Propane Tank Rant
4205raymond
Member Posts: 3,316 ✭✭✭✭
I have two propane tanks for my grill. The mfg. date on one is April '99 and i sanded it down and repainted it about four years ago. Does not have a mark on it and looks to be new. The other tank, a back up tank is dated June '05. It was filled one time and looks to be brand new.
I went to BJ's and they have a sign that covers half the door. " We will not fill any tank that is over 12 years old." Their price was very reasonable at $13+. But it was a no go there.
I had read that some owners were re-stamping the mfg. dates on the tanks and suppliers got wise to that.
I use to go to a company four miles away that got their name in the paper for having ties to organized crime. My best friend who passed away last year had one of their very large tanks. The company changed ownership and started to charge a huge rental fee. My friend called them and told them to come and get their tank and he went with another company that he was happy with. Took him six months to get tank picked up and he lost all the rental fees. Couple days ago I checked out this company and they have the worst feedback of any company i have ever checked up on. And, they are huge and nationwide now.
From what I can find out it cost between $50-$60 to re-certify a tank. I do not know if the tank gets re-stamped or a label goes on it but it is only good for five years I believe instead of 12years. Lots of luck trying to get someone to re-certify your tank.
After wasting a hell of a lot of time I went to Home Depot and took my oldest tank that looked brand new and exchanged it for one of their used tanks in the cage outside. Cost me $21+ and I was so pissed off that i forgot my Military Discount. I looked at this exchange tank and some of the others in the cage. The price was fair but what a bunch of garbage. My exchanged tank was "NOT" stamped with a new date. The original mfg. date was April '07. What gives this company the right to give me an exchange tank that is much, much worse than the one i give them? Does the DOT give them a blanket approval with a sleeve wrapped around tank with their name on it?
I understand there are reasons for letting a tank expire after 12 years but in reality it does not expire. Sure no one wants to get caught in a tunnel on a interstate with a RV blazing away with a leaking propane tank, but this is BS and over reach by the DOT and Big Brother once again is watching. Everyday We the People are losing our FREEDOM.
What has been your experience with the propane tanks?----------------------------------------Ray
Comments
Dano, you were very lucky to get a new exchange tank. Would be interesting to see what the mfg. date is to far right at the top.----------------------Ray
Tanks need to be re certified 12 years after their manufacture date, and every 5 after that. I worked for a propane company out of high school in the mid 80's and remember doing it then. It's getting tough to find someone who will refill them w/o a certification date on them. Sometimes it's easier to do an exchange rather than finding a place that can refill them, but it does cost a little more. One thing about the exchange is that they will take broken tanks as an exchange tank. It's a good way to get rid of tanks that are broken. We have a local Ferrel gas supplier that are giving out $20 Amazon cards for every tank you bring in, no limit. They refurbish them, and put them in the exchange program.
toad67, do you know anyone that actually will re-certify tanks and how much $. Do they re-stamp date in the metal? I looked at many of these exchange tanks. Trust me please, They spray paint right over the heavy rust. Something smells here and it is not the propane.--------------------------Ray
I gave up on trying to get our local AmeriGas place to refill mine. The one guy they had to do that much preferred to sit on his buns in the office rather than do any work. And it turned out that refilling one was only a dollar or so cheaper than exchanging them at WalMart. Did one just last week, and I think that WalMart actually came out cheaper than a refill, given the recent boost in gas prices.
And the clerks at WalMart haven't a clue about whether or not to accept outdated tanks.
Dano, I have always been very big on maintenance. Was building mgr/net mgr for $19 Million Alumni Center Building (Herbert Hall) at West Point. Ran whole bldg. from one PC on my desk. Pumps, motors, high pressure boiler, cooling tower, chiller, frequency drives, 37 heat pumps, the whole nine yards.
I guess my whole point in all this is, it is nice that the really bad tanks are being taken out of circulation, we hope, but I can't take real good care of my tank and get it refilled.-----------Ray
I think I have 6 or 7 tanks, which I rotate through the exchange program. I've never gotten attached to a propane tank in my life, so I don't feel slighted when I do it.
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
Most of the resellers (gas stations etc) don't re certify tanks, but follow the orders from the supplier. Check with a local propane company the home delivers propane, they are generally the ones who will re certify the smaller tanks.
Just do the cage exchange
Many of the mom and pop gas stations around here, that sell propane, will fill them. As long as they look to be in good condition, they don't care what the date is.
When i look at the condition of some of the tanks that come out of the cages at Walmart/Home Depot I become very attached to my tanks.
HPD, Really like your comment. I need to take my nice tanks and go back to my second home in rural Virginia and stay there. With some luck I should be able to find a Mom/Pop operation whose owner has some common sense and will fill my tanks.--------------------Ray
Nobody in my area will re-certify the smaller tanks. You can buy a new tank for about the same amount as Re-certification.--------------------------Ray
As rants go, I'd give this one about a 6.
I still have one 20 pound thats old as who knows 😲 its full . a couple we cut into pumpkin like decorations or made into air tanks I have about 1/2 dozen newer ones I rotate thru the local tank swap stations just did three yesterday just under 18.00 each exchange . I use them for the BBQ grill of course and several forced air heaters
we have two 100 gallon tanks alos I had our deliver driver fill a couple years ago but have not used them
our house propane tank 500 gallon is like a real early 1960 something date it came with the house so its ours we just had it pressure tested yesterday by another company all of them have to do it before they will deliver .
our issue the manufacturing tag is just about gone from corrosion I see some time in the near future no one will fill it
but most places will lease you one for a dollar or so as long as they get to fill it
many years ago when they had "grace " peroid I traded in severl of the old style tanks for the new ones different fittings and internal safety changes
i consider that a honor, given the subject matter🙂 --------------------Ray
If I have smaller tanks to fill, I set them out by my 500 Gallon propane tank.
Our local small town company we buy our propane from, comes once a month in the winter to top it off. If there's small ones out by it, he will fill them also.
A couple are really old, and look it. Don't think they even have the safety valve and triangle knob on them. He doesn't care.
This is my experience and info on exchanging tanks- don't do it- its a rip off. If you are exchanging a tank to get rid of a broken one, that's a different story. I had exchanged one of my tanks for a "Blue Rhino" tank. I noticed it didn't last nearly as long as the ones I had filled. After speaking with a guy that worked for a propane company, he said they only fill the exchange tanks with 3.25 gallons of LP. When you go have one filled you can normally get 4.5 gallons in it. Personally I will never do the exchange again because its a ripoof. Convenient? Sure, but still a ripoff. Just my .02 YMMV
This is correct. You would be amazed at the condition of some that are brought in and sitting in the cages for return. -----------------Ray
It's all a scam. Aluminum propane tanks , and horizontal mounted tanks never have to be re-certified.
The certification for that level of pressure was never supposed or proposed for re-certification. How many compressor tanks have EVER been recertified?
It is intended to separate you from your money.
Margaret Thatcher
"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
Mark Twain
My propane guy said it would be illegal for him to refill one of my tanks due to age. He told me to go and do a tank exchange with that old tank, making certain I got a new tank and he would gladly refill the new tank! Problem solved!
They recertify tanks in my area for $10 for 5 years. They refill one certified at TC for about $12. So over the 5 years its much cheaper to recertify a good tank. If it has an old valve or is in tough shape exchange it.
Sounds like a good idea. i had thought of this also. The guys at HD will let me pick thru lumber but not sure they would let me pick thru locked bins in their gage looking for a recent date. ------------------------Ray
the only place that use to fill tanks close by I knew of stopped years ago when the place changed hands and the places in town I kew also went to the exchange a tank set ups . this summer I am going to do some more checking around
the old guy that use to own the local gas station would smile and say you know I am not supposed to ... smile a bit and pull out a adapter that he had made up to fill the old tanks LOL even my 100 pound tanks but that was years ago
D-R, Yes, i remember those days also. The old timers would look at the tank and if passed the visual test would pump her up even if a adaptor was needed. If the tank looked awful or unsafe, he might say "You know I really should not fill this tank" and you would feel so guilty you would put the tank back in your truck empty. It all comes down to common sense, your conscience and honesty. Things are just different now. -------------------Ray
I wish I had that option. Do you know if they restamp date with metal dies or do they put a label on it with re-certified date? ----------------Ray
Around here every gas station has a tank exchange locker bin. I only use them when it is a Sunday and my grill runs out of gas. I have 3 tanks that I bought new and one that is a Blue Rino only used for exchange by me in such emergencies. It is TRUE about the exchange tank rip-off on propane amounts.
There is an RV repair shop just down the road from me and they fill my 20 pound tanks for 12 bucks. They never look for dates on my tanks either. When filling a brand new one, they do purge it first before filling.
I don't use much propane any more, but I fill my own off my 500 gallon tank. I usually fill more tanks for friends than myself, because they know I can when they run out on a holiday.
When we haul the trash off,if we have anything that someone else might use we put it beside the dumpster or recycle bin.I have picked up several propane tanks and stopped at the Dollar General between the dump and home and exchanged them for full tanks.
had accumulated 10 barbie sized tanks and local co-op would not fill them if they had an old style valve on them...a new style valve costs more than the tank is worth------had a 500 gallon tank at the lake place and the company jacked the rental rate to $50 a year....had two of these at home so told to come and get their tank which they eventually did ...trying to wait me out ..took one of my 500 extra ones over their... and local dealer came out and certified for no cost i have a robber hose setup to fill my own bottles... and i have prepaid my annual use for many years and come out ahead on costs
apologies........corrected wording.........took one of my extra three 500 gallon tanks on hand over there.......
You live in AZ, how many years does a tank last.
You're a mountain man then not a low land desert rat. I've only been to AZ once and that was late Dec. Was warm in Mesa but in the 20's at night when I visited the canyon.
Had a 250 Gal tank next to the shop for years. Last time diver came to refill, he couldn't do it. New regulations wouldn't allow for tanks closer to 20 ft.
Area was paved so not wanting to dig up a trench. He called in and they came back and said I could have two 120 side by side in same location (?).
My delivery guy has been around for years and fills my older 40 Lb units I use for the Grills and RV Spot, with no problem.
nice idea about the milk crate I am getting older and it would also make it easy for my wife to move it around
Thanks
being a "armature hoarder " I am sure I can round up a set of wheels if not off to the big box store I will go
I never gave it a thought to use one as such we have a "few " milk crates picked up at thrift stores garage sales and use them for a lot of things great idea for the propane tanks also
I also purchased a adapter to fill the 1 pound camping lantern / torch ( rip off LOL ) tanks from a 25 pound bottle seems to work well
Wife is a school cafeteria manager
She keeps me supplied with crates . My truck has a full bed tonneau cover on it . I keep my tools etc in a set of milk crates bolted together that I can slide in and out of the bed .