oddly it doesn't come up on a search from their website. worth a short drive to scope it out

 

I just traded in an expired tank at Home Depot. Those are 20lb tanks. The rumor is that they only fill them with 15lb, but if that is true I can't tell the difference. But regardless, it will be cheaper than buying brand new tanks plus filling. I forget the non-trade price for a tank at HD, but I think it was less than $30. I could be way off on that.

Any place that sells BBQ's should have new empty tanks. Walmart, Camping World...

 

Goodmorning all,

TGIF!....May your workday go by quick & your weekend be relaxing!

I'm so ready for next year to start! As much as I love the holidays, I often find it depressing. I'm actually keeping busy this year & trying not to dwell on negatives - loss of loved ones, the economy for everyone, Jimmy's work hours being cut from 40 to 32, etc. Volunteering in my community is really rewarding & it helps me to see that in the end...as much as I want to bitch, whine, & complain - my problems aren't nearly as bad as someone elses.

 

Amen, Donna!

Volunteering is truly good for our souls.

Pop

 

Propane tanks are only allowed to be filled to 82% due to expansion of the fuel, so a 20 lb tank gets filled to Approx 16 lbs. That is actually a law, and why there is the little breather valve on the side of the main valve... If the tank was filled and then set out in the heat of the day it would rupture if there was no room for fuel expansion. My first job after college as a mechanical engineer was for Amerigas/Calgas designing gas systems for commercial properties...

Most RV shops sell tanks, and yes Suburban, or Amerigas, or Petrolane will have them in many sizes.

 

Yes, but a 20lb tank was designed to hold 20lbs at 80% full. In the old days the proper way to fill a tank was by weight. But too many places did not do it properly, and we had the overfilled tank problem. Now it is the law that all portable tanks have to have the Overfill Protection Device (OPD) and when it vents liquid it tells the seller to stop filling.

So I agree with what you are saying, except that a properly filled tank should still have 20lbs of product. Which is roughly 4.7 gallons.

Propane Cylinder and LPG Bottle Information

I'm not at all surprised that places like Blue Rhino fill to a lesser volume so that HD can be price competitive.

Personally, I have them filled at a bulk dealer. And then when my own tanks expire, I trade them in to Blue Rhino so that I don't have to deal with recert. If I luck into a good looking tank in the trade, then I have it refilled. I guess that is mostly a matter of convenience because I am usually getting my RV tanks filled at the same time as a few 20lb bottles. Because the price to trade at HD is actually less. It cost me $18 to trade in an expired bottle and get a filled one in return. For the BBQ, I don't really care if I only get 15 lbs.

 

The tanks were originally designed to hold 20lbs at 87-90 percent,, in the early 90's that was lowered to 80-82 percent due to tank bursts, and the use of the dip tube valve replaced the use of weigh scaling. the dip tube valve was considered more accurate, but it actually isn't, if the fuel sloshes around it gives false readings and fills short... The manufacturers did not retool the sizes of the tanks after the changes.

 

Good day to all FTE'ers.

 

it's their truck fill and dispatch yard, there

 

Oops

 

no big deal, home depot was on the way back. afternoon project completed, now dammit where is the other one (not here yet)??

its a giant bug zapper in case you're wondering

 

I'll say it's giant

 

Looks like it is for Pteradactyls. Are they a problem in your area? Haven't seen one around here in a long while.

 

Thats a beauty, we get some huge mosquitos up here, right on ST

 

Why do I think you're not completely forthright here?

Pop