Today we were turned away by the propane attendant at Camping World because our tanks are over 12 years old. Since reading that Canada filling stations do not always honor re-certified tanks, and the cost of the new valve upgrade with the certification runs over $30, figure it best to just replace both 30 lb. upright tanks. Camp world gets about $140 for a pair made by Worthington, but I found a set made by Flame King for $112 on ebay with free shipping. Does anyone know if the Flame King cylinders are a good quality for those of us needing a replacement?

Go on Amazon and check their reviews. I think there's 100 of them.

They get mostly 5 stars - I would buy them and since I'm in the same situation, I probably will.

I am a fully licensed, qualified, certified, Canadian propane dispensing technician (read: grunt with a valid ticket). If the propane bottle has been re-certified and is within the Canadian mandated 10 year age limit, the cylinder can and should be refilled. If it is within spec, with a readable and recognized re-certification date and the propane dispensary person declines to fill it, get the name of the place, the license number of said dispenser person and file a complaint. The only time I have refused a re-certified propane cylinder is if I couldn't make out the date or if the date was obviously "fudged" together by somebody with a letter and number die set trying to pull a fast one. Also, some re-certification places, in both USA and Canada, just don't give a monkey's butt care about the quality of their date stamp process which results in poor or unreadable dates. I am pretty sure that what you have heard is perhaps hearsay, rumor or just plain old BS. Cheers!MikePS; nothing wrong with Flame King propane cylinders, we fill those just fine!

the new DOT regulations 12yr etc.. are for portable 'BOTTLES'yes they are steel, but the DOT calls anything that can be transported a 'BOTTLE''TANKS' are the frame mounted ones on MHs or than big thing on legs they are using to fill your BOTTLESand yes, i would replace themi only mention this because i ran into a 'grunt' that thought 'bottle' on the paper work pinned up at the fill location meant ALL TANKS, and did not know the distinction between portable bottles and frame mounted permanent TANKSi know mos people call the 'portable BOTTLES' tanks,and this leads to confusion in some situations

Looks like my two bottles are ready to be re-certified or replaced... I didn't go out much last season... Hopefully someone local here does that...I guess mine have the 10 year replacement date... If it is 12 years I'm good for another year...Roy Ken

Propane Tank Refilling Denied | Good Sam Community

Huntindog
Explorer
Mar 27, 2017
Costco is your friend. Cheapest I have seen. Bought a couple about 6 months ago.
2oldman
Explorer II
Mar 27, 2017
DutchmenSport wrote:
I feel the same is true with propane bottles. Make 'em cheap, require a time stamp and limit on them, and that guarantees in 10 or 12 years someone will have to buy a new one! It's called ... "Repeat Business!" It sucks, but it is the way it is! And we the consumer get screwed!
People won't pay for quality.
DutchmenSport
Explorer
Mar 27, 2017
BobsYourUncle wrote:
Today's standard is cheaper thinner lighter weaker and built in obsolescence. All for the sake of saving a penny.

...

Perhaps you are "partially" correct here. Manufacturers do make cheaper, lighter, items (virtually everything being made today is cheaper, lighter, etc). It might be a cost saving measure on the part of the manufacturer, but there's much more to it than that. By making them so the DO NOT last, it means sometime in the future you will need to return to buy a NEW one. Thus, the new age of disposable (everything). Your toaster goes bad? Do you take it to the little shop down the road so good old "Bubba" can fix it in his "fix it all shop?" Nope, no more! You simply throw it away and buy a new one! I feel the same is true with propane bottles. Make 'em cheap, require a time stamp and limit on them, and that guarantees in 10 or 12 years someone will have to buy a new one! It's called ... "Repeat Business!" It sucks, but it is the way it is! And we the consumer get screwed!

Does anyone take in a $300 lap top computer for repair any more, when the repair bill will be $400! So they change software so fast, in 3 years, your $300 computer is obsolete. You can't upgrade it, or fix it, so you toss it and buy a new one! And guess who's making the money at YOUR expense! Oh good grief! Don't get me going on cell phones!
Cobra21
Explorer
Mar 27, 2017
Safe is good too though, Had one blow up in town years ago, it's like a bomb going off! No going back.
jesseannie
Explorer
Mar 27, 2017
Our local *Suburban* propane dealership has 30 lb bottles for 59 bucks.
Their propane is the highest price in town but their jugs are cheap.
Jesseannnie
rexlion
Explorer
Mar 27, 2017
I've bought a 20 lb Flame King cylinder from Sam's Club, and it came with a built-in gas gauge. They still have 'em for about $41 apiece. Just an option.
Dusty_R
Explorer
Mar 26, 2017
A few years ago I took a 20 pounder in to be filled. The guy filling it told me that would be the last time he would fill it because of a rusty area. The rust looked like grease had spilled from a grill, so I figured that latter on I would just clean the rust off and paint the bottle. Well when I went to clean it up I found that that rusted area was all pitted. I replaced that bottle.

Dusty
DiskDoctr
Explorer
Mar 26, 2017
Old-Biscuit wrote:
Looks like typical GOV Bureaucracy.

The idea was to place the re-qualifying requirements on a '10' year
schedule for the testing requirements and have them good for 10 or 5 yrs.

Now vendors are going to be really confused.
Some think Tanks have to be inspected and now some think cylinders have to be inspected at 10 yrs vs the old requirement of 12 yrs.

Pretty soon vendor will just tell folks "Can't do it---you need new ones"

Doesn't it mean they have to be inspected every 5 years for a 10 certification? Or maybe inspected every 10 years for a 5 year certification, starting in 12 years?

:P LOL. Gotta love the jargon ;)
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Mar 26, 2017
pirlbeck wrote:
Old-Biscuit wrote:
DOT requirement for re-qualification WAS 12 years for 'portable cylinders'

That re-qualification WAS changed at beginning of this year to 10 years after date of mfg.

I think the 10 year rule has been put on a temporary hold.

At least that is the way I read it at this industry website.DOT Halts 10-Year Cylinder Requalification Enforcement 3-17-2017

Thanks!

Looks like typical GOV Bureaucracy.

The idea was to place the re-qualifying requirements on a '10' year
schedule for the testing requirements and have them good for 10 or 5 yrs.

Now vendors are going to be really confused.
Some think Tanks have to be inspected and now some think cylinders have to be inspected at 10 yrs vs the old requirement of 12 yrs.

Pretty soon vendor will just tell folks "Can't do it---you need new ones"
Gdetrailer
Explorer III
Mar 26, 2017
theoldwizard1 wrote:
Thunder Mountain wrote:
... I looked at my portable tank and saw it was out of date, but he had filled it anyway. Guess he didn't care long as it had an OPD valve.

That has been my experience also.

Filling stations are "allowed" to do a "visual inspection" (IE "judgement call"), which means they simply make sure the cylinder does not have excessive RUST.. IE paint is in good shape and no major rust that could compromise the cylinders integrity.

My local propane filler has not had any issue with my 30 lb tanks and they are out of date by 5 yrs, but keep in mind the paint on mine looks like the day I bought them since they are stowed in a alcove out of the sun and no chances of rocks hitting them on my trailer..

My understanding is if you bring them a heavily rusted tank, they WILL refuse to fill unless it gets recertified (which most likely will need sandblasted and repainted in order to pass).