Propane Exchange vs Refill


 
Bruce

Bruce

TVWBB 2-Star Olympian
For a standard 20lb tank it costs $15 - $20 to exchange a propane tank around where I live. What could I expect to pay to have them refilled instead? Can I save enough to give up the ease of doing exchanges? I just never really inquired about refills.
 
I have three place I go to for my tank refills.

One charges $11.88, one is $10.00, and the last time I used Tractor Supply which charged me $8.96 for 3.6 gallons.

Jeff
 
Hmmmm, that sounds promising. I have a TS but it is about 15-20 miles away. Their web page says they charge $2.79 per gallon. If I am heading that way, it might be worth it. I will also check out some of the other outfits that do refills to see what they charge. I have about 4 tanks I need refilled right now.

Thanks Jeff.
 
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I'll see if I can dig up a previous thread where all the math on this was hashed out. Short version is that with most tank exchanges, while it's a 20lb tank, they only have 15lbs of propane in them. There should be some small print somewhere on the label attesting to this.

Also, iirc, there's 4.7 gallons of propane in a full 20lb tank. If that number is correct, then it would cost you $10.76 to refill an absolutely empty tank with 20lbs of propane, versus the $15-$20 you would pay for 15lbs on an exchange. This doesn't factor in any propane still left in the tank
 
No convenient places for me around here without making a 20+ minute trip each way. By the time you cover fuel and time spent, I don't know that it is worth it (for me). Refilling multiple tanks obviously adds a lot of value though. Even going to Lowe's, paying, then waiting outside for someone to come do the exchange can grate on my nerves sometimes (I guess I'm just impatient). I recently tried Propane Taxi. They are about a dollar more than Lowe's, but all I have to do is open the app on my phone and pick a date. Then leave the tank(s) in front of the garage. When I get home from work, a brand new, full tank is in its place.
 
I've got a Tractor Supply Company location in town that doesn't do refills so make sure you check. Most of the time refill places are only open certain hours, usually 8 to 5, monday through friday. Some of them charge flat rates, that kind of defeat the purpose usually around 15 to 16. Usually it's around 19 for a swap, except at walmart where they are closer to 15. You can save some money but sometimes it's not worth the hassle. I think the 15 lbs thing is mandated by law, maybe some refill places will refill 20 lbs.
 
The problem about exchange bottles is that they don't bleed the bottle before they fill them, so you get a bunch of air for whatever price you're paying for propane. I get my bottles refilled and when they run out, I open the bleeder screw and let the air bleed out, that way it's totally empty when I get it filled, and when it's full, all that's in it, is propane
 
Bruce, check some Ace Hardware stores, I have one down the street and they fill propane tanks not all of them do. I think last time I had one filled it was $11 bucks and change but its been 4 or 5 months. I have three tanks so I will usually get 2 filled at the same time but as others stated its a lot cheaper to get them refilled.
 
Bay area california inflated prices are about 4 dollars a gallon. So usually at minimum it's 16 dollars plus tax. They usually fill an empty tank to 4.2 gallons.
 
The discussion thread mentioned in post #5 is how I found out that some TSCs refill propane.

A TSC store opened up about 5 months ago one town over from me, and I've since had my tanks refilled there 3 times, and their hours are convenient enough (open until 9pm Mon-Sat, 7p on Sunday).
 
Thanks everyone. I will check with the Ace Hardware stores as well. But, like Tractor Supply, I don't have one close by. I am beginning to think that doing an exchange is probably the better way to go to avoid the hassle and extra driving.
 
Our Costco just started doing refills a few months back. The sign says the most you will pay per tank is $8.76. I took two tanks in and spent less than $7 for both. Obviously, they weren't even near empty, I just wanted to have full tanks and see how the process worked.
 
From Blue Rhino:


https://www.bluerhino.com/Help/FAQ/Tank-Exchange#FAQLink135


How much propane does Blue Rhino put in its tanks?

Inflationary pressures, including the volatile costs of steel, diesel fuel, and propane, have had a significant impact on the cylinder exchange industry. In 2008, to help control these rising costs, Blue Rhino followed the example of other consumer products companies with a product content change. We reduced the amount of propane in our tanks from 17 pounds to 15 pounds.

To ensure our consumers are properly notified, Blue Rhino clearly marks the amount of propane contained in our tanks, right on the package.
Click to expand...



From Amerigas:

https://ace.amerigas.com/customer-information/the-possibilities/faq

How much propane is in my new AmeriGas tank?

Our tanks are filled to 80% capacity. The 80% fill rule is a preventative safety measure against the fluctuations that happen inside a tank. Propane, like water, will expand with added heat. Propane, however, will increase in volume nearly 17 times greater than water with the same temperature increase. To allow for this expansion, propane containers are filled to only 80% of their capacity.
Click to expand...

This is basically some BS as all that is taken into account already when rating a 20lb tank (or any other size for that matter).

IIRC, these two companies control about 80% of the propane exchange market.



BTW, with regards to refilling, check around as prices vary, sometimes by a large margin. For example, the price right now at my local Uhaul is $3.59 per gallon. Costco has been bouncing around $2.00 per gallon as of late. One last thing. As talked about in other threads, common sense comes into play here as well. If you only go through one tank per year, it might not make any sense to drive around to a refill place. Run up, do an exchange, pay a couple of dollars for the convenience. Or, if you screwed the pooch and find yourself out of propane mid cook, of course, go the quicker/easier route.

I have 8 tanks now in rotation between smokers, fryers, camp stoves, etc. At my Costco, I can only refill three at a time due to some supposed Federal law/regulation about how many tanks can be carried in an enclosed vehicle (my van). If I had a truck, they would fill as many as I could carry. Anyways, I'd be going to Costco anyways, so no additional cost. I save about $10 per tank, about $30 each trip and I refill multiple times per year.
 
Dave, do you really abide by the rule of 3 tanks per vehicle? I wouldn't have even known about that rule and can't say that I would have even followed it if I felt the need to transport more than three. Sure, it isn't legal, but neither is going 70 on a highway marked at 65.

Thanks for that research on the tank filling practices. IMO, it is more about misleading the consumer than any safety issue.

Glad I have a truck.
 
Bruce said:
Dave, do you really abide by the rule of 3 tanks per vehicle? I wouldn't have even known about that rule and can't say that I would have even followed it if I felt the need to transport more than three. Sure, it isn't legal, but neither is going 70 on a highway marked at 65.

Thanks for that research on the tank filling practices. IMO, it is more about misleading the consumer than any safety issue.

Glad I have a truck.
Click to expand...

Oh, I couldn't care less about the rule. The employees at my local Costco won't fill more than 3 tanks if you have them in car or van. If they were in an open trailer or truck bed, they will fill all of them.




EDIT: Just did some checking, it seems that the number of tanks you can transport in a "closed boy vehicle) might vary from one place to the next, that it's often governed by state or local codes.
 
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Amerigas exchange at local Walmart is $14.23 + tax.
Ace want $3.60/gallon, i.e. so more than $14.23 for a refill.
I didn't know Costco does propane, so will have to look into them next time I'm there. Is it at the gas station portion, or at the actual store/checkout/customer service?

I've done one fill at Ace, two exchanges at Walmart and one at Home Depot ($21). I'm planning on doing exchanges always now, as even if I get an old bottle back, I just exchange it back a few months later when it's empty. So I just need to relax about dates and do the $14.23 exchanges. Maybe if I get a nice newer bottle, then I'd refill it, but the exchange is so quick and easy. I do have one newer bottle, and I'd probably fill that at Ace again ... depending on how my day is going.
 
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