PROPANE TANK OWNERSHIP

[farmer2009]

You must have farm use in order to lock in that option.

Yes. We are a commercial broiler poultry operation. Company swears we are there cheapest rate. They say grain dryers pay more than poultry. Until this year we were on a keep filled system. Now we have to call in every time for fill up. No tank charges unless we don't use 1.5 times tank volume per year. We don't have that problem. Most other companies don't give a volume discount for farms. When I was pricing next cheapest company lock in was 1.20.

 

[dragoneggs]

We're seriously thinking of getting an automatic propane backup geneator, but would need second tank to run it off and have been thinking about whether we should contract with Suburban for that one too.

I am sure results vary by region, but Suburban was who I got out from under a lease. They did me no favors on fuel pricing. Now with Ferrell and they seem to be treating me much better as an owner.

 

[aczlan]

Well, IDK where you are, but around us here under the big lake, more than 95% of the big tanks are buried for all of the reasons previously given.
We don't have any BoS, but own our tank (as per the original owner/builder, whom we bought from) and even so, the other propane companies (other than the ones who buried it -Agway at the time, and now Suburban.) all stated that they won't touch a tank that someone else buried.
We're seriously thinking of getting an automatic propane backup geneator, but would need second tank to run it off and have been thinking about whether we should contract with Suburban for that one too.

Try Kirkwood (Propane | Kirkwood Heating & Oil), we switched to them at work (and for most of the employees), they have been great to work with.

Aaron Z

 

[Garycw]

I have two accnts with Ferrell and they are usually cheaper than some of others. They do however have TWO prices if you lease theres or own tanks. Price per gal. is higher if you lease tanks from them

 

[ultrarunner]

For 25 years we had the same local owned propane company... never a complaint.

The last 20 years or so it has changed hands several times... must be a lot of money in propane.

 

[Raspy]

Very interesting discussion. I will be calling my propane supplier today, to see what they have to say. Perhaps the reason why my generator stoped working was that the pressure was too low, not that the tank was completely empty. Still, it was not very cold outside.

The outside temp is only one factor. Since the liquid propane cools as it boils off to make gas, there has to be a heat source to keep it from getting so cold that it can't boil fast enough to carry the load. Outside air temp on a hot day can compensate for a heavy draw of gas. But if there isn't much liquid in the tank, that same amount can cool much faster than a nearly full tank. This means you can draw a very large amount for longer with a nearly full tank before the liquid gets too cold. More mass of liquid means slower rate of temperature change.

You can see this affect on small barbeque tanks when running a heater or all stove burners. The outside of the tank will begin to condense moisture starting where the liquid line is. The liquid is getting colder. Now imagine if it happens on a very cold day.

That's how swamp coolers work. Liquid water evaporates and causes cooling. Liquid propane evaporates /or boils, and causes cooling.

 

[Sprinklerman]

For 25 years we had the same local owned propane company... never a complaint.

The last 20 years or so it has changed hands several times... must be a lot of money in propane.

I have driven both oil and propane trucks . Mark up on oil .50 to .75 per gallon . Propane $ 1.00 to $ 3.00 per gallon it all depended on the customer

 

[bobmisi]

I live in Connecticut and just installed my (owned) 250 gallon underground tank last week-end. I was not required to install a concrete pad. It was inspected by the fire marshal before backfilling to make sure there was sand under it and the piping . Next was a pressure test. Local supplier gives us 1.10 per gallon discount for owning our own tank. It is almost impossible to buy a new tank in New England, even if you are a plumbing and heating company. I got mine out of Pennsylvania. There are many tank dealers in New England, but they will not sell except to propane companies, so they can lease them to you. Total B.S. but where there's a will, there's a way so the saying goes.

 

[kthompson]

I may have missed this in the conversation about tanks popping out the ground but the water level comes into play on this also. The higher the water level the greater the pressure on the tank. I am sure the type of the soil covering it also for certainly loose sand would not hold like heavy dirt.

On the tank getting too cold for gas to come out, boy that is an issue here in cold days with portable bbq cookers. You often seen dual or even more tanks being used together for that reason in the winter. Please note 30 F above is cold here. Have no doubt 40 below does not have issue. Yes we are cold this AM, dropped to at least 27F, burr. About our third heavy frost of the year.

 

[kthompson]

I may have missed this in the conversation about tanks popping out the ground but the water level comes into play on this also. The higher the water level the greater the pressure on the tank. I am sure the type of the soil covering it also for certainly loose sand would not hold like heavy dirt.

On the tank getting too cold for gas to come out, boy that is an issue here in cold days with portable bbq cookers. You often seen dual or even more tanks being used together for that reason in the winter. Please note 30 F above is cold here. Have no doubt 40 below does not have issue. Yes we are cold this AM, dropped to at least 27F, burr. About our third heavy frost of the year.