Propane Exchange

**Admin** Sat May 08, 2021 1:54 am

While I was going to Menards today to get some faucet washers, I thought I would exchange a propane tank that was well past its 12 year date for recertification and was giving some issues trying to refill it at the gas station last summer. It had a date of 2002 stamped on it and I believe we've had it just about that long too. Usually I'll have the cylinders refilled instead of exchanging them. With exchange, you get only 15-17lbs (depending on where you get it), where on the other hand you can have them refilled to 20lbs. Overall cheaper too. But, with exchange you can sometimes get a much newer one (if you insist on it when they're pulling the "full" one from the cage). Well, I didn't pay close enough attention this time, and I think I may have ended up with the oldest damn cylinder in the cage. The tank looked nice and I saw a glimpse of 3-19 stamped on it, so I didn't say anything. I got home to see 3-79 stamped on it... 1979! It's 42 years old, and it was recertified in 1995 "3-95E" and again in 2019 "3-19E". Code letter E meaning externally inspected, and should be recertified again in 2024. Of course, it has the new style valve. I'll use it up and probably do another exchange to get a much newer tank.

LOL dammit, go for a new tank and get the oldest.

getback Sat May 08, 2021 6:01 am

Well that sucks , i had a 30# tank from a old camper about the same age , i used it to run my grill , when i went to fill it they confiscated it LOL He said they would ck, it and put a another valve in for a fee , so i got a smaller one instead., We have Blue Rhino down here its some Hott stuff but only exchange . When filled there just not that hot tho .

Ken Cook Sat May 08, 2021 6:07 am

BB-Q grills don't last long in these parts. Between the weather and the recycled metal, your lucky to get 3 years out of them. When I buy a new one, you receive a new propane tank. Seeing I have the old tank, I generally keep it as a back up but I usually have more. The trash pickup won't take tanks even if the valve is removed, they see it in the trash and your trash will stay at the curb. One of the guys tells me to cut it in half and will take it. I filled it with soapy water for a day and proceed to cut it. Those old tanks are thicker than you would think. The Sawzall tears right through the newer ones which have considerably thinner wall thickness which is why I can believe your old tank had a re-cert on it.

It's pretty sad when you think about it but it's the norm today.

**Admin** Sat Jul 03, 2021 10:30 pm

I see I didn't mention this in the post above, but at the same time I exchanged that 2002 tank, I figured I'd exchange another empty tank that was from 2010. Again, with the intention to get newer tanks but I wasn't paying close enough attention that day and didn't differentiate between the manufacture date and the recertification date(s). While I ended up with one from 1979, I also ended up with one from 1998...

I just used up the last of that tank from 1998 yesterday. It had a hard and cracked o-ring seal in the valve that would leak if the hose was not gorilla tight. The one from 1979 is on the grill now and working as it should.

Being a little ticked off with the condition of the 98 tank and liking to have a full spare on hand, I took it out for another exchange... this time having the nerve to ask for the newest cylinder in the cage LOL.

...and I got the newest cylinder in the cage! Dated April-2021. Only 3 months old! Beer Cheers

So new, it still has the "vacuum purged" sticker on the valve. I actually thought it was a brand new empty tank when the girl lifted it out of the cage... but no, it had the weight of a full tank.

The cylinder has an empty weight of 17.7 lbs, and my cheap scale says about 37 lbs... so about 19 lbs of propane! All for $15.99.

**Admin** Sat Jul 03, 2021 10:59 pm

Ken Cook wrote: The trash pickup won't take tanks even if the valve is removed, they see it in the trash and your trash will stay at the curb. One of the guys tells me to cut it in half and will take it. I filled it with soapy water for a day and proceed to cut it. Those old tanks are thicker than you would think. The Sawzall tears right through the newer ones which have considerably thinner wall thickness which is why I can believe your old tank had a re-cert on it.

You should just throw those on Craigslist. You could probably even get $10-15 each. Setting them on the side of the road with a free sign would make those disappear too.

getback Sun Jul 04, 2021 7:15 am

Way to remember Jacob , that is a good deal getting more than you actually paid for ! I read that label several times and either i am still a sleep or it don't make alot of since But i do know about purge Very Happy

I need to make some more deflectors for the burners for my hand me down or purchase / tiring to get one more summer out of it . Happy Fourth and Grilling !! 4th of July Flag

Ken Cook Sun Jul 04, 2021 7:41 am

I live where it's street parking only. The last thing you do is to put anything curbside as it's a invitation to destroy your vehicle. Those tanks would probably end up through my windshield. However, my flying buddy Dan had a accordion in a closet. This took up a lot of space and he asked if anyone wanted it as it was too intricate to throw away. He placed the accordion on his walkway near the curb with a sign indicating please take, good condition, FREE in big letters. He did this as we were going to the field to go fly. We arrived home only to discover that there was now another accordion next to his, true story.

andrew Sun Jul 04, 2021 10:14 am

Reading Ken's accordion story dredged up a memory about my neighbor years back. He had remodeled his kitchen and set his old counter top (still in good condition) near the sidewalk with a FREE sign on it. After several days with no takers, he leaned it against his front porch with a FOR SALE sign taped to it. It was "stolen" within two days.