When transporting a gas grill in your SUV, make sure the gas is off.

[KahrMan]

2 minutes ago, Erik88 said:

I get nervous each time I have to transport one. It's basically a big bomb. This thread isn't helping my paranoia 

Whenever I get mine filled I drive with the windows down regardless of the weather.  There is no way I am going to let my vehicle fill up with propane if the canister is leaking.

[bersaguy]

I cook quite often on my gas grill and everytime I finish cooking I turn my gas off on the bottle and let it shut the burners down and then I turn them off. That way I know it is off. As far as getting tanks filled I don't take them to be filled. I go to Academy Sports and just exchange them for ones in the rack. That way you know your getting ones that don't leak and they have been in the rack for X amount of days and still full. I have found that in most cases Academy is normally cheaper than Walmart. When I exchange bottles I do 3 at a time.

[JAB]

I see this as the basis for a commercial for one or another brand/make of pickup truck:

(Scene of an SUV moving along leisurely on a country road)

If you are going for a nice drive in the country an SUV will do but if you really want to haul stuff...

(cut to scene of a pickup hauling lots of things in the bed)

...get a truck.

Edited August 16, 2017 by JAB

[JAB]

23 minutes ago, bersaguy said:

I cook quite often on my gas grill and everytime I finish cooking I turn my gas off on the bottle and let it shut the burners down and then I turn them off. That way I know it is off. As far as getting tanks filled I don't take them to be filled. I go to Academy Sports and just exchange them for ones in the rack. That way you know your getting ones that don't leak and they have been in the rack for X amount of days and still full. I have found that in most cases Academy is normally cheaper than Walmart. When I exchange bottles I do 3 at a time.

I turn my gas grill off the same way.  Of course, since I set up a sort of 'pioneer kitchen' in the yard I generally do my outdoor cooking/grilling over wood.  I think the cylinder for my gas grill has been empty for about two years, now.  I need to get it filled or exchange it just because gas grill cooking is so convenient.  I have to replace the grids before I can use it again, anyhow.

[monkeylizard]

2 hours ago, KahrMan said:

Whenever I get mine filled I drive with the windows down regardless of the weather.  There is no way I am going to let my vehicle fill up with propane if the canister is leaking.

Get a natural gas grill. Mine's hard-piped into the house gas lines. I'll never go back to the propane tanks.

[peejman]

4 hours ago, Omega said:

I could never own one of those, being retired military I just can't look past K.I.A.

Kia/Hyundai (same company) was one of my customers when I worked in the auto industry.  They were horrible to deal with, worse than the Italians.  Having seen their decision making process (or lack thereof), I don't think I could ever buy one. 

Their success as a car company is wholly attributable to Toyota, whose designs they blatantly copied, and Mercedes, whose styling they blatantly copied.  

[peejman]

5 hours ago, Omega said:

 

Edited August 16, 2017 by peejman
Double tap

[peejman]

2 hours ago, bersaguy said:

I cook quite often on my gas grill and everytime I finish cooking I turn my gas off on the bottle and let it shut the burners down and then I turn them off. That way I know it is off. As far as getting tanks filled I don't take them to be filled. I go to Academy Sports and just exchange them for ones in the rack. That way you know your getting ones that don't leak and they have been in the rack for X amount of days and still full. I have found that in most cases Academy is normally cheaper than Walmart. When I exchange bottles I do 3 at a time.

 

Its noticeably less expensive to refill a tank, about $10 compare to $20 for an exchange, and you usually get more propane with a refill than an exchange.  

Tanks less than 7 years old can be refilled. Each tank has a date stamped into the guard/handle around the valve.  When you exchange, dig through the rack and find the newest tank they have. 

When a tank is exchanged, it gets cleaned, leak checked, and proof tested. The proof test is much higher pressure than normal use, so a tank that's been exchanged a bunch of time has be subject to much higher pressure cycles than one that has just been refilled.  

[bersaguy]

Yea, I know about the expiration date learned it the hard way. I was getting ready to become somewhat of a prepper special ordered a brand new 60 Gallon Propane tank from Amazon and took it up to TSC and got it filled and put it back in corner for emergencies. Bought a heater to fit on it also. Well that was about 10 years ago and it is still full and never used but I found out when I do use it I cannot get it refilled. The tank was made in January of 02 so it is out of date by almost 7 years cause it says must be filled within 10 years of manufacture date. Even though it has only been filled 1 time it will be junk when I empty it. The heater also fits the grill tanks and I have 5 of those and when I put the last one on the grill I go get 4 more replacements so I never run out of Propane. You are correct about getting them refilled being cheaper but about 5 times a year Academy will put them on special for $12.95 and when they do I will take what empties I have and get new ones. If I begin to get low I will call them and ask when they will be having another special exchange I also have about 25 of the 2 lb bottles for my lanterns and camper cook stove in case something serious causes power outage. Every time I catch them on sale I will by a few more. I also bought all the camping stuff needed to cook with especially a coffee  pot. Just for giggles I made a few pots of coffee in it to kind of season it and I was impressed about how good the coffee was from the pot..........LOL  

[Ronald_55]

Look into one of the adaptors you can use to fill the 2lb bottles from larger bottle. Might be handy. Gotta be cheaper to fill them from tgd big bottle than buy them.

[Omega]

44 minutes ago, Ronald_55 said:

Look into one of the adaptors you can use to fill the 2lb bottles from larger bottle. Might be handy. Gotta be cheaper to fill them from tgd big bottle than buy them.

It's better, more expensive, but better to make your own valve.  I refill my bottles for a heater I use while hunting, I refill from my 20lb cylinders which saves me a whole bunch each season.  The DIY valve has a shutoff valve which lets you keep the large cylinder upside down until all bottles have been refilled. 

[monkeylizard]

Bersa, you can have the tank pressure tested if you ever want to fill it again. If it passes, the tester will stamp a new date into the metal. It's sometimes cheaper than buying a new tank, but of course that's only true if it passes. If it fails, you'll pay for the test and a new tank. For the smaller tanks, it's usually cheaper to get a new one.

 

[peejman]

27 minutes ago, monkeylizard said:

Bersa, you can have the tank pressure tested if you ever want to fill it again. If it passes, the tester will stamp a new date into the metal. It's sometimes cheaper than buying a new tank, but of course that's only true if it passes. If it fails, you'll pay for the test and a new tank. For the smaller tanks, it's usually cheaper to get a new one.

 

Yep. If it's been sitting inside a garage or shed and hasn't leaked down, it's not likely to fail. 

[Wingshooter]

I've just been doing the exchange. I have 3 tanks that I rotate through. I don't use that much, so it lasts a while. I keep 2 of them full at all times for emergency.

I always transport them in the back of my truck.

[bersaguy]

15 hours ago, monkeylizard said:

Bersa, you can have the tank pressure tested if you ever want to fill it again. If it passes, the tester will stamp a new date into the metal. It's sometimes cheaper than buying a new tank, but of course that's only true if it passes. If it fails, you'll pay for the test and a new tank. For the smaller tanks, it's usually cheaper to get a new one.

 

Can you tell me where to go to get it tested? I know a few companies that fill bottles but don't know if any of them will test the tanks? I know TSC won't, they just turn the tank down. I do have an Ameri-gas location not to far from me and have had tanks filled there a few times but the tanks all passed date test. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Bersa

[peejman]

 

2 hours ago, bersaguy said:

Can you tell me where to go to get it tested? I know a few companies that fill bottles but don't know if any of them will test the tanks? I know TSC won't, they just turn the tank down. I do have an Ameri-gas location not to far from me and have had tanks filled there a few times but the tanks all passed date test. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Bersa

It'll probably be easier to exchange them and pick out the newest tanks they have.  Then you can get those refilled for several years until they time out. Repeat as necessary. 

The date is on the guard/handle around the valve.  This one was made in January 1999. 

Edited August 17, 2017 by peejman

[bersaguy]

28 minutes ago, peejman said:

 

It'll probably be easier to exchange them and pick out the newest tanks they have.  Then you can get those refilled for several years until they time out. Repeat as necessary. 

The date is on the guard/handle around the valve.  This one was made in January 1999. 

I know but my primary issue is if I want to refill my 60 gallon tank it might be out of date and might need to get it tested and re-dated so it can be filled again. So need to know where I can get it tested when I empty it. It has only been filled 1 time when it was new.

[quietguy]

7 minutes ago, bersaguy said:

I know but my primary issue is if I want to refill my 60 gallon tank it might be out of date and might need to get it tested and re-dated so it can be filled again. So need to know where I can get it tested when I empty it. It has only been filled 1 time when it was new.

I would call Ameri-gas or a local welding supply.  

[monkeylizard]

^^^This.

Some SCUBA diving shops can also pressure test a tank. If there's one near you, give them a call.

[peejman]

Sorry, I was thinking grill tank and not something bigger. 

What they said.... call your local propane supply, welding supply, diving supply, or commercial gas bottle supply such as AirGas.