Propane Bottles - Thoughts?

[Tex_Cattleman]

Seems like when my propane bottles peter out, there is still a decent amount of liquid left in the cylinder. I wonder if there is a way to combine that small amount from a few tanks to one. I've never really thought about this until I ran out Monday and had six "empty" bottles. Seems like there would be a way - similar to filling the little camp bottles from a big cylinder.

[jaspermac]

Turn them upside down and try to get a little more out of it

[Hoggslayer]

If they are too cold they won't vaporize the liquid.

[Twist]

If they are too cold they won't vaporize the liquid.

Yep.

Look into a warmer/ bottle blanket for the tanks.

[kmitchl]

You can makeup a double male hose to transfer between bottles. I'm sure someone will find a safety/legal reason not to do this.

The other option is to weigh the bottles to confirm the bottle is empty. A full 20# grill bottle should weigh 37#. So an empty bottle should weigh 37-20 or 17#.

[Hoggslayer]

Yep.

Look into a warmer/ bottle blanket for the tanks.

I was using a small 1 pounder this morning to light my fire pit. It didn't have any pressure at 15 degrees ambient temp. I took it on the shop and warmed it with a heat gun and it worked great.

[999]

Or get them filled and not swapped. TSC, U-Haul, Ace Hardware etc…

Think they put 20% more in than the swaps also (even though you pay for it). In the end it’s cheaper to fill especially if you have a few spares and do them all at once to make it worth the time to have them filled.

[SaltwaterSlick]

I take my bottles to my local propane guy and he just fills them and charges me for the liquid I get. You also get more propane that way in the standard grill bottle... Those "20" pound bottles only have 15# in them at the exchange locations... If you fill with liquid, and especially in the mornings when it's the coolest, you'll get more propane. They can fill them to 80% capacity legally, so a 20 pound bottle can legally hold 16# of propane, and some of those good ol' boys still fill by opening the vent and fill until they get liquid out the vent...

And the best thing is, a complete bottle refill will cost you about 1/2 what a swap costs.

EDIT to add: The other really great benefit is you don't have to deal with some snot-nosed kid who can barely unlock the cage to get you a bottle out of it after waiting on him to come off break for 20 minutes to help you!

[bowhntrmatt]

make a male-male hose. Keep the receiving bottle cold and leave the donating bottle in the sun or other warm spot. then make the transfer. It'll probably be cumbersome, but if you can get the remnants of 6 into one it might be worth something. I'm guessing that propane tanks don't have dip tubes, so it may help to turn the donator upside down during the transfer.

[bowhntrmatt]

https://www.amazon.com/GasOne-Propane-Refill-Adapter-Hose/dp/B0B47WCJM6/ref=asc_df_B0B47WCJM6?mcid=116d8a6b91d93b9392de372a9b51cc7c&hvocijid=4682453151094995506-B0B47WCJM6-&hvexpln=73&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=721245378154&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4682453151094995506&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9028022&hvtargid=pla-2281435177578&psc=1

[Duckologist]

https://www.amazon.com/GasOne-Propan...35177578&psc=1

That doesn't apply to this thread

[hooligan]

Or get them filled and not swapped. TSC, U-Haul, Ace Hardware etc…

Think they put 20% more in than the swaps also (even though you pay for it). In the end it’s cheaper to fill especially if you have a few spares and do them all at once to make it worth the time to have them filled.

This, my Ace charged by the # they actually fill and make sure it’s full. Only time I do an “exchange” is when my inspection date on the bottle is up and they won’t fill

[Bayouboy]

https://youtu.be/qo3jyk4Wmp8?si=b-KJTGwb1Qfrl1TN

Stop overthinking it!! Most of you must be Aggie engineers.

[SaltwaterSlick]

This, my Ace charged by the # they actually fill and make sure it’s full. Only time I do an “exchange” is when my inspection date on the bottle is up and they won’t fill

Bottles no longer expire in the small sizes. They only go by physical appearance now as to use worthiness. Until I got enough of the 20# bottles to serve my purposes, I'd swap an old looking, maybe rusty bottom one for one of the brand spanking new looking ones. I'm good now.

[Casey]

Fill them.