Blue Rhino?.. hmm.

[k0ua]

My BBQ 20 lb tank ran out a few days ago. I decided to go and have it filled for $12.99 instead of the usual $25.00 dollars for the many exchange outlets. Seemed like a money saver, and beside this little place puts 20 lbs in it instead of 16 like the exchange places.

It was all going to be so tasty. I had my Blue Rhino bottle ready to be filled, and she looked at the certification date on the bottle and it was 0204E. She says the E means it has been re-ceertified, in Feb. of 04. and re-certifications on these little tanks are only 5 years. OK.. so I have had it for maybe a year or two at most, so it was out of certification when I got my grubby hands on it from Blue Rhino?.. She says the original cert. is good for 12 years, We found it, and it was in 1993, so that would take it to 2005, but she says it was re-certified in 2004, probably for a valve change to include the valve with the Acme threads on the outside.

Maybe she told me the straight story, I don't really know.. She re-certified the tank with an inspection and a leak test, and put a serial number/date sticker and said it was good for 5 more years. I paid an extra $5.00 for her to do that, so got out for $18.00

 

[murphy1244]

How did she get 20lbs in the tank when it shuts of at 17? You are still 2 bucks cheaper than here.

 

[k0ua]

How did she get 20lbs in the tank when it shuts of at 17? You are still 2 bucks cheaper than here.

I am not sure murph, but that is what she said. It should just be the $12.99 next time anyway.

 

[Gary Fowler]

How did she get 20lbs in the tank when it shuts of at 17? You are still 2 bucks cheaper than here.

How did you figure that it shuts off at 17?

Many places wont don't weigh the contents, but just fill till liquid comes out the vent and shut it down. You get 20+ pounds it a 20# tank then.
Weight it the next best thing if the scales are correct which may or may not be the case.

 

[murphy1244]

The new tanks have a float in them to protect from overfilling.

 

[k0ua]

It was setting on a scale, but I failed to read it.

 

[murphy1244]

Check this out Propane OPD - Overfill Prevention Device Cylinder Valves

 

[k0ua]

Check this out Propane OPD - Overfill Prevention Device Cylinder Valves

Learned a couple of things, my tank has the triangular wheel, and does not allow any gas to escape unless it is hooked up to the hose. I did hear the pump lug down as it got full. Thanks for posting.

 

[brin]

I have my tanks filled at Tractor Supply....1/2 of what the exchange places or anywhere else charges and they don't use the scale ...they fill the tank until gas starts to escape...4+ gal on the gauge I saw....about $12.00 & change a tank...

 

[Welshman]

I used to sell propane (tank refilling) and we had to weigh them.
When I moved here, there were two ratty old tanks in the barn. I took them, one at a time, to Lowe's and did the Blue Rhino exchange thing. Now that I've got good tanks, I take them to be refilled. I think they're charging $14.00 around here, but one of the places periodically offers coupons.

 

[kenmac]

I have my tanks filled at the local U-Haul. I paid about 12 bucks last week. They told me once that my tank was out of certification and wouldn't fill it. I took it and exchanged it out for 20 bucks at a local grocery store

 

[radioman]

around here , if the tanks are out of date (12 yrs) and I try to get full tare fill up in 20lb tank, I usually cant get it filled. I just head over to local gas station and get tank swapped. The only cavet is they dont fill it up to the top. maybe 8-11 lbs (halfway) in 20lb tank for 17 bucks. If you have a tank that is within 12 yrs its soo much cheaper to get it refilled with full tank for 12.99- 14 bucks. much cheaper then recertifying it here which is 30 bucks to extend tank for 5 years. If I didnt swap tanks, I rather pay extra 10 bucks at local bj's store for a 12 year tank.

 

[mark02tj]

X2 on going to Tractor Supply. Most places around here charge a flat ·$20-22 to refill a tank, regardless of whether or not it still has propane in it. TSC charges by the gallon so it only costs about ·$14 to fill an empty tank. Plus they will top off a tank if you want. Mine are usually empty when I go there as I rotate 5 propane tanks for my grill and smoker.

 

[kevin37b]

A question for Fowler , are the big o/a , argon tanks for migs etc. any heavier when full . My local expert says they are the same because it is gas . Thanks , Kevin .

 

[k0ua]

A question for Fowler , are the big o/a , argon tanks for migs etc. any heavier when full . My local expert says they are the same because it is gas . Thanks , Kevin .

Of course they are heavier.. Yes even if the contents are a gas inside of the tank, like for example an argon tank. BUT gasses have weight. The atmosphere exerts 14.7 lbs. per square inch on the surface of the earth. That is a column one square inch of 78% nitrogen about 20% oxygen, argon etc, reaching from the earth's surface all the way to the edge of outer space.

Now do the tanks weight a whole lot more full of 2200 lbs per square inch of argon?. No not a whole lot more, but Yes, some more.

I just found a listing what argon weighs. Argon: 1 cu ft= 0.103 pounds

So a 125 cu ft bottle might weigh about 12.875 lbs more than an identical empty one?

 

[JamesHW]

In light of the thread subject this active matter before the FTC may be interesting:

In the Matter of Ferrellgas Partners, L.P., a limited partnership; Ferrellgas L.P., a limited partnership also doing business as Blue Rhino; AmeriGas Partners, L.P., a limited partnership also doing business as AmeriGas Cylinder Exchange; and UGI corporation, a corporation

Case Summary


The Federal Trade Commission issued an administrative complaint against Ferrellgas Partners, L.P and Ferrellgas, L.P. (doing business as Blue Rhino) and UGI Corporation and AmeriGas Partners, L.P. (doing business as AmeriGas Cylinder Exchange), alleging that they illegally coordinated on reducing the amount of propane in their tanks sold to a key customer. The complaint alleges that, together, Blue Rhino and AmeriGas controlled approximately 80 percent of the market for wholesale propane exchange tanks in the United States. In 2008, Blue Rhino and AmeriGas each decided to implement a price increase by reducing the amount of propane in their exchange tanks from 17 pounds to 15 pounds, without a corresponding reduction in the wholesale price.

 

[k0ua]

In light of the thread subject this active matter before the FTC may be interesting:

That is interesting.

 

[murphy1244]

So much for the 17 pounds

 

[k0ua]

So much for the 17 pounds

I have never trusted any Rhino.... blue or otherwise.