Refillable 1lb Propane Cylinders

[mayble]

Has anyone tried these? 
http://www.propane-refill.com/products/refillable-propane-cylinders

 

[MrNoodly]

Seems to me like it just means making more frequent trips to a refill station (if one is available) than you would with a larger tank. Or, if you buy several of these so you make fewer trips to get them refilled, you could quickly end up paying more than you would for a regular sized tank. I think they make sense for occasional users who don't want to be throwing away standard green bottles all the time, or for someone with VERY limited space.

 

[mayble]

Yeah yeah, just wondering if anyone had any actual experience with them, and whether getting them refilled is a problem.

 

[gojo]

Yeah yeah, just wondering if anyone had any actual experience with them, and whether getting them refilled is a problem.

Yeah, I tried. I bot. the adapter and it doesn't work with the regular 16.4 oz tanks. Guess I'll have to get some of those tanks.
Sometimes I don't like to carry a big tank on small trips.

 

[johnny b]

Looking at the video, it shows the refill being done from a 'forklift' cylinder on the 'liquid' outlet. The proprietary safety valve location renders the adapter useless for the standard throwaways. This location also means their bottles can't be refilled by the adapters already on the market for disposables.
Nothing worse, IMHO, than 'proprietary' stuff when in need away from home in a place far, far, away (sorry, had to throw in a little Star Wars).

In a previous post I showed a method (purely for educational purposes):

https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-Ordered-Wave-6

(scroll down 3/4 of page)

 

[ccbreder]

Refill at home from a 20 pound tank. The propane dealers will not be pleased filling 1 pound bottles.

 

[BigT]

Refill at home from a 20 pound tank. The propane dealers will not be pleased filling 1 pound bottles.

This is exactly what a friend does.  There's a product on the market called the "Shnozzel" http://www.amazon.com/Shnozzle-SAFEST-Propane-Adapter-Cylinders/dp/B00EV59S1W for filling the 1lb canisters from a larger tank.

 

[SternWake]

In a previous post I showed a method (purely for educational purposes):

https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-Ordered-Wave-6

(scroll down 3/4 of page)

It'd be great if you would elaborate on your device, what parts it need to assemble and the procedure you use.  I can be one who refills green disposables from a larger 5 gallon tank kept in my workshop or nearby it.

I do have some brass caps which thread onto the green bottles but apparently they are not for actually sealing it:
http://www.amazon.com/Mac-Coupler-P...&sr=8-2&keywords=brass+caps+propane+cylinders

I think that is perhaps because the average hands spinning them on could not twist them tightly enough to seal the bottles.

I was given an adaptor many years ago for refilling the disposables, but it is still in original packaging, unopened, and am tired of having to go out just to get more propane bottles.

 

[mayble]

I was hoping refillable 1 lb cylinders would be a good alternative to the disposables for the buddy heaters, coleman stoves, etc.  I don't have room to carry a big tank.
I guess I'll have to buy a couple and find out for myself.

 

[LeeRevell]

They must be new on the market.  Never heard of the refillable one pounders.  Refilling disposables, yes.

 

[Spirituallifetime]

From what I get from the web site you still need a big tank to refill them.

 

[mayble]

From what I get from the web site you still need a big tank to refill them.

They are meant to be refilled by the pros, just like the bigger tanks.

 

[johnny b]

It'd be great if you would elaborate on your device, what parts it need to assemble and the procedure you use.  I can be one who refills green disposables from a larger 5 gallon tank kept in my workshop or nearby it.

I do have some brass caps which thread onto the green bottles but apparently they are not for actually sealing it:
http://www.amazon.com/Mac-Coupler-P...&sr=8-2&keywords=brass+caps+propane+cylinders

I think that is perhaps because the average hands spinning them on could not twist them tightly enough to seal the bottles.

I was given an adaptor many years ago for refilling the disposables, but it is still in original packaging, unopened, and am tired of having to go out just to get more propane bottles.

Found my notes:
NPT = National Pipe Thread
M = Male  F = Female

M POL to 1/4 M NPT adapter (POL goes into internal threads on tank)internal tank threads are 'LEFT HAND'--left to tighten, right to loosen.
M/F 1/4 NPT Elbow
6" Straight 1/4 M/M NPT Pipe Nipple
F/F 1/4 NPT Ball Valve
M 1/4 NPT to F Disposable Cyl Adapter
Teflon pipe tape (only for pipe threads...do not use on POL or disposables)


Don't be fooled by pictures usually shown with the disposable adapters that show an upright 20 lb. tank. Tank needs to be inverted to transfer liquid into small  bottle.

This setup is strictly for ease of use. Be careful, wear gloves and eye protection--Liquid propane is mighty damn cold!
With the big tank upside down, the knob is difficult to reach.
Close the ball valve (red), open the tank valve, then use the ball valve for each small bottle. When done, then you can close the tank valve.
If you get leakage from the safety valve on the green bottles, they can be manipulated a bit with small needle nose pliers. These bottles are cheaply made and the valves will wear out...when ya can't stop a leaky valve, time to toss it...some last thru many refills, some only 2 or 3.

Tips:
Chill the small empties in the freezer 15-30 minutes.
Keep the large tank at room temp (or outside...just not too hot).
Fill til you don't hear the flow...usually a minute or less.
Use a scale to weigh your empty and then full bottles....should hold 16 ounces (1 lb.).

Again, be careful!


http://www.tejassmokers.com/products/brassfittings.htm

Hope that helps.

SW--your adapter is probably POL To F disposable....here's a you tube for its use:

 

[johnny b]

ooops!

the elbow is F/F not M/F

 

[Ken in Anaheim]

Here's a great link with step-by-step instructions for refilling 1#'ers from 20#'ers :http://www.backdoorsurvival.com/propane-for-preppers-part-three/

KinA

 

[LeeRevell]

I have the adapter hose and fitting to fill the one LB tank from the 20 LB, but haven't done so yet.  I need to get all my smaller tanks together and "get 'er done".

 

[SternWake]

I dug out my unused old coupler and removed it from the original packaging It is a Maccoupler


It is the same as the ones in the links above, BUT, it does not have a rubber O ring on the tapered end which enters the 5 gallon container, just a rounded  brass end.

The second video that comes up automatically after the one linked, the guy shows how to release pressure on that other recessed valve, by pulling up on it with some curved jaw forceps, allowing one to to fill it with 2 grams more propane than it was sold with. 

The other site has a trick where one chills the can by releasing some pressure after filling to 60% where it normally equalizes and claims to get it to 100% full too.

So it appears I will be buying a 5 gallon tank to keep outside my workshop.  Shoulda done it sooner.

 

[JT646]

I've been refilling the 'disposable' 1# bottles for several years now for personnel  use.  One thing I noticed is that some (but not all) of these bottles start to slowly loose pressure after about 15-20 refills.   I now only keep them for about 10 refill 'cycle's and then dispose/recycle them as scrap.

This new 'Refillable' bottle might be the better way to go.  I expect it has a more robust designed valve/sealing surfaces.

 

[propane-refill]

http://www.propane-refill.com/products/refillable-propane-cylinders

Hi Everyone-  I am the owner of Propane-Refill.com and a factory rep for FlameKing cylinders.  I am happy to answer any questions you have on the new refillable cylinders.

True that our refill adapter will not work on single use cylinders but they are not supposed to be refilled anyway.  The small brass adapters that you can buy on Amazon and eBay WILL WORK on filling our cylinders, just not real well because it is hard to keep our cylinders upright when doing so.  If you watch the video mentioned previously you will see the allen-key relief screw incorporated into the valve and this allows you to refill our cylinders from any device that has the standard propane fitting.Making something yourself like also shown previously in this thread should work fine too.

Obviously, with the right hoses and fittings you can make any appliance compatible with a standard vapor tank valve, our product just fills the need when you don't want to do all that work.

Our cylinders are DOT and TC certified for legal refill and transport and as mentioned, they are built better and stronger to last 12 years until re-certification, just like a BBQ tank.

Happy RV'n!

 

[johnny b]

On the website I see the bottles, tank and scooter for sale but can't find the refill adapter.
Are they for sale to the public and is one available that connects to a standard BBQ tank instead of the forklift tank?
-----------------------------------------------
19 bucks for a 1 pound bottle!

Home depot has 20 pounders for 30 bucks.
Not sure I'd want to pay that much of a premium for the convenience of a little bottle.
Price needs to come down to around 5 bucks a bottle.....gotta have a big one to recharge the little ones anyway.