Blue Rhino reducing the amount of propane in their tanks.

[camiller]

Just last night one of the local TV stations did one of their "Consumer Watch" stories, the topic: Blue Rhino decreasing the amount of propane in their cylinders from 17 Lbs to 15 Lbs. Of course no change in price. These tanks should hold 20 Lbs. I may have to switch back to filling.

 

[boo boo]

I have two tanks and keep both filled. It is cheaper to fill a tank than swap one out unless of course the tank is out of date. Before it goes out of date, I swap it out.

But BR has been doing that for years now IMO.

 

[MikeFlynn74]

Blue Rhino can kiss my ass-

I have yet to get a tank more than 60% full. After finding a place close by my house that cost me 13$ to fill up. Blue Rhino can SUCK IT

 

[jds]

^^^^
+1234

BR is a great source for tanks, but I've had better luck getting them filled elsewhere. The local lawn care / rv / winter ski tune shop (no kidding, that's their line of business) fills mine while I wait and only charges me for what they put in. They'll happily put $6 worth of propane in your tank if you just want it topped off.

 

[Rick500]

I noticed that when I got my tank.

There's also a discussion going on, on another forum, that Blue Rhino is beginning to install proprietary valves into the standard valves, that prevent them from being filled by anyone but Blue Rhino. There's a magnetic key that Blue Rhino has that disengages a metal ball to allow the fill to take place.

Here it is: Scroll down about halfway.
http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/hot-deals/855870

 

[boo boo]

I noticed that when I got my tank.

There's also a discussion going on, on another forum, that Blue Rhino is beginning to install proprietary valves into the standard valves, that prevent them from being filled by anyone but Blue Rhino. There's a magnetic key that Blue Rhino has that disengages a metal ball to allow the fill to take place.

Yes that has started also. It hasn't reached here yet.

 

[MikeFlynn74]

I noticed that when I got my tank.

There's also a discussion going on, on another forum, that Blue Rhino is beginning to install proprietary valves into the standard valves, that prevent them from being filled by anyone but Blue Rhino. There's a magnetic key that Blue Rhino has that disengages a metal ball to allow the fill to take place.

Once again Screw Blue Rhino and their 8$ gallon propane

 

[Bobby_M]

If I were on propane (I'm not), I would certainly buy a 100lb tank and do my own fills for portability.

 

[MikeFlynn74]

lol You ever try to lug one of those bastards around?

 

[Bobby_M]

I have but actually getting 100 pounds when I pay for it, and subsequently only having to get it filled about 1/7th as often, I'd suffer it. Nothing a handtruck and pickup can't handle.

 

[abracadabra]

These tanks should hold 20 Lbs.
.

While these tanks technically have the capacity to hold 20 lbs most all propane tanks are only filled to 80% capacity with LP (liquid propane)that equals 16 lbs for a 20 lb tank the other 20% is gas. In many states it's the law because of safety concerns.

Here's a piece that explains it a little better:
http://arfarfarf.com/fire/articles/propane_weight.php

They do the same thing with large stationary tanks that are built with steel 1/4 in. thick. The propane company will only put 400 gal in my 500 gal tank. So you really don't want those thin portable tanks filled to capacity. Some guys haul these things around inside their cars! At extremely high temp a completely filled LP tank would be very dangerous.

LP weights 4.2 lbs per gal at 60*F so you get slightly less than 4 gal per 20 lb tank. So if Blue Rhino is shorting you 1 lb that's only about 1/4 gal or $1 worth at $4/gal.

Not defending Blue Rhino here their prices are outrageous I just wanted to shed some light on a commonly misunderstood topic.
But remember you are paying a premium for convenience. And you really can't blame them for wanting exclusive rights if they can get it. It's up to the consumer to put a stop to that practice by buying elsewhere. I would agree that it's underhanded not to inform a customer that the tank could not be filled elsewhere if that's their practice. It's also bad business practice people will eventually catch on and the smart ones will take their business elsewhere. But many people won't and they say nobody ever lost any money by underestimating the intelligence of the american consumer.

 

[MrFebtober]

I noticed that when I got my tank.

There's also a discussion going on, on another forum, that Blue Rhino is beginning to install proprietary valves into the standard valves, that prevent them from being filled by anyone but Blue Rhino. There's a magnetic key that Blue Rhino has that disengages a metal ball to allow the fill to take place.

Here it is: Scroll down about halfway.
http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/hot-deals/855870

LOL. For consumer's "safety." That's why only they can refill their tanks, eh? What bunch of bull.

 

[MrFebtober]

I should add that this sounds like the most easily defeatable "safety" feature imagineable. I have magnets!

 

[Csuho]

i hate blue rhino also i get my 20#'s filled at a hardware store for $16.50 but i was in lowes yesterday looking something and saw they had 100# tanks for $89 un filled.

 

[camiller]

I noticed that when I got my tank.

There's also a discussion going on, on another forum, that Blue Rhino is beginning to install proprietary valves into the standard valves, that prevent them from being filled by anyone but Blue Rhino. There's a magnetic key that Blue Rhino has that disengages a metal ball to allow the fill to take place.

Here it is: Scroll down about halfway.
http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/hot-deals/855870

Good info there, especially about how to ID the cylinders that are not the proprietary ones. Thanks.

 

[camiller]

While these tanks technically have the capacity to hold 20 lbs most all propane tanks are only filled to 80% capacity with LP (liquid propane)that equals 16 lbs for a 20 lb tank the other 20% is gas. In many states it's the law because of safety concerns.

Here's a piece that explains it a little better:
http://arfarfarf.com/fire/articles/propane_weight.php

They do the same thing with large stationary tanks that are built with steel 1/4 in. thick. The propane company will only put 400 gal in my 500 gal tank. So you really don't want those thin portable tanks filled to capacity. Some guys haul these things around inside their cars! At extremely high temp a completely filled LP tank would be very dangerous.

LP weights 4.2 lbs per gal at 60*F so you get slightly less than 4 gal per 20 lb tank. So if Blue Rhino is shorting you 1 lb that's only about 1/4 gal or $1 worth at $4/gal.

Not defending Blue Rhino here their prices are outrageous I just wanted to shed some light on a commonly misunderstood topic.
But remember you are paying a premium for convenience. And you really can't blame them for wanting exclusive rights if they can get it. It's up to the consumer to put a stop to that practice by buying elsewhere. I would agree that it's underhanded not to inform a customer that the tank could not be filled elsewhere if that's their practice. It's also bad business practice people will eventually catch on and the smart ones will take their business elsewhere. But many people won't and they say nobody ever lost any money by underestimating the intelligence of the american consumer.

Good info. This might be of interest to you http://yarchive.net/car/rv/propane_refill.html it is a bit old but probably still valid. Apparently you can get a setup to fill your portable tanks from your big 500G tank.

 

[Jester369]

i hate blue rhino also i get my 20#'s filled at a hardware store for $16.50 but i was in lowes yesterday looking something and saw they had 100# tanks for $89 un filled.

Damn - I might have to pick one of those up!

 

[abracadabra]

Good info. This might be of interest to you http://yarchive.net/car/rv/propane_refill.html it is a bit old but probably still valid. Apparently you can get a setup to fill your portable tanks from your big 500G tank.

Yes very interesting!

Thank you!

 

[BierMuncher]

Our local U-Haul store just started offering fill services for Propane tanks. Looks like it might be a franchise-wide practice before too long.

 

[ColoradoXJ13]

You guys may want to look at the food you buy. Everyone is doing this, keeping the packaging the same but reducing the amount of product in it. It is a way to maintain profit with increased fuel/food prices (without actually telling the consumer you changed anything). I went to buy a bag of dog food, picked up the bag and noticed it was a lot lighter than it used to be. The 40# bag is now a 35# bag for the same price, $36, but they do offer a 44# bag now for $52...yes, I buy all-natural expensive dog food.

 

[MikeFlynn74]

You guys may want to look at the food you buy. Everyone is doing this, keeping the packaging the same but reducing the amount of product in it. It is a way to maintain profit with increased fuel/food prices (without actually telling the consumer you changed anything). I went to buy a bag of dog food, picked up the bag and noticed it was a lot lighter than it used to be. The 40# bag is now a 35# bag for the same price, $36, but they do offer a 44# bag now for $52...yes, I buy all-natural expensive dog food.

COSTCO-

55lbs of the good stuff is still only 35$
I get the cheap stuff because dogs dont know any better 16$

 

[Rick500]

I noticed the pet food thing too. I buy Nutro for my dog and cats, and the bag's way smaller now, and the same price.

 

[TwoHeadsBrewing]

Man, that makes me wish I still worked out at the lumber mill (LOL, not really!). There was a millright there that converted his pickup to run on propane and just filled it from the big 1,000 gallon tank on premises for pennies. All the forklifts ran on propane too, so I could fill up a small tank for free. Another bad thing about a small town...not big enough demand for filling small propane tanks.

 

[ColoradoXJ13]

COSTCO-

55lbs of the good stuff is still only 35$
I get the cheap stuff because dogs dont know any better 16$

Nah, I'll stick with what I feed him, it costs a bit more but he will live a happier, healthier, longer life with it.

 

[MikeFlynn74]

Nah, I'll stick with what I feed him, it costs a bit more but he will live a happier, healthier, longer life with it

Advertising dollars at work.

Dogs arent meant to eat grain which is 90% of the dog food no matter what kind it is.

 

[JustDave]

Mike, how is grain 90% of this?

Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Whole Ground Brown Rice, Whole Ground Barley, Oatmeal, Rye, Whole Potatoes, Tomato Pomace (natural source of Lycopene), Chicken Fat (preserved with Natural Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Chicken Flavor, Whole Carrots, Whole Sweet Potatoes, Blueberries, Cranberries, Flaxseed, Barley Grass, Dried Parsley, Alfalfa Meal, Kelp Meal, Taurine, L-Carnitine, L-Lysine, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Yucca Shidigera Extract, Green Tea Extract, Turmeric, Garlic, Sunflower Oil (natural source of Omega 6 Fatty Acids), Herring Oil (natural source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids), Fructooligosaccharides, Monooligosaccharides, Dried Chicory Root, Black Malted Barley, Oil of Rosemary, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin C, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Beta Carotene, Calcium Ascorbate (source of Vitamin C), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), RiboflavinPyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Thiamine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B1), Folic Acid, Biotin, Choline Chloride, Calcium Phosphate, Zinc Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Zinc), Iron Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Iron), Copper Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Copper), Manganese Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Manganese), Potassium Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Potassium), Cobalt Proteinate (source of Chelated Cobalt), Potassium Chloride, Sodium Selenite, Salt, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bacillus subtilis, Bifidobacterium thermophilum, Bifidobacterium longum, Enterococcus faecium.

I believe Colorado's point was that you don't get better, healthier ingredients like meat as the primary ingredients with the cheaper stuff ...... look at the crap they sell at grocery stores, it may have stuff like corn, chicken "byproduct" as its primary ingredients.

 

[billtzk]

Costco dual pack of Jif Peanut Butter recently went from two 48 oz jars to two 40 oz jars. No price increase that I noticed, but that's a whole pound less peanut butter.

 

[JustDave]

Edy's ice cream containers have gotten smaller .....

Off-topic, is anyone else bothered by the fact that most brands of ice cream have very little in the way of protective packaging? Everything else is sealed tight, and you can tell if it's been opened. All ice cream has is that lid, and who knows if someone stuck their fingers (or worse) in it and put the lid back on ........

 

[camiller]

Edy's ice cream containers have gotten smaller .....

Off-topic, is anyone else bothered by the fact that most brands of ice cream have very little in the way of protective packaging? Everything else is sealed tight, and you can tell if it's been opened. All ice cream has is that lid, and who knows if someone stuck their fingers (or worse) in it and put the lid back on ........

The Ice cream I buy usually shrink wraps the entire container in plastic. You must have got one I "returned".

 

[ohiobrewtus]

Friggin bastages. I just did an exchange about earlier today and it was 15 lbs. Time to break out the phone book and see who can fill tanks for me locally. The 100# container has be intrigued as well.