My Ice House/Fish House adventure begins

[AMGS3]

So, I have some good news. I got a 325 gal propane tank delivered and filled. 271 gallons seems enormous compared to the 7.1 gal (30#) tanks I was using.

At first I didn't think I would go this route, but then two things convinced me.

I've been having my cousin doing a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to swapping out tanks and whatnot around here. With my physical conditions some days I cannot even pick up an empty tank, let alone a full one. And don't even get me started with how impossible it is to get the tank unscrewed from the hose, ugh! Him helping is not a bad thing, he's happy to help and I am immensly appreciative, but I feel like asking him to come help when it's 20°F is one thing. The thought of asking him to dig through the snowbank when it will be 40 degrees colder than that is kind of guilt inducing. Again, he's never complained, but I needed a better plan.

So, I figured out the price per gallon for propane on the little tank fillups. It comes to $3.66/gal. Because I'm using a "bulk tank" they are not charging me a rental fee. And at the bulk price I pay $1.49/gal.

So...less than half price, no hauling around 30# tanks and stopping to get them filled whenever I head into town, no swapping them out twice a week, no tank freezing up and not having enough pressure when it's bitterly cold, no asking my cousin to do this in the same bitterly cold, and a tank that, when full, is equal to the volume of almost 40 refills on those small tanks.

This is a win, win, win, win, win, win!

Stay warm everybody,

~angie

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[RoamerRV428]

So happy your propane troubles are fixed for ya good post! You sound like you are in the pink now with your propane selection.

I take it a truck comes and fills it directly for you....and not rental charge on the tank. woof...good deal

 

[John61CT]

yep great call

 

[AMGS3]

Yup, they come with the big truck and refill it. The delivery charge is $2!

I'm not sure why there is no tank rental charge on the 325. As I understand it, there would've been a $60/yr charge for the 120 gal tank. Also, the 120 has a fill capacity of 96 gal and costs a little over $200 to fill, so they charge you a different amount for it (you don't get the bulk rate).

Maybe they figure if you're getting the big tank, they're already getting $400 out of you, so they don't need to charge you a tank rental fee?

Which, while I'm overthinking the math on this... do you suppose at some point if you have a big enough tank they charge you pennys on the gallon or maybe even pay you to get it from them [emoji57]?

~angie

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[John61CT]

I've known companies, or their staff, to slide unannounced discounts in for customers they see as "deserving poor".

Especially in inland rural areas.

If you mention it, they can't pretend it was an oversight, so mum's the word!

 

[AMGS3]

Ooh John, I'd not considered that possibility. You're right, I shouldn't be questioning a good thing.

Adding this to my list of things to be grateful for.

~angie

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[RoamerRV428]

Like John I wouldn't question a good thing. $2 delivery charge is nothing really....but I have a 100 gal tank for our propane fireplace and my rental is $74 per year......no charge on refill when truck comes. It only comes a few times during winter cause I live in the South and I use my fireplace sparingly actually, but we have Jan/Feb which are cold and I use it then. I guess your $2 charge might be why there is no rental cost? but don't question, if you do you might end up with more charges than ya want LOL One thing that is great is propane keeps one warm!

 

[crofter]

Hello Angie!

So how is January in Minnesota working out in the ice house? It's been a warm winter here, so far.    ~crofter

 

[AMGS3]

So far my furnace has been doing an excellent job of keeping the inside of my icehouse a hundred degrees warmer than the air outside.

And I do mean a literal hundred degrees (even warmer than that some days), not just a figure of speech.

So, yeah, things are cold but good here. My floor is pretty cool - especially the hole covers, but that's what wool socks are for. It's relatively warm today, it's above zero already.

So far I've only used half a tank of propane since I had the big tank installed, so I'm pretty happy about that.

Peace,
~angie


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[crofter]

So far I've only used half a tank of propane since I had the big tank installed, so I'm pretty happy about that.

Wow! Sounds like your Icehouse turned out to be a truly high performance RV - works as advertised. And saving money on propane.    ~crofter

 

[RoamerRV428]

happy all is good for ya angie

 

[KarlH]

Wow! Sounds like your Icehouse turned out to be a truly high performance RV - works as advertised. And saving money on propane.    ~crofter

The other thing that was impressive when I looked at one was how quiet it was. They switched from RV insulated windows to residential insulated windows a year or two ago, and in combination with the thick walls that made it quieter than a lot of houses. You'd need to have Hardiplank or stucco siding and some very good windows to get a quieter sleeping space.

(The electronics were turned off when I toured it, so I don't know if it would be suitable for someone who's sensitive to really high pitched noises. But it's so nice in every other respect that it's probably worth the trouble to find out.)

 

[[email protected]]

Love this thread, it’s like a blog on a telephone party line. Anyone remember those?

 

[AMGS3]

I don't remember using a party line myself, but when I first learned to use my grandma's phone all had to dial was four numbers to get my best friends house five miles away. Anyone with the same three digit prefix didn't have to dial it to get it to work. All you had to deal was the last four. Lol that was 35 years ago and I remember in third grade when it changed and we then had to dial ALL SEVEN DIGITS I was exasperated. Why? It had been so easy before?

Lol. Good times.

~angie

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[AMGS3]

Went for a drive today. It was gorgeous and sunny and bright and cold(-15F). Idk what the windchill was but it was windy as hell. We're under a windchill advisory thru the weekend. I got these pretty pics though.

So, the propane truck came and filled my tank yesterday. $230. I'm pretty happy about that. It was only half empty. And it took about two months to use up that much, though I shouldn't be thinking about heating fuel use in terms of time duration, more in terms of how cold it's been. All things considered, with all this -30 to -40F weather we've been having, and all the severe winds (gusts strong enough to rock the house sometimes) I'd say it's been doing great. Other than the floors being cold, the windows aren't drafty, and the toy hauler door isn't either. It's holding up well.

Stay warm everybody,
~angie

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[tav-2020]

hi Angie! so glad you are weathering the weather well! brutal temps but sounds like it's no problem for you. what a smart choice you made on your rig.
only ~3 more months of winter, woohoo!
tav

 

[ssminnow]

I'm glad to hear you got your Propane filled, you don't want to get anywhere near empty in the next week or so!! It was 30 degrees colder up there last night than what we had down in the cities. BRRRRR!!
37 below is what the NWS said for up by your place last night, It is going to get worse before it gets better. Better get snuggled in a good blankey for awhile. LOL

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

It is 50º warmer in Antarctica today (-28ºF in Ely, +26ºF in McMurdo).

 

[AMGS3]

Hi everybody, Tav, minnow, spaceman.

Well, looks like between my mobility issues and the cold as hell weather we're expecting for the next little while, I'm going to be sticking pretty close to home for the next several days. The latest weather alert says "dangerously cold wind chills as low as 65 below zero are expected" between now and Thursday.

I don't have anything so pressing it can't wait til Friday. [emoji16]

Stay warm everybody. I heard this clipper was going to wallup a lot of the continent.

~angie

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[ssminnow]

Better days are coming, hang in there!!