jetcare
RV Repairman - South Fork, CO
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Joined: 05/02/2008
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houtrz wrote:I just had mine filled the other day as well. 14.4 gallons for both and I didn't think anything about it until you posted so I did some math. Propane weighs 4.23 pounds per gallon so if they filled the tank to the full thirty pounds that would require 7.1 gallons. It will vary slightly with temperature. Anyways I thought they only filled the tanks to 80% of capacity or twenty four pounds which would be about 5.7 gallons. Can anyone explain this? Do the new bottles hold 37.5 pounds and they fill that to 80%?
A 30 pound tank holds 30 pounds at 80%.
2007 Coachman 32 foot Travel Trailer
2010 Ford F350 Super Duty 4X2, SRW, 6.4L
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Old-Biscuit
Across the USA
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Joined: 06/20/2009
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skipnchar wrote:Propane TANKS can be any size the manufacturer wants to install. Most TRAILERS do not have tanks but use standard 20 or 30 lb. bottles. 20 lb. bottles used for most smaller trailers and 30 lb. bottle for larger units.
Good luck / Skip
How about we call them 'cylinders'.....
Tanks for ground set and motor homes
Portable cylinders for BBQ/Outdoor heaters/trailers/5th wheels
Bottles for lanterns/small grills/torches
Semantics........
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JohnKoz
New Jersey
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JeffCon wrote:...Not sure what to make of the 80% fill rule....
That's just to leave room in the tank for expansion of the propane at varying (warmer) temperatures.
John & Debbie, Kids: Melissa, Emily & Jacqueline
2010 RAM 2500 MegaCab CTD Laramie (every option)
2011 Coachman Chaparral 330FBH
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ExRocketScientist
Laurel, MD
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Joined: 11/11/2010
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And they required the overflow prevention device (OPD) about a decade ago because a lot of poorly trained people filling the things would not put them on a scale and do the math to figure out what the total weight should be when filled to 80% capacity. They would often fill them to 100% capacity, so as soon as they started warming up (like the sun shining on them), they would force propane out of the pressure relief valve. Now while sitting on a trailer outside this may not be an issue unless near a campfire, grill, campstove, gas lantern, hot water heater, or someone smoking, it was a big issue with mom bringing home the 20 pounder for the gas grill in the back of the family minivan. So now we have the OPD.
I had a pup that sat in my garage. It had two 20 pounders on the tongue. Prior to the OPD, you could open the door from the kitchen to the garage in the summer and smell propane. With the advent of the OPD, that didn't happen anymore.
ERS
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WeBeFulltimers
Here & There
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Joined: 04/01/2008
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Old-Biscuit wrote:skipnchar wrote:Propane TANKS can be any size the manufacturer wants to install. Most TRAILERS do not have tanks but use standard 20 or 30 lb. bottles. 20 lb. bottles used for most smaller trailers and 30 lb. bottle for larger units.
Good luck / Skip
How about we call them 'cylinders'.....
Tanks for ground set and motor homes
Portable cylinders for BBQ/Outdoor heaters/trailers/5th wheels
Bottles for lanterns/small grills/torches
Semantics........
Ok ok. What about those people who have a coach instead of a trailer/motorhome? What is their propane storage apparatus called? 
2007 DODGE RAM 2500 4x4 QC CTD 5.9 4SPD AUTO TIMBRENS PRODIGY REESE 16K KWIK-SLIDE***PACBRAKE PRXB 2012 MONTANA 3585SA
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tomkaren13
West Central Florida
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On coach seems to me would be a propane tank, not a cylinder.
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SailingOn
Central Texas
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Maybe that's their standard charge for a 30# tank/cylinder/round metal thing.
I can go two blocks from home to La Hacienda, a local RV park, where they charge me for a 30# fill, or about 7 gallons for a nominal 30# tank regardless of how much propane they actually pump; or, I can drive half an hour to the propane company that supplies La Hacienda, where they charge by the actual weight added to the tank.
You guessed it: I've never been to Sharp Propane, though I think they are nice folks.
The convenience (savings) of being close far outweighs a few dollars extra cost.
Buck: 2004 Wilderness Yukon 8275S; 5800# dry, 7800# GVWR
AJ: 2010 F150 ExtCab, 2WD, 6.5' bed, 5.4L V8, 6A, Tow Pkg.
5900# ready to travel, GVWR 7500#.
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pritch272
Martinez, GA
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Joined: 03/18/2006
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I've always seen our tanks refilled with a scale at the local gas company, but the last time I had them filled was at the local Tractor Supply store as they had coupons off and a good price as well. No scale there, hooked it up and turned the machine on. I asked how did he know when to shut it off, and he said "how much do you want" ? I scratched my head and said I didn't know if the tank was completely empty or not so wasn't sure, but just wanted it refilled- He just said he would fill it until it was full. I'm still not sure how that works.
2007 Keystone Laredo 29RL, 2000 Ford F250 7.3 PSD, Firestone bags, Pressure Pro, 16" Michelin XPS Ribs, MorRyde Pin Box, Dexter EZ-Flex, PI EMS-HW30C, Dirt Devil CV950 Central Vacuum, 2000W AllPower by Kipor, 4000/3500W Champion C46540
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bpounds
Whittier CA
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pritch272 wrote:He just said he would fill it until it was full. I'm still not sure how that works.
He fills until he sees liquid escaping from the vent in the side of the OPD valve. And he has a meter on his pump that measures the gallons transferred.
I don't know of a single station around here that still sells by weight. The method described above is not the most accurate, but it is close enough.
Bill and Carol
2006 F250 Diesel
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pritch272
Martinez, GA
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bpounds wrote:pritch272 wrote:He just said he would fill it until it was full. I'm still not sure how that works.
He fills until he sees liquid escaping from the vent in the side of the OPD valve. And he has a meter on his pump that measures the gallons transferred.
I don't know of a single station around here that still sells by weight. The method described above is not the most accurate, but it is close enough.
Actually not, the machine shut off automatically.
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