Had a nice experience today at the local propane filling place. I took 3 30 lb tanks in. The guy comes out, tells me the first tank is out of date. The sticker says 8/17. The original mfg date is 9/04. I just purchased 2 trade in tanks in September. One good til 4/20, the other good til 8/22. The "no good" one was one of them. I also had a new tank, mfg dated 7/17. That one, he tries to loosen the vent screw, attempting forcibly to turn it the wrong way to loosen it. He damages the screw then tells me the valve is no good. I told him he was turning it the wrong way. He tries other way and it loosened right up. This is the second time this tank has been filled. He told me he was doing me a "favor", I guess by filling them. I questioned his qualifications to fill propane tanks. He got mad and got another person out there to fill them. I may find a new propane supplier, but they are right around the corner from home, and give a good price drop @ 13 gallon purchase point. The price drops from $3.29 to $2.69 per gallon. I usually get 14 to 21 gallons at a time. Saving $7 to $10 helps. When I went in to pay, I told the counter person that perhaps the propane attendant could use a refresher course and explained what happened. In general, it makes me very unhappy when my items are damaged while still almost new, by incompetent personnel. Now I need to see if I can replace the vent screw without replacing the entire valve

That is the way things are done these days, it is not "are they qualified but how cheap will they work". It makes no difference what company, most usually hire people that have no knowledge of what they are selling and/or repairing. there should at least some training in some of these depts. Especially the ones that can be dangerous.

"..... The sticker says 8/17. The original mfg date is 9/04. I just purchased 2 trade in tanks in September. One good til 4/20, the other good til 8/22. The "no good" one was one of them."What sticker says 8/17?Original mfg date is 9/04----propane cylinders have a 12 yr rectification requirement (9/04 + 12 = 9/16) 'Visual Inspection Recert' is good for 5 yrs.(9/16 + 5 = 9/21)Trade in 'cylinders' ---one good til 4/20 & one good til 8/22. No good cylinder one of those.Dates are just not making sense :HAS for that messed up 'bleed valve'----stop buy a PROPANE DEALER (Bulk) with that cylinder and ask about a new 'Liquid Level Stem & Seal Assembly'

When cylinders are recertified they put the date the recertification was done on the sticker or etch it on the cylinder collar. So if it was actually recertified on 8/17 it would be good until 8/22 (5 years). So apparently the one recertified cylinder sat around for about a year before recertification.I had 2 cylinders that sat around with propane in them for 2 years after they had expired. When recertified they were 15 years old but would be good for 5 more years of until they were 20 years old.

Davidlee64 wrote:Had a nice experience today at the local propane filling place. I took 3 30 lb tanks in. The guy comes out, tells me the first tank is out of date. The sticker says 8/17. The original mfg date is 9/04. I just purchased 2 trade in tanks in September. One good til 4/20, the other good til 8/22. The "no good" one was one of them. I also had a new tank, mfg dated 7/17. That one, he tries to loosen the vent screw, attempting forcibly to turn it the wrong way to loosen it. He damages the screw then tells me the valve is no good. I told him he was turning it the wrong way. He tries other way and it loosened right up. This is the second time this tank has been filled. He told me he was doing me a "favor", I guess by filling them. I questioned his qualifications to fill propane tanks. He got mad and got another person out there to fill them. I may find a new propane supplier, but they are right around the corner from home, and give a good price drop @ 13 gallon purchase point. The price drops from $3.29 to $2.69 per gallon. I usually get 14 to 21 gallons at a time. Saving $7 to $10 helps. When I went in to pay, I told the counter person that perhaps the propane attendant could use a refresher course and explained what happened. In general, it makes me very unhappy when my items are damaged while still almost new, by incompetent personnel. Now I need to see if I can replace the vent screw without replacing the entire valveIt's awesome that you know everything.

biscuit his um new bottle was re certed back in 13

Propane Fill Personnel Training Lack of !!! | Good Sam Community

47 Replies

beemerphile1
Explorer
Dec 24, 2017
At the local Amerigas they do not open the bleeder. They fill until the pump shuts off against the OPD device.

To my unprofessional understanding, opening the bleeder is really only needed to purge new bottles.
hotpepperkid
Explorer
Dec 24, 2017
It's not rocket science and 10 year old kid could do it. That was my job to fill the one tractor we had that was on butane and grease all the fitting on the other equipment every morning in the summer. You know how far you can squirt a glob of grease from one of those big lincoin grease gun, far enough you get you in big trouble
Kayteg1
Explorer II
Dec 24, 2017
SidecarFlip wrote:

That applies to RV's too. Why you find wood scraps, sawdust and cigarette butts under cabinets and inside places in your camper. No one cares, just make the buck and go on...

I have a feeling that become part of US work force mentality.
I just installed central vac in the house and had to open walls on garage side.
All kind of garbage inside. Beside material scraps - soda can, milk jug and papers. Each construction has big damper on the site, so it is not that it would take more than 15 seconds to carry trash there.
On my Fleetwood camper, I think I have about 50 lb of excessive wiring who is making loops. Copper is expensive, but the assembly workers don't care about material cost, as long as it makes their job easier.
Than I live at scenic street, where lot of young people come for a puff, or small party.
What about the mentality that each emptied beer bottle has to be smack against the curb?
SaltiDawg
Explorer
Dec 24, 2017
SaltiDawg wrote:
SidecarFlip wrote:
...Screw on the fill hose fitting, begin filling (on the scale of course), crack the OPD port and when the propane starts coming out, shut off the fill, close the port, unscrew the acme fill fitting and go pay the lady. Pretty simple at least for me. ...

"on the scale, of course"

You don't mention how you use the scale, if "when the propane starts coming out, shut off the fill..."

:?

Never mind.
SidecarFlip
Explorer III
Dec 24, 2017
dougrainer wrote:
RJsfishin wrote:
I like the guys that don't bother to even loosen the bleeder valve.
They fill it till the pump stops, and I'm on my way. If it happens to get a little too full, good !

And once in a while I get the stupid one that thinks you must loosen the bleeder valve, or the tank won't fill, or mite blow up.
There ain't no fixin those kind, trust me !

I HOPE this post is making fun of fillers. IF you are serious---You are an idiot. IF you are serious---You are an idiot. It stops because the auto fill float has shut off the LP fill, not because the pump just stops. BUT, as with all things, the Auto stops are NOT always reliable and you can easily overfill a DOT tank. The bleeder valve is REQUIRED to be open. It is the 2nd line of defense from over filling. IF it spews Liquid, STOP the fill the tank has reached its correct liquid level. FILL procedure---
1. You get the Tare weight of the tank and ALWAYS fill by weight. Once the weight and tare has been reached the tank is full to correct level
2. The Bleed valve is the 2nd line and stop when it spews
3. The Auto fill stop float is the LAST line of defense for filling

Wow Doug, that is pretty coarse, especially considering it's the holidays but, in all fairness, I have to agree. People post stuff without actually reading what they post and that is bad business because...if it's on the net, it has to be true....:E
Atlee
Explorer II
Dec 24, 2017
The RV campground where I get my propane cylinders filled, charges by the gallon. The other day I decided to top off one of my cylinders. Had not bought any since I got the trailer new in June.

As it turned out, it didn't need much, just 3.5 gallons.

I've never had any problem with any of the guys who fill the cylinders. They hook up the nozzle, open the bleeder valve, and start pumping. When the gas starts coming out the bleeder valve, the pump is shut off, bleeder valve closed, and I get my ticket with the number of gallons pumped into the cylinder. I pay at the office and then go home.
time2roll
Nomad
Dec 23, 2017
I just stand back and pay the cashier.
dougrainer
Nomad
Dec 23, 2017
RJsfishin wrote:
I like the guys that don't bother to even loosen the bleeder valve.
They fill it till the pump stops, and I'm on my way. If it happens to get a little too full, good !

And once in a while I get the stupid one that thinks you must loosen the bleeder valve, or the tank won't fill, or mite blow up.
There ain't no fixin those kind, trust me !

I HOPE this post is making fun of fillers. IF you are serious---You are an idiot. It stops because the auto fill float has shut off the LP fill, not because the pump just stops. BUT, as with all things, the Auto stops are NOT always reliable and you can easily overfill a DOT tank. The bleeder valve is REQUIRED to be open. It is the 2nd line of defense from over filling. IF it spews Liquid, STOP the fill the tank has reached its correct liquid level. FILL procedure---
1. You get the Tare weight of the tank and ALWAYS fill by weight. Once the weight and tare has been reached the tank is full to correct level
2. The Bleed valve is the 2nd line and stop when it spews
3. The Auto fill stop float is the LAST line of defense for filling
time2roll
Nomad
Dec 23, 2017
SidecarFlip wrote:
That applies to RV's too. Why you find wood scraps, sawdust and cigarette butts under cabinets and inside places in your camper. No one cares, just make the buck and go on...
Expensive homes too. Basically it is everywhere.
SidecarFlip
Explorer III
Dec 23, 2017
MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
(.....what happens to young people when they flunk burger flipping school.....)

Lippert hires them for welders.....:B

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Propane Fill Personnel Training Lack of !!!

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