Smaller Propane Tanks

What do you do if you are in an area where you must swap tanks rather than refill them, but the swapper is not the empty one?

I typically refill all my tanks. BUT I used to often stay for a month or more in a small town in GA that had no place that would refill a 20LB tank. We could only do tank swaps. It was weird but not a big deal since I have always had one tank that was a "swap" tank (one that I typically would either refill or swap). I ended up with two swapped tanks and two owned tanks during the years that I was going there. I could refill all my tanks when I went back home.

I currently have "several" 20LB tanks of which two are "swappers" (Tanks that I have gotten at whichever tank swap outfit is locally). I always paint my owned tanks a very different colour (Rustoleum light turquoise for the last 10 years) and the "swappers" get painted white so I can easily and quickly tell which I will swap (I have gotten old rusty tanks at swaps). I treat the swappers like my tanks in that I keep them clean, rust free and paint them every few years as needed. I tend to remove the wrapper as it holds moisture which accelerates rust. I don't even worry about the age of my turquoise tanks. They are in such good condition that the tank fillers always say how good and clean they are. I keep the swappers because I don't always keep all my tanks filled. I have found a few times when I needed to swap a tank out because I ran out of LP when the tank fill is closed.

The truck camper has one swapper and one owned tank. I figured the tank that came with the camper could be the swapper and I added one of my tanks to the camper when I set up a dual tank system.

This thread reads like a Progressive Insurance TV commercial about becoming like your parents....

Samsonsworld wrote:
Guys, I don't look to spend more money than I have to but I also don't look to spend more of my time. There is a trade off. By my calculations, its roughly $7 more per tank to exchange when you correct the volume. I'll use 3 tanks per year, tops. That's not much money and saves me a LOT of time considering I'm at the grocery store every week anyway.

The folks at my grocery store have a hard time keeping the full and empty tanks separate.

Typically, they'll just pick one up, and then say "Yep! That feels full!", and put it in my shopping cart.

I have gotten tanks that way which weren't anywhere near full, even after taking into account that fact that exchange tanks are never more than 75% full to begin with.

I like supporting my local propane guy, rather than some large corporation like AmeriGas or Blue Rhino.

He puts the tank on a scale while refilling it, right there where we can both see it - No concerns about underfilling.

I have propane at the stick house so my grill is plumbed into that. No cylinders to refill (well, there are two 400L cylinders but the truck comes to fill them).

For my 5er, I have two 30lb tanks. Both have "aged out" (RV is 11 years old) so I have the extra expense of new tanks. That's one thing you don't have to worry about when you go on an exchange program. We RV in the winter and for the few weeks it's cool in the south, we use about one tank a week.

Gdetrailer wrote:

Just note, as some others have mentioned sometimes exchange cylinders have valve issues.. I keep a spare one for the gas grill in a shed away from the house, I had one that must have had a slow leak I didn't notice and went to use it and it was 100% empty! It had the exchange seal intact but the cylinder felt light and no gas to the grill.

Yes, sir! I was a little scared to mention it but I do have three exchange tanks at home for the grills, griddle and disc burner. I'm a little too familiar with valve issues. The good news is I always carry one with me when I go camping, so I should have a spare.

Samsonsworld wrote:

Gdetrailer wrote:

20 lb propane cylinder holds about 4.7 gallons of propane.

Propane weighs about 4.2 lbs per gallon

pretty much all cylinder exchanges (you bring empty and exchange it for a loaded cylinder) short load the cylinders with about 15 lbs of propane or about 3.5 gallons of propane.

In the case of the price of $19.99 that is $5.71 per gallon you are paying for the convenience of grab and go..

If you went to a propane dealer that fills your cylinder while you wait and you were to pay $19.99 you would get 4.7 gallons of propane at $4.25 per gallon!

But I think $19.99 for exchange is a bit low, current price locally for Blue Rhino cylinders near me is $21 for 15 lbs..

Been quite a few yrs ago when I needed to refill my 30 lbs cylinders, cost me less than $19 for full 30 lbs (about 7 gallons) although I am sure it is a bit more now days.

If you are OK paying more for convenience and don't mind only getting 15 lbs then use the cylinder exchanges.

I found your post pretty insightful and appreciate the information.

Guys, I don't look to spend more money than I have to but I also don't look to spend more of my time. There is a trade off. By my calculations, its roughly $7 more per tank to exchange when you correct the volume. I'll use 3 tanks per year, tops. That's not much money and saves me a LOT of time considering I'm at the grocery store every week anyway.

Sheesh! I didn't know I was starting a controversial topic!

As you said, there is some "trade offs".

Nothing wrong with using a cylinder exchange as long as you are aware of the trade offs.

I have done both ways, my RV cylinders are 30 lb and my gas grill has 20 lb cylinders. Exchanges don't deal with 30 lb or higher cylinders so I get those filled at a hardware store that sells bulk propane.

Gas grill, I have two 20 lb cylinders and when the OPD valve requirement went into effect yrs ago it was much lower cost to pay the cost at an exchange place for cylinders with OPD than it was to have new valves put in and recertified or buy new ones with OPD valves.

The exchanges take care of the recertifications and most will slap a fresh coat of paint on them when needed.

Most exchanges are at retailers like gas stations, grocery stores which have hrs after 4 PM and open on weekends. Most bulk propane dealers do not have hrs after 4-5PM and no weekend hrs..

Just note, as some others have mentioned sometimes exchange cylinders have valve issues.. I keep a spare one for the gas grill in a shed away from the house, I had one that must have had a slow leak I didn't notice and went to use it and it was 100% empty! It had the exchange seal intact but the cylinder felt light and no gas to the grill.

Gdetrailer wrote:

20 lb propane cylinder holds about 4.7 gallons of propane.

Propane weighs about 4.2 lbs per gallon

pretty much all cylinder exchanges (you bring empty and exchange it for a loaded cylinder) short load the cylinders with about 15 lbs of propane or about 3.5 gallons of propane.

In the case of the price of $19.99 that is $5.71 per gallon you are paying for the convenience of grab and go..

If you went to a propane dealer that fills your cylinder while you wait and you were to pay $19.99 you would get 4.7 gallons of propane at $4.25 per gallon!

But I think $19.99 for exchange is a bit low, current price locally for Blue Rhino cylinders near me is $21 for 15 lbs..

Been quite a few yrs ago when I needed to refill my 30 lbs cylinders, cost me less than $19 for full 30 lbs (about 7 gallons) although I am sure it is a bit more now days.

If you are OK paying more for convenience and don't mind only getting 15 lbs then use the cylinder exchanges.

I found your post pretty insightful and appreciate the information.

Guys, I don't look to spend more money than I have to but I also don't look to spend more of my time. There is a trade off. By my calculations, its roughly $7 more per tank to exchange when you correct the volume. I'll use 3 tanks per year, tops. That's not much money and saves me a LOT of time considering I'm at the grocery store every week anyway.

Sheesh! I didn't know I was starting a controversial topic!

Only issues are
Re doing the hold downs (should not be an issue at all)
More frequent refilling of the tank.

Advantage.. Half the weight to lift and carry and pull.

I use exchanges when my backup (former grill) tanks expire as it's cheaper than recertifying a tank. I also had to do a swap when all the retail refill places near me were out of propane a few years ago, it was cheaper to do a swap than drive 20+ miles to get a refill.