Propane refills

[MIKE IN lINO III]

Question for ya'll.

I have a couple of 40lb tanks that I get filled. When I have them filled in the city they only fill them to 80%, 40lb tank gets weighed at 32lbs. When I go out of town ( Grand Rapids area ) they look at a chart then set the scale at 60 or so lbs.

Who is correctly filling my tanks?

[freighttrain50]

you would think that you would set the scale to 60 or so pounds because then you would actually be getting 40# of propane. in the city it sounds like they are ripping you off. what are the prices you pay at both places?

[MIKE IN lINO III]

When I get them refilled in the city it has a sign by the scale to only fill them to 80%. Two places up north are $22 & $26.

I think that the guys up north are taking the weight of the mt tank into consideration.

[waterwolff]

I think by law they can only fill to 80%. Also I belive the OPD valve will not allow them to overfill the tank. Now I don't know if your tanks have the new style valves or not but if they don't perhaps that may be the differance as to why they fill them heavier in Rapids vs City

[ice_shack]

I believe that with the new laws that they are only allowed to fill to 80%. Pay attention to how many gal of propane they are putting in. 1gal of propane = 4.5lbs, 80% of 40lbs is 32, 32 / 4.5 = 7.1gal on a fill of a completely empty tank.

When they put your empty tank on the scale if it reads zero and 32 when full then 32lbs is right. 60lbs sounds like the weight of the tank with fuel because an empty 40lb tank can weigh 28 lbs easy.

I keep track of how much fuel is in my 11lb tank by weighing it with my fish scale, It weighs about 15lbs empty

[Jeremy airjer W]

Mike,

two things we need to know. what is the water capacity and what is the tear wieght? both of these numbers are stamped onto the ring that protects the valve. These numbers will help us determine the exact size of your tanks and what they should wiegh when they are full.

A tank is completely filled at 80%. this is to allow for expansion if the tank gets warm. There has never been a time when tanks have been filled to 100% unless the person filling the tank didn't have a clue.

If you add 40lb. (how much the propane the tank holds) to the tear wieght (stamped on the ring of the tank) wich would be around 35 lbs. (of the top of my head). The scale would be set to a min of 75lbs. (I would add a couple pounds to compensate for the wieght of the handle and hose so I would set the scale for 78lbs)

I've been filling tanks for over ten years, if you ask me they are both filling them wrong??

[Jeremy airjer W]

Iceshack,

who fills tanks using gallons? This method is o.k. for filling permanently mounted tanks (like on R.V.) but is not a good Idea for portable tanks.

[ice_shack]

Quote:

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Iceshack,

who fills tanks using gallons? This method is o.k. for filling permanently mounted tanks (like on R.V.) but is not a good Idea for portable tanks.

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Both places I get my tanks filled do. Thats how they charge for it, by the gallon. How do you charge for it, by the pound?

[Jeremy airjer W]

we charge by the pound. are they wieghing the tanks as they are being filled? I've never heard of anyone filling portable tanks this way! I've never seen anyone fill a portable tank this way. I don't know if this is an acceptable practice but I will find out. If it is, great! It is odd however. I've had mine filled up and down this state and never had anybody do this

[Jeremy airjer W]

Waterwolf,

You are correct that the OPD valve was inplemented to stop the overfilling of tanks. however the calibration of the floats can be off in either direction making it possible to under and overfill the tanks. Many agree that the OPD valve has made a bigger mess of things. Inexpierienced fillers just assume they can let the pump run untill they here the valve click and everything is just fine, but there is a very real possibility that the tank has been considerably overfilled!!

[ice_shack]

Yeah, they fill it by weight but charge by the gallon just like a gas pump.

The meter (?) is in the little white house with the scale. They place the tank on the scale and hook up the hose. Then turn on the pump and it measures the fuel in gal as it pumps. When the tank is at the correct weight they shut it off and then charge by the gal.

[Jeremy airjer W]

excellent! I couldn't figure out why they would be taking the time to convert the wieght to gallons and then fill the tank.

better bang for the buck too. If you only need a top off you only pay for the top off. I'm starting to like that way better

[Ronsay]

Could you tell me what a 30# tank should weigh when it is full? Stopped in Bemidji on the way to Red Friday evening to fill a tank, the kid in the station was not sure what it should weigh, but thought it was 55#. I thought it should be over 60# and he put a little over 60# total weight in the tank.

What should the correct total weight be after filling it?

Ron

[Dry_Fly]

Propane tanks should be discarded after 10 yrs of use. A MFG date is stamped Month/ year of manufacture. The TW is tare weight, (stamped) and is the weight of the cylinder empty. A 20lb when full should weight 20lbs plus the TW.

The Tare Weight is usually stamped on the top part of the tank where the handle or grips are. Hope this answers your question.

[Ronsay]

If they add 30# to the tare weight of a 30# tank, would that be classified as an 80% or 100% fill?

If it is a 100% fill, is that legal and safe in the new style tanks?

I would just like to get an honest amount for what I'm paying for. The tank I had filled in Bemidji felt heavier than where I have been getting them filled in Park Rapids.

Ron

[Ronsay]

Found the tare weight on the handle of the tank (25.4lbs) so the kid in Bemidji was right when he said 55lbs, + a couple pounds for the connector when filling should come out about right.

Thanks,

Ron

[Jeremy airjer W]

ronsay

a full propane tank is 80% full, which means the tank is filled to 80% capacity with liquid propane. a twenty pound tank holds twenty pounds of propane which is 80% af the tanks capacity. this is to allow for expansion when the tank gets warm. there is no difference between the new tanks (OPD) and the old tanks (they have or should have been filled to eighty percent) except the valve, which has a float that shuts off the flow of propane into the tank when it is 80% full. there is a possibility that this float is a little off and could shut off a little sooner than 80% of a little over 80%.

Hope this helps.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Dryfly,

A propane tank needs to be recertified after 12 years. (you don't have to toss it after 10. after the 12 year recertification the tank needs to be recertified every 5 years. If the tank has a date stamp of 09 96 the first recert. is due 09 08 (12 years after manufacter) then its next recert. is due 09 13 (5 years after recert.) and then every 5 years after that.

[MIKE IN lINO III]

Airjer,

I had two 100lb tanks filled the other day. They did not put the tanks on the scale rather they used the meter in the shack to put in 22 gallons of propane per tank. Two 100lb tanks cost me $85.00.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Thats fine but you only recieved 99lbs of propane. If the tank was on the scale it would not have read full. 22.222lbs is roughly what is needed to fill a 100lb tank. as long as that is all you paid for is the 22 gallons thats fine.

[MIKE IN lINO III]

Airjer...

Question for you.

I have two 40lb tanks on my camper and both are mt. I want to use the camper this weekend but won't be up until late and then I have to plow out the road by that time the staions will be closed. My question is... Can I hook up a 100lb tank to one of the lines with an adapter hose until the morning when I can get the two 40's filled?

I will need an adapter hose because the lines coming off the camper are somewhat rigid and mounted for the 40's.

Mike

[RonZych]

Mike,

What alot of info!! I love this place! I go to the Outdoor cooking store in White Bear lake to get my 20 & 11 lb tanks filled. After 5 fills they give you one free! Are you going to the Centerville Tourny next weekend?

http://www.outdoorcookingstore.com/Home_top.cfm

Just my 2cts

Ron

[MIKE IN lINO III]

Thanks for the info Ron. I know there is a ton of information sharing here that is why I am addicted to reading this forum.

I think I will hit the Centerville Tourney. My nephews and I went to the Tourney on Forest Lake last weekend, had a blast.

Do you know a guy named Dan Drewlo?? He grew up in Centerville, we work together and he lives close to me. He was saying he might go as well.

Mike

[booshy]

does anybody have a line on cost per gallon? Does it vary like gasoline?

thanks

[Dry_Fly]

Depends on where you go some charge by the tank size and some by per. gal. been to places where they charge a flat rate for most small tanks a real rip off for sure. Best places to go are propane dealers or RV places they charge by the gal. and yes propane goes up and down just like gas or heating fuel every winter. Another supply and demand rip off. Like diesel fuel cheaper to make than gasoline but right now it cost more to buy everyone is using heating fuel right now same stuff. Sorry you got me venting.

[booshy]

that's fine, ya gotta vent rather than explode--good tip on the RV place