refilling propane tanks - new gadget. is it worth it?

[cyndi]

https://doomsdaysurvivors.com/products/never-ending-propane-refiller

It's $19.99.I know you can build your own. But for those of us who are not DIYers.

"[font='Source Sans Pro', HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif]Easily fill up your standard 1 lb. camping cylinders at home from a 20-50 lb. bulk tank (like for your BBQ) quickly and easily with the NEVER-ENDING PROPANE REFILLER. This adapter allows you to connect your 1 lb. propane cylinders directly to a 20-50 lb. tank for a safe and easy refill in about one minute.[/font]

[font='Source Sans Pro', HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif]Adapter features female cylinder thread on one side and soft nose P.O.L. connection on the other to work with both old and new style bulk propane tanks. Comes with instructions for safe and easy refilling. For personal use only."[/font]

 

[minimotos95]

Looking at the machine marks and blueish thread protector it looks like the same made in China generic one I got off eBay for around $8.
Mine has an excess flow ball valve that will shut off the flow of liquid if you open the OPD valve too fast, very annoying. I don't like refilling these 1lb coleman tanks but the cost savings and practicality is great. Refilling these tanks has already saved me from being locked out of my van a few times(frozen doors)

 

[RVTravel]

Maybe the $8 thing is for when you are forced to buy the 1lb canisters in pairs. Those guys are probably selling the same China product, doubling the price, and telling you it's on sale.

 

[Konaexpress]

Cool idea! I hate the idea of all those empty cans going in the trash.

John

 

[TrainChaser]

I've seen this done, I think. Long, long ago in SoCal, in the days of the dinosaurs (1960s), there was a hippie-type guy with a primer-black little old truck with a 'thing' in the back. It looked like some kind of stove. I didn't even know what it was, really, until I was at a stop light and the guy ahead of me called to the black truck stopped beside him. He yelled, "Wood, right?" The black truck yelled, "Yeah! Works great as long as I keep the wood dry!" And then the light turned to green. I saw him around maybe a dozen times.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I've used a one of these devices to fill green 1 lb tanks.  A couple of observations:

• Not all green bottles reseal well.  Some will leak propane as soon as you remove it from the big tank, some will leak after you use it a couple of times.  For this reason I don't trust storing them inside a vehicle without a sealing cap.
• You can get brass caps for the tanks.  I use these on any green propane bottle that has been used and is stored inside:
      https://www.amazon.com/Mac-Coupler-...oliid=I1QK1DFHHWO2U9&ref_=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl
• You need to invert the 20# tank to get liquid propane into the green bottle.  If the 20# tank is upright you only get a couple of minutes worth of propane gas in the bottle.
• There are a number of good you-tube videos on using this device to fill the 1 lb bottles.

 -- Spiff

 

[highdesertranger]

I see nobody mentioned it's illegal to transport the small bottles if you refill them. having said that I have one of those adaptors I only use it on rare occasions. highdesertranger

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

^
I don't know how they could tell.

I use re-filled bottles for heating my ice fishing shack.  Usually take two with brass caps to the lake, a full one lasts ~6 hours.  I'm usually done after 4 hours.  They save me a lot of money ($0.60 refill vs. $2.50+ new).  I get about 4 or 5 refills before the bottle won't seal.

 -- Spiff

 

[Trebor English]

Some you tube videos show how to get the 1 pounder full.  If you just screw it on, turn the assembly upside down, open the valve, wait a minute, close valve, and unscrew the green can it will be about half full.  It takes a lot of effort to get it full.  Here's why you don't want to do that.  If the can weighs 8 oz more than empty then you have it half full of liquid and half full of gas.  If the tank gets warmed and the liquid expands it compresses the gas and the pressure goes up a little bit.  If you chill the can and get it full of liquid it will weigh more than 1 pound more than empty.  When it gets heated and the liquid expands the pressure will go up a lot.  You want gas space to accept liquid expansion with reasonable pressure.  I accept half full as assurance that there is plenty of space for expansion.  It is not like I am paying for a pound and getting only a half pound.

I use a silicone based o ring grease on all of my o rings.  Before I connect a green can i use a bit of paper towel and clean and lightly lube the fitting that goes into the can.  I have had good luck with continued use of the o ring seals in the tops of the cans.  I have had one can leak after refilling.  I took the adapter off the 20 lb bulk tank and attached it by itself to the can and let the can drain completely.  Be careful, it comes out very cold and very flammable.  Instead of dumping it the better approach is to quickly attach that can to a stove and use it.  Then throw it away when empty.

 

[rvpopeye]

Back in the 70s when I had my candle company I actually bought a refillable 1# propane tank .
It had a hex on the pressure release valve so you could open it and stop filling when liquid escaped. It also totally fill the tank. I've looked for these but had no luck.(Probably had the patent bought and thrown behind a file cabinet by one of the disposable co's)....skuh kuh kuh kuh kuh

The disposable ones won't fill all the way but you can do the first fill and put them in a freezer for a while then fill again to get closer to full.

As HDR said it's illegal to transport a refilled disposable so it's a good idea to only travel with empties !

A better idea might be to use the big tank and an adapter hose .
(If you do shut off the big tank first and let the device use up the gas in the hose.)

 

[MrNoodly]

If I have a bulk tank, why would I need the small cans?

 

[rvpopeye]

I know , right?
But you need a big one to fill the little ones.....unless you have a friend with a 20#er.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

I don't think it's a good idea to refill them.  If you're using enough of them that refilling them actually saves you money why not just use a bulk tank and adapter to begin with?  

Unless you really know what you're doing I think it's downright dangerous.  Plus if illegal to transport why risk it?  Lots will say how would they know? They wouldn't until someone is killed by one, then they'll do the digging and if/when they do find out it's going to be a lot more expensive than the $2 bucks you saved.  

Just ask this guy who killed his wife refilling one.
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2012/02/06/1-dead-1-injured-in-polk-county-garage-explosion/


Here's a 1 lb refillable tank on Ebay.  
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-REFILLA...-3-/191232055377?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368

And the specs on it from the company that makes them
http://www.mantank.com/green/refillable.htm

 

[highdesertranger]

that is why I very rarely do it. I have a bulk tank so why do I need to fill the small ones. the most recent reason was I needed to use a propane torch. I didn't even fill the smaller tank 1/4 and burned all the propane out when done. highdesertranger

 

[rvpopeye]

X2 HDR^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I'll call you guys next winter to carry my 20 lb propane tank 1/4 mile out onto a lake    

 -- Spiff

 

[ccbreder]

Spiff, You can go on filling yours. I don't think I will be parked or driving next to you out on the lake.

 

[ZoNiE]

Ditto on the why carry both, but the lanterns are easier to use with a small one.

I put a 6" hose on the lantern sometimes and connect it to the tree on the top of my propane tank. This way I can hang it on a tree, or EZ-UP instead of having it basically at eye level on top of the propane tank tree.

These things are so cheap, why bother refilling them anyway. Not worth blowing yourself up.

 

[Trebor English]

Unless you really know what you're doing I think it's downright dangerous. 

July 29, 2013 near Tavares Florida a Blue Rhino refilling plant blew up.  Seven injured on-site, flying tanks went beyond the company's fence with only property damage off-site.  This place refills 20 pound tanks.  They know how to do it. 

Accidents happen when people are involved.  They refilled for years before and 3 years since with no explosion.

If you follow a list of instructions but don't understand you can't tell when things are going wrong.  I tried to teach my father in law to read e-mail.  He was motivated.  He had e-mails sent to him and wanted to read them.  As I showed him he took notes.  After finishing I suggested that he try it.  When he got the e-mail inbox open there was no e-mail there he had no idea what to do next because he didn't understand.  He skipped ahead to the last step and turned off the outlet strip that powered the computer.

So, one pound or twenty, it's the same.  Accidents happen.  If you don't understand what you are doing you do the wrong thing and make things bad.  That's different from an accident.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Ditto on the why carry both,

I don't carry both.  The 20# stays home.  I'm already pulling an 60 - 80 lb sled.  Adding another 20+ lbs that I am not going to use is not fun.  I don't just drive out on a lake, auger a hole and sit on a bucket to fish.   I go places that cars (and snowmobiles) can't go, snowshoeing and pulling a clamshell; sometimes 2 or 3 miles from my truck.

 -- Spiff