Propane Fireplace

[wjmst]

I currently have a 100 gallon propane tank from Amerigas that I use for our indoor direct vent propane gas fireplace in the winter. I don't use 100 gallons a year, usually only about 50-60 gallons, so they charge me rent plus the cost to fill it up.

My question is, can I get my own RV or grill type tanks and use them instead? Filling them up as needed at the local station or doing a replacement at Lowes or someplace?

Any thoughts?
Thanks for the input.
Wes

 

[vabiker23518]

I have the same problem at my cabin in Virginia....they offered me the option of paying the rent for the tank, or buying my own and getting a .10/gal discount on the propane. I took the latter option. Can't answer your question, but don't see why it wouldn't work.

 

[tow653]

Propane is propane,fireplace doesn't know what tank gas came from,may be a little on expensive side to use small tanks though.

 

[dave1949]

TSC sells 100 lb. tanks for $140. Might find them cheaper somewhere. It would be an annual chore to disconnect and take the tank(s) to get refilled.

 

[scott_vt]

Good Evenin wjmst,
I bought my own tank for my Vt property, a 330 gal tank. By owning your own tank, you get to pick your own supplier, who ever is cheaper at the time you need propane...

At the end of summer or early fall I start calling around for prices and then get it filled, no rental fees etc, its the best way to go IMO...

 

[Clint S]

Same with me, but I told them to drop the rental fee or I would drop them and go elsewhere. They now charge me $1 a year for that

 

[wjmst]

I called around to some other gas companies and all of the locals have been bought out my the national chains and they all have the same 100 gallon minimum or we will charge you a yearly rental fee. I asked them all about purchasing a tank and some said no and the others gave me a prices that were insane, like the cheapest was $900 or something like that! The gas companies all said that if I purchased my own tank I would need to get it inspected before they filled it up. So it sounds like they all have me right where they want me.

I am not sure what I am going to do next.

I wonder if I can fill my small gas grill tank with my 100 gallon tank? This why I would use the minimum about each year and not have to pay a rental fee. I doubt that it could be that easy though. Any thoughts on this idea?
Wes

 

[oldnslo]

I wonder if I can fill my small gas grill tank with my 100 gallon tank? This why I would use the minimum about each year and not have to pay a rental fee. I doubt that it could be that easy though. Any thoughts on this idea?
Wes

With the proper equipment yes. Not sure what is required but my neighbor had a 5000 Ford that ran on Propane and he filled that from a 1,000 gallon tank he had for heating his home. Of course this was 30 years ago so the laws have probably changed and you need a license, certification, etc. to handle to propane now.

 

[forgeblast]

Small tank will ice up on you. Sometimes in the spring when I am using my brew system the tanks will get frosty.
Look at hd tsc, lowes they have the 100gallon propane tanks for last I looked about 140.

 

[dave1949]

Small tank will ice up on you. Sometimes in the spring when I am using my brew system the tanks will get frosty.
Look at hd tsc, lowes they have the 100gallon propane tanks for last I looked about 140.

The TSC site said those are 100 pound tanks for $140.

One gallon of propane weighs ~4.2 pounds.

100 pounds / 4.2 pounds per gallon = 23.8 gallons

I suppose they only fill them ~80% full, so that would be 19 gallons per tank fill.

That should help with the cost comparison if you check the price per gallon at a local refill place like a hardware store.

 

[jerrybob]

I currently have a 100 gallon propane tank from Amerigas that I use for our indoor direct vent propane gas fireplace in the winter. I don't use 100 gallons a year, usually only about 50-60 gallons, so they charge me rent plus the cost to fill it up.

My question is, can I get my own RV or grill type tanks and use them instead? Filling them up as needed at the local station or doing a replacement at Lowes or someplace?

Any thoughts?
Thanks for the input.
Wes

You can purchase your own tank but I'd be careful of going to small......would be a pain to always be filling. Also.....your hundred gallon tank does not get filled totally. Most companies fill them to about 80% so you really only have about 80 gallons at max. My question.....why do you consider your existing tank a problem?? So you have 1.5 years supply of propane. It doesn't go bad.....fill it up is summer when prices are lower and enjoy.:2cents:

 

[forgeblast]

The TSC site said those are 100 pound tanks for $140. woops typing faster then my brain was working.

 

[wjmst]

My question.....why do you consider your existing tank a problem?? So you have 1.5 years supply of propane. It doesn't go bad.....fill it up is summer when prices are lower and enjoy.:2cents:

My issue is with Amerigas. They charged me the highest rate in town last year and a rental fee. The rate I paid for propane was $3.675 per gal. Then to add another $100 rental fee on top of that is crazy! Divide that over the amount of propane and it is a cost of $5.35/gal! To avoid the rental fee I have to purchase at least 60 gal per year. Last year was only 59.4. Needless to say I called and complained and finally the manager waived the rental fee.

When I called around to other companies they were in the $2.25 / gal range, one was even $1.89!

It looks like I will be stuck with them though since all of the local companies are now bought out my the big companies who do the same thing as Amerigas.

 

[Dr Dave]

Can you T into your tank line and run your grill off of that tank? This would help to increase your usage, and eliminate tank fee's.

Dave

 

[jerrybob]

My issue is with Amerigas. They charged me the highest rate in town last year and a rental fee. The rate I paid for propane was $3.675 per gal. Then to add another $100 rental fee on top of that is crazy! Divide that over the amount of propane and it is a cost of $5.35/gal! To avoid the rental fee I have to purchase at least 60 gal per year. Last year was only 59.4. Needless to say I called and complained and finally the manager waived the rental fee.

When I called around to other companies they were in the $2.25 / gal range, one was even $1.89!

It looks like I will be stuck with them though since all of the local companies are now bought out my the big companies who do the same thing as Amerigas.

I understand now........the 100lbs tank is $129 at Lowes. Good luck!

 

[CliffordK]

With a pilot light, every time you would swap out tanks the pilot would go out.

Once I got air in the whole piipe from the tank to the fireplace, it was a pain to relight.

 

[dave1949]

The TSC site said those are 100 pound tanks for $140. woops typing faster then my brain was working.

Not really, I thought it danged odd to advertise the tanks in pounds to begin with. Just happened to catch it.