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Knowing how savvy most of the folks here I am assuming this is already pretty much common knowledge to most so consider this more a rant just to vent.
While preparing to leave on a recent RV camping trip I needed to make sure my RV propane tanks were full. Since I knew there was still some gas in both of them but not exactly sure how much I decided to go get them refilled rather than do 2 propane tank exchanges. It's been at least 15 years since I actually had a tank refilled. Very few places do it anymore and you can find a propane tank exchange location almost anywhere there's a 7-11 or a grocery store.
Anyway... I had my 2 RV tanks topped off and another I knew to be completely empty refilled. This one only cost me $20.00 and I got a full 20 pounds ( 4 gallons ) of propane. Exchange tanks only have 15 pounds ( approx. 3 gallons ) and usually cost between $19.00 to $24.00 . I think about all those exchanges I did over the years and wonder how much that cost me. What a rip off !
I had to go off the main road and travel a back road that was also on the way to my destination for work one day to find a place that would do a refill for me. Most other places that are near me are usually closed by the time I get home and are not open on the weekend.

Convenience can cost!

oldbandnerd wrote:It's been at least 15 years since I actually had a tank refilled. Very few places do it anymore and you can find a propane tank exchange location almost anywhere there's a 7-11 or a grocery store.

I wonder if that's a matter of locale? I've never heard of a tank exchange, but refill options include a nearby Chevron station and most or all U-Haul locations.

The fill places aren't all equal, though. Most U-Haul guys will religiously bleed the tank while filling, at the Chevron they never bother. (It's the same to me, I can't tell any difference.) One of the U-Haul locations never had the right adapter for one of my tanks, etc.

For a few years it was convenient for me to carry my tank to a marina, in the back of my kayak. I think those places still fill tanks too.

One of my 'jobs' each year to help out The Town is to prepare fish fryers for what we call 'Fiddler Fest'. We use propane to fire up multiple burners under large rectangular fryers. We buy three large bottles of propane for the three fryers plus one to have as a 'spare'. For years now the propane company has never allowed returning any of the bottles for partial credit. It seems to be one of those businesses that doesn't really give much of a damn since they monopolize the area.

Wayne...... A 20 pound tank cost me $20 for a complete refill. So
...... $40 for 40 pounds ?

Why does the tank need to be bleed while filling?

The whole business model for this often seems mysterious and screwy to me. I think it may depend on whether the "provider" is selling mostly to "rural" people or "suburban" people.

I've never actually thought of getting the small tanks refilled rather than swapping them at the Lowes (usually); but now I'll think about it. There are two places in town that refill tanks: both feed/farm supply stores. I also take my 100 lb tank to them for refilling.

A few years ago I installed a gas heater in my garage for the colder winter days and to help the electric heater since the garage isn't insulated much. When I did that I tried to get a 100 gal. tank that I could get refilled by a truck from the gas supply place. Couldn't make it happen. They professed interest, but I just couldn't get any of several services in the area to actually come by and do it. Finally I just went with my 100 lb tank that I have to lug in for refills every year or two (depending on coldness of winter). I'd prefer to avoid that since I ain't getting any younger, but I just got too frustrated to chase these guys continually in order to give them my business.

We have places all over town, with a pretty wide variety of prices. I opted for the Ace Hardware which bleeds the tanks properly and has one of the lower prices around. Since I use 20# propane tanks year round, I never even considered doing trades and always have done fills. Will get the almost-empty one re-filled today or tomorrow prior to heading to my 8000 foot summer location on Saturday.

the elephant wrote:

There's a place near me with a whole lot full of those, so I think they DO exchange them. Oddly enough, it's next to a giant fireworks store.