Propane tank age out, refurbish or replace?

[Durb]

My 30# tanks have aged out and my dealer won't refill them. Should I just have them re-certified or replaced? Any estimates on the cost of having them up graded (12 years old). If I elect to buy new ones, will I have trouble recycling the old tanks? Thanks

[pigman1]

Has anyone heard of Walmart's problems with slime ball customers buying containers of DEF fluid, emptying the contents into their containers and returning the recently bought containers full of water for a refund? When Walmart had a recent DEF sale I bought twelve 2 1/2 gal containers thru Walmart.com. I tested each in the store delivery area before accepting them. Each of the neck seals on my containers were broken. The wrong DEF or water into the system can cost you thousands in repairs, so I tested before leaving the store. Believe but verify.

[PA12DRVR]

FWIW, no more RVng, but I have about 3 20# tanks, 4 30# tanks, a couple (IIRC) 40#'s and 6 100#'s plus the 500 gallon tank to feed the b/u generator. (I use propane to heat the cabin and the shop and to provide HW, cooking, and to power 2 fridges at the cabin).

I simply go to the propane distributor: they charge $5 to recertify anything below 100#'s, $15 to recertify the 100#. However, they will waive recertification fees for up to 2 tanks if you buy at least 30#'s. Easy enough to arrange.

Bottom line is I recertify the 30#'s and larger as needed but buy new 20#s; in my location, the $$ works out better that way. Every chance in the world that none of my tanks need to be currently certified, but they're easier to get filled that way and I prefer to be in compliance with the regs since I haul them around quite a bit (either on roads or infrequently in the ol -PA12).

[fj12ryder]

Grit dog wrote:
Bring a scale? ROFLMAO.
Do you weigh your 12oz Ribeye at the restaurant to make sure you don't get cheated too?
How about making sure that 50lb box of nails actually has 50 lbs in it?

You're the person they love to see, all trusting and such. They make a lot of money off people like you. Not me, trust but verify. Heck I barely believe the gas pumps...okay I don't really, but no way to easily check.

[mobeewan]

Grit dog wrote:
Bring a scale? ROFLMAO.
Do you weigh your 12oz Ribeye at the restaurant to make sure you don't get cheated too?
How about making sure that 50lb box of nails actually has 50 lbs in it?

I weigh them when I get home. so I'll know whether to watch them more closely when they fill the cylinders.

When I go to a restaurant I stick my finger down my throat when I get home and throw up. Then I pick out the pieces of meat and weigh them a$$****. ROTFLMAO.:B:B:B

[C_Schomer]

Costco only charges for what they put in the tanks and not what the tanks should hold so I always have all my tanks filled before I leave the Phoenix area at the end of our winter stay. Costco still left them two lbs. short so I topped them off to the OPD shut off point last week. I was surprised at how accurate the OPD is. Every one of the tanks was pretty much spot on... 30 lbs. net at the OPD shut off. Craig

[Bobbo]

Dutch_12078 wrote:
I've found a number of places lately that used the fixed liquid level gauge on my 30 and 40 lb cylinders for refills. It used to be rare to find anyone that even knew what it was, much less how to use it on DOT cylinders.

For mere mortals, he is referring to the bleeder valve.

[Dutch_12078]

I've found a number of places lately that used the fixed liquid level gauge on my 30 and 40 lb cylinders for refills. It used to be rare to find anyone that even knew what it was, much less how to use it on DOT cylinders.

[Grit_dog]

Bring a scale? ROFLMAO.
Do you weigh your 12oz Ribeye at the restaurant to make sure you don't get cheated too?
How about making sure that 50lb box of nails actually has 50 lbs in it?

[mobeewan]

I always weigh my cylinders before and after filling to make sure that I don't get short filled. I convert how many pounds of propane is in the cylinder to gallons before I take the cylinder in so I know how much they need to put in the cylinder to finish filling it to 30 lbs/7.07 gallons. Most everybody in my area fills and charges by the gallon.

BJ's club will only put 6.7 gallons of propane in an empty 30 lb cylinder and not the full 7.07 gallons. They say it is a company safety issue supposedly. They have a price for a cylinder fill but they will prorate if you already have propane in the cylinder. I don't like filling there unless I have to because they won't top off the cylinder and I found tractor supply has the cheapest in the area a few years ago.

The way I get around BJ's safety issue is I only fill there for convenience and I still have a little bit of propane in the cylinder when I take it in. They don't weigh it anyway. I tell them it is completely empty so he expects to stop the flow at 6.7 gallons. Then I play dumb when the float safety shuts off the flow before they pump 6.7 gallons. They still only charge for what they actually put in the cylinder.

[C_Schomer]

My out-of-date 30s are in great condition and are the good old heavier gauge metal. I just use my in-date tanks to refill the old tanks and have the in-date tanks refilled. Craig

[bobsallyh]

When I get our 30's filled, they will take anywhere from 6.9-7.3 gallons, depending on temp, just when the auto change-over kicked in, etc.

[fj12ryder]

"As to anybody that thinks that they are getting "full" tanks break out your bathroom scale when you get home. Those days went out with the dodo bird."

This is not 100% true, but some places don't fill to 20 lbs. I take a scale with me when I have mine filled and Menard's only filled to 18 lbs. I insisted they fill to 20 lbs so I got a full tank. They charge by the tank, not by the pound or gallon. So it definitely pays to check.

[bucky]

There is at least one place in AZ that looks. They are a propane supplier on the main drag thru Benson. Nice guy, cheap, legal, and on the way.
As to anybody that thinks that they are getting "full" tanks break out your bathroom scale when you get home. Those days went out with the dodo bird.

The float safety is just that. Safety. That's why a tank should never be filled by bypassing it. That was my point. Just like my 500 gallon tank at the house. Winter fills are 80%, summer fills are 70%.

[time2roll]

That is great for those with a minimal cost hassle free cert when the guy is already at your home.
For me it would be a higher cost and a hassle and only last 5 years so I went new and good for 12 years.
To each their own.