Tractor Supply and Blue Rhino
Until recently, the least expensive option for getting my 20# propane tanks filled was at my local tractor supply. It was like $10 to fill verses $20 to exchange at Blue Rhino, where I had inherited a couple tanks that were technically beyond the 12 year mark. They were not old from BR, but their inspection system is unusual and often inconsistent, as is Tractor Supply's fill policy.
Blue Rhino will often re-certify a tank with the "E" stamp, followed by the date, which is good for a number a years, but will also sometimes use a small white sticker with the date on that as an inspection. I went to my local Tractor Supply to get them filled and the tech explained the BR system and why he didn't like it, understandably. People could easily remove the sticker and put in on an old tank, making me wonder why BR would use such a system. But, he filled the tanks without any trouble, at least at that location.
Last week, I went to another TS location and the tech wouldn't bother to look at the tanks. He had a salesperson look at them and she said they were out of date. I showed her the stickers and she said she'd talk to the tech. Again, he sent her back out, saying it was against their policy. No big deal, but I explained they have an inconsistent policy if one store will fill and another will not. I would have bought new tanks right there on the spot if the tech had actually bothered to come outside.
I opted to exchange the tanks at a local store for $18 and the cashier allowed me to pick out tanks with actual stampings with this year's dates. So, I'm set for a while, but am a bit confused on Blue Rhino's usage of the stickers as opposed to an actual physical stamping, or Tractor Supply's policy on what is legally fillable. Has anyone else had this issue? Happy camping to all.
Blue Rhino will often re-certify a tank with the "E" stamp, followed by the date, which is good for a number a years, but will also sometimes use a small white sticker with the date on that as an inspection. I went to my local Tractor Supply to get them filled and the tech explained the BR system and why he didn't like it, understandably. People could easily remove the sticker and put in on an old tank, making me wonder why BR would use such a system. But, he filled the tanks without any trouble, at least at that location.
Last week, I went to another TS location and the tech wouldn't bother to look at the tanks. He had a salesperson look at them and she said they were out of date. I showed her the stickers and she said she'd talk to the tech. Again, he sent her back out, saying it was against their policy. No big deal, but I explained they have an inconsistent policy if one store will fill and another will not. I would have bought new tanks right there on the spot if the tech had actually bothered to come outside.
I opted to exchange the tanks at a local store for $18 and the cashier allowed me to pick out tanks with actual stampings with this year's dates. So, I'm set for a while, but am a bit confused on Blue Rhino's usage of the stickers as opposed to an actual physical stamping, or Tractor Supply's policy on what is legally fillable. Has anyone else had this issue? Happy camping to all.
