Propane tank refill

Kbeitz · March 05, 2016, 05:54:55 AM

Thought you all would like this one...
No inspection laws in Dominican Republic.
No transportation laws ether.
I watched all day cycles pulling into a refill station getting tanks filled.

Magicman · March 05, 2016, 09:02:41 AM

Now that is funny. :D

DelawhereJoe · March 05, 2016, 09:13:22 AM

Thinking more about it when I left working for them they would only fill the tanks with 17lbs, according to them "the tanks are safer with 17 lbs then with 20 lbs". 20 lbs holds like 4.3 gal at 17 its around 3.7 gal. I'm sure it saved a butt load of money too.

Engineer · March 05, 2016, 07:24:42 PM

I used to get propane tanks refilled at the local welding place and also a gas station that had a propane fill. After running out of gas far too many times on a Sunday afternoon or early evening, I decided to just swap out tanks at the Home Depot (Blue Rhino). They don't care how old the tank is.

However, I managed to get my hands on a couple of nearly brand-new tanks through the Blue Rhino exchange, so I decided to keep them instead of exchange them, and have them filled again by the local suppliers. As long as I have 3-4 tanks around, I won't run out so I can take them in to have them filled when they are open. I'm going to keep swapping the last two I have until I get a date stamp within the past year or so, and then I'll hang on to them.

Also true that the exchange cylinders do not have 20lb in them - it's either 17 or 18 depending on where you get them. The local suppliers will fill you up with a full 20lb.

Supposedly there's a way to refill the small green propane cylinders for camp stoves and the like, but I am not sure where I saw that to be a good idea. The local transfer station has a shelf full of little green cylinders. I'm tempted to take a bunch home and use them for long-distance rifle targets.

;D

gspren · March 05, 2016, 07:52:55 PM

Just yesterday I saw exchange tanks, "Ameri tank" or something like that, for $22.98 and the label says 15Lb. There are local places to fill one for $8.00, it usually doesn't pay to exchange.

Brucer · March 05, 2016, 08:37:57 PM

In BC it's illegal to fill a tank that's beyond it's expiry date. Service station attendants have to take a training course and pass an exam before they can refill tanks. They're also trained to look for flaws in the tanks (leaky or corroded valves, excessive corrosion on the tank) and can refuse to fill a tank that they consider unsafe. Tanks that are in good condition can be recertified.

The local service station refills them and charges by weight, so you know you're getting your money's worth.

Kbeitz · March 06, 2016, 06:39:13 AM

Quote from: Engineer on March 05, 2016, 07:24:42 PM
Supposedly there's a way to refill the small green propane cylinders for camp stoves and the like, but I am not sure where I saw that to be a good idea. The local transfer station has a shelf full of little green cylinders. I'm tempted to take a bunch home and use them for long-distance rifle targets. ;D

I fill the small green propane cylinders all the time. You just need one of these.

goose63 · March 06, 2016, 07:37:49 AM

Engineer I shot one of those little green bottles at 100 yards and all most got hit with it when it came straight back at me

WV Sawmiller · March 06, 2016, 08:01:50 AM

Quote from: goose63 on March 06, 2016, 07:37:49 AM
Engineer I shot one of those little green bottles at 100 yards and all most got hit with it when it came straight back at me

Goose,

One of my many imprudent acts in my youth was to also shoot one of those little cylinders. Was in a trash dump on an old logging road where I went squirrel hunting. Set the cylinder up and stepped back about 25 yards and shot it with a .22 rifle. The cylinder spun around 3-4 times then hit a rut and headed straight for me. I took off running imagining it was going to run up to me and explode. Fortunately it just fizzled out and stopped. I have not shot any more.

Also if you get pithed off at a pair of cheap slip joint pliers it is not wise to shoot the bolt head off. I'm still picking shrapnel off that one and it was over 45 years ago.

Magicman · March 06, 2016, 08:06:33 AM

I hope neither of you ever get mad at me 'cause you kill your enemies. :D

gspren · March 06, 2016, 08:55:52 AM

I have shot empty 16oz bottles with a 22 and they just fall over with a little hole in them. I do that before putting in the trash.

21incher · March 06, 2016, 09:33:58 AM

Quote from: Kbeitz on March 06, 2016, 06:39:13 AM
Quote from: Engineer on March 05, 2016, 07:24:42 PM
Supposedly there's a way to refill the small green propane cylinders for camp stoves and the like, but I am not sure where I saw that to be a good idea. The local transfer station has a shelf full of little green cylinders. I'm tempted to take a bunch home and use them for long-distance rifle targets. ;D

I fill the small green propane cylinders all the time. You just need one of these.

I bought some refillable 1 lb tanks years ago. They are a little heavier then the disposable ones and have a bleeder valve so you know when they are full, and legal to transport after refilling.There are also legal to transport refillable 1 lb cylinders available now that I think are made for the new propane powered lawn equipment. Search propane-refill.com. they have info on one they make.

WV Sawmiller · March 06, 2016, 06:32:16 PM

Quote from: Magicman on March 06, 2016, 08:06:33 AM
I hope neither of you ever get mad at me 'cause you kill your enemies. :D

MM,

We are no doubt our own worst enemies. I can certainly certify I have done more harm to myself than anyone else ever has (although in several areas of the world where I worked they tried pretty hard).

Kbeitz · March 06, 2016, 06:48:40 PM

I took my 35mm cannon to a cannon shootout. They drove a car out into the middle of a large feild
and stacked 100 20lb propane tanks around and on top of the car. I got to fire the first shot...
After the first explosion the tanks pretty much left the area, This is what was left of the car that
was running when they drove it in. My cannon is in the first picture.

Al_Smith · March 06, 2016, 07:51:11 PM

I had 6 or 8 20 pound tanks with the old style valves given to me .Some had gas in them .I used up the gas and pedaled them off at various exchange places .They never even looked at the date or the valves .

Profane ,er propane gas makes a pretty good source of heat for a gas grill but it's lousy stuff to run an engine with .No power .

Some people use it to run a cutting torch with too .It's not worth a hoot for that either ,cheaper than acetylene though .< dang the price on that stuff is outta sight . >:(

Kbeitz · March 06, 2016, 08:00:16 PM

I have a very large cutting torch thats set up for Propane.
With the right Propane tip I think it works fine.
With out the rght tip it is lousy.
Maybe not as hot as acetylene but I made up for that with a bigger torch.
Our local junkyard only uses Proplane for cutting.

Stuart Caruk · March 07, 2016, 02:09:01 AM

I have a CNC cutting machine that cuts with gas or Plasma. I started out years ago cutting with Acetylene and Oxygen for thicker plate. Several years ago I switched to Propane and Oxygen. I'd have used natural gas, but it's not available. Propane is waaaaaaaaaay cheaper to cut with, and requires a 2 piece tip. Though propane has fewer BTU's than Acetylene, they dump way more fuel gas out the tip. Bottom line is that my cut costs are about 20% of what they used to be and I have no problems routinely cutting up to 6" thick plate.

My hand torch on a cart still uses Acetylene though because it's less likely to pop out in the cut. My hand just isn't nearly as steady as my CNC machine.

Al_Smith · March 07, 2016, 04:56:20 AM

An industrial environment is entirely different than a guy tinkering around in a home shop .For that matter I've worked on a huge propane set up used to cut plate for the M1 Abrams battle tank .Now that's the major leagues.

A scrapper or something of that nature a good smooth burn is not a big deal. To me it's just a personal preference .I've got three sets of tanks ,no profane(sic) or MAPP either .Then again two gas grills so I still have to buy the stuff on occasion

thecfarm · March 07, 2016, 05:38:14 AM

One idea,if you have propane at your house, put a tee in and put a line for the grill. Won't have to bother with the tanks that way.

Logger RK · March 07, 2016, 06:24:15 AM

Does anyone know if I can fill my small,I think they call them suitcase size Acetylene tank,from my larger Acetylene tank,think 100lb.I should have the right fittings,but wondering if they use some kind of regulator or something? Getting the small tanks refilled are almost as much as the larger ones. But don't want to get blown up either :

goose63 · March 07, 2016, 07:29:37 AM

Quote from: gspren on March 06, 2016, 08:55:52 AM
I have shot empty 16oz bottles with a 22 and they just fall over with a little hole in them. I do that before putting in the trash.

Not when thy are half full

Ljohnsaw · March 07, 2016, 11:06:02 AM

Quote from: logger RK on March 07, 2016, 06:24:15 AM
Does anyone know if I can fill my small,I think they call them suitcase size Acetylene tank,from my larger Acetylene tank,think 100lb.I should have the right fittings,but wondering if they use some kind of regulator or something? Getting the small tanks refilled are almost as much as the larger ones. But don't want to get blown up either :

Unless you have a death wish, don't attempt it. Even the experts make mistakes!