Forum Discussion

lincolnmatthews's avatar
lincolnmatthews
Explorer
Mar 06, 2015

Bleeding Propane from lg tank to small tanks??

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!!
Truck Campers
  • the_bear_II's avatar
    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.
  • ChooChooMan74's avatar
    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.
  • Fuller_Johnson's avatar
    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 :)
  • BillS's avatar
    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
  • Dakota98's avatar
    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
  • lincolnmatthews's avatar
    lincolnmatthews
    Explorer
    Mar 06, 2015
    Hey thanks! Actually I could tip the tank on its side (Its a vertical style) & prop it up. That may work? If it doesn't have the wet style valve I wonder how the propane co would recover it without tipping it upside down, maybe with a forklift. Who knows hardly worth the effort & back aches. I think there being jerks for not at least refunding part of the yearly rental. (I will just let it sit there till the end of the lease, so they can't rent again!) I know whining like a baby, its just the principal. They have had two tanks sitting here for over 10 yrs, between our trailer & my Sister's motorhome!
  • Specularius's avatar
    Specularius
    Explorer
    Mar 06, 2015
    They will not remove the propane, just deliver the tank to the next renter and charge them for a fill up. If you have paid for the propane in the tank, then it belongs to you. Contact the state public service commissioner for Utilities. They will instruct you on how to handle this.
  • lincolnmatthews's avatar
    lincolnmatthews
    Explorer
    Mar 06, 2015
    Hey thanks Specularius, of course I never thought that they would just keep the 1/2 or more that's in there & chg the next pigeon for a whole tank. They probably would, this is in its self dishonest as far I'm concerned. But I know that that's the way it works in the bus world.
    I may try to contact the Serv comm of our state, but probably won't go anywhere. And yes the propane has been paid by me & a yrs lease pd in advance. (I should have checked about there policy yrs ago, however my Brother In Law had the tanks dropped off yrs ago)
  • Specularius's avatar
    Specularius
    Explorer
    Mar 06, 2015
    I would set up a burner and burn it all off before I would let them have it. Do you have another site you could move it to and use?
  • MWJones's avatar
    MWJones
    Explorer
    Mar 06, 2015
    You said the solution. Turn the tank over and propup the end as much as possible and hook the two tanks together and transfer the propane.
    Fill all your friends bottles while you are at it. Any left, BURN it off with a cooker.

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