Propane (20 lp) Tank filling price - 2020

[MRockwell]

I ran into this just the other day when I went back to U-Haul to have another tank refilled. They wouldn't fill it because the date on the tank was 07/10 and the U-Haul guy said they are only good for 10 years and I would have to go exchange mine. Are they ever re-certified? I went to Walmart and exchanged it, but the tank they gave me was even older - dated 06/07. So now presumably I'll have to exchange that one too when it runs out.

I have a couple 40lb tanks I use with salamander heaters. A few years ago Tractor supply wouldn't fill one because it was out of date. I ran up to Kokomo and had it re-certified at Amerigas(was around $35 for cert and a fill if I remember correctly). The re-certify does not last as long as on a new tank, but I can't remember right now how long.

 

[Cameramonkey]

I have a couple 40lb tanks I use with salamander heaters. A few years ago Tractor supply wouldn't fill one because it was out of date. I ran up to Kokomo and had it re-certified at Amerigas(was around $35 for cert and a fill if I remember correctly). The re-certify does not last as long as on a new tank, but I can't remember right now how long.

If its anything like fire extinguishers, its a 6 year cycle.

 

[Ingomike]

I ran into this just the other day when I went back to U-Haul to have another tank refilled. They wouldn't fill it because the date on the tank was 07/10 and the U-Haul guy said they are only good for 10 years and I would have to go exchange mine. Are they ever re-certified? I went to Walmart and exchanged it, but the tank they gave me was even older - dated 06/07. So now presumably I'll have to exchange that one too when it runs out.

When I exchange a tank, I go where they open the rack and pull one out and check the date to get one not expired...

 

[Ingomike]

I have a couple 40lb tanks I use with salamander heaters. A few years ago Tractor supply wouldn't fill one because it was out of date. I ran up to Kokomo and had it re-certified at Amerigas(was around $35 for cert and a fill if I remember correctly). The re-certify does not last as long as on a new tank, but I can't remember right now how long.

They should mark the new date on it...

 

[Cameramonkey]

When I exchange a tank, I go where they open the rack and pull one out and check the date to get one not expired...

its propane, not milk. If they are checking for expiration during the exchange, they failed because they dont understand what the date code means. The more likely reason is he is looking to make sure he isnt going to give you another empty one back, not based on the date. The only time the expiration matters is when its empty and needs to be refilled. You cant refill an expired tank... but you can definitely SELL a previously filled tank that has "expired". That is perfectly safe. The danger is the stresses if refilling a pressure vessel, because during the fill, the tank is stressed beyond the normal static pressures due to heat and other stressors. It endures more pressure during refill as the tank is filled, then pressure drops after it settles out and cools down.

Just like fire extinguishers and SCBA bottles. (and presumably other pressure vessels) If a bottle is "expired" or past the inspection stamp, it isnt rendered unusable, just un-refillable. You can continue to use it until its empty. The hazard is when you are refilling them. There was a gentleman killed in Ohio in the last several years because they werent paying attention to the 6 and 12 year hydrotest dates on fire extinguishers. He hooked up an expired tank to his compressor and started adding the the required pressure (2,500psi?) and it exploded on his bench, killing him instantly. And I think it took a sizeable chunk of the roof off as well. So sad, and so preventable.

 

[Cameramonkey]

And as a footnote to my last post, here is a "the more you know" moment.

Those dates refer to what is called a hydrotest date. Every 6 or 12 years I cant recall which, a pressure vessel needs to be tested to make sure it is still structurally sound. If memory serves, every 6 years it needs a low pressure test, and every 12 a high pressure test. My office does this and currently has about 400 CO2 bottles from PepsiCo on the dock awaiting these tests.

To make sure the tanks are still sound and wont explode when pressurized, they are put into a special water filled pressure vessel. Its a huge 1/2" thick steel pipe filled with water with a special blowoff membrane below the floor for safety. They lower the tanks into the pipe bath and lock it down. They then apply x% more pressure than they are designed to hold. (Sorry, its not my job, I just understand the basics of what my coworkers do so I only know the basics) They have specialized equipment that detects how much the cylinder expands during the test. If the system detects more expansion than is the spec, it fails and the cylinder is condemned. And if it fails catastrophically, the membrane blows when the tank explodes and the worst case is the tester gets a bit wet from the spray from below the grid in the floor. A far cry better than the poor guy in my last post.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

its propane, not milk. If they are checking for expiration during the exchange, they failed because they dont understand what the date code means. The more likely reason is he is looking to make sure he isnt going to give you another empty one back, not based on the date. The only time the expiration matters is when its empty and needs to be refilled. You cant refill an expired tank... but you can definitely SELL a previously filled tank that has "expired". That is perfectly safe. The danger is the stresses if refilling a pressure vessel, because during the fill, the tank is stressed beyond the normal static pressures due to heat and other stressors. It endures more pressure during refill as the tank is filled, then pressure drops after it settles out and cools down.

Just like fire extinguishers and SCBA bottles. (and presumably other pressure vessels) If a bottle is "expired" or past the inspection stamp, it isnt rendered unusable, just un-refillable. You can continue to use it until its empty. The hazard is when you are refilling them. There was a gentleman killed in Ohio in the last several years because they werent paying attention to the 6 and 12 year hydrotest dates on fire extinguishers. He hooked up an expired tank to his compressor and started adding the the required pressure (2,500psi?) and it exploded on his bench, killing him instantly. And I think it took a sizeable chunk of the roof off as well. So sad, and so preventable.

I think what Mike was getting at was that if you get a tank that's not expired (not the gas), then it will be refillable. I wish I had thought to check the one I got from Walmart (should have!). I'll be doing that in the future just so I'm able to get them refilled.

 

[76Too]

FWIW, I brought two long expired tanks to the Flying J off Thompson and they filled them both for me without even looking at the stupid dates. This AFTER I was denied by UHAUL just minutes earlier.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

FWIW, I brought two long expired tanks to the Flying J off Thompson and they filled them both for me without even looking at the stupid dates. This AFTER I was denied by UHAUL just minutes earlier.

Oh wow, I didn't realize they filled them there. That's not much farther than UHaul from me. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[223 Gunner]

I ran into this just the other day when I went back to U-Haul to have another tank refilled. They wouldn't fill it because the date on the tank was 07/10 and the U-Haul guy said they are only good for 10 years and I would have to go exchange mine. Are they ever re-certified? I went to Walmart and exchanged it, but the tank they gave me was even older - dated 06/07. So now presumably I'll have to exchange that one too when it runs out.

It's good to know that I am not the only person on here that has that kind of luck and experiences.

 

[Cameramonkey]

I think what Mike was getting at was that if you get a tank that's not expired (not the gas), then it will be refillable. I wish I had thought to check the one I got from Walmart (should have!). I'll be doing that in the future just so I'm able to get them refilled.

They can still be refilled after an inspection. Once the vessel is inspected, they cross out the old date and stamp in a new date.

 

[JettaKnight]

There's some sort of tag on them?

 

[dprimm]

The neck that protects the valve has the date stamped on them.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

They can still be refilled after an inspection. Once the vessel is inspected, they cross out the old date and stamp in a new date.

Well that's what I was wondering, but I didn't see any sign of that on the Walmart (AmeriGas) tank that I just got, dated 06/07. I highly doubt it's really been sitting for 13+ years since it's been filled, but I know U-Haul won't fill it.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

There's some sort of tag on them?

No tag on mine.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

The neck that protects the valve has the date stamped on them.

Yep, the "collar".

 

[Cameramonkey]

Yep, the "collar".

Like this.

More details
https://fosterfuels.com/blog/what-d...=Where Is the Expiry Date,the end of the date.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Like this.

More details
https://fosterfuels.com/blog/what-d...=Where Is the Expiry Date,the end of the date.

Thanks for that link! I found a second date (wasn't clear that's what it was, and it was running vertically instead of horizontally) of 07-19E - and per the article, that E means that it was recertified in July of 2019, so it should be good to go after all.

 

[dprimm]

I looked at the collar of the tank I am currently using and stamped in it said that the certification needed to be done at 12 years. I was surprised. Did not pull others out to see if they said that. I know a couple of them did not.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I looked at the collar of the tank I am currently using and stamped in it said that the certification needed to be done at 12 years. I was surprised. Did not pull others out to see if they said that. I know a couple of them did not.

The one I had filled at U-haul says that, but the one I exchanged at Walmart doesn't. Just different tank manufacturers I think.