ENER Cheap propane

West

Senior
Heads up for those with propane systems.

Just had our big tank filled, only $1.15 a gallon.

We only use gas to heat our water mostly. Do have a dip tube on our big tank though so I can fill up our smaller tanks that I use for welding and one small heater in the shop to back up the wood stove. Also can use propane in our house for both spot heating and cooking if need be, but the wood stove does the same and cheaper.
 

Jackpine Savage

Veteran Member
Our neighbor just got his filled for $1.04 cash. Our 500 gallon is pretty full, wish we had another one. I had a wet leg put on last year and that is handy!
 

Millwright

Knuckle Dragger
_______________
I picked up a 120gal tank for backup.

About time to top everything off.

Last time it was cheep, the driver only wanted to fill to 60%. He tried to give me some BS story about why.

It didn't fly with me, then I bird dogged him as he filled every tank here.

Started looking at his truck while he was filling and asking innocuous questions about possible mechanical deficiencies.

He got the picture...quick.
 

hiwall

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Propane is always high here in AZ. When you can buy it under 2 bucks a gallon it is cheap here.
 

Millwright

Knuckle Dragger
_______________
Propane is a great fuel. Do wish I had one of those 1950s propane chest freezers. Fully restored and updated for maximum efficiency.

Here is one on my wish list.


Interesting site.

They have a lot of equipment available, including scratch n dents.

Bookmarked.
 

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Reminding ourselves that we need to get this done while prices are so cheap. We only have one small propane heater that is used to knock the dampness out of the house when the big wood heater is too much. Wood fuel is free.
 

sierra don

Veteran Member
310 gallons at $1.40 here in the wilds of far north Idaho.

I only use propane for my vent-less heater in the room at the back of the house. It's about 2 feet lower than the rest of the home and the wood stove heat does not get down there even with the ceiling fan on (ceiling fans in all rooms). From

September until mid May the vent-less is running 24 hrs (thermostat controlled) and still have about 100 gals at refill time, (I do have central heat that is propane but I never use it).

Everything else in the house is electric, luckily electricity is dirt cheap (.10 kwh), at least it is to me compared to PGE back in Ca. My electric company is a co-op and does charge a service fee of 25 bucks a month (summer bill is about $50, winter $80 or so).
 

billet

Veteran Member
Our propane prices in Fl are always high. I don't remember the last time I paid less than 2.00 a gallon.
 

Freeholder

This too shall pass.
I need a bigger tank. Last winter we were running one ventless heater, and needed the tank refilled about every three weeks. Also need to either get the heater fixed or replaced - the last two times I turned it on, it poofed flames at me.
 

Sherrynboo

Veteran Member
Gosh, I wish I could get it for around a dollar a gal! It is two something now and was told yesterday to wait until mid Sept as they will be having a sale. Since I have about 50 gals left and only cook with it, I can wait.
 

exiled2tx

Inactive
If you have a tank that is completely liquid filled, it will expand in the heat. Since it is filled, there is no place for the expansion to go and the pressure builds. The tank will then fail at its weak spot, normally a connection or valve. By leaving the tank with some unfilled space, the liquid expands into that space when it gets hot (the gas is normally more compressible). At least that is what I was told in chemistry lab many years ago.....

I think about it like a concrete road or sidewalk. You should design it with little gaps (sometimes filled with tar or blacktop) to let the concrete expand in the heat rather than buckle.
 

SquonkHunter

Geezer (ret.)
When I lived in the country, the propane guy told me he was not allowed to fill tanks to more than 80% most of the year. In the middle of winter he could go up to about 85% since it was cold and I would be using up the overage fairly quickly.
 

Ractivist

Pride comes before the fall.....Pride month ended.
I
Our neighbor just got his filled for $1.04 cash. Our 500 gallon is pretty full, wish we had another one. I had a wet leg put on last year and that is handy!
had a wet leg installed last summer. For those not versed...it allows one to fill the twenty pound cylinders. Cuts the cost to a third or so. From there one can then refill the little green bottles.

Nice thing to have.
 

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Just called and ordered a 150 gal fill up on our propane. We still have around 20% in our tank. It wasn't cheap. $1.89/gal. It's a good thing that we don't use much. That amount should last us all winter.
 

Millwright

Knuckle Dragger
_______________
I

had a wet leg installed last summer. For those not versed...it allows one to fill the twenty pound cylinders. Cuts the cost to a third or so. From there one can then refill the little green bottles.

Nice thing to have.

You can get or build an adapter to fill 1lb bottles straight from your big tank.

I originally built my fill hose with a 1/2" ID X 10' hose. It holds enough to almost fill a 1lb bottle.

Fill Hose 2.0 is a 3' piece of 1/4" ID hose on an LP quick disconnect. I can take it off to get it out of the sun. It doesn't waste so much either.
 

john70

Veteran Member
If you have a tank that is completely liquid filled, it will expand in the heat. Since it is filled, there is no place for the expansion to go and the pressure builds. The tank will then fail at its weak spot, normally a connection or valve. By leaving the tank with some unfilled space, the liquid expands into that space when it gets hot (the gas is normally more compressible). At least that is what I was told in chemistry lab many years ago.....

I think about it like a concrete road or sidewalk. You should design it with little gaps (sometimes filled with tar or blacktop) to let the concrete expand in the heat rather than buckle.


NO,NO......EACH TANK HAS HIGH PRESSURE VENT FOR SAFETY...........you may hear it venting in hot weather....that is why ALL PROPANE TANKS SHOULD BE STORED OUTSIDE IN THE OPEN AIR.......not in the house or cellar

LPG cylinders have a safety pressure relief built into the valve, or tank, to allow the pressure to be released in case the cylinder is involved in a fire. In a large fire, these relief valves are usually too small, and the containers will explode into a spectacular fireball, sending metal fragments all over the place.



Both butane and propane are heavier than air and will accumulate in low points and cellars. Severe and fatal building explosions have occurred due to gas accumulations in basements.


If you get a lung full of propane , find stairs NOW & invert yourself, lie down head low & feet going up the stairs looking down at the stairs , lock legs or have someone hold from slipping & breath slow , The propane will leave on it's higher in the lower part of your lungs.
This I have seen twice , coworker was short of breath & complained , in 5 mins all back to normal .

Propane heaver than air will just flow out.


Newer style LPG containers have special valves that contain an OPD– overfill protection device– in the valve to prevent overfilling of a cylinder. LPG containers can only be filled to 80%, to allow expansion of the liquid as the cylinder warms up.
 
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rob0126

Veteran Member
I picked up a 120gal tank for backup.

About time to top everything off.

Last time it was cheep, the driver only wanted to fill to 60%. He tried to give me some BS story about why.

It didn't fly with me, then I bird dogged him as he filled every tank here.

Started looking at his truck while he was filling and asking innocuous questions about possible mechanical deficiencies.

He got the picture...quick.

You DOT?
 
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