Propane bottles

Gas bottles. How do you fill you gas bottles? or you just exchange them for full bottles ? I now have an adaptor for filling the (American White Gas Bottles). So I am hopping to be able to refill them, or have them refilled. They have some benefits over the gas bottles that we use in the U.K. Mainly weight but also the hoses have non return valves built in so if a gas pipe is not connected to a gas bottle the gas cannot escape. (This is mainly due to the type of change over valve that is used in American systems).
There are companies over here that sell refillable gas bottles that are for all intents and purposes the same as an American gas bottle. (80% shut off valve 10 year testing from new and slightly lighter weight). Does the size 30lb relate to the amount of gas the bottle should hold be fore the 80% cut out, if this is the case the bottle should hold about 26 litres of gas. Which at today’s prices will cost
£18.72. ($30.00) which will be a saving of about £6.28 ($10.00) per refill. Any info will be very welcome as I have not had any experience with gas bottles and of course there dangers.
Sean

Sean,
A lot of our campgrounds have propane tanks and will refill our tanks for a fee. Some are actually pretty reasonable.

We have a propane company near where we live, and Scruffy can take our tanks there to be refilled.

I don't know about weight, and Scruffy is out right now getting our auxilliary gas tank guage fixed.


Tater

sean: the 30 lb bottles that are on the wildcats will hold about 7.2 gallons of propane. on the collar of the bottlle is a figure with wc beside it which is the water capacity of the bottle. multiply that by .42 to get the weight and add it to the weight of the bottle which is about 30 lbs and that will give you the weight full of propane if they put it on the scales. theycan be filled both ways but most just charge so much for a 30 lb bottle. i think it is $20 in nw oklahoma. at the campground we worked at this summer it was $21 a bottle of $2.80 a gallon

Do I have to open the screw on the side of the valve to fill the bottle until vapor/liquid appears
Sean

i think it will shut off but i would open the screw until the vapor appears.

Wow. Propane is $3.50 here. Just filled today.

Sean you open the screw until vapor comes out.That is 80% full.
If it's a new tank it should be purged,here is a link for that.Better than me trying to explain it.
http://home.earthlink.net/~derekgore/rvroadiervfulltimingwhatisitreallylike/id45.html

I filled an empty #40 tank for $18.70 Man I got it made.

I just purchase LP gas delivered to the house for $2.19.9 a gallon.

Mopar_Earl wrote:Shouldn't have to open the vent screw on the OPD valve tanks. At least that's what I'm told and how the guys fill my tanks now. when the tank is full, it pushes the float up and stops the flow into the tank even if the vent is open. It dead heads the LP pump in a hurry when it does!


Earl

I've never seen that,Is there another device that lets the air pressure out when they are filling it?

When I worked at the KOA in Swannanoa, NC I had to take a short course on propane to be certified by the state of NC to examine, purge and fill propane tanks.

The proper procedure for filling one of our portable (as opposed to a fixed tank) tanks is a follows:

1. Inspect the tank for rust, date of manufacture and general condition.
2. Place the tank on the scale and set the weight to the proper tank filled weight.
3. Attach the filler nozzel (left and threads) and start the pump.
4. Open the tank valve and then open the filler hose valve.
5. As the tank is filling, open the vent screw on the side.
6. When liquid propane appears at the vent screw the tank is 80% full (this should coincide with the OPD device shutting off and the scale equalizing). Stop the flow of propane, close the vent screw and close the the tank valve.
7. Shut off the pump, disconnect the filler hose from the tank.
8. You've just filled a tank.

You would be surprised at the number of tanks that I've filled where the OPD valve didn't work properly. I've had to turn the tanks upside down and tap them on the safety rim to release the valve.

Properly, the person who fills the tank is not supposed to trust the OPD alone. Always use the vent screw.

On some tanks (100lb, forklift tanks, and fixed tanks in motor homes) you have to use the vent because there is no OPD device.

I just know that I would find the answer on the forum.
Just brilliant
Sean

I have now filled the 2 white American gas bottles that came with my Cat. I only filled with 20 litres in each to make sure there where no issues with the bottles, all seems to be OK. on next fill up I will go to the max and let the OPD do its work. cost saving to me filling these bottles was about £20.00 ($32.00) for the 2 not bad for an outlay of £30.00 ($48.00). so I am only one fill up from being in profit.
Sean

I work for a propane company.
You shuld always open the 10% valve when filling tanks.
That way you make shure not overfilling the tank, and releves pressure from tank when filling. The new OPD tanks have a flote valve inside But thats not to say that it may not work.