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groingo
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# Posted: 24 May 2015 10:53am
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My Propane prices have been dropping like a rock the past month from $2.79 to $1.59 a gallon, how bout you?
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Bancroft bound
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# Posted: 24 May 2015 11:07am
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Don't say anything.......
You'll jinx it!!!!!!
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creeky
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# Posted: 24 May 2015 11:46am
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i've got two empty 100lbers. Time to fill up. thx
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Malamute
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# Posted: 24 May 2015 01:44pm - Edited by: Malamute
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I havent checked, I should.
Keep in mind, taking bottles in to be filled is more expensive than having an on-site tank filled. I was limping along with taking smaller bottles in and filling them until I could afford to get the minimum fill in the tank. I was shocked at the difference in price. Perhaps it isnt that much different in other areas, but it was HUGE in my area.
I have one of the smaller on-site tanks, 250 gallon. Actual fill is 80%, meaning 200 gallons. That lasts me about a year for my bathroom water heater and kitchen stove. Tank rent is about $40/year. All in all, its way[b][/b] cheaper than using bottles.
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drb777
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# Posted: 24 May 2015 07:55pm
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I've found many propane bottle-fillers in my area (central US)charge a flat rate to fill a bottle, even if it isn't completely empty. But I've heard that rural coop's tend to only charge by the gallon pumped into your bottle. Also, the smaller the bottle the higher the price. For me, the best price on a 20lb exchange always seems to be at Walmart. BTW, a 100lb bottle is exempt from the OPD since it isn't considered to be a normal consumer size.
Concerning LPG price trends, since propane is a natural gas plant product, price values upstream are at a 6 year low and consumption is much higher in the winter, you should see retail propane prices stay rather low until Fall or fundamentals change significantly.
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Malamute
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# Posted: 24 May 2015 08:06pm - Edited by: Malamute
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The local company has a meter on the line. They only charge for what they put in the bottle. At times theyve weighed them, I think the meter may have been down at the time.
I was doing the bottle exchange at walmart. Doing rough math in my head, it seemed to come out about double per month of use what I expected to pay from when I use my big tank. If you dont use much, it wouldnt be that big of a deal. Somebody here mentioned their large bottle lasted a year or more.
The propane companies also have a smaller on-site tank, I think its a 100 gal size. I used one for my motor home for a couple winters while building cabins. It looks just like the larger on-site tanks but doesnt have the same regs about situating it and hose/line type etc. I quickly decided I didnt like messing with taking bottles to town after getting the 100 gal tank and not having to do anything but call the propane company to get it filled.
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old243
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# Posted: 24 May 2015 09:58pm
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In Ontario, I had a 100 pounder recertified , including new valve , purged for 30.00. The cost for the propane was 65.00. My total bill was 114.00 Canadian, including tax. Last year I paid 90.00 for a refill, if I remember, correctly This was at Sparling propane a wholesaler. old243
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creeky
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# Posted: 25 May 2015 08:03am
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I'm going to have to search more for propane suppliers. I paid 100 bucks a 100 lb fill all winter. Better than last year. 135.
I did look into getting the big tanks installed. But they want 140/yr rental here. It would be a lot more convenient so I'll think on it some. I can't get anyone to come out for the 100s. Claim they don't have the tank adapters on the trucks. Might have to find one.
Still. Miserable two winters what with the arctic vortex. Last winter I used 9 fills. 900 bucks in propane, two adventures in Sunday night dashes to the propane store, and a face cord and a half of wood. Considering that's the entire annual cost for heat and hot water, not so bad.
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old243
Member
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# Posted: 25 May 2015 09:10am
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Creeky , I think you are in Ontario, Don't know if you own your own 100 lb tanks . We do , for our hunt camp. Keep your eyes open you can get an empty one . and if date expired , get it updated. I just had one done for 30.00 then good for 10 years. You then just pay for propane not ,tank rental. Also asked , how many 100 lb tanks can you legally haul in Ontario upright, reply was 5. Hope this is useful. old243
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Malamute
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# Posted: 25 May 2015 11:42am
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Wow! $140/year for tank rental is brutal!
The 100 gal tank I had wasnt the portable one, it looked like the larger tanks, and filled the same. I know around here they wont fill portable bottles from the truck.
Have you checked to see if theres another propane outfit that rents tanks for less?
I dont recall the price difference, but I think bottles were about $1.00/gal higher cost for the propane than on-site tanks.
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Gary O
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# Posted: 25 May 2015 12:15pm
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....and I thought the little country store just down the road from us was just bein' friendly
(they never post their propane prices)
Two 20 LBers filled for less than forty bucks...pretty sure, I bought chips n' beer too...oh, and ice
...maybe it was sixty
never mind
just glad to have propane within 5 miles
whatever it was, I'd pay more
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creeky
Member
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# Posted: 25 May 2015 01:00pm
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thx old243. I have 3 that I own and am on the hunt for at least one more. So when the heat goes out on Sunday at 10:00 pm (propane store is open till 11) and the trailer isn't hooked up to the truck I don't have to a) get out of bed, b) get dressed c) drive like an andretti to the propane store.
Malamute. I'm going to be looking into cheaper ways to get propane. But, really. I fill all three to start the season. And then it's not so bad. This winter it should only be 8 fills. maybe even 7. So I go into town once every couple of weeks anyway. Not a big deal.
I'm also looking at "biomass" heat. I'll have more detail on this later this fall. But it looks like my bokashi inoculate ( ) can also be used to digest straw bales and create heat.
One experiment at a time right.
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darz5150
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# Posted: 25 May 2015 10:39pm
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I get a 100 lb. tank filled for $57 bucks at a year round campground that's only about 4 miles away. Its cheaper than what he charges for the 20 pounders..usually he charges $17 or $18 bucks for those.
I usually keep 2 of the 100# tanks and six 20# tanks for back up or to run Mr. Heaters or torpedo heaters etc. but I have a 250 gallon main tank, and I just locked in a contract for $1.51 per gallon. Contract is good til next April.
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darz5150
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# Posted: 25 May 2015 10:59pm
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Do any of you refill the 1 lb. bottles ? I bought an adaptor a few years ago but never could get them to fill all the way.
Then I read an article that said to turn your big tank upside down, so you actually transfer the liquid not just gas. I never got much of a fill up before I tried that.
I turn the BBQ tank upside down, then connect the small tank and fill til it stops. Then close the tank valve and unscrew the little bottle. I turn the little bottle right side up, then use a screw driver to push the valve down and purge a little gas out, then do it all over again 2 or 3 times. I can get an almost complete fill on the small bottle that way. I can fill it up to where it weighs almost the same as a new bottle from the store.
This saves me a lot of money because we use propane lanterns all the time.
I think the filler adaptor cost about $15 bucks, so its already paid for itself.
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drb777
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# Posted: 26 May 2015 10:41am
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The trick, if you will, to filling-up one of the 1 lb disposable bottles is to put it in the freezer before filling. Then it's actually rather easy to over-fill, so be careful. I've heard that technically it's illegal to transport a re-filled 1 lb disposable across state lines? For most folks it's too dangerous and not worth the money to refill the disposable 1 lb's. I have little 5 and 10 lb bottles for special applications that I am able to re-fill rather easily using the up-side-down & freezer method. But still, for most consumers, refilling LPG bottles themselves isn't worth the risk and small amount saved.
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morock
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# Posted: 26 May 2015 09:44pm
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I had two 20 lb tanks filled for $18 this spring at costco in Ottawa ON. I had the guy double check, cuz I thought he was joking with me. One of them was bone dry too. Last year was around $36 for the same.
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JJHess
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# Posted: 27 May 2015 09:48pm
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My neighbor is a propane guy. He just told me yesterday that he had his 1000gal tank filled for $1/gal, and heard that is an outfit charging .89 for a 300gal minimum. I have a brand new 500gal at the house that I'm getting filled next week.
Hard to believe 2 years ago propane was nearly $4/gal!
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old243
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# Posted: 27 May 2015 10:16pm
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Checked propane price today at our local co-op. They quoted 100.00 for a 100 pound refill, plus tax. Up the road last week was 65.00 plus tax. I guess it pays to look around. Have 2 empties , that are going to get refilled, shortly. I see that some folks are quoting , propane by the gallon, how many gallons does a 100 pounder hold? what does a gallon of propane weigh? I am assuming these are US gallons. Canucks will likely be buying by the litre. old243
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drb777
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# Posted: 27 May 2015 10:29pm
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Propane weighs 4.2 ppg in liquid form. So a 100 lb bottle will hold up to about 23 gal. w/o an OPD device. Typically, w/ an OPD the float shut-off limits the fill to only about 80% of total tank capacity.
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darz5150
Member
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# Posted: 27 May 2015 10:38pm
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100# cylinder holds 23.6 gallons.
That is for Worthington cylinders.
According to the chart I have, a 20# BBQ tank holds 4.7 gals.
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