20 LB Propane Tank Exchange Rip Off

[troymeister]

So Over the years I haven't done much gas grilling but some here and there. Now since I have a decent gas grill, I'm using a bit more gas.

I took my empty spare to a nearby 7-11 to exchange. I got home and decided to weigh the tank. It weighed 31.7 lbs. I looked up how much an empty tank should weigh and it is around 17 lbs. I reasoned a full tank should weigh around 37 lbs. Even I can do that math. So I bring the tank back to the 7-11 and tell the guy that the tank was 5 lbs short. I want a full one. He told me that all of the exchange tanks were filled to only 15 lbs.....I never knew this. He told me if I want 20 lbs of gas, find a place that fills them up.

This was one of those things I never knew and never even thought to ask. I kind of felt a little silly...But Oh well...another lesson hard learned.

[captainlee]

It's always been that way, they say 80% instead of full. Always use my local LP dealer for a full tank.

[Jerod Broussard]

Yep, local fill up.

[mrteddyprincess]

I can get 'er filled up at our local Ace Hardware.

[captainlee]

Ace here has it too but dealer is cheaper and I have an account there as he services our house. Anywhere you get it filled is better than the exchange.

[yakima]

I have never done the Blue Rhino exchange routine. Own your tanks, have them refilled while you watch. Occasionally get them recertified at a propane supplier.

[cruiseplanner1]

Spot on!

[Dan Deter]

When one of my tanks goes out of certification I trade it in, otherwise I go to U-Haul or BJs to get it refilled.

[Bogy]

They don't fill the exchange tanks all the way because of the danger of shipping them full. That's the reasoning. Also they make more profit this way. I bought one from a local supermarket a few years ago, because the price of the tank, with the gas, was less than buying an empty tank somewhere else. Plus the supermarket gave me points toward my next tank of gasoline.

I have a place near each house. A hardware store by one, and a propane company by the other. I have hit just the right time two years in a row when I fill up my tanks by the dealer and they are having a summer promotion. I'm sure it really pays off for the people filling up their big tanks during the summer, but I also benefit for my 20 pounder. $15 for a full tank of gas. Love it.

[Midway]

I tried exchange tanks for a short time for convenience but didn't like the light fills. I've gone back to filling my own tanks at a nearby U-Haul Store. They give a full fill and I don't even need to go in the store, they come out, fill, and swipe my credit card.

[bbqLuv]

My propane tank has a fuel gauge. I bought it at Costco.
Copilot confirms what I thought.

How Propane is Sold: Weight vs. Volume

Propane is sold in both weight (pounds) and volume (gallons), depending on the type of container and the delivery method.

By weight (pounds)

• Common for small, portable propane tanks such as those used for grills, camping stoves, or portable heaters.
• These tanks are filled and weighed to ensure the correct amount of propane is inside.
• A standard barbecue tank often holds about 20 pounds of propane, which is roughly 4.6 gallons Wolf River Propane.
• Weight-based pricing is straightforward for consumers who buy or refill small cylinders.

hope this helps.

[captainlee]

I've got some of those Costco tanks and that gauge is pretty accurate when close to empty. It's certainly not truly linear but when approaching empty it's accurate.

[dpearce]

Yeah all refilled tanks from local stores are a little short. A local propane dealer (if convenient) is better. That and keep a spare and a spare for the spare.

[Jared49]

Here again is another reason why the membership price is a fantastic deal. It’s awesome how much information is available if we ask.
Thanks!!!

[Dewesq55]

We happen to have a refill place locally so I stopped exchanging when I found them. In Virginia, sadly, I am still exchanging since Dollar General is literally a block away.

[Hulagn1971]

I stopped propane tank exchanges years ago because of this. Find a local filler station that weighs the tank after they fill.

[Uncle Bob]

You don't have to guess at what the tank weighs, the weight empty (tare) is stamped on the handle collar as is the certification date. Most reputable refill joints (add Tractor Supply to the above notations) won't fill a tank beyond 10 years of age. In some locations (many?) no reputable place will fill completely due to temperature change expansion issues, also it may be a local fire ordinance.

[dpearce]

I didn't know TSC did refills. Looked it up, and the one about 10 mins away, does do them! Yay, I don't hve to drive out to AmeriGas anymore (40 min round trip). Thanks for the tip!

[Sdell]

+1 for Tractor Supply. If I ever have a tank that they won't fill due to age or condition I will exchange it.

[smokenoob]

yep, that’s the “convenience fee”. Works for me at 8 pm with steaks on and flame out! 😳🤣

[synodog]

I used to do the exchange when I had just one tank and didn’t grill that much but now that I have 3, I refill them every time. There’s one place that has never checked the stamp on any of them. U-Haul does every time so I stopped going there. lol, I do need to check them now that it’s been a while.

[realdocBBQ]

They tell me at my local TSC when I go that they will only fill to 80%, that that is the law. I don't know, I haven't looked it up.

But yes, even at that, 15lbs in a 20lb tank isn't 80%, it's 75% and they're shorting you 1lb. Saves them a considerable amt of money over the years, and they know 99.97% of people aren't going to check it - and the rest of you can go get stuffed. No one cares.

No one in any regulatory capacity cares or is going to do anything about it. No one at the company is going to do anything about it. No one in this country is going to do anything about it. Fraud, false advertising and outright theft is essentially the way of the world today and no one is ever going to do anything about any of it. It sucks, but it is what it is.

Sorry. Now I go to TSC and get my tanks filled and I only pay for what I get, so whether it's half full, 3/4 full or all the way, I'm paying for what they dispense, not what it's 'supposed' to be.

[Uncle Bob]

you're partially correct, but none of the exchange programs promise a full tank or 20# or any other form of quantity. Poorly informed consumers make assumptions and act accordingly. We live in what's sometimes called the information age, but people still have to make the effort to acquire the information. Many simply don't expend the effort, it's human nature, has been for a long time, probably will remain so...

[cruiseplanner1]

Self Serve Lumber's here in Michigan also charge you only for what they put in. I have to check what my Ace does. I go there the most as it is closer.