My Propane tanks from the camper are just like new. There are two of them. Have only filled one once,but they are ten years old but can't be refilled at a station. Can a 20 pounder be used to add to a big tank by turning a full 20lb tank upside down and letting it siphon to the bigger tank.
- Thread starter FWB in SK
- Start date
Bob Bancroft
Well-known Member
- Location
- Aurora NY
Not gonna' happen! It depends on pressure differential. And the chance that you can have high pressure in your little tank, vs low pressure in a big tank is slim to none. And if you did, you probably wouldn't achieve much transfer before pressure equalized.
I have a 1000 gal tank here. I can transfer into a grill, or forklift tank. But the little tank needs to be run dry. I have tried it before the little tank is empty, and get no result. So, I run the little tank empty, make sure it's cool, and even then, the best I can get is about half full with a transfer from the big tank.
I am talking liquid here, except the forklift will run for a little while on vapor before the pressure drops to where it quits.
I have a 1000 gal tank here. I can transfer into a grill, or forklift tank. But the little tank needs to be run dry. I have tried it before the little tank is empty, and get no result. So, I run the little tank empty, make sure it's cool, and even then, the best I can get is about half full with a transfer from the big tank.
I am talking liquid here, except the forklift will run for a little while on vapor before the pressure drops to where it quits.
Tom in Mo.
Well-known Member
Short answer is yes, but not worth it. The big tank needs to be low and cool and the little tank warm and full. It's not worth it for 25 bucks.
I once filled a propane tractor from a 100 pound bottle hoisted in the air and upside down. All the sediment, water, and crap form the bottom of the 100 pounder went into my tractor tank.
Not good. Lesson learned.
Better off using it on the BBQ grill or venting it off safely.
I once filled a propane tractor from a 100 pound bottle hoisted in the air and upside down. All the sediment, water, and crap form the bottom of the 100 pounder went into my tractor tank.
Not good. Lesson learned.
Better off using it on the BBQ grill or venting it off safely.
If you hook it up early morning, when the big tank is cool, and the little tank is in the sun would be your best bet. The small tank will warm faster than the big one making enough pressure differential.
I do the opposite to fill small tanks. Hook the tank up in the evening and transfer to the small one as temps go down,
If you 20lb tank has an opd valve, I do not know what effect being upside down will have on it.
I do the opposite to fill small tanks. Hook the tank up in the evening and transfer to the small one as temps go down,
If you 20lb tank has an opd valve, I do not know what effect being upside down will have on it.
Tom in Mo.
Well-known Member
FWB If your supplier won't fill them due to just not being certified updated, go somewhere else. Like the mom and pop place. The big names like Ferrelgas and Amerigas won't do it due being rule followers. The small town locals love cash.
If you have the old style shut off valve, bleed off the fuel and buy new valves.
You didn't say why you wanted to try and save $20 worth of propane?
If you have the old style shut off valve, bleed off the fuel and buy new valves.
You didn't say why you wanted to try and save $20 worth of propane?
Janicholson
Well-known Member
Not your question, but there should be a dealer that can recertify the tank. Jim
Indiana Ken
Well-known Member
I heat the house with a 500 gallon tank. I had a liquid draw off installed on it for use to fill my tractor. I have not put the tractor in service so I have no experience filling it. However, I do fill my BBQ grill tank, 20lb and 30 lb, 40 lb tanks I use to finish off Maple Syrup.
I put the tank to be filled in a tub of ice water to cool it. The placement of my 500 gallon allows the smaller tanks to be positioned a little lower during the fill process. A empty 20 lb tank fills in maybe 30 minutes. The 40 lb tank can take an hour or more. You will want to monitor the filling using the "spitter valve" and I always verify the fill by weighing tank. I have found you can over fill a tank even with the new OPV.
I have no experience turning a 20 lb tank upside down.
Janicholson
Well-known Member
A pump is really needed. And that is a certified dealer kind of thing. Jim
You should still be able to exchange the old tanks for new style. The tanks at Blue Rhino are usually only filled to 14 to 16 pounds instead of the full 20 pounds, but they will take old tanks without any questions, including nearly full tanks.
Until it's time to refill the tanks, can you burn off some of the gas in a grill, stove or heater?
Until it's time to refill the tanks, can you burn off some of the gas in a grill, stove or heater?
Russ from MN
Well-known Member
- Location
- Bemidji MN
I fill a 30 with a 20 every once in awhile, I have a hose with 2 pall fittings on it and run it from one to the other. I have the empty one cold, the full one warm and higher, upside down and leave it run for a few hours. it works. The 30 is very old, with the old style valve, we just use it for one of the deer stands, it never leaves our property.
Took three 20# tanks to Coop. Said they were too old for them to fill.
Took them to Amerigas They recertified two of them, $10 each
The 3rd one had old valve. They swapped it for a "current"
tank for $18 + the propane to fill it. Cheaper than having the
valve replaced. Propane was $3/gal for the bottles.
Not sure what the coop is.
Took them to Amerigas They recertified two of them, $10 each
The 3rd one had old valve. They swapped it for a "current"
tank for $18 + the propane to fill it. Cheaper than having the
valve replaced. Propane was $3/gal for the bottles.
Not sure what the coop is.
Weird thing here at the local walmart. Used to have cage outside to exhange. Pay the clerk inside, they go out, unlock the cage and do the swap.
But, Amerigas put in an automated machine. Place the order with a credit card from the screen, a door opens, you put your exchange in it. It closes and a second one opens for you to take the full one out. You can exchange anything that fits the door, no matter the age, condition or outdated valve.
What's really weird is even though it's on Walmart property, it doesn't accept a Walmart card. Got to be Visa or MC logo.
But, Amerigas put in an automated machine. Place the order with a credit card from the screen, a door opens, you put your exchange in it. It closes and a second one opens for you to take the full one out. You can exchange anything that fits the door, no matter the age, condition or outdated valve.
What's really weird is even though it's on Walmart property, it doesn't accept a Walmart card. Got to be Visa or MC logo.
rockyridgefarm
Well-known Member
$9.99 refill at two locations in town. One place will recertify tanks with triangular valve knobs, the other place sends you to the first place if you have an expired tank. Both fill to the full 20 pounds, not 15 that you usually get at exchanges at a bbs.
At $9.99(which is the cheapest I see it anymore) that is $2 per gallon. Summer fill under 500 gallons is 99 cents, or over 500 for 79 cents. The propane in your 20 pound tank is worth more in the 20 pounder versus the big tank.
At $9.99(which is the cheapest I see it anymore) that is $2 per gallon. Summer fill under 500 gallons is 99 cents, or over 500 for 79 cents. The propane in your 20 pound tank is worth more in the 20 pounder versus the big tank.
Janicholson
Well-known Member
No air in there, gassious propane. Nasty flammable. Jim
Texasmark1
Well-known Member
That or Amerigas which has the swap market here. No questions asked and you get an upgraded tank when you swap. WW sells them for about a buck a pound, others like $ Gen. a couple of bucks more. The tag on the container attests to the volume/weight of the contents and 16 is the number I recall and the 16 is not to cheat you (if so why post the actual contents for the consumer to see) in MHO, it's for safety as they know not who what where or how their gas will be used.
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