Old style propane tank

[jpowers1]

So, I got a free propane tank, but there is a catch. The threads are female, from what I have read, I guess it is old. It has gas in it, so I can't really take it in to trade. Would it be alright if I just opened the valve outside?

 

[dorklord]

So, I got a free propane tank, but there is a catch. The threads are female, from what I have read, I guess it is old. It has gas in it, so I can't really take it in to trade. Would it be alright if I just opened the valve outside?

If you take it in to try and trade it, most places won't take it because of the valve, not because it has propane in it. If any place does take it, it would be because they didn't check the valve...

Is this the usual 20# cylinder? If so, it is probably cheaper to get a new tank than a new valve (I think tanks were $25 at Sams club today).

What are you planning to do with the tank?

 

[John Beere]

Go to a gas station and trade it out.. They don't train them to know the differences. Damn the morals.. They've been screwing us plenty by only filling a 20# talk up to 17#s..

At least that's how I justified it.. heh

 

[Catt22]

Go to a gas station and trade it out.. They don't train them to know the differences. Damn the morals.. They've been screwing us plenty by only filling a 20# talk up to 17#s..

At least that's how I justified it.. heh

+1 I found a mini-mart where there were several previously swapped out tanks sitting outside of the cage. I pulled one of the acceptable ones to the front and replaced it with the old style one I brought to exchange. The question never came up at all. Most of the clerks either don't care, don't know or are too lazy to bother with checking.

FYI, they don't short us with a 17 lb fill. They short us with a 15 lb fill. Highway robbery if you asked me. The gas suppliers don't lose much, if anything at all, on this sort of thing. You can be certain that they have some "shrinkage" built into their price structure.

 

[jpowers1]

I think I'll just try to trade it in gas and all. It looks just like any other 20 lb tank except for the threads. I guess if they don't notice the threads, they may not notice the weight...A new valve costs as much as a tank, so that is out.

 

[Catt22]

The giveaway is the valve knob. The new OPD valves have a triangular shaped knob while the older ones have a round knob. Generally, the clerks won't pick up the tank to see if there is anything in it anyway. Usually, they don't put it into the cage until after you depart. The best indication of this is when there are already several empties outside the cage. This sort of illicit swap is best done when the store is very busy and if it's on a holiday, so much the better. I did mine on Thanksgiving, then I immediately gave thanks when it went so smoothly.

 

[JOHN51277]

Home Depot has an automated system. No one will know till after you have a batch brewed and are long gone!

 

[MGAZ]

Most of the exchanges here in AZ will take any tank in exchange. PPX does for sure, usually at home depot.

 

[Airborneguy]

+1 on Home Depot. I spent the last two weeks trying to get different places to take an old style tank. Home Depot = Score! The kid didn't even look. And even better, the two tanks I got from them were definitely the heaviest I've ever gotten. They don't gyp you.

 

[jpowers1]

Good tip on HD guys, it isn't the closest to me, it hadn't even occurred to me, thanks! Darklord, I need a tank for my bayou burner, I don't want to sap out with the BBQ.

 

[dorklord]

I've got a tank I'm using for the same thing. And actually, I walked by it on my out the door this morning, and it has threads cut on the inside of the outlet as well (I'm assuming that is what you meant about female threads). So I take it yours is just missing the coarser threads on the outside?

 

[jpowers1]

Right, no outer threads, like a light socket. I have read these are an older style, can someone confirm this? I'm in my twenties, and am only familiar with the current type.

 

[Catt22]

The newer style OPD valves typically have both internal and external (Acme) threads. This permits the use of either the old style or new style regulator connector. The older tanks only have the internal type threads on the valve which prevents using the newer type of connector. You can buy adapters to get around this problem, but it's generally not worth the bother and expense, and especially so if you won't be keeping the old style tank.

 

[dorklord]

If I recall correctly, there was a change over to the 'new style' tank with 'safety valves' and the 'quick connect' (outer thread) valves. This was back in the early 90s, and I remember at the time, it was mostly just an issue of making sure your tank had the outside threads so it would work with your new grill (There was always a sign at the gas station saying they wouldn't swap your tank if it didn't have a pressure relief valve, if it didn't have top and bottom rings etc). Then in the late 90s, the OPD valves came out, and those changed to a triangle shaped knob for the valve. And for a few years, places were offering exchanges to the new safety tanks, and then after a while they wouldn't let you exchange if you had an 'old style', and then finally you couldn't even get the 'old style' refilled.

Now, I suppose it has been so long since the change that some places don't bother to check anymore, and if they get one with the old valve, they probably just chuck it.

 

[springer]

Home Depot has an automated system. No one will know till after you have a batch brewed and are long gone!

don't you have to use a CC or debit? They know who you are and the tank you trade in

Right, no outer threads, like a light socket. I have read these are an older style, can someone confirm this? I'm in my twenties, and am only familiar with the current type.

Yes the old style is female only and has a round knob valve. I have an older burner I use when my buddy who works for the town dump gets them you would be surprised how many are still out there. He got two last month just about full on an older camper can't beat free propane . When they are done I pull the valve as the scrap yard wont take them intact .

 

[bad67z]

don't you have to use a CC or debit? They know who you are and the tank you trade in



+1. The automated stations @ HD are accessible 24/7 but you have to swipe your cc or debit card. Then your are instructed to remove the cylinder from one of the electronically locked 50 or so individual cylinder cages and put your empty in. If you put in a non OPD (old style) cylinder or a abused or excessively rusted cylinder you can expect to get an additional charge on your statement.

 

[mariojr]

don't you have to use a CC or debit? They know who you are and the tank you trade in



+1. The automated stations @ HD are accessible 24/7 but you have to swipe your cc or debit card. Then your are instructed to remove the cylinder from one of the electronically locked 50 or so individual cylinder cages and put your empty in. If you put in a non OPD (old style) cylinder or a abused or excessively rusted cylinder you can expect to get an additional charge on your statement.

If the additional charge is less than the cost of a new tank than it's a winning situation.

 

[bad67z]

If the additional charge is less than the cost of a new tank than it's a winning situation.

I don't think I would take the chance when they have your CC/debit card info. I would almost guarantee they would charge you for the new tank or some BS disposal/valve replacement fee.

 

[dorklord]

I don't think I would take the chance when they have your CC/debit card info. I would almost guarantee they would charge you for the new tank or some BS disposal/valve replacement fee.

They would probably charge for the cost of a new tank, plus a disposal fee. Plus a processing fee. Or, the latest thing I've heard of, "Customer convenience fee"

 

[dobeluvr]

I took an old tank in to wally world just last week. Paid with cc. clerk met met outside, took my tank and placed it with the rest of the empty ones, gave me a new tank with the opd valve. Clerk didnt seem to notice or care it was different. Sure they got my cc, but placing any returned tank with who returned it is something else.

 

[bad67z]

I took an old tank in to wally world just last week. Paid with cc. clerk met met outside, took my tank and placed it with the rest of the empty ones, gave me a new tank with the opd valve. Clerk didnt seem to notice or care it was different. Sure they got my cc, but placing any returned tank with who returned it is something else.

Stated earlier in the post @ HD the system is automated and after some checking Amerigas seem to be the supplier. But nonetheless the cylinders are in individual cages so they know what cylinder goes with what cc/debit card transaction.

 

[nebben]

At the risk of sounding like a narc, this is lame. If you return an old cylinder with the intent on "sneaking it past the un-knowing attendant" or into an anonymous cylinder exchange system....that sucks.

Just because you can get away with it, doesn't mean you should.

</end moral soapbox>

 

[airboy]

These tanks don't last forever. If the exchange company gets one that is bad do you think they hold the person responsible? Getting a bad tank or an old tank is the cost of doing business. They would rather you pay a little more for the service then find a place to recharge yourself. Take it in, get a new tank and when you need a recharge go back and do it again. Have the intent to do good and good things will happen.

 

[springer]

don't you have to use a CC or debit? They know who you are and the tank you trade in



+1. The automated stations @ HD are accessible 24/7 but you have to swipe your cc or debit card. Then your are instructed to remove the cylinder from one of the electronically locked 50 or so individual cylinder cages and put your empty in. If you put in a non OPD (old style) cylinder or a abused or excessively rusted cylinder you can expect to get an additional charge on your statement.

Thats my thinking also

If the additional charge is less than the cost of a new tank than it's a winning situation.

I doubt Blue or Amerigas is going to be cheaper than buying a tank and having it filled

These tanks don't last forever. If the exchange company gets one that is bad do you think they hold the person responsible? Getting a bad tank or an old tank is the cost of doing business. They would rather you pay a little more for the service then find a place to recharge yourself. Take it in, get a new tank and when you need a recharge go back and do it again. Have the intent to do good and good things will happen.

They do state on the exchange what type are acceptable and the old style isn't . Sure they may get an out dated tank with OPD they will just certify the tank like 02 and Co2 tanks . How many of them actually look at the tank to see if its an old one is the question.

 

[BigAl]

Blue rhino changed the size of there tanks about a year ago. It's not that they are still a 20 lb tank and only filling it with 15 lbs it they are only a 15 lb tank. Where I work I tell people that they should go somewhere to have there old 20 lb tanks filled as the new tanks are only 15 lb. The reason I know this is as I watched the blue rhino pull all my 20 lb tanks out of the cage i asked why we were exchaging all the tanks. Told me they were changing to a 15 lb tank.

 

[Catt22]

Blue rhino changed the size of there tanks about a year ago. It's not that they are still a 20 lb tank and only filling it with 15 lbs it they are only a 15 lb tank. Where I work I tell people that they should go somewhere to have there old 20 lb tanks filled as the new tanks are only 15 lb. The reason I know this is as I watched the blue rhino pull all my 20 lb tanks out of the cage i asked why we were exchaging all the tanks. Told me they were changing to a 15 lb tank.

I don't think this is correct. You can easily check it though, as the capacity is stamped on the tank collar. The stamps are a U.S.Department of Transportation requirement. Actually, there are several stamps, but the one that indicates the capacity is marked W.C. which is the abbreviation for water capacity. The water capacity is given in pounds. Usually it will be something like 47.6 lbs or something close to that. There will also be tare weight stamp (T.W). This is the weight of the empty cylinder which is typically about 18 lbs. You can also easily check how much propane is in the tank by weighing the tank and subtracting the tare weight.

More than likely, they pulled all of the tanks at your location in order to re-label them to indicate that they are only filled to 15 lbs. I think someone filed a class action law suit over this issue awhile back. I don't remember the details, but I think the re-labeling was a response to that.

The standard 20 lb tanka will actually hold 20 lbs of propane with room to spare for expansion. Don't let anyone tell you differently. I verified this with my local supplier that sells propane by the pound. They will fill a partially emptied tank and only charge you for what they actually put in the tank. They get all of my business.

Here's some info on the subject if you are interested:

http://www.propane101.com/propanecylinderfilling.htm

 

[dorklord]

It seems like the only people that try to tell you that you shouldn't put 20 lbs of propane into a tank designed to hold 20 lbs are the places that swap tanks or that charge a flat rate for refills.

It is almost like those places make more money if they put less propane in your tank, but the places that charge by the amount of propane only make money on the propane they sell...

I hear all that talk about electric cars and battery swap systems, and I can just see it now. Well, the battery is 1.21 giga-watts but it is only safe to fill it to 75% capacity...

 

[Pick]

A 20# propane tank is designed to be filled to 80% capacity, which IS 20#. The vapor pressure will be the same in the tank at a given temperature, whether it is 10, 30, 70 or 80% full. Just like a CO2 tank.

This under filling of these tanks for "safety" reasons is just a lame ass excuse to gyp the public. It allows these companies to employ minimum wage people with minimum training, maximizing their profits. The average consumer is unaware of this scam.