10 replies to this topic

[stlinch]

So I just went to fill 2 propane tanks. The guy walks up look at the first one and said he couldn't fill it because it was over 12 yrs old but could fill the other. No big deal took the tank to swap and got a tank with 7-10 as the manufacture date. The state busted them for filling old tanks 2 week ago. The fill was $17.50 the swap was $14.99. Most of the time it is only $12 for a fill.

Edited by stlinch, 28 August 2010 - 05:05 PM.

[MyaCullen]

So I just went to fill 2 propane tanks. The guy walks up look at the first one and said he couldn't fill it because it was over 12 yrs old but could fill the other. No big deal took the tank to swap and got a tank with 7-10 as the manufacture date. The state busted them for filling old tanks 2 week ago. The fill was $17.50 the swap was $14.99. Most of the time it is only $12 for a fill.

past the hydrotest date not supposed to fill em

[stlinch]

past the hydrotest date not supposed to fill em

The guy said it was the valve that "goes bad". I never thought about a hydo date.

[strangebrewer]

The guy said it was the valve that "goes bad". I never thought about a hydo date.

Was it a non OPD tank? I have ever had a guy look for a hydro test stamp on a cylinder of mine. However a non OPD tank is easy to spot and they definitely won't fill those.

[Mexas Joe]

I found a propane cylinder once that was SOOOO rusty. I just took it up to Walmart and did the blue rhino thing. Some kid swapped it out for me no problem! He even said "man that sure is an old cylinder". I know that thing was way over the date. My advice is go swap it out at some store that doesn't know any different.

Was it a non OPD tank? I have ever had a guy look for a hydro test stamp on a cylinder of mine. However a non OPD tank is easy to spot and they definitely won't fill those.

Agree. Just swap out an old tank at one of those Blue Rhino places. You can swap out an old empty tank for a newer one that is full for less than 20 bones. A brand new empty tank from Sams is just over 20 bones.

[stlinch]

Was it a non OPD tank? I have ever had a guy look for a hydro test stamp on a cylinder of mine. However a non OPD tank is easy to spot and they definitely won't fill those.

No it had a OPD. They did fill none opd tanks for a long time. The only reason I when to a swap out the first time I heard that they were stopping to swap out tanks that did not have the OPD. This was the first time anyone had ever look at the date on my tanks.

[Deerslyr]

Yeah, I made the mistake of swapping out a purchased one at a Blue Rhino one about 3 or so years ago. Then I found ACE filles them for less than the exchange. I took the tanks in a couple of weeks ago and was informed that I have one expiring next year. When it's through, I'm taking it to a Rhino BEFORE it expires to get a different one.IIRC, though, you can have the re-certified. Not sure what they do, but I remember my BIL had to and after whatever they did, they put a new date on it.

[Kremer]

The 12 year thing is bogus... That's the initial certification period for a new tank, after that they get get tested and date stamped just like a CO2 tank. Recerts for propane are good for 6 years I think. As long as it keeps getting tested and stamped and passes it is legal to fill.The swap upcharge is definitely cheaper than getting the tank tested yourself. I get mine filled, not swapped, but when one comes due for test I do the blue rhino ripoff and make sure to get a clean rust free tank with as new a date on it as I can find. Then rip the label off right away and go on having it filled at the hardware store.

[Kremer]

Just looked around, it's 5 year retest after the initial 12 from manufacture, not 6.

[InkJunkie]

last old tank i had, i just took to the welding supply shop and they swapped out for a newer tank and tested, re certified it.