Propane Tanks

I had a gas fireplace installed in 2005 and the local gas company that installed it owns the 100 gallon tank and kept it full for me. Keeping it full meant they visited me once sometime in December and filled it up. On average that required only 20 to 30 gallons. With all the fees and surcharges the bill came to about $180. Now they say I should have been paying a $75 tank rental fee as well and that going forward unless I purchase 96 or more gallons from them during the year (June to May) I will owe it. The fireplace is a luxury I can no longer afford and I'm working on an "exit strategy."

During their cleanup of customer accounts they screwed up and didn't visit me last Dec 2013. So my tank is now at 30% having been used the winters of 2012/13 and 2013/14 without a fill-up. I have no way of avoiding the fee for 2014/15 but intend to use it more this winter and use all the gas out of it then in April tell them to come get their tank. If I don't use it down to below 5% they'll charge me to pump the gas I paid for out of the tank and I don't get any refund for that gas.

Perhaps I'll just get rid of the gas fireplace but I would like some advise on purchasing a tank--I'm thinking a 100 pound cylinder (Lowes $130) and taking it to Ace Hardware when needed to fill.

The gas company will not deliver to an owned tank unless I show them a bill of sale from a dealer and they indicated the tank must be tested routinely too. Perhaps this doesn't apply to small tanks but I've never had Ace look twice at a 20lb tank before filling it. Don't know if they would check out a 100lb tank or not.

Advise and ideas welcome.
 
I would use the current propane until empty, every last bit of it. If you can handle a 100# tank buy one and fill at the hardware. Should not be a problem, my local gas station fills them.
 
100lb tank will sure work but it's heavy. 20lb tanks are sure a lot easier to handle.

My supplier has refused to fill some of my smaller tanks over the years. Too rusty, needs paint etc. with those I went to our local grocery store that has a tank swap program. No restrictions on swaps.
 
Run what you have empty, then convert to the 20 pounders. Buy 2 so you have one full and one to use. Also spare for the grill. That fireplace might feel nice in a power outage. joe
 
The person filling the tank should check the date on the tank and a visual to see if it is rusty (out side of tank) or dented. If it is out of date or does not meet visual inspection should refuse to fill and advise you to purchase a new one! All this I learned getting my fork lift license.
Ypop
 
Sounds like you have Ferrell gas. Convert to 20 or 100 pounders and tell them to come get their tank.
 
I have two 100lb tank/bottles more economical to fill but mine are old and have an empty weight of 109lbs. So a full one weighs 209 lbs,pretty awkward to get off of pickup and requires help. Maybe a 30 or 40 lb bottle would be a go between....
 
I am going thru the same thing right now. What they charged us for the last fill up I figure it out per gal and a 100 lb tank was cheaper per gal. I was told we would have to pay a 150.00 charge if they delivered less than 200 gals at a time. Kind of hard to do when your tank is only 120 gal. I am going to be buying my own tank and when this is empty it will be moved and a new tank in its place. I will call them to come and get it
 
HD sells the 20 pounders for about $17 around here and working the math with an 80% fill max for safety reasons, considering the ease of handling and the gas co. takes care of the tank and all, isn't a bad deal. Initially the 20 pounder will be an additional $20 which is the purchase price. Even though you now own this cylinder you essentially own "A" cylinder, not necessarily this one and that is great.

I bought large tanks before and the 100 is too heavy to be portable by one guy and the price to fill my current 50 which is barely portable, is real close in fill price comparison to the 20's plus I have to do/pay for the upkeep.

On their draining the tank and charging you, give them the tank back with the gas in it and tell them to get. They will rattle can paint the tank and rent it to someone else and charge them for the gas that's in it at the then prevailing rate.

Oh, the other neat thing about these safety twerks that think up new ways to force you to change something on your tank "in the interest of safety.....for the moron" getting your tank from the big box store and swapping it out for a refill......any more of this kind of "stuff" and they eat the bill, not you.

My 2c,
Mark
 
That is about the most expensive way to buy gas, there will always be surcharges on that size tank. I would agree with the others and convert to 20 pound tanks.
 
I went with the "Own Your Own Tank" route and never regretted it. Mine is the 100 gallon "Jug" style. I also have two 25 gallon or 100 pound tanks. I can shop around between 5-6 companies for price and they fill all three tanks when empty. I did make sure to have a convenient tank storage area that I can just back the pickup truck up to and slide the 25 gal. tank off and stand up when I have had to take to a fill up station. I get about two weeks worth of fireplace use per 20-25 gallons if the weather is real cold. bjr
 
Chris we need more information here, how many output and input Btu's is your fireplace. If it gets too cold outside a 100LB cyl may not work.
 
I'd just run it empty and when you do hook a 20# tank to it. Around here we just buy a 20#er full for 55 bucks or so and exchange it when it's empty. Filled one the other day for 25 bucks.. Exchange is probably a bit more... but what I usually do is fill them a few times until they start getting ratty looking, then exchange it...
For all you're using 1-2 tanks will last you the year anyway.

Rod
 
And 20 lb. tanks are economical? I paid $17 to fill one a month ago, at the gas company. I can exchange them for $17.60 at Menards but sometimes you only get 15 lbs.
I did the math a few years ago and electric heat is cheaper per btu that propane in 20 pounders. I guess if I wanted to use a gas fireplace I would buy a 100 pounder at Menards and take it to the gas company to be filled, the bigger the tank the cheaper per pound. I think they will fill a 100 pounder for about $75. The only reason I use 20 pounders if for the gas grill, deer stands, and fish house. No electricity on the lake or in the woods!
 
Why would anyone want to fool around with 20 or 100 lb. tanks ?? I've got a 250 gal. and a 500 gal.and just call them to fill them when you want, Or set them up on auto fill ! If you own the tanks you can shop for the best price and pre-buy in the fall! just my .02 cents worth......
 
Shop around for everything available to you. I put in a 150 gal tank for a shop because I could set it right next to the building. Had a 250 gal tank which worked great, but with the total house would not last a whole month, so now have a 500 gal. $1.77 pg
 
Yes! Very seldom do I see anyone really look at the tank, they just hook it up and fill it. That's what the OPD valve is for, so any idiot can fill a tank somewhat safely!
 
I would give them their tank back when empty. Maybe look at 30# tanks. You can still handle them by hand and take them in and get them filled. Shop around for the best deal on propane when you fill them.
 
I bought a couple of 100 pound tanks from Tractor Supply for a camp. Only downside is they do not have fill ports. So they have to be unhooked to be filled.

At two other places I bought a 500 gallon and a 330 gallon. By owning the tanks, I get them filled once or twice a year at the lowest rates with no BS fees or lease fees.
 
Just go to the next supplier in line. All the suppliers get greedy and want all the business but they change their minds when business starts to fall off.
Asking for a bill of sale or receipt is just making sure it's not stolen. With mine I did 2 things 1) gave the supplier a copy and 2) had mine laminated and then keep it close to the door so if the driver asks I can show him--they don't ask twice.
 
Sometimes you have to make some noise with these money grabbers. Superior Propane started jerking me around with one of their tanks at the cottage, the girl that phoned got the brunt of it ,but I basically told her to get her tank off of my property and they had three days to do it or I would and that I would have Hensall Coop out there the next day with a tank...oh just a moment sir , give me a chance to discuss this with my supervisor....a few moments later and there would be no charge for inspection of their tank. I stayed with them and service has been OK , they put in a new tank this October because the old one was 10 years + in age .. just charged $90 to fill it...don't take any sh!t from a propane company..and you would only have to get 3 thirties filled twice to give you the approximate amount you use,even three or four twenties would keep you happy.
 
It will continue getting worse as the big companies buy out small mom and pop suppliers. Look around,where there once was 3 to 5 suppliers in your service area,there is 2 now. If you are lucky one is a private company that hasn't been bought out yet but more than likly both are corprate owned with overlapping service areas. Those two are not in compitition,they will soon "sub-contract" dileveries to one another to farthur increase profits. Since you and your neighbors refuse partnering up to form co-ops,you have two choices,bent over with grease or standing up without grease.
 
I find the 30# tanks quite handy, more storage then the 20's, yet still not so heavy you cant take and get them filled. For home, I OWN MY TANK so I can price shop and use ANY supplier, so much better then leasing (yet more cost) and tied down to only a single provider regardless of price and availability.

Best wishes

John T
 
20 or 30 gal is not much fuel to put through a fireplace. You must not use it very much. I'd advise you to sell it or give it away and get an electric one. And if you don't need the heat they make nice computer screen products that just "look" like a fire.
 
It's a 14,000 to 20,000 btu/hr fireplace depending on heat setting--I almost always set it on low. It says it requires gas supply pressure: "max 13, min for purpose of adjustment 11, manifold 10".
 
If I am reading this correctly You are using 20-30 lbs and you are complaining because they have given you a tank and drive out with a truck to fill it???? Big or small they have to make a profit If your unhappy go the route of getting your own tank and take it in to be filled. Way I see it they are basically doing you a favor.
 
I would just buy a 100 gallon tank like you have been using then you can get it filled every other summer when prices are low. Bulk delivery price by the gallon is going to always be cheaper than what you will pay by the pound at the hardware store.

My propane dealer sells 120 gallon tanks starting at $349. Right at the moment, the gas to fill it would be $1.89 a gallon here in central Ohio.

http://www.thriftypropane.com/purchasetank.aspx
 
Yes am fully aware of that. Had too many employes under me that were like that. Do you think I could get them to rotate the battery's in the forklifts end of shift?
Ypop
 
When I was in the Army at Ft Bragg we bought a mobile home and the cost to fill the 20 lb tank was $1.00. The truck would come through the trailer park and fill the empty tank. This was from 1953 until 1955. After I was discharged I pulled the trailer to MD and we switched to 100lb
as I had installed a gas water heater and they cost $10.00. When we bought a house we rented the trailer for 12 years, then we sold it. My dad was always getting on me for buying it. I told him it was a good deal for us. Hal
 
I must live in rite place never heard of ASME tanks having to be tested. Now 40# DOT tanks now have dispose of at certain date and have OPD valve unless Have torch painted on them. I can fill my own 40# tanks and my 250 gallon is owned by me and any company will fill. It was built in 1946. Has had popoff and fill valve seat was replaced a few years back. I all so have several motor fuel tanks going back to 50s nothing has been said about them.
 

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