That's what I wanted to know to begin with. I thought the refillable ones would have a valve that you could open like on the larger cylinders. These cylinders have a valve that you have to pull on with a needle nose plier, and they don't seal up too well sometimes. Maybe that's why I have never found any.
refillable propane cylinders
- Thread starter tawilson
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1962
Silver Member
i dont know, but as inexpensive as the small disposable bottles are, i would'nt risk life or limb filling something made of metal with high pressure gas. if you use alot of propane maybe a 20 lb. bottle would do the trick.
I own a campground with a couple of miles of black poly tubing. Besides, I have an adapter, the directions say to use the refillable kind, not the disposable, I just want to know where to get the refillable ones. Apparently they don't exist, so then I will risk life and limb and use the disposable ones. And I'm not worried about the pressure. It won't be any greater than the pressure on the tank I'm using to fill it. I don't know what it is, I'll bet it's not over a couple hundred psi. I'll do a search. The danger comes from the lp leaking out and mixing with air and then getting ignited and then you get the big badda boom.
mahlers
Gold Member
About all I can add to this is that I have one of those refill adapters, and I've used it many times. No matter what you do, you can't get the bottles more than about half full. So, I doubt you'll go blowing up any of the bottles. As far as the refill adapters themselves, I think they're great. I always felt like it was a complete waste to throw those Coleman-type propane cylinders away after they emptied out. Now, when I go camping, I take a 20-lb bottle with me for the stove, and just a couple of the small bottles for the lantern and catalytic heater. When they empty out, refilling takes just a minute or so.
Bird
Rest in Peace
Tom, I'm not sure of how much pressure it takes to condense LPG to liquid, but I do know that the amount of pressure required will increase with an increase in temperature. And I also know you can buy "high pressure" LPG hoses rated for a maximum working pressure of 350 psi, if that helps any.
Maybe I'll stick a gauge on one. Or maybe somewhere I can find what the relief valve relieves at. Or maybe I just won't worry about it. This adapter is about 30 years old and I haven't had a problem yet. It's set up like a elbow so the small cylinder is upright when you are filling, as opposed to the others I've seen which are straight. By the way, have you every seen mobile home dealers use a 20 lp bottle to fill tires? You can pump up a lot of tires with one bottle.
Bird
Rest in Peace
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( have you every seen mobile home dealers use a 20 lp bottle to fill tires? )</font>
Haven't seen it, but I've heard of it. I've also heard of folks using LPG instead of freon to charge their car air-conditioners. Neither of those things are something I would attempt.
Haven't seen it, but I've heard of it. I've also heard of folks using LPG instead of freon to charge their car air-conditioners. Neither of those things are something I would attempt.
The pressure inside a 20# cylinder is relatively low; much less than 200 psi. However, the pressure varies over a very wide range due to temperature. There must be some expansion room inside the cylinder. A cylinder should never be more than 80% full. If the report from one of the posters above (sorry, I forget who and it's too much trouble to look) is true and you can't get one of the little cylinders more than half full, there should never be any problem.
Myself, I just wouldn't trust it. If the cylinder is liquid filled, and if the temperature increases, the pressure will exceed the pressure relief valve, some gas will escape, and if it's near a source of combustion, it will create a fire bomb. I don't think I'd like even a little one. Maybe I'm too conservative, but I handled hundreds of thousands of gallons of the stuff and never had the whiff of an incident.
Myself, I just wouldn't trust it. If the cylinder is liquid filled, and if the temperature increases, the pressure will exceed the pressure relief valve, some gas will escape, and if it's near a source of combustion, it will create a fire bomb. I don't think I'd like even a little one. Maybe I'm too conservative, but I handled hundreds of thousands of gallons of the stuff and never had the whiff of an incident.
Egon
Epic Contributor
The state of propane is dependant on pressure and temperature.
For example: you can obtain an open bucket of propane at atmopheric pressure if the filling process produces enough expasion-cooling to liquify the propane. Just don't put your finger in the liquid to check on temperature though.
For filling the small canister cylinders you could set up to do it properly but should have pressure gauges on both sides and a regulator set at well below the canister pressure. A globe valve would be best to regulate the flow. A small acurate scale should also be used in conjuction. Not having the scale influenced by the transfer conections may be difficult.
Buy the full canisters and live a full life! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Egon
For example: you can obtain an open bucket of propane at atmopheric pressure if the filling process produces enough expasion-cooling to liquify the propane. Just don't put your finger in the liquid to check on temperature though.
For filling the small canister cylinders you could set up to do it properly but should have pressure gauges on both sides and a regulator set at well below the canister pressure. A globe valve would be best to regulate the flow. A small acurate scale should also be used in conjuction. Not having the scale influenced by the transfer conections may be difficult.
Buy the full canisters and live a full life! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Egon