. Used for the water heater, cooktop and reefer on the road. We average between 50 and 120 days a year in the camper.

[drsteve]

Huntindog wrote:
I have read where the RV industry thinks that the average TT is used 3 times a year for the first 2 years, and then never used again by the original owner.... Whe then eventually sells it.

Here we have an owner who went 2 years before attempting to refill his propane!

They may be on to something. And this would explain why many are built so cheaply, and the existance of ST tires.

A lot of people are always on hookups, and never camp in cold weather, so they use very little propane.

[Jim2007]

Thanks huntindog. Probably correct that trailers built cheap because they get little use from first owner. Jim2007

[Huntindog]

I have read where the RV industry thinks that the average TT is used 3 times a year for the first 2 years, and then never used again by the original owner.... Whe then eventually sells it.

Here we have an owner who went 2 years before attempting to refill his propane!

They may be on to something. And this would explain why many are built so cheaply, and the existance of ST tires.

[OleManOleCan]

I gave up on 30# tanks. Cost too much, too heavy, no propane bargains on 30s.

I went to 20s.
Farm Town fills mine for $13.00 each.
20s cost less, weigh less, and many dealers have bargains all summer long to refill tanks.

Not to mention that I can change out, out of date tanks at Wally World. Dollar General, and they let me look for dates that will expire in 3-5 years.

BTW... I usually have 5 to 10 20s
I use 20s for weed burners, gas grills, griddles, single burners ect...

[Bobbo]

wnjj wrote:

JRscooby wrote:

Bobbo wrote:

drsteve wrote:

Bobbo wrote:

GrandpaKip wrote:
Interesting. So, very possibly, this whole thing could go back to the factory.

Or, to a thief who switched tanks with the OP sometime in the last two years. Wouldn't be hard if the OP stores his trailer away from home.

Why would anyone bother to do this? The "thief" could just go exchange them...

Why? Exchanging the tanks costs money. Swapping them with a trailer sitting there costs nothing.

IMHO this is much more likely than the dealer going thru the expense of finding used tanks that look good enough...

What thief would bother putting old cylinders on? The dealer did it whether intentionally or not.

Maybe knowing that would slow down the discovery of the larceny? It would not be discovered until the next use of the TT, then the trip to the propane filling station. That way, if there is video, they don't know how far back they need to review the tapes. Of course, I am not skilled at jumping to the correct conclusion without any evidence, so what do I know?

ON EDIT: It may also hide the fact that there was a larceny at all. It may make the owner think the dealer had done it. 😉

[wnjj]

JRscooby wrote:

Bobbo wrote:

drsteve wrote:

Bobbo wrote:

GrandpaKip wrote:
Interesting. So, very possibly, this whole thing could go back to the factory.

Or, to a thief who switched tanks with the OP sometime in the last two years. Wouldn't be hard if the OP stores his trailer away from home.

Why would anyone bother to do this? The "thief" could just go exchange them...

Why? Exchanging the tanks costs money. Swapping them with a trailer sitting there costs nothing.

IMHO this is much more likely than the dealer going thru the expense of finding used tanks that look good enough...

What thief would bother putting old cylinders on? The dealer did it whether intentionally or not.

[JRscooby]

Bobbo wrote:

drsteve wrote:

Bobbo wrote:

GrandpaKip wrote:
Interesting. So, very possibly, this whole thing could go back to the factory.

Or, to a thief who switched tanks with the OP sometime in the last two years. Wouldn't be hard if the OP stores his trailer away from home.

Why would anyone bother to do this? The "thief" could just go exchange them...

Why? Exchanging the tanks costs money. Swapping them with a trailer sitting there costs nothing.

IMHO this is much more likely than the dealer going thru the expense of finding used tanks that look good enough...

[Bobbo]

drsteve wrote:

Bobbo wrote:

GrandpaKip wrote:
Interesting. So, very possibly, this whole thing could go back to the factory.

Or, to a thief who switched tanks with the OP sometime in the last two years. Wouldn't be hard if the OP stores his trailer away from home.

Why would anyone bother to do this? The "thief" could just go exchange them...

Why? Exchanging the tanks costs money. Swapping them with a trailer sitting there costs nothing.

[drsteve]

Bobbo wrote:

GrandpaKip wrote:
Interesting. So, very possibly, this whole thing could go back to the factory.

Or, to a thief who switched tanks with the OP sometime in the last two years. Wouldn't be hard if the OP stores his trailer away from home.

Why would anyone bother to do this? The "thief" could just go exchange them...

[Bobbo]

GrandpaKip wrote:
Interesting. So, very possibly, this whole thing could go back to the factory.

Or, to a thief who switched tanks with the OP sometime in the last two years. Wouldn't be hard if the OP stores his trailer away from home.

[GrandpaKip]

SoundGuy wrote:

K Charles wrote:
It not the factory, they come without tanks. The dealer did that to you.

SoundGuy wrote:
Any new trailer we've purchased, be it a popup, hybrid, or travel trailer, has always arrived at the dealership with empty propane tanks that the dealer would then purge & fill before delivery to me.

Bobbo wrote:
Not challenging you, or calling you a liar, but how do you know the trailer arrived at the dealer with tanks vs no tanks and the dealer added them? I really want to know how you know that.

After retiring from my career I wanted something to still get me out of the house a couple of days each week so I ended up working for this dealer, for 7 years. 🙂 New trailers always arrived with empty propane tanks. Our Spree came from a different dealer I also know well - his new trailers were also delivered to the dealership with empty tanks.

Interesting. So, very possibly, this whole thing could go back to the factory.