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Have you refilled those little disposable propane tanks with a propane refill kit like this before?


Stevo

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Stevo,

My question to you is, Why would want to do such a thing?

Do you use use a bazillion of those small propane bottles each year?

Or, are you on an extreme buget?

I'm not trying to be awise guy. It is simply, that I may use up only a couple of those small bottles per year. And, they are not that expensive.

-Riverman77

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The one in your link will work, but you won't be able to fill the tank all the way. ( not full as in to the top, but full as in about 1lb)

I made my own, Almost identical to the one in this article. Before you start re-filling, make sure there is no pressure in the 1lb bottle.

Refill Disposable LP bottle

My usual warning - If you are not aware of the risks associated with doing this, and have mitigated those risks. then you probably shouldn't do this. Again, "BOOM" is the word to remember.

JOhn Mc

88 Dolphin 4 Auto

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I'm just checking this out because I might be using more of these in the near future, and this is cheap, and refilling means less of them in the landfills. :-)

Stevo,

My question to you is, Why would want to do such a thing?

Do you use use a bazillion of those small propane bottles each year?

Or, are you on an extreme buget?

I'm not trying to be awise guy. It is simply, that I may use up only a couple of those small bottles per year. And, they are not that expensive.

-Riverman77

Hey thanks for providing that link. I have a couple questions please...

1) I read somewhere that putting the bottles in the freezer for a while before refilling reduces the pressure. Do you do that or do you make sure the bottles are completely empty by pushing the relief valve with a tire valve stem remover?

2) I assume the risk of BOOM goes away if you push down on the relief valve every few seconds with your tire valve stem remover until you see liquid propane come out, right?

The one in your link will work, but you won't be able to fill the tank all the way. ( not full as in to the top, but full as in about 1lb)

I made my own, Almost identical to the one in this article. Before you start re-filling, make sure there is no pressure in the 1lb bottle.

Refill Disposable LP bottle

My usual warning - If you are not aware of the risks associated with doing this, and have mitigated those risks. then you probably shouldn't do this. Again, "BOOM" is the word to remember.

JOhn Mc

88 Dolphin 4 Auto

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I fill probably 6 a year. the risk of BOOM never goes away, but the risk can be minimized if you know what they are, and takes steps to reduce them. i.e. I refill mine outside, downwind from the house, and on a windy day.

The valve on top is for overpressure. Pull it to open the valve.

DO NOT fill the tank until liquid squirts out this valve, if you do, you are Way overfilled, and there may not be enough room in the bottle to allow for expansion when the LP warms up,.

Cooling the disposable will not help, but bleeding off any pressure will help a lot. the disposable should be empty, with no pressure inside. , A warm BBQ tank will have a higher pressure and allow more liquid to flow into the disposable. Room temperature,

After you fill a couple, you'll get a feel for how much liquid you can get in the disposable.

Regarding the overpressure valve, If you use a pair of needle nose (wear a rubber glove) pull the center out to vent vapor, this will lower the pressure in the disposable and then the BBQ will push more liquid into the disposable.

I use a small scale to weigh the disposable (weight it empty and weigh it full) Try not to put more than 1lb of LP in the disposable. A little over won't hurt, but if its a lot, drain or bleed off some liquid.

AGAIN - DO NOT fill the disposable until liquid squirts out the overpressure valve. This is way to much liquid.

Heres another good link, Remember BOOM is the operative work. Know the risks, mitigate the risks.

JOhn Mc

88 Dolphin 4 Autp

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That link you gave me before specifically said to fill until a little propane comes out. Dang, if there is always the possibility of BOOM then why is it worth the risk to you? Do you hide behind a steel shield and use robotic arms to do the job?

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All though I have no ideal how any one would ever know it is illegal to transport refilled 1# cylinders.

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Stevo,

I liked your 3:12PM post best (2 posts above). You questioned the 'worth and the risks' of refilling a small $3.00 propane tank.

I would urge you to do lots of homework, prior to attempting something so dangerous (& perhaps illegal).

I am a NDE surviver. A few years back, an accident nearly cost my life. Now days, I enjoy life more to the fullest

and (for reasons of experience) take less unnecessary risks, in everything I do.

-Riverman77

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Dang, if there is always the possibility of BOOM then why is it worth the risk to you? Do you hide behind a steel shield and use robotic arms to do the job?

Stevo,

I guess thats the lawyer talk coming out in me, you can never be 100% safe and secure. Life is risky and in every case, winds up in death. Know the risks, mitigate the risks, and move forward. It sounds like your doing the homework and learning what the risks are, how to mitigate them, and then you'll make an intelligent decision based on your abilities and information.

Many will analysis the risks as "being to dangerous" and their method of mitigating the risk is "don't refill the bottle". Thats perfectly acceptable, for them.

On the other hand, there will be those who will be doing this at their kitchen table, while baking a pie in the oven, and a pot of water boiling on the stove, while smoking a cigarrette. Whats nice about those folks, they usually remove themselves from the gene pool early in life :-(

For me, I'm aware of the risks, flammable liquid, sparks, vented area, how LP behaves vapor vs liquid, how LP behaves with temperature (expansion), etc, etc, If anyone can think of any other risks, please post them.

When I fill mine, I do it outside on the picnic table, I like to do it when the wind is blowing a little just to make sure any vapor is dispersed. I also wear a thin rubber glove when I hold the vent open, more for cold vapor blowing on my hand, than anything else.

I believe the "Fill until Liquid comes out the vent" is reference to the tank being sideways. If the tank is vertical and you fill until it blows out the vent, this is to full. When I fill mine, the fill level is about 1 or 2 inches below the vent gives me about 1 lb.

I use the 1lb as backup for my heater (They last about 8 hours on low heat and about 3 hours on high heat). Also for my propane tourch during the winter to start the fireplace. and a propane lamp. I have probably 8 or 10 around the house at any time I carry 3 or 4 in the Toyhouse, When they are empty I put them in the shed until I get 1/2 dozen, then on a nice day, I do the re-fill gig..

John Mc

88 Dolphin 4 Auto

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What does "NDE" mean?

EDIT: Ahhh, Near Death Experience! I had one of those when I was 24 (tunnel to white light and merged with the Universal, etc.) but it wasn't technically an NDE because I wasn't almost dying. Mystics call it Cosmic Consciousness. Anyway, to this day I feel privileged to have had that experience and have no fear of the transition known as "death". On the other hand, as risky as some of my passions are in life, I don't do the gnarly stuff until I have fully researched it and know what I'm getting into.

Stevo,

I liked your 3:12PM post best (2 posts above). You questioned the 'worth and the risks' of refilling a small $3.00 propane tank.

I would urge you to do lots of homework, prior to attempting something so dangerous (& perhaps illegal).

I am a NDE surviver. A few years back, an accident nearly cost my life. Now days, I enjoy life more to the fullest

and (for reasons of experience) take less unnecessary risks, in everything I do.

-Riverman77

Edited by Stevo
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I do alot of boon docking and use aroud 4-5 small tanks a trip so I fill the small tanks all the time. As with even driving out old rigs we face danger that's life but you can minimize the danger. Thouroughly check the tank before filling and after I submerge min in a sink of watter to double check for leaks. I also fill them less then full so although they don't last as long I feel safer.The only critical failure I've had with a small tank was with a new one from a store that went boom (not one I filled)... Also do your home work and decide if you feel comfortable with the risks and rewards, I save around $20 a trip by filling my own tanks which is like a half tank of fuel for my rig.

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What happened when the tank went boom? Did it explode into pieces or did the top blow off?

How do you know how much to fill it? Do you carefully weigh the tank before, during and after the fill up like "waiter" so you get just right amount in it?

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I fill them horizontally and don't pull the preasure reliefe pin. I'm fairly good at judging it from practice. While camping at 4am I ran out of propane in my heater so I decided to replace it. I unknowingly had a bad tank from wal mart which leaked when I plugged it into my heater ( I later found a small hole in the neck of the tank, I then lit the heater not knowing and was engulfed in a large fireball (we were in a tent at that time) was scary putting out the fire in my clothes and my leg/arm hair was gone. Lesson learned look listen and smell before lighting all appliances.

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A LESSON FOR ALL AND GLAD YOU ARE ALL OK. I HAVE HAD Some of those brand new and took them off a lantern and the valve would not seal propane pouring out only put on a lantern once used half .

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  • 3 months later...

in a tent? so that is why gas & propane devices always say don't use in tents or indoors etc etc.

At least light them outside & have them where they don't get touched & where they can be kicked outside.

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