Annoying problem with propane tanks that I get from the Propane Exchanges here

[JimS]

Hi all,

I used to live in NJ and I owned my own propane tank that I could take down the street and have refilled. I have since moved away and am now in Illinois. It seems there's not anyplace around where I live to refill your own propane tanks, so I have to get them from one of the Propane Exchange places (of which there are many around here). The problem I'm having is that on either side the edges of the handle holes are curved.



Only the round hole opposite the part of the valve where you screw the hose from the grill to, is not curved as you can see on the right above. The curved edges won't fit properly (actually, they won't fit at all) onto the little hook that's shows the weight and the amount of propane left in the tank on the gas grill.

So when I install it in the grill the hose gets stretched around the tank to get it screwed into the valve:



I'm wondering if there's an adapter or something that will allow the curved side to convert to be able to be attached to the weight scale thing on the gas grill? If I had the proper tools and space (I don't have either) I could probably fabricate one, but I almost can't imagine that there's not something out there already that will do this.

Thanks in advance to any help anyone can provide!!

Jim S.

 

[Steve Hoch]

I have a tank that style myself but my hose is long enough that it's not a problem when I use it. I've never seen any sort of adapter, but I know you can buy a longer hose that should also solve the problem. My question to you is how you ended up in Waterloo, IL from New Jersey?

 

[BPratt]

Hi all,

I used to live in NJ and I owned my own propane tank that I could take down the street and have refilled. I have since moved away and am now in Illinois. It seems there's not anyplace around where I live to refill your own propane tanks, so I have to get them from one of the Propane Exchange places (of which there are many around here). The problem I'm having is that on either side the edges of the handle holes are curved.

View attachment 115139

Only the round hole opposite the part of the valve where you screw the hose from the grill to, is not curved as you can see on the right above. The curved edges won't fit properly (actually, they won't fit at all) onto the little hook that's shows the weight and the amount of propane left in the tank on the gas grill.

So when I install it in the grill the hose gets stretched around the tank to get it screwed into the valve:

View attachment 115141

I'm wondering if there's an adapter or something that will allow the curved side to convert to be able to be attached to the weight scale thing on the gas grill? If I had the proper tools and space (I don't have either) I could probably fabricate one, but I almost can't imagine that there's not something out there already that will do this.

Thanks in advance to any help anyone can provide!!

Jim S.

Hi Jim,

I feel your pain. It gets worse in the winter when the hoses become stiff.

I use a longer hose to get around that problem. I believe you can get a Weber regulator hose assembly up to 42” (maybe 1 meter).

I would stick with Weber unless you are comfortable with getting the right after market one. I would avoid anything that says “universal”

 

[Jim Weber]

I had that problem for a while too.... Silly question --- have you tried putting the handle on the hook? It seems to me I finally figured that out after quite some time trying to get it to work --- and bending the side panel with the tank gauge in the process.... It was kinda a <<<DOH!!!>>> moment.... My current tank has a single handle and two holes so it works the way it should --- but another tank has the dual handles and they look thin enough to work on the hanger (both Blue Rhino tanks) that I'm pretty sure worked.

 

[LMichaels]

IDK if you have a Menards there. They refill or exchange, also look for garden centers. But down there with all the farms and such I find it hard to believe you cannot find a propane distributor who'll refill for you

 

[Cody Bratton]

Are there any co-op’s around you? They usually do tank fillings.

 

[timothy]

U haul or Ace are a few more.

 

[BFletcher]

Timothy to the rescue, if this is your current residence:

 

[Jim Weber]

I had that problem for a while too.... Silly question --- have you tried putting the handle on the hook? It seems to me I finally figured that out after quite some time trying to get it to work --- and bending the side panel with the tank gauge in the process.... It was kinda a <<<DOH!!!>>> moment.... My current tank has a single handle and two holes so it works the way it should --- but another tank has the dual handles and they look thin enough to work on the hanger (both Blue Rhino tanks) that I'm pretty sure worked.

Unless that tank has unusually wide handles/grip ---- it should fit on the scale hook. I seem to recall figuring out that the two handled tanks have a thinner 'rolled grip' than the single handled tanks. I would give Weber credit for planning it that way ---- but I think it was just a case of dumb luck myself.

BTW --- you can see the piece of strapping I had to add to the scale assembly after I had creased the side panel trying to make an 'auxiliary/in between hook' --- it has been holding up for 5+ years without any further folding/crumpling of the side panel.

 

[Ed P]

My first thought was a 3D printed adapter that would slip over the existing hook.