OT Blue Rhino propane

Is the Blue Rhino propane deal just around here, or is it national?

They have kiosks at supermarkets, etc.- buy one of their 5 gal. cylinders first ($49.99), then, when you run out, just bring the cylinder in and exchange it for a full one, and pay $22.99.

When I first saw it a few years ago, I gave it about 6 mos. Who was going to pay more than twice the value of the propane? Well, as it turns out, a lot of folks, I guess. Personally, I never found it so hard to take mine in and have it filled.

They've launched an ad campaign: "What kind of man is a Blue Rhino man?" As far as I can see, he's one foolish enough to pay 23 bucks for 10 dollars worth of propane.

I see you can also buy premixed 2 cycle fuel- for umpteen bucks a gallon. Never underestimate the laziness (or ineptitude) of the American public.

Like everything else your not paying for the product, your paying for the convenience. Think about it this way, for those of us that live in the 'country' finding somewhere to fill a propane tank isn't that hard to do. heck I know of at least three places within about 10-15 miles, round trip, of me. On the other hand if I lived in the city of Charlotte it would probably be closer to 30-40 miles round trip to get one filled.

The cost of gas alone for that trip would be nearly $6 and then wear and tear on the vehicle, plus the value of your time. Compare all of that to running a mile down to the closest grocery store, etc at 9:45 PM, just before closing time, when your bottle runs out and swapping it out, and being back home cooking in 15 minutes. Add on the fact that you don't have to worry about the age of the tank, what kind of valve it has in it, etc, etc, etc, and the 'extra' your paying actually makes some sense.

Personally I have a few tanks larger than the Blue Rhino tanks and actually plan ahead enough to keep my tanks full so for me it's just common sense and cheaper just get them filled. For those in a different situation, for them, what's common sense and cheaper for people like us is something totally different for them.

Not paying 'big bucks' for bottled water, and anything is big bucks in my opinion in this case, I simply can not understand.....As far as I know 99.999999% of the population has either a tap connected to the a municipal water source of to a well so pay more money to buy something that is already being provided to you at your home, and that that your already paying for?????????? Just doesn't make sense to me.

It's probably much more than twice the going rate. I know I seldom take in a tank that's completely empty. Last one was and I was amazed at how much they hold. Normally I just get it filled at the beginning of the grilling season and then again whenever I get to less than half a tank.

you don't even get a full cylinder.

a 20# cylinder should weigh the tare weight of tank Plus 20# you buy maybe 17# the way they fill them

they are about every where, here in colo. about every big food chain store has them. i used they once to trade in my old bottles that didn't have the new b/s'n ops valve. also i looked at mfg date to get the newest one.

We got about 8 20# cylinders and three 100# tanks I get themm filled once a year when propane hits bottom usauly mid summer.The fuel man fills them when delivering for my house we have a 1000gallon tank and a 500 gallon tank.They are hooked together and as long as I have the small ones next to the big ones we get them fill for same price as the house gas.I have 1 100# on the grill another one on my smoker and 1 spare usually on a portable sallamander heater.

Around here its about $18 to exchange, I only do that when I have an outdated tank that I want to get rid of. How do they weigh your tanks during filling when they fill them at your place, the 100# don't have a opd?

We do both where I work. We're converting from Blue Rhino exchange to bulk tank refill as soon as the state inspects our installation. At the moment, we are the only source of retail propane in a 50 mile radius and people STILL don't want to pay the BR prices.

On the premix gas, a lot of folks like it because they don't have to fool with mixing, and it doesn't go stale before it gets used. If all you have is one small weed whacker that you use once a week or less, it doesn't make much sense to keep a gallon can around and fuss with measuring and mixing.

I haven't looked to be sure, but I think it's also ethanol-free so you don't have to worry about the plastic or rubber lines or o-rings on older equipment.

Around here due to liability etc they are not filling them just exchangine. Yes seems like $20 for $10 worth of gas.

When I still used propane for grilling (we now are on natural gas), I had to get my tank updated to pass inspection. They told me to NEVER trade in on the Blue Rhino, as alot of their tanks are not up to date! Not sure how they get by with that, but that is what I was told.

Blue Rhino is owned by Ferrellgas...every so often I get a Blue Rhino "coupon" with my Ferrellgas bill. And I'm pretty sure that Ferrellgas knows how to get the maximum price possible for their propane.

That said...HOWEVER...it's actually cheaper to take your tank to the local Ferrellgas bulk station and get it filled than it is to do an exchange tank.

And around here, at WallyWorld you can get an exchange tank for around $17.99.

Having a LP fuel combine, I have ALL of the needed adapter for LP. I fill MY OWN 20 LB LP tanks and NOT a ONE of them has that POS OPD valve. NONE are used for a Barbecue. One of the LITTLE know facts of a OPD valve is you can not use a 20 LB tank to supply LIQUID LP to a LP fueled piece of equipment. I have a ventilating heater that if not supplied with liquid fuel in the winter, a 20 lb tank will frost solid and freeze up which causes the heater to stop running. None of my 20 LB LP tank are stored in enclosed structures.
I am also a Volunteer Fire Fighter. I understand WHY the OPD valve was invented. Many fires and explosions were caused by 20 LB LP tanks that were overfilled, installed on a barbecue and store in a garage. Then the tank vented filling the garage with LP vapor looking for the arc from a switch, or the pilot light on a appliance to cause the LP vapor to go BOOM.

Kent

I only use the exchange to get rid of my old tanks.

You asked: "What kind of man is a Blue Rhino man?" As far as I can see, he's one foolish enough to pay 23 bucks for 10 dollars worth of propane.

Someone like my son in law. He leaves the house at 6:30 a.m. and arrives back home after 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Saturday the LP bulk dealers are closed leaving only those places that sell at much higher per gallon prices. So, in his case he might as well go for convenience since they only use about one bottle full per year.

I can also see people using it if they have no pickup to haul it in. If I had to haul by car I would want to be in traffic with an empty or full bottle for the least amount of time possible.

I don't live in the same locale as my daughter and SIL or I'd fill their bottles for them since I have a nurse tank with hose with which to fill my own.

I suppose you are aware that the bottles have the filled propane weight stamped on them showing they contain less than normal fills.

Blue Rhino is owned by Ferrellgas. Need I say more?

Blue Rhino exchanges are very common and convinent in both Georgia and Mississippi, so I assume they are most everywhere.

harold H

Yep. They are all over here in this corner of the country too, and advertising just like you said. I can't even stomach the rip off cost of the normal refill places. Fortunately I can refill my own.

How about premix antifreeze?its half water and costs more than 100%/pure antifreeze.the 'yuppie' mentality?

Good point!

Read the signs at the exchange places, you are not even getting 20#.

U are absolutely right about that, but on the other hand, in a lot of areas the tap water guys mix with the concentrated coolant leaves a LOT to be desired.

WHY spend big bucks (a couple of thousand) to OH an engine, then insist on saving $10 or $15 on coolant?

Looks to me like POOR economics!!!

Price out VP race gas. I guy up here bought some for his dirt bike and mixed it 50/50 with premium gas cause he likes the smell of race gas. It was something like $130 for 34 litres(9 gallons) and it certainly didn't help him go any faster. LoL