Where is the best place to buy my first propane tank?

[Sonnyblu42]

Walmart and trade them out?
Or buy the specific smaller size on Amazon and fill it on the road?
Where is the most common place to find propane?

 

[tx2sturgis]

Give us a hint:

Are you able to easily lift and stow a '20 pounder' which weighs about 35-40 pounds when full?

Or do you need a smaller size?

The standard 20# tanks can be set inside a milk crate and are fairly stable that way, plus they can be exchanged just about anywhere, even in the middle of the night at some locations.

With a smaller non-standard tank, when it runs empty, you have to find a propane vendor, who are sometimes limited to normal business hours, and of course they tend to cost more than the standard 20# tanks.

 

[Beeps and eats]

If you have space for a 20 Lb. Tank go get a blue rhino tank they are available at most large stores Walmart, Home Depot. Ect. And you just exchange the empty tank for a full one.

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[AMGS3]

If you"re on a tight budget, shop around. Refilling a 20 or 30# tank costs less in this area (per # of propane) than exchanging the blue rhino tank. You can buy empty propane tanks at most any hardware/home improvement store if you do decide to go that route.

If space is a consideration, go with the 20# (refill or exchange).

If ease of finding a retailer (either finding a retailer in the new area you are travelling in or finding a retailer in the middle of the night that'd still be open at 2am) is most impt, go with the blue rhino. Most 24hr gas stations around here have a blue rhino cage, and so do the 24 hr Walmarts.

In calling around to find out how much it'd cost to refill my tanks, there is a huge difference in price per # between different retailers. I got quoted anything from $.75 to $1.25 per #. So call first if that is impt yo you.

One thing I did notice, so watch out for it, is that for some reason the local bait/convenience store here that has blue rhino exchange-a-tanks carries 15# tanks. I was exchanging one for a family member and there were tons of 20# empties in the cage that other people had traded in. So just be aware that they do come in 15# sizes too. And converting what the cost per # would be is different if you thought you were getting 20# but we're only getting 15#.

It really depends on what area you are in and what your main needs are.

~angie

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[tx2sturgis]

Many exchange tanks are only filled to about 3.4 gallons, which is about 13.5 pounds of liquid propane.

Some retailer's exchange tanks are filled to the legal limit of about 4 gallons, about 16 pounds of product. They will usually have a sign or label stating this 'feature'.

But, most consumers never notice this weight difference.

 

[RowanFae]

If you have space for a 20 Lb. Tank go get a blue rhino tank they are available at most large stores Walmart, Home Depot. Ect. And you just exchange the empty tank for a full one.

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Buying the Blue Rhino 20# is what I did, but I refill it at a Propane provider. It costs between $10 - $13 to refill. It is usually about $19 to exchange. I will exchange if/when my tank gets a little rusty or dinged.

 

[highdesertranger]

exchanging tanks is a expensive way to go. much cheaper to fill your own. you can get your first tank at the exchange place but even that's expensive. highdesertranger

 

[Ken in Anaheim]

The cheapest I've seen for a NEW 20# tank is Costco.

 

[MrNoodly]

The irony of market forces leads to 20 lb. tanks that cost less than smaller tanks, because 20 lb. is the most popular and it's a nuisance to run production lines for smaller tanks.

That said, I bought a new, empty 20 lb. tank online while I was ordering other things for my van. I got in a bind once where I couldn't find a place to refill it, so I swapped at a convenience store. Since then, I refill when I can, swap when I must.

 

[John61CT]

Craig's for a $5 rusted old BBQ 20# past inspection date.

Swap at Blue Rhino, or where you can pick out a nice newer one.

Pay by the gallon or pound from then on, only go back to the swap when the stamped inspection time's approaching.

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[ZoNiE]

"Craig's for a $5 rusted old BBQ 20# past inspection date.

Swap at Blue Rhino, or where you can pick out a nice newer one.

Pay by the gallon or pound from then on, only go back to the swap when the stamped inspection time's approaching."

Totally agree with this. The pricing for the swaps considers this.

 

[John61CT]

The good composite tanks are from a Norwegian company called Viking.

Pricey, but besides being lighter and quiet, you can see the level through the tank, very handy.

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[Sonnyblu42]

Thank you everyone! Great info! Yes... I plan on having space for a 20 lbs. Big Blue Rhino. Building a reg 48"W x 36" x 20"D kitchen and putting the water and gas directly below... like so many do. Good to know a 20# will fit in a milk crate, will secure that to the floor.

 

[johnny b]

Exchange tanks are usually only 'filled' to 15 pounds (3.5 gal)...strictly for profit.
A standard 'BBQ' 20 pounder holds 19.7 pounds or 4.7 gallons; and is designed with the 20% safety margin at that capacity...don't let the 'exchangers' try to bullshit ya with "it's only 15 pounds to leave room for expansion/safety".

I'd only use an exchange if a fill vendor was unavailable/inconvenient or needed to get rid of an expired tank.

When you get your vehicle gassed up, would you pay for 5 gallons yet 'accept' only 3.5 in the tank??
(Well, maybe if distracted by attendants in bikinis who also checked the oil and cleaned the windshield! Remember those days?)  

 

[tx2sturgis]

A standard 'BBQ' 20 pounder holds 19.7 pounds or 4.7 gallons; and is designed with the 20% safety margin at that capacity...

This used to be true before the OPD fitting became mandatory, now the max fill is about 80% of the 20 pound original capacity. The fill valve wont let it get any higher than about 80%, or about 4 gallons.

 

[johnny b]

My 30 pounders with OPD take 7.1 gallons to fill from empty. I have 2 of these that were bought new.
My 20 pounders with OPD take 4.7 gallons to fill from empty. I have 3 of these that are from exchange sources.


This brochure from Worthington shows those same capacities:

View attachment Steel-Aluminum-Portables.pdf

I can't find anything online that says OPD valves reduce rated capacity.

Just sayin.

 

[LoupGarou]

I purchased my 11lb tanks at Menards. Hated to pay more for then, but I find the size more manageable.

 

[tx2sturgis]

My 20 pounders with OPD take 4.7 gallons to fill from empty. I have 3 of these that are from exchange sources.

Yeah it's confusing and there is a lot of contradictory information out there. I have seen my 20 pounders filled to about 4.2, maybe 4.3 gallons, but some are filled by weight, and often the fill hose and nozzle adds to the weight, of course the attendant doesn't care, the vendors will often charge a standard rate per tank fillup, whether it takes 3.5, 4.0, or 4.5 gallons. Often the tanks are not purged and this further reduces the fill level. 

And you were correct, the 80% figure is from total capacity, which turns out to be about 5.7 gallons 'water capacity'.

But, the main point is that quite often, the exchange vendors often only refill to about 3.5 gallons. I have seen some exchange tanks labeled at 3.2 gallons.



.

 

[Tom_M]

Many Tractor Supply stores sell propane by the gallon. They are typically the cheapest.

 

[John61CT]

$1.69 at the moment down the road.

Thought my 20# was almost empty, but he refilled it all the way via their scale, total cost only ~ $9.50

Can't beat that