Any option for re-filling MH Propane Tank from Small Tank?

[kmb1966]

We are in a campground where mobile propane delivery is not allowed. In order to refill the motorhome propane tank, you have to leave the park, drive to a propane place to refill the tanks. I visited the few places that refill the tanks and it is very difficult to get in and out of the facility in a 40' motorhome. Is there any safe option to refill the motorhome tank myself using a couple of BBQ style propane tanks? I've been googling around I find that there is a way to run my appliances off of the small BBQ propane tanks, but I can't seem to figure out if there is a safe way to ADD propane to my onboard Motorhome tank. I don't need to fill it up, I just need to get some in there before I leave out of here next month. Basically I want to know if I can somehow tank a blue-rhino style tank and somehow transfer it into the motorhome larger tank and bring the level from nearly empty to perhaps 1/4-> 1/2 full.

[Ray_IN]

malexander wrote:

mowermech wrote:
Many years ago I worked for the Forest Service burning logging slash piles. We used back-pack propane torches. When the torch bottle was empty, we returned to the pickup and filled the bottle from a 100 pound cylinder in the back of the truck. Liquid transferred from the big cylinder to the little bottle using only the pressure in the big cylinder. Of course, we had to open the "80% valve" on the little bottle to relieve the pressure so it would fill properly. As soon as we got liquid from the "80% valve" we shut off the valve on the big cylinder, shut off the valve on the little bottle, disconnected the hose, connected the torch and went back to lighting fires.
This long dissertation is just to illustrate that it IS possible to transfer liquid propane without a pump. Is it "safe"? Probably not. Anytime a flammable gas is vented to the atmosphere it can be dangerous.
Good luck.

I made up a hose and filled my Class C motorhome tank like this from a full 100# tank. I'd turn the 100#er upside down so I would get liquid out of it. I'd do it on my driveway on a windy day so the vapors would blow away quickly.

That is exactly how the adapter kit to refill 1# cylinders work:

[pianotuna]

JaxDad wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

Because I have a 'fixed' tank, if I buy propane at a gas station, I end up paying road tax for it.

Don, check with Finance Sask. on that, we routinely submit our receipts for gasoline & propane purchases here and get a refund on the road taxes for fuels used strictly for “off road use”.

JaxDad,

Thanks for the heads up. As I attempt to run 100% electrically--I only buy about one tank per year.

[JaxDad]

pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

Because I have a 'fixed' tank, if I buy propane at a gas station, I end up paying road tax for it.

Don, check with Finance Sask. on that, we routinely submit our receipts for gasoline & propane purchases here and get a refund on the road taxes for fuels used strictly for “off road use”.

[craz_z]

I've studied this subject extensively and have finally come up with solutions to filling the on-board tank.

1 filling Station easiest most expensive way to fill.

2 extend a stay easiest for Mobil use still very expensive as the 20 pounders are not filled all the way so 20$ gets you 70-80 of max fill for liability.

3 diy liquid transfer need a pol to pol fitting with acme 1 3/4 adaptor. liquid forklift tanks are ideal. 20pounders need to be upside-down for liquid and expect delays with opd device. boiling water is necessary for creating pressure differential.
this can be super cheap if filling your pounders off a bulk tank otherwise not worth it extend a stay still wins. Cost is 60 for acme fitting 60 for pol to pol. 120 total

4. The ultimate cheap way buy an adaptor that attaches to the wetleg of a huge tank still need to buy the acme 1 3/4 adapter. Boiling water poured on bulk tank starts the transfer. Open spitter til liquid comes out done. And yes if it's a modern propane tank with a rego valve it will dispense liquid propane as long as hot water is applied to the bulktank to start the transfer.
Wetlegs are on all tanks to pump out liquid for large tanks to be transported safely. The bobtail trucks that fill your house are built to withstand a major impact in a crash your home tank is not thus the need to empty them. Propane is moved around in its liquid state only.a pump is ideal if your a propane dealer only as they are easily 10k for a pump setup.

Now for safety. Obviously this can be dangerous but most injuries are not from explosions rather from frostbite. propane boils to a gas at -44f so gloves an glasses are necessary. Pent up vapors are clearly an accident waiting to happen wind is your friend congested areas like a campground not the best idea. No electronics or hot rigs as u do need to release a little vapor.

The wetleg kit is 200$ plus 60 for the acme adapter.

Being remote with access to a bulk home tank an limited filling stations over an hour away have forced me to find an alternative that works.

You always run out or low when it's hard to find a station. 20pounders are everywhere and are probably the easiest safest way but absolutely u can fill your on-board tank with bulk fuel for a fraction of the cost. I did this more out of convenience then cost as there is a minimal risk an upfront cost but to be able to fill any propane container at any time without having to plan an carry tanks an hour to a station is priceless.

This isn't for everyone an certainly comes with risks, but if you do your homework and follow safe procedures it's very safe.

[malexander]

mowermech wrote:
Many years ago I worked for the Forest Service burning logging slash piles. We used back-pack propane torches. When the torch bottle was empty, we returned to the pickup and filled the bottle from a 100 pound cylinder in the back of the truck. Liquid transferred from the big cylinder to the little bottle using only the pressure in the big cylinder. Of course, we had to open the "80% valve" on the little bottle to relieve the pressure so it would fill properly. As soon as we got liquid from the "80% valve" we shut off the valve on the big cylinder, shut off the valve on the little bottle, disconnected the hose, connected the torch and went back to lighting fires.
This long dissertation is just to illustrate that it IS possible to transfer liquid propane without a pump. Is it "safe"? Probably not. Anytime a flammable gas is vented to the atmosphere it can be dangerous.
Good luck.

I made up a hose and filled my Class C motorhome tank like this from a full 100# tank. I'd turn the 100#er upside down so I would get liquid out of it. I'd do it on my driveway on a windy day so the vapors would blow away quickly.

[Rice]

BTW, you might not need to install an Extend-a-Stay to use one of those Blue Rhino-type cylinders. We don't have room to carry one of those cylinders but we sometimes stay at a place where a guy has one for us to use, and this is the only time we ever do that. We have it on the ground next to the onboard propane tank, and plumb into it directly by detaching the line coming out of the onboard tank and moving it to the cylinder.

[pianotuna]

Hi,

Because I have a 'fixed' tank, if I buy propane at a gas station, I end up paying road tax for it.

[crawford]

Have a home with a 1,000 pound tank next store have a 5 th wheel with a 500 pound he have poundage charge is the same per pound propane is just price very high the N Gas. the have a delivery charge on my bill and his. 75.00 more crooks with out guns. This year I dumped the got a Heat Pump.

[johnhicks]

Residential and "recreational" propane are priced differently; that's probably what's going on.

[Dutch_12078]

Executive wrote:
Simplest, and most effective, solution is to call a propane company that delivers, explain your situation and ask them for a solution. Most likely they will have one of their trucks meet you somewhere (safe) to fill your tank. Now if you're in downtown New York or Los Angeles it's not going to happen but most everywhere else, it's a no brainer.....Dennis

Good luck with that. I've dealt with three different residential propane companies for our upstate NY family cottage bulk tank, and all three company's delivery drivers have told me they're not allowed to refill the 29 gallon ASME tank on our motorhome when they were there to refill 320 gallon bulk tank. Two drivers did fill it for me a few times, but made I sure I knew they were violating a company policy they didn't agree with. Both of them were fellow RV owners... 😉

[Executive45]

Simplest, and most effective, solution is to call a propane company that delivers, explain your situation and ask them for a solution. Most likely they will have one of their trucks meet you somewhere (safe) to fill your tank. Now if you're in downtown New York or Los Angeles it's not going to happen but most everywhere else, it's a no brainer.....Dennis

[tz4747]

When I have my Class A parked, I disconnect the line going to the large mounted bottle and connect it to a 30 lb bottle that can easily be taken just about anywhere to be filled. That way I don't use all the propane in my mounted tank.
I have two small tanks so I always have a backup.

[wa8yxm]

wanderingaimlessly wrote:
I'm not a specialist on this, but a question, Since many people run a portable grill from a low pressure line run from the RV system, Why , couldn't you attach a tank with a grill regulator to one of those fittings to basically back feed the system after turning off your main tank?

Because the on-board regulator will vent propane if you do that very dangerous, I have seen several "DIY" external propane tricks and franky they scare the black tank contents out of me.

The Extend-a-stay/Stay-a-while. (Another name for it) devices are safe. Most of the other suggestions I'd run and fast and that's not easy for me.

[mowermech]

Sorry, folks, I should have noted that the cylinder that you wish to remove liquid from must be tilted or upside down so the liquid can be drawn from the valve. Assuming, that is, that you do not have a liquid withdrawal port on the tank you are filling from. The 250 PSIG in the cylinder will move the liquid quite rapidly if the "80% valve" is open on the receiving bottle.
When we were transferring liquid propane, no heating or refrigeration was required.