Propane

[Justin727]

Does anyone prep by stocking up on some propane? I picked up some of the mini tanks at a good deal the other day. I figure in case of an emergency I can use those to cook on my mini coleman grill. If so, what do I need to know? I want to be sure they have a good shelf life. Or do they leak slowly overtime?

 

[Car Ramrod]

They may leak, but it's not very likely and if they did it would not be any significant amount. The way to ensure they stay full is to rotate them through and actually use them. Doing this will make sure you always have newer tanks stored that have potentially leaked out less gas.

 

[draketungsten]

I stock up a supply of them since I have equipment that use them for heat, cooking, and light.

However, I think Walmart has gone daft! They want $3.50 / bottle. Nuts to that. Target sells 2 packs for $5.34.

 

[trailman]

Propane is excellent to store, I have 16 20lb tanks, wife thinks I'm nuts. Collected them over the years, freecycle etc. once the tank hits it's test date just exchange it at lowes for a new one. I have a gas grill, smoker and camp chef stove plus a tabletop propane for regular cooking. Get one of the adapter hoses, a large tank is way more cost effective than the little bottles

 

[Clarity]

Propane is excellent to store, I have 16 20lb tanks, wife thinks I'm nuts. Collected them over the years, freecycle etc. once the tank hits it's test date just exchange it at lowes for a new one. I have a gas grill, smoker and camp chef stove plus a tabletop propane for regular cooking. Get one of the adapter hoses, a large tank is way more cost effective than the little bottles

I agree. I also sold my gas generator, and got a propane generator instead. Got tired of worrying whether my gas was any good, and wasn't disciplined about rotating it. Store up some 20# tanks instead.

 

[churchmouse]

We have a but load of the 2 pack stove bottles and a few of the large grill tanks with an adapter to run lanterns and stoves.

 

[jajwrigh]

I just have one 20# and like 10 or 12 1# tanks. I can run stoves, lanterns, and heaters with propane!

 

[mohrpork]

We made up a hose set that we use to fill our smaller cylinders from our main (1000 gl) tanks. Makes it a lot cheaper than trading them in.

 

[Huntrdan]

mohrpork.....How do you know when it is full?

 

[churchmouse]

mohrpork.....How do you know when it is full?

Scale.

I do this sometimes as well. Put the 1# can in ice and attach to the main tank. Have the container/ice/tank on a good scale and just watch it. When you gain a full measure of the weight you desire.....stop. You can do 20# tanks this way as well just be care full. Propane will go off with any spark.

 

[.356luger]

Scale.

I do this sometimes as well. Put the 1# can in ice and attach to the main tank. Have the container/ice/tank on a good scale and just watch it. When you gain a full measure of the weight you desire.....stop. You can do 20# tanks this way as well just be care full. Propane will go off with any spark.

Can you link your connections or put a picture of them up? Propane is used in a few very exotic refrigerant blends and given its "low pressure" ive wondered about just hooking my vacuum pump to the small tanks. I could then remove any moisture in them that might compromise the inside of the tank before filling. Probably an unnecessary step but hey if i can remove an extra variable and expedite the fill so be it.

Since the refill connections from what i have seen are brass i could pretty easily braze 15%/45% silver solder a 1/4" hose connection on.

 

[churchmouse]

Can you link your connections or put a picture of them up? Propane is used in a few very exotic refrigerant blends and given its "low pressure" ive wondered about just hooking my vacuum pump to the small tanks. I could then remove any moisture in them that might compromise the inside of the tank before filling. Probably an unnecessary step but hey if i can remove an extra variable and expedite the fill so be it.

Since the refill connections from what i have seen are brass i could pretty easily braze 15%/45% silver solder a 1/4" hose connection on.

I made all my stuff. Like you I am an HVAC tech (retired)
I came up with this as we used to be allowed to fill our refr. tanks in the shop from 125's.
We had a rig that was a tub full of water sitting on a shipping scale wrapped with copper and had a 1 hp cond. unit cooling the water. Turn it on for a bit to get the water below 40 deg. and pull a vac on the refr. tank. Put it in the water and hose up to the big tank. It would transfer rapidly.

If you pulled a vac on a 1 ld. tank and put it in cold water the transfer would be pretty quick and easy to overfill. Put the cold water container on a fgoor digital scale and just watch it. Easy peesy.

 

[Mgderf]

For all of you prepping, please remember this little piece of bullcrap.

Tanks of propane
Duct tape
Lithium batteries

are all considered to be precursors to the manufacturing of meth, and stocking these can end up with you being charged with intent to manufacture a controlled substance

It's a crap law, but it stands as the law as far as I know.

 

[usafmora]

I have 2 40lbs alum bottles and the hose to run all my grills and my garage heat just in case. I also keep 4 20lb tanks for others that can never remember to get their propane before the BBQ.

 

[churchmouse]

For all of you prepping, please remember this little piece of bullcrap.

Tanks of propane
Duct tape
Lithium batteries

are all considered to be precursors to the manufacturing of meth, and stocking these can end up with you being charged with intent to manufacture a controlled substance

It's a crap law, but it stands as the law as far as I know.

****em

 

[hntrroy]

we keep several of the one lb cylinders on hand. We have a small cook stove and a couple of lanterns that use them. We look for the sales and buy a few when ever we can. They are easy to store and quite reliable.

 

[glock212327]

Menards has the Coleman 1lb propane cylinders 4 for $9 so 2.25 a piece. Sale ends 12/8

 

[LockStocksAndBarrel]

I have several one pounders and an adapter to refill them from a 20 pounder. Got it on Sportsman's Guide. Have yet to use it. Still looking for a few 20 pounders at garage sales or CL. Supposed to be pretty easy to use. Chill the one pounder, hook it up to the 20, invert the 20, wait for one minute.

 

[Car Ramrod]

Menards has the Coleman 1lb propane cylinders 4 for $9 so 2.25 a piece. Sale ends 12/8

Home Depot has 4 packs for just over $10, and I believe it is the regular price.

 

[seamonster]

good info....I, too, have several smaller tanks and a few larger ones. Would like to learn more about the propane generator. Something to look into