PROPANE FILL (tank under 1/2 full)

[JOHN T jr.]

I've seem to have lost my 1st post. So i'll ask agian. Is there any place that you can get a partcial fill without paying for a complete fill? I'm not cheap i just don't want to get riped off like last year. Any help would be great, south of the river area. Thanks a lot.........><(((('>

[Agronomist_at_IA]

I highly doubt you'll find anyone willing to do it. I've got a friend that lives in the country and has a large propane tank for his house. We had the petro guys at work hook us up with a hose to fill our smaller tanks off of his large one. Works great, and cheap. I'm not sure what it is he pays for a lb when he fills it though.

[dairyman]

last fill my son had on his tank it was-----$2.14/gallon

[BobT]

I'm a bit confused. I assume you are referring to home heating fuel. I personally don't use propane but it seems a bit odd that you would have to pay for the fuel based on the capacity of your storage tank rather than the amount of fuel delivered. If this is the way they do business I'd be inclined to think that their customers wouldn't remain customers very long.

Bob

[OldBear]

Whenever I've done it they always put it on a scale. Its either for knowing how low and how much they put in or to see when its full. Farm Service or any of the bulk haulers should take care of it. Now that I think about it theirs never any odd cents to the bill and I always think I got a good deal. Maybe thats the advantages of living in a small farm community.

[Surface Tension]

When large storage tanks are filled your charged for what it takes to fill the tank. If your half full you won't pay anymore then what it took to fill the tank.

When you get into 20 lbers most places charge you a set rate. Doesn't matter is your empty or half full, you'll pay the same. Why? We know what tank weight is empty, we know what the tank will weigh when full. We also know how much LP it took to fill the half full tank.

Its an inconvenience for the clerk to go outside and fill your tank not to mention the liability to have that bulk tank on the property. Still we pay for that with higher prices between bulk and retail prices.

There are some places that'll only charge you for what your buying. They're getting harder to find though so call around.

[1DIRTBALL]

I only know of one place that will only charge you for the amount of propane it takes to fill your tank. Larry's Cen-ex Station in Floodwood,MN. Located right on Highway #2. Very handy if you are headed for URL or LOW. Very nice people working there too. 1DIRTBALL

[Agronomist_at_IA]

your 100% right. When I talked to the petro guys at work last year they told me that the 20lb tanks never made the company any money.(When they figured the cost of having a guy filling them & handle them) And they had to charge a flat rate to fill them to break even. It cost about $16 for a 20lb tank when I had it filled last year.Was better then the $19 exchage rate at the locate department store. So due to this, they were more then willing to hook us up with the hose to fill our 20lbs off of the big tank at my friends. I don't think most of us realize it, but their is a lot of liability with these tanks. Last year a guy brought in a couple of tanks that he repainted, and they wouldn't fill them because they were to old. The guy was a real @sshole, then they showed him a video of tanks like his exploding and hurting a dude. After that he didn't say much.

[huntingmaxima]

Can you explain how you fill 20# tanks from 100# tanks.Tanks alot!

[Pikeslayer]

I get mine at Dave's Sales on 169 west of Hibbing! They only charge for the amount of propane it takes to fill the tank!

[thirtysomething]

I always get my propane filled at Blue Ribbon Bait in Oakdale. Fleet Farm does it too. Pay for what you put in. I see you're in Apple Valley, not sure what's down there, I started working at Holiday Stationstores, not all but most locations have someone that fills bulk propane.

[Mike L]

Paddy and Paul's in Crookston. Ya pay for what ya get, by the pound. Quite frankly, I've never heard of paying a flat fee, and I wouldn't patronize a place that charged that way.

[Jeremy airjer W]

99% of the tanks we fill are empty or less than a pound left. We typically will fill based on the tank size. On the other hand, if the customer asks we are more than happy to top off and charge for the amount that is put in.

As far as old tanks that one of you mentioned. Tanks are only good for 12 years after the date of manufacture that is stamped on the tank. After 12 years they need to be re certified. They then need to be re certified every five years after that.

Some other things we have to check that you may have never thought of. Dented/damaged tanks - the tank must have a protective collar in good condition protecting the valve, or a thread on cap - The tank has to be a light color (white, light grey, light brown, light blue) and The tank cannot be excessively rusty.

They started the mandated OPD in April 2002. Make sure you check your tanks to make sure they haven't expired. Many where recertified on or before this date which would make them expired after April of this year. We have had many in the last couple of months!

[Pat K]

The Conoco station at Hwy.3 and 50 in Farmington charges by the gallon or however it is measured.

[pathogen]

The hardware store on #3 just south of Crosslake charges by what they put in the tank. They are on the east side of 3, a bit north of the intersection with 36.

[ripstick]

I get mine filled in duluth at a couple of places. 1/2 full 1/2 the price. Set price you mite as well go where can swapt them out. But some times they dont work very well.

[JOHN T jr.]

Thanks a lot for all the information..A BIG thanks to PAT K for the help that is real close to home. I recall a posting from last year, but could not find it. It's great to be able to count on this thread to be really informed. See you on the ice.......><)))'>

[Sonicrunch]

Colony Plaza on HWY 5 in Waconia charged by the pound years ago. You would think that they still do.

[Paul Waldowski]

The U-Haul place on Nichols Road in Eagan also fills them and only charges you for what they actually put in the tank.

[UMDSportsman]

ripstick- where do you fill your tanks in duluth? haven't had to refill one up here yet.

[GRAND DAD]

I just got mine topped off at Marathon in Rosemount right off of HWY 3 in downtown. They charged me what they put in.