# Filling Propane Tanks



## swanny (Oct 31, 2007)

when refilling tanks do you get charged by the gallon or just a flat price tank refill? (30 gallon tanks) the reason i ask is , i take my gas grill 20lb tank to get refilled. i pay first (a flat fee) then go around to the fill station and get filled up. in this case it really doesn't matter my tank is MT. but what if my tank isn't MT then i'm getting ripped paying a flat fee. so i should make sure they do a tare wt first right? and pay by the gallon right? please help me out with this.


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## outback loft (Sep 22, 2008)

The way it is here in New York, is you pay a flat fee. Therefore I wait until the tank is completely empty before I bring it to get filled. I just cycle between the two tanks and always have one full. I usually will get through the season on One 30lb tank running the refrigerator, hot water, grill and stove. In the winter on the other hand I usually use 3 tanks over about 10 three night outings. But keep in mind that is running electric heat in addition to the propane heat.


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## TurkeyBranch (Mar 12, 2009)

We have both kinds of places around here. Some do a flat fee and the one I use does it by weight.


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## Sayonara (Jul 23, 2007)

TurkeyBranch said:


> We have both kinds of places around here. Some do a flat fee and the one I use does it by weight.


Us too. I have paid both ways.


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## mikenkristipa (May 11, 2008)

I have a U-haul store a block from my house - they charge by the gallon.


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## swanny (Oct 31, 2007)

thanks everybody. what got me thinking about this is, i removed my tanks today so i could get them filled. i noticed that i still had propane in the tanks, but no more would come out. i think with the new setup they never really MT anymore. any way, if this is the case (a flat rate) what is left in the tank i am paying for again. if the story assumes the tank is MT and the tank hold 7 gallons they charge for 7 gallons. i might be getting only 6 gallons because of what's left in the tank.


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

By the gallon to the tenth of a gallon is the only way to buy.


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## GarethsDad (Apr 4, 2007)

swanny said:


> thanks everybody. what got me thinking about this is, i removed my tanks today so i could get them filled. i noticed that i still had propane in the tanks, but no more would come out. i think with the new setup they never really MT anymore. any way, if this is the case (a flat rate) what is left in the tank i am paying for again. if the story assumes the tank is MT and the tank hold 7 gallons they charge for 7 gallons. i might be getting only 6 gallons because of what's left in the tank.


Propane at the flying j in New Milford, PA is $2.79. I would use this as a base price. I normally buy LP buy the gallon unless the local dealer is running a special of $8.88 for a 20 pounder. I have to go to the welding supply to get my 5# and 8# tanks filled. James


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

All I've ever seen in Oregon is you pay by the gallon.


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## swanny (Oct 31, 2007)

i can see i'll need to start shopping for a by the gallon place. is 2.79 a fairly stabile price? i just read something pretty interesting. refineries usually shut down in the Spring (after the winter fuel production) for major repairs. they in a lot of cases don't get back to full capacity until late May early June. the article said that's why price of summer fuels (gas and propane) go up. what really stinks is since we are cutting back as a nation on travel (gas) a lot of refineries have cut production way back before the shutdown. this added to the no production time in the spring. i guess it is what it is.

thanks everybody


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## SDCampers (Oct 29, 2008)

I work at a large propane company. By DOT regulations propane is supposed to be sold by weight when put in a DOT cylinder which is any cylinder that is meant to be transported in a vehicle such as your 20, 30 or 40 pound propane cylinders. That's not to say that all places do it that way, such as truck stops.
If a merchant just charges a flat rate to fill a cylinder they are doing that because they are not properly trained to determine tare weight of an empty cylinder and then determine how much is needed to fill the cylinder. If they charge you a flat rate they are ripping you off, let them know and take your business to a reputable dealer. Most likely it will end up cheaper also. Also, by establishing a relationship with your friendly propane supplier he should be more than willing to help you with any problems you may encounter.


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

Flat fee in NJ for me. I ve been to a few that will only do exchange so if its my first time to a place, I ask first. No way do they get my new tank and give me an old one out of hydro. Happened to a friend of mine camping somewhere (don t remember where) with a 20 lb tank on a pop up. The next time he went to get it filled, he was told it was too old and needed to buy a new tank.


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## H2oSprayer (Aug 5, 2006)

Oregon_Camper said:


> All I've ever seen in Oregon is you pay by the gallon.


But then they don't even trust you to pump your own fuel out there









Around here, you can buy propane either way. I usually wait until one my my 30 pounders is empty and take it to the local tool rental shop that is not far from my home. They usually have the best price around. If I remember correctly, the tare weight is stamped onto the tank.


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## swanny (Oct 31, 2007)

H2oSprayer your right but, i think that's for a new tank. after it's filled once there is always some propane left in the tank. shake it you can feel it. so what ever the tank weighs now is your new tare wt.


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## Scoutr2 (Aug 21, 2006)

CamperAndy said:


> By the gallon to the tenth of a gallon is the only way to buy.


X2. I use either Suburban Gas or U-Haul. Either one charges by weight, or gallons. No flat fees for me - it's expensive enough without paying for the propane that is already in the tank (again).!

Mike


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## folsom_five (Jan 10, 2008)

The service station (BP) closest to me that has propane, will charge a minimum flat fee of what it would cost to fill a 20lb tank. I will usually take an empty 30lb and my partially full 30lb and my 20lb BBQ tank whenever I need to fill up... That way it is always over the minimum charge, and I pay for what actually goes into my tanks... based on the amount (in gallons) their guage tells them.


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

I pay by the gallon at a welding supply place. The tank exchange thing seems convenient but the prices are terrible - at least here they are.


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## LarryTheOutback (Jun 15, 2005)

We had a discussion about this a couple of years ago. Our conclusion was that the pricing mechanism for Propane was regional; some areas are by tank, others by gallon. Yet some other areas used both methods.

I got curious becuase in Oregon it is by the gallon, but at the far end of our "Land Cruise" in New Hampshire we were paying by the tank.

Ed


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## matty1 (Mar 7, 2005)

Set price for a tank size here, a lot of places won't even fill the 5lb because they don't have that size in the system. Seems it would be a lot easier if they charged by the gallon then...


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