$9.95 a pound!?!?!

[Eyes R Bitin]

That is what I paid for a 1# tank of propane last time I hit the ice.  Granted it was at a tackle shop on the lake so I expected to get gouged but that is ridiculous.  You guys that refill your own can say all you want about saving $$ but I am not that brave and if anyone could screw it up and hurt themselves it would be me.  There fore I am going to continue to buy new but I'm gonna look for deals buying them little jugs by the case from now on. 

What's the most outrageous price you have paid per pound?

[Dakota Angler]

At that rate you're better off buying fresh fish from the grocery store

[Eyes R Bitin]

On a bad day you are right, BUT on a good day I could get a few pounds of filets out of that 1# tank. 

[Desperado]

 a 5lb refillable doesn't take up much more room than a one lb tank (or two one lb tanks, since carrying a spare is pretty common when relying on one pounders)
 they're a lot less prone to tipping over than a one pounder
 and the refill for FIVE lbs of propane costs about what you'd pay (normal price) for a ONE lb disposable

[thomasthepikehunter]

Yep, never understood the draw of 1lb tanks. A 5 lb is about perfect for fishing, and plenty small. The only problem is they are hard to find. I use a 20 lb with sunflower if I need it, or my skid house has a wood stove. The deal to look for is those 4 packs. I think sams club has them for $12, I've seen them for less other places. I know someone who refilled them, and had one burst. They are not made to be refilled.

[Alex Delarge]

It would be hard to carry a 20lb tank with an auger. Big K usually has them for $3 and wally has them for $3.50. $9.95 is outrageous. I don't like the idea of refilling either. I probably go through 4-5, 1 lb bottles in a season.

[NorthWoods Harry]

Even during the LP "shortage" up here in Wisconsin this winter...I paid $3.95 for the little tanks. I have 1 on the auger, 1 in the heater and I carry an extra in the bucket....

You can't refill the "green valve" tanks...only the older non-green valve tanks!

Harry

[thomasthepikehunter]

Really? Back when I had a big buddy heater (absolute junk) I got about 3 hours out of one.

[NorthWoods Harry]

Really? Back when I had a big buddy heater (absolute junk) I got about 3 hours out of one.

I use a Mr Buddy....not the Big Buddy! Been using it for years...hunting, fishing, etc....love it!

[Joe in T.C.]

1 pound bottles around here sell for as low as $2.99 and up to $6.99
You can buy them on sale in 4 packs at Meijer's or individually at a party store next to the lake.

Refilling bottles is like driving your truck on the ice, if your comfortable with it go ahead, if your not then that's OK too.

I have been refilling mine for years, I have difficulty filling the one pound tanks completely full.
keeping the empties in the freezer and the 20 pound tank at room temperature helps.

Of course this isn't done without safety precautions, making sure the tank is clean and in excellent condition are just a few things to look for.

If by chance you over fill the tank, the safety relief valve on the tank releases excess pressure, but I have never had a tank refill that full.

I was told a refilling station could pop a one pound tank, but a 20 pound tank just doesn't have the pressure to do it, but he wouldn't go on record about it.

But better safe than sorry if your not comfortable with it.

[wadwerth]

Ah, yeah.. that is a shank man! I've been in the propane business for 30 years and you can get a 20 pounder filled here for $15.00. 10.00 a pound is insane.

[Damn Yankee]

That is what I paid for a 1# tank of propane last time I hit the ice.  Granted it was at a tackle shop on the lake so I expected to get gouged but that is ridiculous.  You guys that refill your own can say all you want about saving $$ but I am not that brave and if anyone could screw it up and hurt themselves it would be me.  There fore I am going to continue to buy new but I'm gonna look for deals buying them little jugs by the case from now on. 

What's the most outrageous price you have paid per pound?

Home Depot had them (last fall) 2 for $5.00

[tomturkey]

Ah, yeah.. that is a shank man! I've been in the propane business for 30 years and you can get a 20 pounder filled here for $15.00. 10.00 a pound is insane.

It is $20.00 plus tax to fill a 20 here north of Grand Rapids

[dabluz]

Costs 10 dollars plus tax to fill a 20 lb tank here in my region of Quebec.

I've been thinking of refilling my 1 lb tanks.  They cost about 4 dollars up here.  But, I only use about 4 or 5 one pound bottles every winter and a couple more during the summer.

[Fish huckster]

Be careful when refilling. The 1 pounders aren't made for refilling. Any tank made for refilling will have some important info for filling. All filling should be done by weight. On the proper tanks, there will be a tare weight( weight of tank empty) and a w.c weight( weight of water to fill tank) since propane is lighter than water by about half a correction factor must be used. Example: w.c of the tank is 50 pounds. Proper fill weight of propane will be 25 since it takes up the same amount of space as 50 lbs of water. It is also important to remember that you must also leave room for expansion. 20% is the standard. Therefore a tank with a wc of 50lbs can safely be filled with 20 lbs of propane. Hence- everyone knows your grill tank as a 20 pounder. Propane is a condensable gas therefore it's pressure will change directly with its temperature. Warmer temp- higher pressure. This is why you hear of the 1 pounders popping in people's garages after the season is over. It means that the tank was overfilled in winter. The summer heat will make them pop without the proper room for expansion. So when filling- place tank on scale. Multiply wc weight times .48(weight of propane to that of water) times .80(expansion factor) plus tare weight of tank=total SAFE weight of tank at SAFE FULL CAPACITY!!! Be careful and good luck! Note: a grill tank wc is actually 47.6. Hope this helps. Any tank that does not have those ratings stamped on them is not made to refill. Be safe.

[DR.SPECKLER]

I  get a 20# filled for 18 bucks less than a half mile from my house.im a refiller of #1 tanks.i don't make enough money to buy propane at $9.95 a pound or $3.00.lol

[Eyes R Bitin]

Great post Huckster.  I have often wondered about those numbers stamped on the tanks.  I think I'll still stay away from refilling 1pounders.

[Svengalli]

Some of you must live in some pretty warm places if using 1 pounders saves on weight/space/time/effort/money... I'll use 5 - 7 pounds a trip in mid winter.  Even when it's just me in the small pop-up I'll use 3 - 4 if the wind is up.

As for price... cheapest was 8.99 to get a 20pounder filled at two places at the beginning of the season.  Then due to a "shortage" one of the places went to 16.99 and the other to 10.99.  Silliest thing was the gas stations that had bulk tanks, cause they were charging 30 - 35 to fill during the shortage but the ones with the exchange programs were charging 23 for a prefilled full tank if you had a tank to swap... needless to say when I was in a pinch there was no way I was refilling when I could swap.

[eriksat1]

The highest price I have seen around here for a one pounder was at a bait store $5. The propane place is now charging $16 to fill a 20#er. it was $12.60 before the "shortage"
I have been refilling my own for about 5 years now. Honestly if you use common sense and do it correctly, refilling a one pounder is probably safer than filling your lawn mower with gasoline.

[HIMO]

Even during the LP "shortage" up here in Wisconsin this winter...I paid $3.95 for the little tanks. I have 1 on the auger, 1 in the heater and I carry an extra in the bucket....

You can't refill the "green valve" tanks...only the older non-green valve tanks!

Harry

ok Harry, explain this green valve and non green valve thing. never heard of it before LOL !!!

                                                                                                   HIMO

[eriksat1]

ok Harry, explain this green valve and non green valve thing. never heard of it before LOL !!!

                                                                                                   HIMO

I have never heard of it either?

[hnd]

i just filled 3 20lb propane tanks for 60 bucks. 

[eriksat1]

i just filled 3 20lb propane tanks for 60 bucks.

Price gouging still? That is $12 higher than here. @ $16 per 20#

[happycrappie]

I've been refilling 1 pounders for 5+ years. Never had a problem.

[Nor Easter]

I have never heard of it either?

Seems it was a failed experiment of trying to 'go green' for the environment. See both links below:

https://www.acklandsgrainger.com/AGIPortalWeb/WebSource/ProductDisplay/globalProductDetailDisplay.do?item_code=WORBZTX9

http://www.momgogreen.com/2009/07/green-key.html

I heard that you can't, or it's very difficult, to refill them.

[Fish huckster]

Happy crappie, I'm glad you've never had a problem refilling a disposable 1 pounder in 5 years. Hopefully you can go another 5 years with no issues. I am curious though, would you keep filling them if one popped and hurt or killed someone? It could very easily happen. You can inspect the paint on the outside of the can and the outside of the safety relief valve but what you can't inspect is the inside of the tank or the integrity of the relief valve. Just something to think about. They do make a 5 pound refillable. I know that wouldn't work for a propane auger but it would be a lot safer! Here's another little tid bit of info about disposable cans. If you read the warning label, besides the obvious "do not refill this tank", there's also a section that states it is a crime to transport the cylinder if it has been refilled punishable by 500000$ it's pretty unlikely you would get caught on that one unless it popped inside your car while being issued a traffic ticket. That would be pretty unlucky!!

[eriksat1]

Part of the commons sense thing is using fairly new cans, not old rusty ones. The fine for transporting is a joke, that is if you had a truck load of them and were reselling them. On the same lines as removing the tag from your mattress under penalty of law.

[Fish huckster]

There is no common sense to filling a disposable NON refillable can with a very explosive fuel. Jmo

[Joe in T.C.]

Refill or not to refill.
 
Everyone may have to agree to disagree on this one.

But I would like to know if anyone has a news article of  a 1 pounder exploding while refilling?

We all "hear" of such things, but is it just modern folklore?

The stories I've heard usually involves some moron smoking while refilling a dented rusty tank, and that was only because he broke the stem off trying to catch his beer he just tipped over.

I'm curious if it has ever actually happened though.

[gearheart]

Propane is not a high pressure gas.  The only issue is the integrity of the valve seal.  If it starts to leak and it is in your house / garage bad stuff can happen.