PROPANE REFILL COSTS

[neveruminda]

What's your experience with ACTUAL costs   List what size bottle you use(to refill 1lb bottles) and cost to refill
each




image gleaned from: http://www.centurycamping.com/accessories/hookups/

[Chris Raymond]

5# tank usually costs me $3 and change if I remember correctly. 

[eriksat1]

20 lb tank refill cost $12.65 at local co-op.
Refill my own 1 lb cylinders @ about .65 cents each.

[hardwateryooper]

You don't have one of these? It's save money and the land fills ...you can refill you own 1 lb cylinders for about 1.00 or less.the cost of the adapter is made up in no time....

[neveruminda]

.the cost of the adapter is made up in no time....

"NO TIME" that may be stretching reality a bit   @ $22 + (depending on where you buy it)  and the way the weather
is going- it'll be one to two seasons before payback in terms of dollars    environment's a given in area of savings thru refilling your own   

Wally World locally has 1lb bottles 2 for $5.18   RIDICULOUS   None of their Coleman adapters will do what you want regardless how many you buy!!  WRONG FITTINGS FOR REFILLING 1LB BOTTLES      Sam's has 4x 1lb for $5

Sportsman's Warehouse & BassPro & a few others sell the converter/adapter you list - and THAT is the right one

[hardwateryooper]

No time yes..If your crafty?..Take your buddies empty's and fill them for a buck or two..I bought mine for 19.00 bucks and have filled hundreds 1 pounders..I have figured out how to get a lot more gas in them also,The ones I fill last longer than store bought !...It is a shame that alot of people just throw them away...I have found lots of them laying around..I have a buddy who is even cheaper ..he made his own re-filler ...I'll try to get a pic of it....Not pretty but it works ...

[neveruminda]

  ...I'll try to get a pic of it....Not pretty but it works ...

SEND IT

[Quantrel]

Site to get 1lb bottle refill adapter:

http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/search.cmd?form_state=searchForm&N=0&fsch=true&Ntk=AllProducts&Ntt=MacCoupler+EZ+Propane+Refill+Adapter&x=17&y=13&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

Chill down empty cylinder
Install adapter on 20 lb tank
Turn tank upside down and screw on empty 1lb tank..this way empty is filled with liquid gas
Takes about 1 min to refil

[hardwateryooper]

Site to get 1lb bottle refill adapter:

http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/search.cmd?form_state=searchForm&N=0&fsch=true&Ntk=AllProducts&Ntt=MacCoupler+EZ+Propane+Refill+Adapter&x=17&y=13&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

                   My buddies is much more rustic  than this but the same principal  ..If you have to go buy this stuff to make one it wouldn't be cost affective ,But this is why us Yoopers have big junk drawers ...

[hardwateryooper]

I'm stating to think 17 to 20 bucks is a small price to pay.......

[eriksat1]

I have picked up about a dozen like new empty 1 lb cylinders at the garbage dump. I have at least a dozen filled and ready to go for the buddy heater and propane lantern. I finally got one of my friends to start filling his own, he was paying at least $2.50 per can. I bought my refill adapter about 2 years ago for $18 and I can guarantee you it has paid for itself. Saving $2 per tank.

[ih772]

A 20 pound tank costs me $17.00 and with the refill adapter it costs me 85 cents per one pound tank. The local GM has a 6 pack of one pound tanks for $21, that ends up being $3.50 each. $3.50 minus $.85 = $2.65 savings per tank. When you figure out the savings, its about 6.4 tanks before I'm refilling for free when compared to buying a six pack at GM. The adapter paid for itself within the first month I bought it about 10 years ago.

[neveruminda]

No time yes..If your crafty?..Take your buddies empty's and fill them for a buck or two..I bought mine for 19.00 bucks and have filled hundreds 1 pounders..I have figured out how to get a lot more gas in them also,The ones I fill last longer than store bought !...It is a shame that alot of people just throw them away...I have found lots of them laying around..I have a buddy who is even cheaper ..he made his own re-filler ...I'll try to get a pic of it....Not pretty but it works ...

Yep, get your point now   after seeing costs some are paying and that you do it as a service to others  she pays off quick
Thx for updating your approach to it

[mojofish]

http://www.harborfreight.com/propane-bottle-refill-kit-45989.html

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AMC5WO/ref=asc_df_B000AMC5WO1876025?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=asn&creative=395093&creativeASIN=B000AMC5WO

I got one of these kits and love it.

You freeze the small bottles and bring a 20lbs tank to room temp.

Takes about 1 minute per bottle to fill:

[antelope76]

I just had my 5# tank filled at lunch today for $3.50. 

[eriksat1]

The convenience stores sell the exchange 20 lb tanks for $17 and you only get about 17 lbs. If I take it to the co-op and get it physically refilled to 20 lbs. it is only $12. 65

[Nor Easter]

The convenience stores sell the exchange 20 lb tanks for $17 and you only get about 17 lbs.

Blue Rhino had a class action suit filed against them for under filling. I believe it has been remedied.

[Gillfisher]

They fill my 20 pounders when they fill my bulk tank for the house, it cost me $6.75. I've had my 1 pound fill adapter for a number of years and know for a fact it was paid for the first month of the ice season I bought it. Ive been spending the savings on new gear. 

[UP jigstick]

Blue Rhino had a class action suit filed against them for under filling. I believe it has been remedied.

It sure has! They state right on their web site that they only put 15 lbs. of propane in their tanks. Caveat Emptor, eh.

[Nor Easter]

I just recently returned a Rhino 20#'er for an exchange. Wasn't pressing any issue about getting shorted, the real reason was my refilling station was beginning to leak...    Tried several POL males, tried my grilles too, all of them leaked so freely that there was no way to refill a 1#'er without a white cloud!!    Would'a needed gloves on to turn the now upside-down valve... Turns out, something was worn, didn't look (can't see  ) with a fine toothed comb, but just burned off the rest of the tank with a cooker, then swapped it. Problem gone and confirmed/tested. 

[billybob851]

Ive heard this can be dangerous, is it really?

[641cfrank]

I just had 3, 20 pounders filled today at a local place in town for $15 a piece. I have about a dozen 1 pounders that I've been refilling for awhile now and its been working fine. Has anyone noticed that it says right on the 1 pound bottle that you're not suppose to refill them... is that just so they can make their money?

[esox_magnum]

I just had 3, 20 pounders filled today at a local place in town for $15 a piece. I have about a dozen 1 pounders that I've been refilling for awhile now and its been working fine. Has anyone noticed that it says right on the 1 pound bottle that you're not suppose to refill them... is that just so they can make their money?

 Check your states laws some states it's illegal to transport refilled 1 pounders...

[MT-Ed]

It's all about liability......they just want to CTAs.

[eriksat1]

Ive heard this can be dangerous, is it really?

It is really not anymore dangerous than changing your tank on your gas grill. Yea you get a little puff of propane maybe. If you use common sense, check for leaks with soap and water weigh them so not to over fill, and store them outside in a well ventilated area.

[Gillfisher]

Check your states laws some states it's illegal to transport refilled 1 pounders...

49 U.S.C. 5124 is the federal stat listed, if you want some interesting reading (negative) google it.
49 USC 5124 "The purpose of this chapter is
    to protect against the risks to life, property, and the environment
    that are inherent in the transportation of hazardous material in
    intrastate, interstate, and foreign commerce"

[Gumboots]

The 1lb's have a pressure relief valve so I'm sure this would give before the tank exploded from an over fill.   

[eriksat1]

I have over filled a few, I just use them first. In winter it is not much worry, but you don't want to leave a over filled tank out in the sun in mid summer, the pop off valve might leak. Anyone who refills small propane tanks will tell you to weigh them. I weigh them empty, then weigh them full. I find one pound tanks take about 80 - 90 seconds to fill and stop hissing, is about right on the money one pound of propane. The only ones I was able to over fill, I had to re-chill the small tank and do the fill process twice.

[641cfrank]

Check your states laws some states it's illegal to transport refilled 1 pounders...

I looked all over the DNR website and couldn't find anything about 1# cylinders... It did say that you can legally transport up to 25, 20# cylinders without any special licence or placecard in Iowa.

[eriksat1]

I think it is a transportation federal law not something you find on a DNR site. Plus I think it is aimed at someone trying to resell them and transporting 100's of them at a time, not a guy in a pickup truck with maybe 2 or 3 bottles heading to his fishing lake. Kind of like removing the tag off your mattress.