matthfam
BC
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After reading on this site about what a propane tank should weigh when empty/full, I decided I should weigh mine. I had used one tank only with the other one shut off ... The "full" tank weighed in at 44 lbs. the used one at 35.5 lbs. While it makes sense that I used about 8-9 lbs from the tank I was using, it makes no sense that they weighed 44 lbs when full. I was ripped off.
There could be a small difference to the 55 lbs supposed weight when full, but 11 lbs? They advertise as the cheapest propane in town. Not cheap at all! Take a scale with you when refilling!
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opnspaces
San Diego Ca
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They can only fill to 80 percent.
Many prefilled tanks (Think Blue Rhino) under fills to 15 lbs. And it is disclosed on all the signage.
In your example do they charge one price for a refill? Or do they charge by the weight or by measuring the fill?
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ktmrfs
Portland, Oregon
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a)I have never been to a propane station that charged by weight. It's always been by gallons. They may weigh the tank during fill but still charge by gallon.
b) propane tanks cannot be filled to full capacity, the overflow valve prevents that. IIRC a "full" propane tank is about 80+% of capacity in gallons.
c) places that sell prefilled tanks don't fill to even nominal capacity, and they so state the fill. You do pay a PREMIUM for that convienence!!! Blue Rhino states on the website that since 2008 they only fill to 15lbs. prior to that they filled to 17 lbs.
d) the actual capacity of a 20 and 30 lb tanks is less than 5 and 7.5 gallons of propane if it is filled till the overflow float shuts off fill, about 4.5 ish gallons and 7ish or less gallons.
e) propane only weights about 4.1lbs/gallon,
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CA Traveler
The Western States
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I only exchange tanks when they are out of date. Otherwise use a metered fill by gallons. The MH tank date is not checked since it's not portable.
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ktmrfs
Portland, Oregon
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CA Traveler wrote:I only exchange tanks when they are out of date. Otherwise use a metered fill by gallons. The MH tank date is not checked since it's not portable.
yup, IMHO the only good use of tank exchange. I get rid of an out of date tank and get a newer mostly full tank (I check the date on the tank) at a reasonable price and don't have the hassle of recyling the old tank.
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wa8yxm
Davison Michigan (East of Flint)
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A 20 pound tank holds 16 pounds when filled.
The Tare weight (Empty weight) is stamped on the tank.
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theoldwizard1
SE MI
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opnspaces wrote:They can only fill to 80 percent.
ABSOLTE BULLSH!T !!
It is call a "20 lb tank" because it is design tested and certified to hold 20 lbs of propane ! Some refill stations just crack the overfill screw and fill until liquid vents. This is usually very close to 20 lbs.
All certified portable tanks are require to have a TARE Weight permanently stamped on them. If you weight the tank immediately after filling, that number minus the TARE Weight is how many pounds of propane you received.
opnspaces wrote:Many prefilled tanks (Think Blue Rhino) under fills to 15 lbs. And it is disclosed on all the signage.
But they have many people CONVINCED this is correct ! BUYER BEWARE !!
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theoldwizard1
SE MI
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matthfam wrote:
There could be a small difference to the 55 lbs supposed weight when full,
You can not know what the "full" weight is without knowing the TARE Weight.
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StarkNaked
West Seattle, WA
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theoldwizard1 wrote:opnspaces wrote:They can only fill to 80 percent.
ABSOLTE BULLSH!T !!
It is call a "20 lb tank" because it is design tested and certified to hold 20 lbs of propane !
The 80% rule is mandatory and is regulated by the Department of Transportation (DOT) in the United States and by similar organizations in other countries. Propane retailers and suppliers are required to follow the 80% rule when filling tanks, and customers should expect that their tanks will not be filled to capacity.
To calculate the approximate fill capacity of your propane tank, you can multiply the tank’s total capacity by 0.8 (80%). This will give you the maximum amount of propane that the tank can safely hold, taking into account the 20% head space required for expansion.
For example, if your propane tank has a capacity of 100 gallons, the maximum safe fill capacity would be 80 gallons, which can be calculated as follows: 100 x 0.8 = 80.
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CA Traveler
The Western States
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From AmeriGas Website
Review the propane tank size guide below for more information on propane tank sizes. It is important to note that a propane tank is only able to be filled to 80%. The tanks details will highlight how many gallons you get when full.
20 lb Propane Tank
Dimensions: 1' 6" in height and 1' in diameter.
Uses: Propane grills, generators, patio heaters, and other outdoor equipment. To purchase or exchange a 20 lb tank, find a location near you.
20 pound propane tanks are often referred to as grill cylinders and hold 4.6 gallons of propane when full.
From another website: 1 gallon of propane weighs 4.11 lb.
Therefore; 4.11*4.6 = 18.9 lbs of propane plus the empty tank weight.
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