Need Help.... Propane Supplier Problem.

[Dutch445]

the higher the price, the higher the profit on their end,, like anything else.

i called my guy and said NO MORE deliveries, as i am now heating with coal
and only use LP for cooking and hot water. what i have will last me till summer,
and i'm sure they will end up taking one of my 250 lb tanks out, since my usage will
be minimal.

 

[lilranch2001]

I would call them and tell them that if they mess with my tank again as in shut off the gas, I will be up with my baseball bat and work on their head a while and then sue them for any cost associated with frozen water lines. (you really should shut off your water and drain the lines if you are not using the cabin in winter to avoid just the possibility of freezing)
If you have access to natural gas, pay the cost of replacing the jets in all the appliances, you will save that in one month of use just in lower fuel cost. The propane company should not be messing with your tank and I would threaten them with a lawsuit if water lines froze because they cut off your propane. At most they can do is refuse to sell you any more gas, but coming on your property and shutting off your gas on a tank that you own is a good way to get shot if it were my property and I caught them trespassing AND lets call it what it is "willful destruction of property" which could happen if your heat was turned off and the water lines froze up.
I can understand them requiring testing of old tanks but only if the current test was expired and all the old fill valves are required buy law to be changed out to the ones with the safety shut off check valve. I don't know if this could be changed safely without the tank being empty unless one bled off all the pressure which would waste a lot of gas and the liquid would continue to boil off till the new valve is installed and blocked in.

I agree with everything except the ball bat

 

[dave1949]

I agree with everything except the ball bat

What were you thinking? 2 lb hammer? Sling blade? :laughing:

 

[Stimw]

Two thoughts, company seeking maximum profits and/or new Fed regulations.
Try to buy a decent, useable 5 gal gas can?????
It is California land of fruits and nuts and never met a regulation they didn't like!

 

[ultrarunner]

Called the office direct today because I was wondering if this could be a scam... a stranger calling and asking me to send a key so he can get in.

The longtime office manager recognized me and said they have a new General Manager and he spent the last two weeks going over every customer file and found my file deficient in that it lacked a safety check with pressure test... (For the House)

She said I was not the only out of town person to call.

Make me wonder how we every made it the first 45 years!

So right now we are at a stand off... told them I will let them know when I come up and right now it is looking like May.

I was thinking what if they found something not to their liking and here I sit in the middle of winter with no gas service!

 

[tcartwri]

Also wonder why they would top off a 1000 gallon tank when gas was at an all time high?

My supplier just did the same thing. I was not amused.

 

[dave1949]

I could see your supplier refusing to put gas in your tank until a pressure test was completed. That is really in your best interest. If you haven't tested in 45 years, I'd say it's time. :laughing: Houses do blow up from gas leaks.

That's a lot different than saying they will go turn off your gas valve because you don't have a recent pressure test on record. Maybe the person that called you didn't do a good job of delivering the message? Some of these places, it's sort of obvious the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing. I'd blame simple incompetence before imagining a sinister plot of some kind.

 

[kenmac]

I agree dave. they should have refused to fill the tank until they could perform a pressure test/check. It's too late now, the tank isn't owned by the gas company and the gas they put in the tank is already paid for. I see no legal grounds for them to be able to come onto the OP's property at this point and turn his gas off. Maybe call them and tell them to refund your $$ and remove the gas and you buy gas from someone else and see what they say... Other than that, it's private property and you better stay off

 

[s219]

I'd tell them you found another supplier and to buzz off. That said, another supplier may have some baloney rules as well, who knows. Or maybe there are state/local laws about this.

Either way, it seems like they are sticking their nose in your business and making you jump through hoops so that you can give them your business. I don't like the sound of that. You own the tank and the propane that's already in it, and it's on your property. Not sure what you need them for in the short term, at least until the tank runs out.

 

[ultrarunner]

Agreed...

Just don't have the time to fool with this now... plus it is winter and we always keep the heat at 40 and the water heater on pilot... have since 1964 and we are the only one's in the neighborhood that have never had freeze problems...

Water is turned off too...

Seems the entire thing revolves around Amerigas company policy to protect against liability... they as much said the driver had no business topping off the tank with an open safety check...

So, I guess they need to cover their collective butts...

Doesn't seem to be another propane supplier in this mountain community.

Don't know anything about Southwest Energy except they have a natural gas line 40' from the cabin and they supply neighbors.