OT: Any Blackstone owners use Blue Rhino exchange tanks?: OT

RRP

Just saw a Lowes ad of $14.82 for a 15 pounder. Seems cheap, but honestly I do not know - is there a deposit on the tank?

CtTOPGUN

 Not if you leave your empty tank with them. It is an exchange program although you can buy the 15# filled tanks from them outright if you have no current tank to turn in.

RRP

CtTOPGUN said:

 Not if you leave your empty tank with them. It is an exchange program although you can buy the 15# filled tanks from them outright if you have no current tank to turn in.

Thanks - like how much? I still would like one of those camper-style 4.25 pounders but I just can't pull the trigger for the ridiculous 50 bucks!

SGH

RRP said:

Just saw a Lowes ad of $14.82 for a 15 pounder. Seems cheap, but honestly I do not know - is there a deposit on the tank?

Ron, you buy the initial tank and then turn it in when empty. The buy in price varies from place to place. It's usually somewhere between 29.99 - 49.99. 
After that you simply swap the empty tank for a full one and pay the current price of propane whatever it may be. 
There are several companies doing the tank exchanges now. Blue Rhino, Amerigas, Uni Flame come right to mind. Also from what I have seen, they all take each other's tank. If you have a Blue Rhino you can turn it in at Amerigas, etc, etc.
Our local Piggly Wiggly carries the Uni Flame brand. They are usually a little cheaper than Blue Rhino and Amerigas. 

RRP

SGH said:

RRP said:

Just saw a Lowes ad of $14.82 for a 15 pounder. Seems cheap, but honestly I do not know - is there a deposit on the tank?

Ron, you buy the initial tank and then turn it in when empty. The buy in price varies from place to place. It's usually somewhere between 29.99 - 49.99. 
After that you simply swap the empty tank for a full one and pay the current price of propane whatever it may be. 
There are several companies doing the tank exchanges now. Blue Rhino, Amerigas, Uni Flame come right to mind. Also from what I have seen, they all take each other's tank. If you have a Blue Rhino you can turn it in at Amerigas, etc, etc.
Our local Piggly Wiggly carries the Uni Flame brand. They are usually a little cheaper than Blue Rhino and Amerigas. 

Thanks - and to think I gave away 2 full 22 pounders years ago when I got my first egg!

caliking

The new empty tanks are often available at Costco and Sam's Club, for less than what most Lowes/HD/grocery stores charge.

odie91

Find a $5 tank on Craigslist, then go exchange it.  That's what I did.   It's Amazing how cheap propane refills are getting these days.  

DoubleEgger

The exchange is a great way to trade in your old crappy rusty tanks. 

fishlessman

you need connections, i probably have 3, maybe more if i looked around. the dump probably has a pile of them. ive never bought one. they come on free gas grills, i have a couple of those

DoubleEgger

Remember if you're looking for a memorable shutoff valve location, @northGAcock can help you out. 

Jupiter Jim

I have taken ones I find on trash piles and trade them in for blue rhino, even out of date tanks with old style valves. I really like free!

cazzy

I have about 5 propane tanks.  I use one for my weed burner and 3 for other products.  I fill them up at Costco or Uhaul and it definitely works out cheaper than the exchange programs.  Less convenient, but definitely cheaper.

fishlessman

ron, just take a walk around the neighborhood and ask around, they take pretty much anything for an exchange. someone has a couple old ones in the shed that they dont know what to do with. just looked behind my dumpster here at work and theres a couple under the old trailer that were disposed of there. made a couple woodstoves from them a few years ago and now theres more.

SGH

cazzy said:

Less convenient, but definitely cheaper.

Agree, it's definitely cheaper but less convenient. Most of the time that I run out of propane is at night when you can't get them filled. It's nice to be able to run to Piggly Wiggly, Walmart, etc, etc and grab a tank. It's definitely the convenience that justifies the end, not the price. 

kl8ton

SGH said:

cazzy said:

Less convenient, but definitely cheaper.

Agree, it's definitely cheaper but less convenient. Most of the time that I run out of propane is at night when you can't get them filled. It's nice to be able to run to Piggly Wiggly, Walmart, etc, etc and grab a tank. It's definitely the convenience that justifies the end, not the price. 

Yep! I am usually halfway through cooking breakfast or dinner on the blackstone when i run out.  I grab my spare, and that is out too!  Off I go to exchange at the closest gas station to keep breakfast or dinner rolling!

RRP

fishlessman said:

ron, just take a walk around the neighborhood and ask around, they take pretty much anything for an exchange. someone has a couple old ones in the shed that they dont know what to do with. just looked behind my dumpster here at work and theres a couple under the old trailer that were disposed of there. made a couple woodstoves from them a few years ago and now theres more.

good idea! With the 4th coming up and all the stores advertising new gassers, I bet someone in the neighborhood will be kicking an old gasser's butt to the curb before then! I'll grab a Cresent wrench and become one of a "trashers" who scour our streets ahead of the garbage truck!

WeberWho

I used to exchange out my 20lb propane tank for my weed burner since it only needed to be replaced every 1.5 years.

Now with the Blackstone I get them filled at the local gas station. It seems like I'm getting my two 20lb tanks for my Blackstone filled once a month. I can't complain as it's only $26 for two tanks. 

I just listed 12 empty 1# Coleman propane bottles on Craigslist this afternoon. Dang portable weed burner.

northGAcock

DoubleEgger said:

Remember if you're looking for a memorable shutoff valve location, @northGAcock can help you out. 

LOL.....put it where you need it. Kind of a solution to perhaps a problem very few have.

Sonny3

I have 7 tanks at my place.  Outdoor heaters, Blackstone 36" and 17" (for the RV), gas fire pit and weed burner are my usage.  I have accumulated them over the years.  I have them filled at the local hardware store and find it much cheaper than going the exchange route.  Also if I found one out of date that they won't fill, I just exchange it through the Blue Rhino deal and I am good to go for another few years.

RRP

WeberWho said:

I used to exchange out my 20lb propane tank for my weed burner since it only needed to be replaced every 1.5 years.

Now with the Blackstone I get them filled at the local gas station. It seems like I'm getting my two 20lb tanks for my Blackstone filled once a month. I can't complain as it's only $26 for two tanks. 

I just listed 12 empty 1# Coleman propane bottles on Craigslist this afternoon. Dang portable weed burner.

Huh? Those empty 1 pound bombs have value? I've pitched 4 in the trash already! 

HeavyG

RRP said:

WeberWho said:

I used to exchange out my 20lb propane tank for my weed burner since it only needed to be replaced every 1.5 years.

Now with the Blackstone I get them filled at the local gas station. It seems like I'm getting my two 20lb tanks for my Blackstone filled once a month. I can't complain as it's only $26 for two tanks. 

I just listed 12 empty 1# Coleman propane bottles on Craigslist this afternoon. Dang portable weed burner.

Huh? Those empty 1 pound bombs have value? I've pitched 4 in the trash already! 

They might. They do sell adapters so they can be refilled from a 20lb propane tank so there might be some demand for them.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

cazzy said:

I have about 5 propane tanks.  I use one for my weed burner and 3 for other products.  I fill them up at Costco or Uhaul and it definitely works out cheaper than the exchange programs.  Less convenient, but definitely cheaper.

And these are actually 20 lb tanks, not 15. If you have them filled you will get 20+ lbs of gas for way less than the 15lb exchange price. 

BulletGrillHouse

I do exchange some but agree it is better to get filled at our local welding shop, get more gas for a lower price

The Cen-Tex Smoker

I exchange a lot too for the sake of convenience but try to fill when
i can.  

nolaegghead

100#

SGH

nolaegghead said:

100#

Of anus?

nolaegghead

Of yo momma!

The Cen-Tex Smoker

SGH said:

nolaegghead said:

100#

Of anus?

That is a $hit ton of anus

SGH

Ron, for the sake of accuracy I add an addendum here. Above I said "Uni Flame", however that was inaccurate. Upon farther review it is actually Mighty Flame that Piggly Wiggly carries. Just thought I would rectify the error.  

ColtsFan

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

SGH said:

nolaegghead said:

100#

Of anus?

That is a $hit ton of anus

How much does a $hit ton weigh? That's always been the debate in Indiana

WeberWho

RRP said:

WeberWho said:

I used to exchange out my 20lb propane tank for my weed burner since it only needed to be replaced every 1.5 years.

Now with the Blackstone I get them filled at the local gas station. It seems like I'm getting my two 20lb tanks for my Blackstone filled once a month. I can't complain as it's only $26 for two tanks. 

I just listed 12 empty 1# Coleman propane bottles on Craigslist this afternoon. Dang portable weed burner.

Huh? Those empty 1 pound bombs have value? I've pitched 4 in the trash already! 

HeavyG nailed it. They can be refilled with an adapter. I'm keeping 6 of them. I have had interest in them already on Craigslist