Propane prices..

[rbstern]

$2.79 here in N.Georgia for our fall delivery, about 400 gallons.

Haven't re-filled a cylinder at TSC since the summer, but last when I did, it was $3.29, IIRC.

 

[D&D]

I keep some small tanks (100, 40, 33 and 20 pound tanks) for shop use,,
such as a mini forge, a couple infrared heaters,,

No home delivery would fill the tanks smaller than 100 pound, the smaller ones have a different fitting.
I took the tanks to a local ACE hardware I got 59 gallons for $3.29 per gallon.

When I got home, I did a back calculation comparing my purchase to the "BLUE RHINO" pre-filled tanks.

My final cost was exactly 1/2 the cost of buying pre-filled BLUE RHINO tanks.
PLUS,, since BLUE RHINO puts so little in each tank, I would need to move 17 tanks
(some Blue Rhino resellers even charge more than what I calculated with)

I thought it was bad enough getting 7 tanks to fit in my truck,
let alone having to pay BLUE RHINO $388 for that much propane!!

Blue Rhino, Ameri gas, etc all charge a premium for convenience. Look closely at the labels and see they don’t fill to 20 lb capacity either. Something screwy going on with Ace here too.

Any mobile home/rv parks/marinas nearby? Check their per gallon price, you may be pleasantly surpised.

 

[Grumpycat]

The tank swap guys fill 15 pounds.

Their advantage is one can swap a tank in need of inspection for one that has time remaining for less than the cost of an inspection plus 15 pounds.

 

[deserteagle71]

Some months ago a new propane company moved into the area and began soliciting customers. I told them I'd change to them...if the tank they put in my yard was equipped with a wet line and the necessary hose/fittings so I could fill my own smaller tanks. They readily agreed and since then I've not had to put up with the high priced refills/exchanges...or worrying about whether my tanks were recently hydro tested. A couple weeks ago they came around and topped off my big tank @ $2.32 a gallon which is cheap for around here.

 

[D&D]

Some months ago a new propane company moved into the area and began soliciting customers. I told them I'd change to them...if the tank they put in my yard was equipped with a wet line and the necessary hose/fittings so I could fill my own smaller tanks. They readily agreed and since then I've not had to put up with the high priced refills/exchanges...or worrying about whether my tanks were recently hydro tested. A couple weeks ago they came around and topped off my big tank @ $2.32 a gallon which is cheap for around here.

wet line with a pump or just a pressure line off the top of tank?

 

[BigBlue1]

My pre-buy for the season (contract paid in August) was $1.65 this year. Down from $2.10 last year but still higher than prior years. Wish I could get a connection on our tank to fill my own 20# cylinders. My company won't do that.

 

[gstrom99]

Wish I could get a connection on our tank to fill my own 20# cylinders. My company won't do that.

I can't blame them. Imagine the liability...

 

[BigBlue1]

I can't blame them. Imagine the liability...

Why? Filling tanks isn't rocket science. If your average 17 yo at the local gas station can be trained to do it I'm sure normal homeowners can too. Obviously some companies offer that setup (see deserteagle71's post above). Not everyone is paralyzed by liability worries.

 

[gstrom99]

Why? Filling tanks isn't rocket science. If your average 17 yo at the local gas station can be trained to do it I'm sure normal homeowners can too. Obviously some companies offer that setup (see deserteagle71's post above). Not everyone is paralyzed by liability worries.

I bet the homeowners insurance company wouldn't like it...

 

[D&D]

My pre-buy for the season (contract paid in August) was $1.65 this year. Down from $2.10 last year but still higher than prior years. Wish I could get a connection on our tank to fill my own 20# cylinders. My company won't do that.

Who owns the tank, you or the supplier?

 

[deserteagle71]

Why? Filling tanks isn't rocket science. If your average 17 yo at the local gas station can be trained to do it I'm sure normal homeowners can too. Obviously some companies offer that setup (see deserteagle71's post above). Not everyone is paralyzed by liability worries.

Exactly!

I was nervous as hell the last time I had to get a couple 20lb cylinders filled at the local station. Guy who came out to do the filling was shaking and quaking like he was suffering withdrawals; I had to help HIM.

I was trained in filling smaller propane tanks from a bulk tank 50 years ago and had been doing it ever since as part of my job. Retired now, and the last thing I want to do is haul my tanks to town to be filled by a clueless person who had perhaps 5 minutes of instruction from another person who probably had only a vague idea of the correct way to fill a tank. And I sure don't want to be paying the bottle exchange prices!

 

[deserteagle71]

I can't blame them. Imagine the liability...

If the truth be told I'm willing to bet it's a lot more about how much more money they can make doing cylinder fills and exchanges than letting the customer fill their own tanks. My recent bulk delivery price was $2.32 a gallon. To have my tank filled by the propane company is at least a dollar more a gallon. To exchange my tank for a full tank is ~$25, at least around here.

 

[BigBlue1]

Who owns the tank, you or the supplier?

Doesn't matter because my supplier won't support the setup. I was just expressing that I wish my situation was like deserteagle's.

 

[D&D]

Doesn't matter because my supplier won't support the setup. I was just expressing that I wish my situation was like deserteagle's.

I was just expressing the thought that they won’t on their tank. Customer owned equipment would be different. Underground tanks can’t be used. My propane supplier told me it was my choice with my purchased tank.

 

[needmoredirt]

$3X150G around here, 250G tank (owned) @80% max. Have wet line to fill 20/40# bottles. Thinking 20# holds 3 or 4G. I save about $10 in gas and an hour of drive time filling myself.