Transferring propane from old tank to new one

[LightningCamaroGuy]

Is there any way to do this. I recently switched propane companies, and the old company hasn't come to get their tank back yet. Right now both tanks have about 30% propane in them, and I'd love to keep the old gas I paid for. When they installed my new tank yesterday they wouldn't/couldn't take the gas out the old one and adf it to the new one. 28-30% full in a 325 gallon tank is around 100 gallons or there about.?.? That's around $300 right now.

Here are pictures so that yçall don't think I'm asking, looking to steal propane or anything.

 

[dodge man]

When I switched to geothermal they took the propane from the tank at the house and put it in the one at the shop. I think it takes a propane truck to do it.

 

[2manyrocks]

Is the old company willing to give you credit for the propane that's still in the old tank?

 

[grsthegreat]

They used a transfer pump to move old propane from my above tank into my new underground tank. Easy peasy.

 

[LouNY]

The "proper" way to do it is for a propane truck to pump it out of the tank into the truck and then from the truck into the new tank.
The old way was a "thief" hose that attaches to the liquid draw line of the old tank and the fill port of the new tank. They will transfer fluid until the pressures, pressure not liquid levels are equal. Then the vent to atmosphere can be opened on the tank being filled and the pressure will transfer liquid over.

 

[grsthegreat]

The "proper" way to do it is for a propane truck to pump it out of the tank into the truck and then from the truck into the new tank.
The old way was a "thief" hose that attaches to the liquid draw line of the old tank and the fill port of the new tank. They will transfer fluid until the pressures, pressure not liquid levels are equal. Then the vent to atmosphere can be opened on the tank being filled and the pressure will transfer liquid over.

My company had a electric pump on their rig, never went into truck

 

[jyoutz]

When I had a natural gas line run to the house (1600’) I sold my propane tank to the propane company. They sucked the propane into the truck to empty the tank and it was metered. Then another truck came to load the tank. We agreed on a price per gallon for the fuel and a price for the tank. They ended up paying me $800, most of which was for the tank. But my point is that yes they can empty a propane tank and meter the fuel as it comes from the tank.

 

[bigtiller]

The "proper" way to do it is for a propane truck to pump it out of the tank into the truck and then from the truck into the new tank.
The old way was a "thief" hose that attaches to the liquid draw line of the old tank and the fill port of the new tank. They will transfer fluid until the pressures, pressure not liquid levels are equal. Then the vent to atmosphere can be opened on the tank being filled and the pressure will transfer liquid over.

The company I used to work for could syphon it out, but the truck had to backup no less than 6' from the old tank.

A short hose was connected to a wye shaped siphon valve and the valve was connected to the tank and the other end of the hose was connected to the fill port on the truck.

The pump hose was connected to the third end of the siphon valve and the pump was started.

This vacuum would siphon the propane out of the tank and into the truck.

 

[LightningCamaroGuy]

Is the old company willing to give you credit for the propane that's still in the old tank?

I'm hearing mix, but not positive feedback on them fully reimbursing you for gas in the tank. That got new ownership a few years back, and the new people seem to not be so good. I'm not the only one I know of who is on the outs with them, switching to someone else. They're just not pleasant to deal with.

 

[LightningCamaroGuy]

Someone was saying that gas companies aren't allowed to take gas out of another copies tank, but IDK for sure.

 

[oosik]

A gravity transfer or differential pressure transfer is a "slow boat to China". Worked for a company where we had to fill the tanks on the fork lifts this way. The "big cheese" saw me sitting outside for hour and a half - doing nothing but waiting. We had a brand new transfer pump the following week.

 

[ponytug]

My experience with a large propane company is not great and they seem to know every trick in the book.

I would suggest hooking up your old tank to the house temporarily and using the propane until it is empty and then switching. I'm a little surprised that your new company didn't offer to do that.

I would factor in what the time/mental hassle might be to get paid for "your" propane remaining in your old tank. After my experiences, if you can't do a temporary hook up, I would be inclined to write it off as the cost of having done business with the old company.

We are in the process of switching from propane because our experience was so unpleasant over something that could have been easily handled by the propane company and was entirely their fault. (Their tank leaked my propane, and they dragged their feet about both replacing the tank, and for (partially) reimbursing us for our lost propane. It took months, and in the end had interventions by attorney generals in more than one state. I think that it was the ugliest (on their part) interaction that I can recall with a business.)

So, yes, I don't have an especially high opinion of at least one propane company.

All the best,

Peter

 

[LouNY]

Here is a nice explanation of the "ideal" way to perform propane transfers.

When propane powered tractors or trucks were common. The most common way was a single transfer line connected to a liquid draw line and valve on the main tank or nurse tank. When the liquid line was connected to the empty tank and the liquid valve opened there might be a small amount of propane transferred till pressure was equalized, but you would never get a filled tank that way.
However as soon as the vent to atmosphere valve on the tank being filled was opened to allow vapors to escape the fuel would begin transferring. We would continue to transfer propane as long as vapor was leaving the tank being filled, once the vapor vent began to spew liquid it was closed, then the nurse tank valve was closed and the valve at the end of the fill hose, then the fill fitting was cracked loose to bleed of the pressure.

These are the pressures your propane tank see's and that the vapor regulators control down to a few inches of pressure or about a 1/3 of a psi.

Vapor pressure of liquid propane at various temperatures
Temperature of Liquid (F)	Approximate Pressure of Gas (psi)
-40	1.3
-30	5.5
-20	10.7
-10	16.7
0	23.5
10	31.3
20	40.8
30	51.6
40	63.3
50	77.1
60	92.5
70	109.3
80	128.1
90	149.3
100	172.3
110	197.3

 

[jyoutz]

Someone was saying that gas companies aren't allowed to take gas out of another copies tank, but IDK for sure.

Yeah I didn’t think of that. In my example I owned the tank and the fuel inside it.

 

[LightningCamaroGuy]

My experience with a large propane company is not great and they seem to know every trick in the book.

I would suggest hooking up your old tank to the house temporarily and using the propane until it is empty and then switching. I'm a little surprised that your new company didn't offer to do that.

I would factor in what the time/mental hassle might be to get paid for "your" propane remaining in your old tank. After my experiences, if you can't do a temporary hook up, I would be inclined to write it off as the cost of having done business with the old company.

We are in the process of switching from propane because our experience was so unpleasant over something that could have been easily handled by the propane company and was entirely their fault. (Their tank leaked my propane, and they dragged their feet about both replacing the tank, and for (partially) reimbursing us for our lost propane. It took months, and in the end had interventions by attorney generals in more than one state. I think that it was the ugliest (on their part) interaction that I can recall with a business.)

So, yes, I don't have an especially high opinion of at least one propane company.

All the best,

Peter

Hooking up my old tank is an excellent idea. It's probably going to sit out here for a long time. Any idea what kind of threaded ends will fit these 325 gallon home tanks?

Thanks,

 

[LouNY]

Hooking up my old tank is an excellent idea. It's probably going to sit out here for a long time. Any idea what kind of threaded ends will fit these 325 gallon home tanks?

Thanks,

Should be the standard POL,

 

[LightningCamaroGuy]

Okay y'all.

This:

Amazon.com

And this:

Amazon.com

Netted me this:

 

[LouNY]

That will be about the easiest way, only issue will be deciding when to switch back. Or, when the other company comes for their tank.

 

[bigtiller]

For future readers...
Those loops on each end of the propane tank are tie-down loops, used for hauling on a trailer.

If used for lifting, they could be ripped off if there was enough liquid in the tank. If the tank is near empty, it's ok to lift there.

The safest way to move a tank is wrapping a chain under the tank at both ends, so that the feet prevent the chain from sliding toward the middle.

 

[LightningCamaroGuy]

That will be about the easiest way, only issue will be deciding when to switch back. Or, when the other company comes for their tank.

Well I honestly doubt they will be coming by to get the tank anytime soon knowing this companies reputation, and people claiming to have to keep pressing them to get their tanks out their yard. If they do however come get it before I run the gas out then they'll need to unhook it, and I'll hook right back up to my new tank.

Do I think these are tie-downs I lifted from? IDK, maybe, but wrapping 2 straps over the top of both sides of the tank, and pulling it against the floor of the truck would likely be the better tie-down option if this part of the tank is that weak. All the gas companies around here lift off these points, and they always deliver with only around 30% of the tank full I assume to not have to deal with the weight of a full 325 gallon tank while lifting it. This tank was only filled with low 20% gas range remaining. Heavy? Yes, to a certain extent, but I'm pretty sure it didn't overstress the tank or put micro-tears in the welds where the bands are welded to the tank. If gas companies would allow for the exchange of peoples gas from an old tank to a new one when converting over then this would be a none issue. Gas is expensive, and I've already paid for it. Like anything else that involves being a man, be smart. Start early. Learn to change your own oil, build an engine, enroll in BJJ, basically just learn how to be a man, then you can make wise decisions when it comes to doing man things like moving gas tanks, or pulling out before you bust.