Refilling 1 pound propane bottles - filter needed??

[ship of fools]

I recently got tired of paying $3 to $5 for a 1 LB bottle and bought the adapter. Used it this weekend to refill 5  bottles and am very happy with the process.

I know when an adapter is used to allow the Buddy Heater to use a 20 lb tank an inline filiter is needed. Is that needed to refill the 1 lb bottles??

And .. i know all of the safety concerns etc so please keep this on track and don't bother with the safety and legality of it 

[3300]

good question, but i say no. the filter is for the rubber hose issues, not the tank.
been doing it for years.
just fill them out side and freeze the 1# and bring the 20# indoors to get fuller bottles. i spray gibbs on the threads and main valve of the 1# every time and keep them caped. thinking about buying the brass caps for them.
i don't care how much it will take as long as its not over filled, but i know they are not. they are only 1/3 to 1/2 filled and that is much better than buying retail.

[Angola Fish]

No need for a filter.  It is just a transfer of gas into a container.  The device that uses the gas (heater) should have a filter at the inlet.

[smitty0312]

I don't use one.......haven't had any issues. Smitty

[MichiganMan]

Been re-filling for over 30yrs, no filter, no problems.

[Joe in T.C.]

No filter needed.

keep the 1 pounder's in the freezer and the 20 pounder at room temperature to help get close to a full refill.

You will be pleased with how much you will save. With the current price e of refilling a 20 pounder in my area, I can refill the 1 pounder's for less than 75 cents apiece.

[MochaMay]

I have read that the propane coming from bulk to the #20 is unfiltered and contains particulates that can clog or cause problems with the Big Buddy heaters. I just purchased a coupler to start filling my on #1's but I will also use a filter to fill the #1's.

Also, there is a great YouTube video on how to fill a #1er with out freezing the small bottle first and also getting a complete fill just like from the factory.

[Joe in T.C.]

Great Video!

Thanks for posting the link.

[rambo51]

I have never thought of using a filter and really I don't think you need one as long as it is from tank to tank. On a side note has anyone messed with the little valve on the one pounders? I have heard you get a really full bottle but not sure if I want to mess with it.

[da man cave shack]

I don't use one and don't think it would work as the filter is for when it is in the gas phase and when your filling the 1lb tanks it is in a liquid phase.

[ih772]

I have never thought of using a filter and really I don't think you need one as long as it is from tank to tank. On a side note has anyone messed with the little valve on the one pounders? I have heard you get a really full bottle but not sure if I want to mess with it.

You don't want the tank to be full, you want the tank to have a maximum 16 oz of propane in it. When you overfill the tank liquid propane will come out instead of gas and your propane lantern or heater becomes a big ball of fire.....just ask those of us that have been through the experience.

I use the warm 20# and frozen 1# method and I can get 16 oz of propane into the 1# tank with one try. No valves to screw around with and no over-filling like the bubba that made the video. He gives some really bad advice in it.

[MochaMay]

I have never thought of using a filter and really I don't think you need one as long as it is from tank to tank. On a side note has anyone messed with the little valve on the one pounders? I have heard you get a really full bottle but not sure if I want to mess with it.

Watch the video. Its very informative.

[biggamefisher]

The reason you need a filter with the big buddy if not using the quick connect hose is.................... ............

The quick connect hose has a regulator on the tank end connection, that regulator reduces the pressure of the gas before it travels thru the hose to the heater.  When using a typical BBQ adapter hose from the 20lb'r to 1lb connection in the heater, the gas is under high pressure from the tank thru the hose to the connection at the heater then goes thru a regulator into the heater.  The higher pressure going thru the hose forces contaminants out of the rubber the hose is made from, those contaminants if not filtered will clog the small passages in the heater causing it to malfunction.

[MochaMay]

You don't want the tank to be full, you want the tank to have a maximum 16 oz of propane in it. When you overfill the tank liquid propane will come out instead of gas and your propane lantern or heater becomes a big ball of fire.....just ask those of us that have been through the experience.

I use the warm 20# and frozen 1# method and I can get 16 oz of propane into the 1# tank with one try. No valves to screw around with and no over-filling like the bubba that made the video. He gives some really bad advice in it.

h772, how is the guy overfilling if the weight of the newly filled tank is the same weight as one that is filled from the factory? Maybe I am missing something but it seems it would be the same.

[ship of fools]

h772, how is the guy overfilling if the weight of the newly filled tank is the same weight as one that is filled from the factory? Maybe I am missing something but it seems it would be the same.

He said a maximum of 16 .... earlier it talked about messing with a valve to overfill it.

I am happy if it is 3/4 full.

[ship of fools]

The reason you need a filter with the big buddy if not using the quick connect hose is.................... ............

The quick connect hose has a regulator on the tank end connection, that regulator reduces the pressure of the gas before it travels thru the hose to the heater.  When using a typical BBQ adapter hose from the 20lb'r to 1lb connection in the heater, the gas is under high pressure from the tank thru the hose to the connection at the heater then goes thru a regulator into the heater.  The higher pressure going thru the hose forces contaminants out of the rubber the hose is made from, those contaminants if not filtered will clog the small passages in the heater causing it to malfunction.

Excellent explanation!!     That makes perfect sense.

Thanks 

[DAPOS]

When I purchased my big buddy and saw the filter recommendation, I called mr. heater to ask why. They told me that IF you use their quick connect hose, it has a regulator right at the tank. This reduces the pressure in the hose and prevents "hose impurities" from mixing with the gas. When you use a regular propane hose, the hose is under the same high pressure as the tank, and over time this high pressure "leeches" out oils and other solvents from the rubber hose, and to prevent this stuff from clogging your heater, you must place a filter between the heater and the hose. So transfer from a 20 to another tank will not cause a problem. I made a "special hose" with pol connectors on both ends...its' about 5 ft long. I use it to even refill my 5 and 10 lb. tanks from a 20! I get 3 full 5lb fills from a 20, and 1-10lb and 1-5lb from a 20.  The two tanks will always eventually equal out, so when you only have 5lb left in a 20, and hook up an empty 5, when they equalize, each will have 2.5lbs. ea. Same for the 10lb tank, you get the one full one, and only 5 of the remaining 10 left in the 20. Make sense? Oh, I don't worry about the hose contaminating the transfer gas because the transfer is so fast, the hose is only pressurized for a couple minutes, and not all day long like it would by hooked to the heater itself.

[flatironfisherman]

Nope, just use the adapter.  You'll never have a problem.