More fleecing of America: propane tanks...

[Vipergrün]

Got tired of running to Home Depot or the local gas station to exchange propane tanks for my BBQ.

Decided to actually get my 3 tanks filled. First tank filled, picked it up to put it in the car and immediately noticed how heavy it was. The guy filling the tank indicated that it's commonly known that the 'off the shelf' tanks are not filled to capacity, but typically in the 3.5-4 gallon range, but you are paying for a 5 gallon tank.

The propane gauge on my grill agrees. The new tank had a much higher initial reading and has stayed higher after many cookouts. Ok, so perhaps not scientific.

Anyone else notice this?

BTW, I keep two full (now they are) spares on hand at all times in case things go South and I need to cook or boil water.....

-b

[red-beard]

The guy at my local U-Haul said the same thing. The price is about the same as exchange. The only reason to exchange? Tank expiration....

I have 4-5 tanks. I think 3 are filled. U-Haul will only fill 4 at a time...

[GH85Carrera]

It is not much different with a box of cereal. Huge box that is just over 1/2 full. Swapping tanks is great if you leave your old one outside in the weather. A nice pretty tank to put on the grill. I just stop at a place a few blocks from my office for refills. I have never paid attention to any price difference.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Sounds like BS - might want to call weights & measures...

[porsche4life]

We just fill our own with the liquid line on the 500Gal tank we have out back... WAY cheaper that way...

[lane912]

alot of tings are sold in the same size container just a smaller volume of stuff for the same price-

first step in raising your price without kickback from the consumer-

happened alot in 2008.....

[stomachmonkey]

Places I used in NY all charged / filled by weight.

Tank goes on a scale while being filled.

[Icemaster]

Grill tanks are 20#. Used to charge a flat $20 for a refill, no matter how much we put in, it was a fill by weight at the tool rental co I used to own. Exchanges are following the same play book as Hershey, MM, toilet papers, cereal - keep the price the same and give you less. Last time I had to exchange it was just a little over 20 bucks for 15#. Same size bottle.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by porsche4life

We just fill our own with the liquid line on the 500Gal tank we have out back... WAY cheaper that way...

What is bulk propane going for these days?

[JAR0023]

Around here it's $20 to swap a cylinder pretty much everywhere and they are all the same three quarters full. Local Tractor Supply will fill up an empty tank for $12. When my tanks get old I swap them otherwise it's way cheaper to refill. -J

[osidak]

blue rhino only fills to around 17.5#'s on a 20lb tank

[VINMAN]

Which is why I switched over to NG.

.

[Drdogface]

Originally Posted by porsche4life

We just fill our own with the liquid line on the 500Gal tank we have out back... WAY cheaper that way...

There ya go...me too

[mattdavis11]

Originally Posted by VINMAN

Which is why I switched over to NG..

This. Pretty much a no brainer if you have gas supplied to the house. Simple to T into the line and run pipe where you want/need it. You don't have to have a hard line all the way to the grill, we had a valve at the end of the pipe, and a hose with a quick disconnect. Might have to change out the orifice.

[daepp]

How about the fact, at least in CA, that they keep changing the requirements for the tanks so you keep having to buy new ones.

Reminds me of what the baby-car-seat industry did a few years ago!

[porsche4life]

We'd have a NG on our grill if we could get it... But the nearest NG line is over a mile away and they want an astronomical figure to run it over...

[9dreizig]

Originally Posted by red-beard

What is bulk propane going for these days?

I just ordered service at $2.79 a gallon

[74-911]

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

Sounds like BS - might want to call weights & measures...

This practice of under-filling propane tanks started years ago. No law against it, they can charge whatever they want (or the market will bear). The old school places that fill tanks filled by weight. This may have started when they started requiring OPD valves in tanks ??

[74-911]

Originally Posted by red-beard

The only reason to exchange? Tank expiration....

If you can find a place (probably hard to do in Houston) it only costs about $10 (last time I did it) to have an expired tank re-certified. Probably not worth the effort here.

[widgeon13]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Places I used in NY all charged / filled by weight.

Tank goes on a scale while being filled.

Same here.