We have about 200 gallons in a rental tank that they won't give us any credit for when we return it. I thought if I took off the reg off the big tank & with the proper hose & fittings that I would be able to fill up my smaller camper tanks, barbecue, etc.(As long as I of course open up the vent screw on the small tank till its full, & shut off the big tank). I really don't see any problems really doing this, I had this tank by our trailer for a couple of yrs while we were looking after my aging Mother. The tanks got about 6 months rental left & they won't give me any credit on this either, (kind of one way I think). I don't know maybe all propane companies do this? But I wouldn't think that when a tanks 1/2 full or so that they would just bleed it off into the atmosphere. Anyway I thought I would check with someone in the know on this site before I "blow" myself up.???? Thanks!!

We do it all the time even with the regulator on. Just connect the two tanks with a hose, open the bleed screw on the small tank and open the valve on the big tank. Have a fire extinguisher handy just in case.Oh yeah...don't smoke while doing this.

Unless a propane man comes on and corrects me, you won't be able to unless you have a way to pump the liquid propane from the tank into the portable cylinder. All you will get is vapor out the top of the tank.

You will need a Liquid tap on the large tank to get any amount of Propane in the small tank. I fill one pound cylinder all the time from a 20 pounder but you have to turn the 20 pounder upside down so the liquid comes out.Of Course you could turn the 200 gal tank upside down but Good Luck on that one :)

ChooChooMan74 wrote:Unless a propane man comes on and corrects me, you won't be able to unless you have a way to pump the liquid propane from the tank into the portable cylinder. All you will get is vapor out the top of the tank.Correct. If the large tank has a "wet" valve and hose that draws liquid propane from near the bottom of the large tank, the small tanks can be filled with liquid propane by slowly venting the vapor off the small tank. If no "wet" valve on the large tank, no liquid will be transferred, only vapor. Most residential type LP tanks draw only vapor from the top of the tank and are not equipped with a "wet" valve. Some farm tanks are equipped with a "wet" valve in order to fill LP gas fueled tractor fuel tanks.When I returned a 250-gallon lease LP gas tank, our locally owned LP gas dealer gave me credit for the remaining fuel in the tank.:)Bill

Fuller_Johnson wrote:You will need a Liquid tap on the large tank to get any amount of Propane in the small tank. I fill one pound cylinder all the time from a 20 pounder but you have to turn the 20 pounder upside down so the liquid comes out.Of Course you could turn the 200 gal tank upside down but Good Luck on that one :)I too, do this.But an important thing to note is to put the small canister in your freezer for 20-30 minutes prior to refilling using the 20 lb tank upside down & at ambient temperature.Now that I've said it. Please don't hi-jack the OP's posting

Bleeding Propane from lg tank to small tanks?? | Good Sam Community

15 Replies

Dakota98
Explorer
Mar 06, 2015
Fuller_Johnson wrote:
You will need a Liquid tap on the large tank to get any amount of Propane in the small tank.

I fill one pound cylinder all the time from a 20 pounder but you have to turn the 20 pounder upside down so the liquid comes out.

Of Course you could turn the 200 gal tank upside down but Good Luck on that one :)

I too, do this.

But an important thing to note is to put the small canister in your freezer for 20-30 minutes prior to refilling using the 20 lb tank upside down & at ambient temperature.

Now that I've said it. Please don't hi-jack the OP's posting
BillS
Explorer
Mar 06, 2015
ChooChooMan74 wrote:
Unless a propane man comes on and corrects me, you won't be able to unless you have a way to pump the liquid propane from the tank into the portable cylinder. All you will get is vapor out the top of the tank.

Correct. If the large tank has a "wet" valve and hose that draws liquid propane from near the bottom of the large tank, the small tanks can be filled with liquid propane by slowly venting the vapor off the small tank. If no "wet" valve on the large tank, no liquid will be transferred, only vapor. Most residential type LP tanks draw only vapor from the top of the tank and are not equipped with a "wet" valve. Some farm tanks are equipped with a "wet" valve in order to fill LP gas fueled tractor fuel tanks.

When I returned a 250-gallon lease LP gas tank, our locally owned LP gas dealer gave me credit for the remaining fuel in the tank.:)

Bill
Fuller_Johnson
Explorer II
Mar 06, 2015
You will need a Liquid tap on the large tank to get any amount of Propane in the small tank.

I fill one pound cylinder all the time from a 20 pounder but you have to turn the 20 pounder upside down so the liquid comes out.

Of Course you could turn the 200 gal tank upside down but Good Luck on that one :)
ChooChooMan74
Explorer
Mar 06, 2015
Unless a propane man comes on and corrects me, you won't be able to unless you have a way to pump the liquid propane from the tank into the portable cylinder. All you will get is vapor out the top of the tank.
the_bear_II
Explorer
Mar 06, 2015
We do it all the time even with the regulator on. Just connect the two tanks with a hose, open the bleed screw on the small tank and open the valve on the big tank. Have a fire extinguisher handy just in case.

Oh yeah...don't smoke while doing this.

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Bleeding Propane from lg tank to small tanks??

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