Propane exchanges are for newbs.

[Wilsons]

Propane is a big ripoff in Florida. I've heard of some folks paying $5.75 a gallon to have their HOME tanks filled.

As far as the "technical reason" for filling a 20# tank to 15-18#, simple, GREED. No technical reason in the world to NOT to refill a 20 to 20. Vapor pressure is the same whether there is 1 pound or twenty in the tank.
Speaking of gas, I found my local CO2 supplier filling 5 Lb to 3 and 20's to 17. Called them on it, and I am supposed to next fills for half price. Watch it guys, lots of rip offs out there!

Vapor pressure is not the reason why you only fill to 80%, the dip tube length in the tank is the reason.

Propane expands about 280 times when it converts from liquid to gas. The reason for filling to 80% ensures that if there is an accidental discharge from the valve that you are discharging gas that has already expanded, and not discharging liquid. A propane tank will stand enormous amounts of pressure, and like i said a house fire wont generate enough heat to explode one, so pressure is not a problem, discharging the actual liquid is a problem. And like northernlad said,its not a ripoff if your only beeing charged for whats actually put in the tank anyways.

Northern, im not trying to "flaunt" my knowledge of propane, i just think its a bit presumptuous to say "4.11$ for propane is rediculous" when you dont understand completly why geographically it may cost more in some parts of the country then others. 4.11 may be cheap in say, miami florida where the average price is 5$+, and very expensive in WV for example where its about 2.75. So depending on where you live, its either a deal, or a ripoff, not solely one or the other.

 

[Pappers_]

Pappers I have my tanks filled at a rental place "rents tools trailers and the such" just across the river in ill. Call around the LP company's will fill them also but cost more.

Thanks, Sub, here's a local rental tool place that was in the listing of propane refillers - they're not in my village but in a neighboring one, still reasonably close. I tried to call them earlier and couldn't get through, but they seem to be the best possibility around here, in addition to the UHaul place.

FYI, my in-laws live just north of you, in Burlington.

 

[Bullshivit-brew]

I go there every now and then. If you are over that way you should drop down to lost duck brewing in ft.madison they have some good brews going on there.

 

[TokyoRoad]

I am pretty sure there is nothing about this I don't get. Perhaps it is you having trouble "getting it". At no time did I even remotely imply that it had anything to do with a customer getting ripped off by a retailer. I quite simply stated that $4.11 was a ridiculous amount to pay for propane.
I know you want to flaunt your knowledge of the subject, but I could not care less and it really has nothing to do with what I was saying.

Lighten up, Francis...

Regional differences in pricing exist, despite your desire to accept that. A $600k house in some areas is a dump and others a sprawling estate.

 

[daugenet]

It is actually cheaper for me to do an exchange than to get a refill. (at least to refill at the one place i've been to) It only costs me $14 to do an exchange, and its only a quarter mile from my house. If i had nice tanks I would probably just refill them anyway, but the convenience, cost, and time savings of exchanging makes it the easy choice.

Check your exchange place and see how much propane you are truly getting. Most likely you are not getting a full tank. All the companies decided to keep the price the same when the cost went up and just give you less propane to balance the numbers.

3rd FAQ from the bottom

 

[northernlad]

Vapor pressure is not the reason why you only fill to 80%, the dip tube length in the tank is the reason.

Propane expands about 280 times when it converts from liquid to gas. The reason for filling to 80% ensures that if there is an accidental discharge from the valve that you are discharging gas that has already expanded, and not discharging liquid. A propane tank will stand enormous amounts of pressure, and like i said a house fire wont generate enough heat to explode one, so pressure is not a problem, discharging the actual liquid is a problem. And like northernlad said,its not a ripoff if your only beeing charged for whats actually put in the tank anyways.

Northern, im not trying to "flaunt" my knowledge of propane, i just think its a bit presumptuous to say "4.11$ for propane is rediculous" when you dont understand completly why geographically it may cost more in some parts of the country then others. 4.11 may be cheap in say, miami florida where the average price is 5$+, and very expensive in WV for example where its about 2.75. So depending on where you live, its either a deal, or a ripoff, not solely one or the other.

Lets try this another way. If lived in Florida and I told you I pay $1.95 for LP would it be unreasonable to expect you to say, "man thats cheap"?
My only problem is you are assuming that I am not aware of the myriad reasons the price may be different and that my statement is a judgement. It is not, it is a simple statement. You are making the same qualitative comments (cheap... very expensive) in your paragraph above. I just happened to use a more aggressive word.

Lighten up, Francis...

Regional differences in pricing exist, despite your desire to accept that. A $600k house in some areas is a dump and others a sprawling estate.

You're bringing that to the party?

 

[RDWHAHB]

So it just occurred to me this morning that some people are probably doing propane exchanges so I figured I would post up a comparison.

I have 2 nice shiny propane tanks, with refill gauges on them. I noticed it costs $22 in my area to exchange a single propane tank, and get who knows what back in return.
It costs me about $7.50 to get them refilled at the local U-haul, which is about a half mile further than the closest exchange place.
So I can refill both my tanks for $15, and it’s usually faster to have them refilled than to wait around for employees to find keys and hope that the exchange service has some full tanks available. Then I have 2 full propane tanks and pocket money for lunch.

I spent 30mins waiting at uhaul (on Jewel) for a refill. Left without. Thought, darn, I got to look into these exchanges. Most other times it has been shorter though.

 

[RDWHAHB]

Charging by the gallons seems like an easy way to rip people off, since volume can change with temperature and pressure. Charging by weight is the only fair, consistent way to do it.

Liquid propane does not change volume w/pressure. Temperature it would some. Not sure how much.

 

[EdWort]

My local grocery store (4 minutes away and open 7 days a week till Midnight) swaps out tanks for $17.95 each, and that's for 17# of propane. Blue Rino at Lowe's charges $19 for 15#. The closest Uhaul that fills is 30 minutes away and you wait 30 minutes till they get around to it. Time and gasoline is money especially on brew day.

The main thing to remember when swapping out tanks, is do you get what you pay for? I swap 3 to 4 tanks at a time and I was sure I was getting light tanks. I went and bought a digital luggage scale and I take it with me to quickly weigh the tank they give me and subtract the TARE weight of the tank.

The TARE (empty weight) of the tank below is 17 lbs, so there is 17.4# of propane in this one. I'll take it. I have rejected numerous tanks, some being as off by 3 lbs. of propane.

 

[TokyoRoad]

You're bringing that to the party?

Yup, did it make sense to you?

 

[Blackgaurd_Brewing]

I spent 30mins waiting at uhaul (on Jewel) for a refill. Left without. Thought, darn, I got to look into these exchanges. Most other times it has been shorter though.

I go to through the one at Union and Cedar, and never have to wait.

 

[northernlad]

Got this timely link in an email this morning...
http://www.tailgatermonthly-digital.com/tailgatermonthly/20100506/?pg=32&pm=2&u1=friend