could someone 'splain... Propane tank

[cdlaine]

Warriors,

Noted today my empty grill propane tank had a
"must be recertified" 12 years after born on dating
of Apr 99. Simple cipherin' indicates I am in violation
of Federal Statutes... the math did not seem to bother
Jose at the refill depot.

So, a couple observations... this felon tank appears to
my discriminating eye as new as the day I bought it....no
rust, clean as a whistle, all parts functional... it has
spent a sheltered life under cover in the hidden compartment
of the grill on the back patio... requiring just the occasional
massage to maintain Colgate White appearance.

So I wonder...

-what magically happens at 12 years ?
-how does one go about getting a tank recertified ?
-do they re-stamp the neck with new born on dating ?
-how does one go about getting rid of an old age tank ?
-does recertification cost more money ?
-does recertification buy me another 12 years ?
-am I going to blow the neighborhood up if I use it ?
-if it looks perfectly good, and functions appropriately...
why mess with success ?
-is there a penalty for extending the life cycle ?
-should I just shut up and go buy a new tank ?

Your gentleness in enlightening me is appreciated.

apologies for not using the "search" engine... as you can
tell I am inherently a lazy individual.

Have never tried that Rhino exchange service I've seen ...
might be time to give it a go.... and save some binary code.

Thanks

Charles

[JJBIRISH]

wildwest450 wrote:

Ex-Tech wrote:
Wrong.
It plainly states on the Blue Rhino label that you don't get a full tank and it even states the amount they put I to the tank.
So you see, they aren't "thieves". It's just people that don't read the labels that think they are.

Perhaps now, after they lost a law suit...
http://www.propanesettlement.com/

They didn’t lose the law suit, they settled and admit to no wrong doing…, nor has any couth found them guilty of the allegations…

I can only say I have never seen one not correctly labeled although maybe not conspicuously so…

“The Lawsuit claims that, while Blue Rhino marketed and sold pre-filled propane cylinders as “full,” Blue Rhino failed to disclose that it reduced by two pounds or more the amount of propane sold to Plaintiffs and the members of the Class, and misrepresented or failed to disclose that the cylinder was not full and/or the actual amount of propane in each cylinder. Blue Rhino has always denied, and continues to deny, all allegations of wrongdoing and liability in The Lawsuit.”

Weight is the only correct way to buy or sell propane… metering might be permissible in some states but is only accurate if the pumps have temperature compensating devices attached to the system because of its expansion and contraction… all home delivery dispensing trucks are required to have temperature compensating devices on them… I don’t know of any law requiring them on local filling stations…

A tank will not be overfilled when done by weight… they can be overfilled other ways…
The OPD is a safety device not a filling device and should never be used as a filling device… tanks with OPD valves can be over filled and they can even be overfilled when opening the spitter valve in combination, and is why many states require weighing on certified scales…

[Tvov]

Grillmeister wrote:

Turtle n Peeps wrote:

Grillmeister wrote:

Chris Bryant wrote:

Turtle n Peeps wrote:

boatms03 wrote:
...
the tanks are supposed to be filled by WEIGHT! the reason for that is so there is room for the propane to expand inside the tank as the temp goes up. there is both liquid and vapors inside the tank you have onboard. ...

You need to learn about what OPD stands for. No weighing necessary.

This is wrong- the OPD is meant as a backup safety- overfill protection device- just protecting from bone headed attendants- cylinders should always be filled by weight, and the OPD should never be used as a gauge to fill.

Here on the left coast the vast majority of the attendants use the OPD valve as a fill gauge. [url=]

I have NEVER had any of my tanks weighed while filled. None of the stations I go to have scales. NONE of them.

I just got back from a 10 state vacation and none of them weighed while filling either.

In my state they connect the tank and open the vent, kick on the pump and pump until the OPD kills the flow or the tank starts to vent. (that is their two safety:E system safety) They turn the valve off, tighten the vent, vent off the hose pressure, disconnect the tank and done.

If this is improper or illegal there would be a lot of people getting in trouble because this is the way it is done every time I have had my tanks filled.

Twice I have had to open the vent for them because they did not know how and they were filling the tank waiting for the OPD to shut off the fill. BUT I don't have an OPD.
:E
X2 on weighing, I have never ever seen a scale at an LP filling place.

Well, in Connecticut the only way I have ever seen a propane tank filled is by using a weight scale.

Obviously filling is done both ways in the USA, depending on which state (and possibly which store/business) you are in.

[RockyMt]

My Blue Rino tanks weigh the same as non blue Rino.I only use Rino when I need a re-certified tank.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

wildwest450 wrote:

Ex-Tech wrote:
Wrong.
It plainly states on the Blue Rhino label that you don't get a full tank and it even states the amount they put I to the tank.
So you see, they aren't "thieves". It's just people that don't read the labels that think they are.

Perhaps now, after they lost a law suit...
http://www.propanesettlement.com/

Interesting, thank you.

[wildwest450]

Ex-Tech wrote:
Wrong.
It plainly states on the Blue Rhino label that you don't get a full tank and it even states the amount they put I to the tank.
So you see, they aren't "thieves". It's just people that don't read the labels that think they are.

Perhaps now, after they lost a law suit...
http://www.propanesettlement.com/

[Ex-Tech]

wildwest450 wrote:

cdlaine wrote:
Have never tried that Rhino exchange service I've seen ...
might be time to give it a go.... and save some binary code.

Thanks

Charles

Just so you know, if you use blue rhino you won't get a full tank for your money. They are thieves and have been sued for it.

I have my own propane filling station and have NEVER been able to get anymore than 3.5 gallons (yes, I know weight is more accurate)in a bottle that's supposed to hold close to 5. $20 for a 3/4 full tank is outrageous...

Wrong.
It plainly states on the Blue Rhino label that you don't get a full tank and it even states the amount they put I to the tank.
So you see, they aren't "thieves". It's just people that don't read the labels that think they are.

[Chris_Bryant]

OK- I'll say that weight or 20% liquid valve is a state by state requirement, but in no cases should the cylinder be filled just by the OPD device, and yes, the states could solve a lot of budget problems if they fined everyone who broke the local laws and requirements while filling LP cylinders.

[Grillmeister]

Turtle n Peeps wrote:

Grillmeister wrote:

Chris Bryant wrote:

Turtle n Peeps wrote:

boatms03 wrote:
...
the tanks are supposed to be filled by WEIGHT! the reason for that is so there is room for the propane to expand inside the tank as the temp goes up. there is both liquid and vapors inside the tank you have onboard. ...

You need to learn about what OPD stands for. No weighing necessary.

This is wrong- the OPD is meant as a backup safety- overfill protection device- just protecting from bone headed attendants- cylinders should always be filled by weight, and the OPD should never be used as a gauge to fill.

Here on the left coast the vast majority of the attendants use the OPD valve as a fill gauge. [url=]

I have NEVER had any of my tanks weighed while filled. None of the stations I go to have scales. NONE of them.

I just got back from a 10 state vacation and none of them weighed while filling either.

In my state they connect the tank and open the vent, kick on the pump and pump until the OPD kills the flow or the tank starts to vent. (that is their two safety:E system safety) They turn the valve off, tighten the vent, vent off the hose pressure, disconnect the tank and done.

If this is improper or illegal there would be a lot of people getting in trouble because this is the way it is done every time I have had my tanks filled.

Twice I have had to open the vent for them because they did not know how and they were filling the tank waiting for the OPD to shut off the fill. BUT I don't have an OPD.
:E
X2 on weighing, I have never ever seen a scale at an LP filling place.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

Grillmeister wrote:

Chris Bryant wrote:

Turtle n Peeps wrote:

boatms03 wrote:
...
the tanks are supposed to be filled by WEIGHT! the reason for that is so there is room for the propane to expand inside the tank as the temp goes up. there is both liquid and vapors inside the tank you have onboard. ...

You need to learn about what OPD stands for. No weighing necessary.

This is wrong- the OPD is meant as a backup safety- overfill protection device- just protecting from bone headed attendants- cylinders should always be filled by weight, and the OPD should never be used as a gauge to fill.

Here on the left coast the vast majority of the attendants use the OPD valve as a fill gauge. [url=]:E

I have NEVER had any of my tanks weighed while filled. None of the stations I go to have scales. NONE of them.

I just got back from a 10 state vacation and none of them weighed while filling either.

In my state they connect the tank and open the vent, kick on the pump and pump until the OPD kills the flow or the tank starts to vent. (that is their two safety system safety) They turn the valve off, tighten the vent, vent off the hose pressure, disconnect the tank and done.

If this is improper or illegal there would be a lot of people getting in trouble because this is the way it is done every time I have had my tanks filled.

[Grillmeister]

Chris Bryant wrote:

Turtle n Peeps wrote:

boatms03 wrote:
...
the tanks are supposed to be filled by WEIGHT! the reason for that is so there is room for the propane to expand inside the tank as the temp goes up. there is both liquid and vapors inside the tank you have onboard. ...

You need to learn about what OPD stands for. No weighing necessary.

This is wrong- the OPD is meant as a backup safety- overfill protection device- just protecting from bone headed attendants- cylinders should always be filled by weight, and the OPD should never be used as a gauge to fill.

Here on the left coast the vast majority of the attendants use the OPD valve as a fill gauge. [url=]:E

[john_b1]

Chris Bryant wrote:

Turtle n Peeps wrote:

boatms03 wrote:
...
the tanks are supposed to be filled by WEIGHT! the reason for that is so there is room for the propane to expand inside the tank as the temp goes up. there is both liquid and vapors inside the tank you have onboard. ...

You need to learn about what OPD stands for. No weighing necessary.

This is wrong- the OPD is meant as a backup safety- overfill protection device- just protecting from bone headed attendants- cylinders should always be filled by weight, and the OPD should never be used as a gauge to fill.

X2 for sure !,,jb

[Chris_Bryant]

Turtle n Peeps wrote:

boatms03 wrote:
...
the tanks are supposed to be filled by WEIGHT! the reason for that is so there is room for the propane to expand inside the tank as the temp goes up. there is both liquid and vapors inside the tank you have onboard. ...

You need to learn about what OPD stands for. No weighing necessary.

This is wrong- the OPD is meant as a backup safety- overfill protection device- just protecting from bone headed attendants- cylinders should always be filled by weight, and the OPD should never be used as a gauge to fill.

[DiskDoctr]

D.E.Bishop wrote:
The new valves that are required when recerting and if a cyclindar with an old style valve is being refilled, are really a great safety device. They are akin to seat belts in vehicles, they do save lives and reduce damage to property.

So 99% of the time they are a pain in the butt, prevent you from leaning to see in your blind spot, etc, but for 1 out of 10,000 or so, once in their lifetime, they may actually help someone. :R LOL.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

boatms03 wrote:

wildwest450 wrote:

cdlaine wrote:
Have never tried that Rhino exchange service I've seen ...
might be time to give it a go.... and save some binary code.

Thanks

Charles

Just so you know, if you use blue rhino you won't get a full tank for your money. They are thieves and have been sued for it.

I have my own propane filling station and have NEVER been able to get anymore than 3.5 gallons (yes, I know weight is more accurate)in a bottle that's supposed to hold close to 5. $20 for a 3/4 full tank is outrageous...

the tanks are supposed to be filled by WEIGHT! the reason for that is so there is room for the propane to expand inside the tank as the temp goes up. there is both liquid and vapors inside the tank you have onboard. the expansion rate from liquid to vapor is over 270 times. that means one cubic foot of liquid will be over 270 cubic feet as a vapor. if you do not allow the proper vapor space inside the tank will overpressure and can fail. there is a empty weight and a full weight stamped on the handle. the full weight should be around 80% capacity of the tank. ignoring this can cause fatal consequences. I have seen what a 20lb tank will do to the cab of a pickup truck when it fails. if inside a compartment of a trailer it will destroy the trailer!

You need to learn about what OPD stands for. No weighing necessary.