Propane tank question

[Jim_Rogers]

I have a propane tank, one I think they call a 20 lbs tank. You know the standard one you use to put in a grill for grilling out.
I use it to run a heater to warm up the backhoe so it will start.
I was wondering how I can tell how much is in it.
I thought that there was a way to pour some water over it and it would bead up or something below the level of the gas. But maybe that only in the summer time.

Will that work in the winter time?

The outside temperature here is less than 32° F so maybe it won't work.

I have a regular bathroom scale, can I weigh it to find out how much is in it?

How much should the empty tank weigh?

I don't want to go to one of these places that fills it up and pay the fee if it's half full. But I don't want to run out during a snow storm either.

Any advice would be helpful. Thanks

Jim Rogers

[Hilltop366]

Tare weight should be stamped on the top rim "TW", weigh it and subtract the tare weight to see how much is left.

Ps. getting any snow over there? Were suppose to get hit Sunday.

[julio]

Tell the place you take it to get it fill you want to pay by the gallon. A empty 20 lbs should only hold 3.5 gallon

[beenthere]

Here may be some help.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060618181222AA1bYqI

Weight full 38 lb
Weight empty 18 lb

[Rockn H]

You could rig up a gauge to go in line.  Same sort of gauge you'd use on a cutting torch.  You can glance at the gauge and know how long you've got left.   Or you could buy one like this for about $12.  This one is similar to what would be on a fire extinguisher.

http://www.amazon.com/Flame-King-YSN-212-Propane-Cylinder/dp/B001T4M522

[Al_Smith]

You just need to get a couple of tanks .I think I have 8 as a matter of fact .6 are full in the shed ,one is empty and one still on the grill and it's 25 degrees out .No BBQ today .

[r.man]

The weight thing will work, when you fill and buy by weight they check the tank, set the scale to the stamped weight added to the filler fitting and then put it to 20 lbs over that. Most people are like me and don't take it in unless it is empty so you get what you pay for. I have owned lots of tanks but I presently only have one that can be filled. If the date stamp on the tank is over 10 yrs old a reputable place will not fill it. Doesn't matter what the tank looks like.

[Gary_C]

There is a magnetic strip for about $5 that you can stick on the tank that will tell you the liquid level in the tank, but they work by temperature change at the liquid line so they work best when drawing propane from the tank.

But the easiest way is to just have an extra tank on hand.

And yes, you pay the same fill price no matter how much they put in the tank to refill.  :

[julio]

We can either pay a bulk price or by the gallon. I guess they hope you just pay the bulk price they make more money. Now this is at a hardware store that fill tanks they got a bulk tank a pump and  meter system .

[bodagocreek2]

actually, most 20 lb. tanks, when completely empty, hold 4.5 gallons at 85%. Most propane dealers use a scale. Place tank on scale no matter if empty or not. When tank reaches full weight, pump shuts off. You pay for actual gas put in tank.

[Al_Smith]

Folks there's a secret to every thing and it's legal .You get those old tanks ,pedal them off at those places they just swap tanks .

They used to be anal about the valves .Now they just want to see a tank .That's how I ended up with 8 of them .Lots of ways to skin that ole cat you just have to be smarter than the average bear .

[LeeB]

Be aware of the tank you pic up that way also. I've gotten a crappy one now and then.

[r.man]

Bodago, I don't know about most. The local gas station has a set price for filling a tank so I don't think they measure volume pumped. You pay your whatever and the tank ends up full. No worse than the tank traders, if you trade in a tank that is partly full, they don't care and it still costs the same amount. The trade in places around here are very strict about tank date and they check every time. If it doesn't make the date, no trade.

[beenthere]

Lots of ways to skin that ole cat you just have to be smarter than the average bear .

Or cheat   ;D

[Al_Smith]

Well I suppose every local is different .I asked the lady at Lowes and she said as long as it's a tank it was good to go .It's like 19 bucks exchange .I can get them filled a few bucks cheaper so the trade might cost me 3 -4 dollars if you figure it like that .

Funny part is about half those tanks were given to me some half full .They bought a new grill and knew they couldn't use the old bottles .Part of being a junk yard dawg pack rat I guess . ;D

[Dave Shepard]

Blue Rhino is one of the exchange places around here, and they will take any tank on exchange. You just have to make sure that if you take an old internal thread tank in that you get the right thread back, although most valves now have both the internal and external threads.

Blue Rhino, that's a funny name for a propane company. I guess if one of those tanks blows up on you, you might think you've been run over by a blue rhinoceros. :D

[John Mc]

Blue Rhino is also one of those places that likes to sell you a "full" tank that only has 15# of propane in it.  Check out the label some time.  I called them once to ask about it.  They said they do that "for their customer's safety" so the tank won't burst if it's overfilled or if it warms up.  That's a load of BS.  The OPD valve will release pressure if it builds. Filling a tank to 15# is just a way of short-changing the customer, and most never realize it.

A typical fill on my 20# propane tank usually runs about 4.3 to 4.5 gallons (18 to 19 pounds), depending on how empty it was when I brought it in (my grill gets flaky before the tank is bone dry).

[Jim_Rogers]

Thanks for all your comments and advice.

Jim Rogers

[Gary_C]

A typical fill on my 20# propane tank usually runs about 4.3 to 4.5 gallons (18 to 19 pounds), depending on how empty it was when I brought it in (my grill gets flaky before the tank is bone dry).

I fill my own tanks. For me, that 4.3 to 4.5 gallons of propane would cost me a little over $6. Sometimes less. So if you are paying $19 for an exchange, that leaves $12+ for profit. Plus you probably pay tax besides.

[goose63]

I think Sportsman's Guide .com has a gauge to put on the tank's that will tell you how much is in the tank

[Al_Smith]

I can get them filled for around 12-13 bucks .The exchange deal is 19 to 21 bucks depending on where you go .

It's a conveniance .You got twenty people guzzling beer on the patio waiting for the chow to get done and the gas runs out on Sunday afternoon .What do you do? Run  to Lowes or some place and get more gas before they drink up all the beer and eat raw hamburgers .

[hamish]

Get a cup of hot or boiling water and dump it on the tank.  A frost line will appear at the tanks present level.

[Gary_C]

Al, I thought you had 8 of those tanks?

If you empty all 8 of those tanks in an afternoon, you must be running an industrial incinerator instead of a barbeque grill.

That's some heavy duty cooking.   8)

[WDH]

He likes crowds  ;D.

[thecfarm]

Takes alot of grilling to convince them 100:1 oil people to mend their wicked ways.  ;D