Buying LP Gas: By the gallon or tank?

[Michigander]

Over the years all of us have visited many different places to refill our propane tanks.

Some places charge by the gallon only for what they put into your tank.

Others charge a flat fee depending on the size of the tank (even if the tank is partially full and you just want to top it off!)

I think it's a rip-off to pay a flat fee, because often there is a good amount of LP gas left in my tanks.

Today, after filling my 5# tank (used for the grill), I questioned the attendant about this, and he got all p---ed off and told me to take my MH elsewhere to get if filled. He refused to fill my 90# tank, which was only 1/4 full and told me to take it accross the street to the local UHaul.

I was flabbergasted by his treatment of me and will never go back to the smaller, non big-box hardware store to which I was trying to give some business.

How do they charge for propane in your neighborhood?

[azflycaster]

By the gallon. There is a meter on the fill line.

[Frank's Trailer Works]

Neither, I buy it by the pound. My place only charges me what they put in the tank not some fee for the tank fill up. The scale can actually be used to accurately measure it. If I were you, I would make it a point to discourge as many as you can from using the first guy. He obviously has something to hide.

[Silver Goose]

The only place local to me puts the tank on the scale and shuts off the pump when the scale weighs full. The price is the same if you bring in an empty tank or one 3/4 full. Since I have an auto switchover regulator, I never bring in a tank unless it is empty.

[moparjohn]

I sell propane in NJ at an Agway store. We sell propane by the pound and MUST fill the tank on a scale in NJ law compliance. We, of course charge by what goes into the tank. An RV with attached (permanent) tanks get filled by the meter on the tank station and is the only exception to filling by weight. The filling of tanks and charging accordinly is the easy part, the hard part is that tanks only have a 12 year lifespan (without recirtification) and any tank older than 12 years (by the month) we will not fill. Some customers do not like or know about the law, which is Federal, any do not like the thought of having to buy a new tank. MPJ

PS I've filled way too many tanks in the past 20 years!

[MrUKToad]

By the pound in these here parts. Tank goes on the scale, filled and the additional weight is all I'm charged for. That's at our Canadian Tire gas bar and very nice people they are, too.

[Michigander]

Thank you for your responses. Now that I think of it, one of the UHaul places I go to both weighs and measures by the gallon.

BTW, will I also have to replace the permanently installed 90# tank on my MH once it's >12 years old?

[SilverCottage]

While in Massachusetts 4 years ago, I asked for a top-up on a 30 pound tank. At $35 I said to stop since I didn't want to pay anymore. Pricing was based on $7-8 per gallon I think.

At Costco here, it is a flat rate for a 30 pound fill which works out to $24 with tax. Since I have the auto switch over, I never take anything other than an empty tank for refill.

Found this conversion on the internet:

Propane weighs about 4.2 pounds per US gallon, at 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Propane expands 1.5% per 10 degrees F.

[cameront120]

I pay by the pound. I've never seen any other way.

[Wabbiteer]

My aluminum 30's got a visual inspection that extended life 5-years IIRC...

[eubank]

Here in NM, it is not permitted to charge for propane not delivered. Fillers may charge only for what they pump into a cylinder.

Filling a cylinder (a safety issue) is, however, different from charging for propane (a financial issue). NM strongly recommends filling portable cylinders by weight (i.e., on a certified scale), only using the volume method (i.e., using the bleed valve) as required. Filling motorhomes is, of course, different; only the volume method can be used. Apart from the preference for weight over volume, NM follows the codes set forth in NFPA 58.


Lynn

[Becky B.]

I usually get mine filled at the local U-Haul by the pound. I was camping last week & the campground had propane. I thought it would be sweet to just plop them off the trailer & plunk them back on right there--until I found out it was $24 per tank no matter how full they were. They didn't plop or plunk anywhere. I'll ge them filled at the U-Haul!

[ventport]

I bought a fill hose on ebay and had my propane guy install the correct valve on my 500 gallon house tank. I fill my own now for under $2.00 a gallon.

[davidz71]

I have a local welding supply shop fill my tanks. They place the tank on a scale, connect the hose, fill by the gallon and then check the weight after removing the fill hose.

[Bill M.]

You can have your tanks inspected and re certified. Cost me $90 bucks for 2 thirty pound tanks, and that included having a valve replaced on one. Good for 10 years. Go to a local gas supply dealer that deals in welding and hospital gas.

[SilverRanger]

Metered. The company that we buy gas from fills my 20 & 30 lb. tanks if I leave the small tanks next to the big tank, and just add it our monthly bill.

For those who exchange Blue Rhino 20 lb. tanks at the big box stores and Wal-Mart should be aware they only fill them to 15 lb. It's in the fine print on the cage.

[reddogfox]

Michigander
Most of the propane dealers I have used in my local area charge a flat fee. The only exception that I know of is the Tractor Supply Company store in Lapeer County, Michigan, they charge on;y for what they put in the tank. Their price is low enough that when they fill a completely empty 30 pound tank you save slightly over a dollar as compared to the flat fee. I do not know if other TSC stores fill propane tanks or if they have the same policy nationally.

[Phoenix]

The convenience store where I usually buy propane charges by the gallon, with a $10 minimum. I guess they figure the $10 minimum charge pumps enough propane that the profit at least covers their overhead to provide this service.

I usually fill up one tank per year, which covers about 6-8 weeks of camping (and the other tank is still full). However, it's warm enough here that only one or two weeks of that includes heavy use of the furnace and hot water heater.

Info for newby's: The empty weight of a propane tank is stamped into the metal on a tank. Add this to the maximum capacity of your propane tank (in pounds), and you can tell approximately what it should weigh when full. Then, weigh your tanks individually on a bathroom scale (or whatever scale you have handy) to determine how full they are. That way, you can tell if it's worth the minimum or flat rate charged to fill or top them off. In most cases, it'll pay to wait until the tank is down to about 1/4 capacity or less to fill it up. However, you may need to keep the tanks fairly full if you camp at high altitude or in very cold weather, or both; because the pressure drops fast under those conditions, and the furnace and hot water heater may not light reliably as propane levels drop with usage.

[pageclot]

Originally Posted by Bill M.

You can have your tanks inspected and re certified. Cost me $90 bucks for 2 thirty pound tanks, and that included having a valve replaced on one. Good for 10 years. Go to a local gas supply dealer that deals in welding and hospital gas.

Cost me $250 here, but that included replacing both valves and hoses, and they filled up both tanks. It was still way cheaper than replacing the tanks with new aluminum ones. But that was at an RV place, so in 10 years, I'll do what you did and go to an industrial gas place.

[SilverCottage]

I purchased a $10 luggage scale and it lets me know how full my partially used is. I used a Sharpie marker to write the empty weight and full weight right on the tank. All I do is loosen the hold-down and lift the tank. Accuracy is close enough for my needs.