Propane Tanks?

[karoc]

Cost of new 250 gal tank is 1800.00 plus taxes. At my age I don’t see me getting full benefits of new.
In and around my area there are lot used tanks for sale. If you go by looks there are some that does look new and some that might make good bbq pit. I know there is a tag w/#’s but don’t know what they mean. What do I need focus on to find a good tank that will pass inspection?
Propane company is coming out Friday @135.00 charge to spot good location and for filling the tank. To make suggestions on line size and line materials. I sure would like to have little understanding before the company comes out. Thanks for any propane guidance.

 

[larry4406]

Can’t help you with the used tank option.

Our propane contractor in my area uses the following to determine tank location options

Propane tank set backs:
20’ well
20’ septic
10’ structure
20’ property line
120’ fill hose max from truck

EDIT - the above applies to 1000 gallon buried tanks as that’s all we offer on new construction homes if on propane.

 

[BillK]

The first thing you probably need to do is ask the propane supplier what their policy is on used tanks.

 

[PCustoms]

Any used tank is going to require testing/cert. Ask ahead, how much?

What is "at your age"? If you plan to use 1 propane supplier "leasing" a tank may be best option.

 

[manwithtools]

Many propane companies will lease a tank to you at a very reasonable cost if you use them to fill the tank regularly.

 

[PCustoms]

Many propane companies will lease a tank to you at a very reasonable cost if you use them to fill the tank regularly.

Around here they drop the tank at "no charge", but you're locked into their pricing.

I hate my supplier, but their pricing is cheapest.

I'm in the same boat as OP, the roi for buying a tank hasn't checked out. Plan to take another look this summer.

 

[JeepYJ]

If you buy a used tank you’ll need to have a certificate of ownership or some type of paperwork showing that the tank really belongs to you and is not a leased tank from another company, even if you bought it from someone.
I bought a used tank on Craigslist, the guy dropped it off at my house. A local privately owned LP company came out and unhooked the old and moved it and hooked it up and filled it. You will probably find a smaller company will be easier to work with than one of the large regional or national chains.

 

[manwithtools]

Another thing to ask the propane supplier is will they install a remote monitoring device on the tank? That's a nice feature to have, you don't have to self monitor the tank and call for a refill, they do it automatically. That's really nice so you don't accidently run out, many companies will charge extra for an "emergency" refill.

 

[gungatim]

Around here the propane suppliers all supply the tank. If you don't like the pricing and decide to switch, they will come out with a remote controlled machine to move the old and place the new.

Pricing almost never varies by much except for whatever first time customer deal they happen to have. so it's rarely worth switching.

Also they won't remove the old tank unless it's 95% empty, which means it will end up sitting in your yard until you figure out how to empty it.

 

[Firebrick43]

Tanks must have a good data plate and no deep pitting from rust to reduce wall thickness. No data plate, no dice.

No one in the states does a hydro pressure test that I am aware of. The oldest tank I have seen in use here is 1952

Do not buy a converted anhydrous tank, the propane suppliers insurance is not allowing it anymore, only older tanks still in service are grandfathered in.

Can’t help you with the used tank option.

Our propane contractor in my area uses the following to determine tank location options

Propane tank set backs:
20’ well
20’ septic
10’ structure
20’ property line
120’ fill hose max from truck

Set backs are dependent on tank size. A 120 gallon tank can be put against a house and a 1000 set back from a house is 25' for example.

Page 14 and 15

Rego serviceman’s manual

 

[JeepYJ]

Around here the propane suppliers all supply the tank. If you don't like the pricing and decide to switch, they will come out with a remote controlled machine to move the old and place the new.

Pricing almost never varies by much except for whatever first time customer deal they happen to have. so it's rarely worth switching.

Also they won't remove the old tank unless it's 95% empty, which means it will end up sitting in your yard until you figure out how to empty it.

You can buy your own tank and have it filled by whoever you want.
If it’s >5% full most companies will empty it out into their truck and maybe pay you something for it, but also charge you a fee for emptying it.

 

[Firebrick43]

Around here the propane suppliers all supply the tank. If you don't like the pricing and decide to switch, they will come out with a remote controlled machine to move the old and place the new.

Pricing almost never varies by much except for whatever first time customer deal they happen to have. so it's rarely worth switching.

Also they won't remove the old tank unless it's 95% empty, which means it will end up sitting in your yard until you figure out how to empty it.

There can be huge differences in price, Ferrel and Amerigas here are over a dollar higher than the Co-op and Hicks is .10 to .20 cents higher normally.

Tanks can be pumped out, its done commonly here.

 

[Steve W.]

Cost of new 250 gal tank is 1800.00 plus taxes. At my age I don’t see me getting full benefits of new.
In and around my area there are lot used tanks for sale. If you go by looks there are some that does look new and some that might make good bbq pit. I know there is a tag w/#’s but don’t know what they mean. What do I need focus on to find a good tank that will pass inspection?
Propane company is coming out Friday @135.00 charge to spot good location and for filling the tank. To make suggestions on line size and line materials. I sure would like to have little understanding before the company comes out. Thanks for any propane guidance.

Look near the upper-right corner, you will see that the tank is 45 years old.

Good luck with the tank. You will likely be better off leasing a (much) newer tank.

.

 

[gba2331]

When I changed suppliers on my inground tank, they first required a pressure test (done by them).

Southern States came out to do some work and when I mentioned that I had bought a used tank, they recommended buying from them because they offer used tanks and have inspected them. I didn’t ask the price.

 

[JeepYJ]

Look near the upper-right corner, you will see that the tank is 45 years old.

Good luck with the tank. You will likely be better off leasing a (much) newer tank.

.

Why would a 45 year old tank in operable condition be a problem?

 

[Steve W.]

How recently has it been inspected, let alone certified?

Just the condition of the tag tells me that it has had a hard life. Even if it has been painted regularly, there is still the possibility of corrosion on the inside, which can not be seen without an inspection.

I know the little BBQ tanks have a 12-year life, not sure about the larger tanks.

I'm not saying that this tank is no good, but if it were MY tank, I would seriously reconsider using it.

.

 

[58Yeoman]

When I bought my house, the PO owned the 500 gallon tank. The supplier questioned the ownership, but after I showed the paperwork, they filled my tank. Later on, I wanted to buy a 120 gallon pig, so I called the supplier. He said to look for tanks that were less than 10 years old, if it had any propane left in it, and if I was going to haul it, to paint SCRAP on it so I wouldn't get stopped. I found one that had 15% left in it, I hauled it w/o the word scrap on it, hooked it up, and the supplier inspected it all, and it passed. If it had been empty, they would've had to inspect it for a fee. If either of my tanks run empty, they will have to inspect the entire system before they will refill it.

A few years ago, my wife smelled propane while outside, so we called the supplier and they checked it out. Seems the level indicator was leaking slightly. Since I owned the tank, they said they could repair it for a fee, and I agreed. They came out on a very cold winter day and pumped the tank empty, replaced the gauge, refilled the tank and were on their way. They never charged me for the repair, and I still use them to this day. FS, Farm Service.

 

[PCustoms]

^^^pretty sure hauling a partly filled propane tank is highly illegal, painted "scrap" or not. I bet Emergency Reponders would be pretty pissed.

 

[Firebrick43]

^^^pretty sure hauling a partly filled propane tank is highly illegal, painted "scrap" or not. I bet Emergency Reponders would be pretty pissed.

Any ASME tank can not have more than 5% in it.

DOT bottles can be filled and the largest is 420 lbs which is 120 gallon tank. Some 120 are dual rated but they must be stamped that way. They will have metal stamping a on the valve ring.

Either way any gas in either rating requires a hazmat and placarded, so yes, they would be extremely pissed.

The tank has to be vented for an individual to haul.

 

[finn]

I looked into buying a used tank, but decided to stick with my long term supplier. He installed the tank maybe twenty years ago (shop tank maybe eight years) and, although not the cheapest, is still competitive. He’s a local small business owner, and very responsive. We do a pre buy each fall and are now near the end of the heating season, with five gallons left on our tab, out of an 800 gallon pre buy for the house and shop. Mild winter here.

Even if I saved ten or twenty cents per gallon by owning the tanks, it would take years to amortize the cost for two tanks, plus, we’re gone for six months, so it would be a pain in the rear to call around to find the cheapest retailer to refill the tanks every month.

Both the house and shop tanks were inspected and pressure washed by the supplier last fall, and they would have repainted if necessary.

I see no need to add complexity to your life by purchasing a tank. If you end up with a bad supplier, a competitor will be happy to drop a new tank and set it up.

 

[Firebrick43]

I looked into buying a used tank, but decided to stick with my long term supplier. He installed the tank maybe twenty years ago (shop tank maybe eight years) and, although not the cheapest, is still competitive. He’s a local small business owner, and very responsive. We do a pre buy each fall and are now near the end of the heating season, with five gallons left on our tab, out of an 800 gallon pre buy for the house and shop. Mild winter here.

Even if I saved ten or twenty cents per gallon by owning the tanks, it would take years to amortize the cost for two tanks, plus, we’re gone for six months, so it would be a pain in the rear to call around to find the cheapest retailer to refill the tanks every month.

Both the house and shop tanks were inspected and pressure washed by the supplier last fall, and they would have repainted if necessary.

I see no need to add complexity to your life by purchasing a tank. If you end up with a bad supplier, a competitor will be happy to drop a new tank and set it up.

Many good points except the last one. The reason I own my own tank is Ferrell gas years ago couldn’t deliver in the winter of 2014 and then tried to stuff gas in the spring at $4 a gallon when I didn’t call for it. Thankfully I have wood as a back up.

No one that wasn’t an existing customer was getting a tank set for several months that winter.

This past winter when it was 10 below there were dozens that amerigas didn’t have the manpower to even fill all their tanks. And we can’t/won’t set tanks in subzero as we are to busy and can’t dig in ground that’s frozen that hard. We had over a 100 calls in two days from their customers. We did however fill some new customers that owned their own tanks and just need a safety inspection and leak test. Most have switched after it warmed up.

Same goes for when it’s extremely wet and you can’t get to where the tank need to be set

 

[fitter30]

Lp tank has to have the tag. Tanks only hold 80%. Make sure tank has some lp in it and bring some soap bubble leak detector ( liquid dish soap and water in a spray bottle) spray the gauge, and other valve for leaks. Purchased off ebay the tank hi pressure regulator and at the house a 10lp to 14" regulator.

 

[58Yeoman]

^^^pretty sure hauling a partly filled propane tank is highly illegal, painted "scrap" or not. I bet Emergency Reponders would be pretty pissed.

Yeah, I hear you. Just like all the pickup trucks with higher than legal bumpers; vehicles running the stupid colored lights in front, like red and blue; all the harleys with straight pipes that are louder than they should be; diesel pickups 'rolling coal' on bystanders, the list goes on.

 

[PCustoms]

Yeah, I hear you. Just like all the pickup trucks with higher than legal bumpers; vehicles running the stupid colored lights in front, like red and blue; all the harleys with straight pipes that are louder than they should be; diesel pickups 'rolling coal' on bystanders, the list goes on.

Yep, straight pipes are exactly like a rolling propane bomb.

 

[finn]

Ferr

Many good points except the last one. The reason I own my own tank is Ferrell gas years ago couldn’t deliver in the winter of 2014 and then tried to stuff gas in the spring at $4 a gallon when I didn’t call for it. Thankfully I have wood as a back up.

No one that wasn’t an existing customer was getting a tank set for several months that winter.

This past winter when it was 10 below there were dozens that amerigas didn’t have the manpower to even fill all their tanks. And we can’t/won’t set tanks in subzero as we are to busy and can’t dig in ground that’s frozen that hard. We had over a 100 calls in two days from their customers. We did however fill some new customers that owned their own tanks and just need a safety inspection and leak test. Most have switched after it warmed up.

Same goes for when it’s extremely wet and you can’t get to where the tank need to be set

Ferrell gas is available here, but not a preferred supplier because of junk fees and unreliable service. They were the only one rationing gas a couple of times within the past five years.

There are at least three more suppliers. One is a CoOp, which regularly has the best price, but is a little far away for me to be comfortable with. They are usually the cheapest, except when Ferrell is lowballing to get you to switch. The other two are local, one more so than the other, and I have never heard anything bad about either.

 

[My Old Tools]

I bought a used 250 for $300. It was 40 years old but looked good. The propane company only cared about the data tag and a pressure test. They replaced the valve, resealed the guage, pressure tested it again and hooked it up to our generator. It cost about $200 for all that, so about $500 total for a 250 gallon tank, in good shape, installed. A 200 gallon fill was $600. That will last us years with a 7.5 kw backup generator running a well pump when the electricity goes off.

 

[SBAG]

EDIT - the above applies to 1000 gallon buried tanks as that’s all we offer on new construction homes if on propane.

Those are apparently unicorns in Missouri. Been trying to find one.

 

[SlotlessMan]

Ours will lease you a 250/500 gallon for free if you buy their gas. Has a minimum requirement but its a very reasonable amount and varies by tank size. Pays to shop around.

 

[mikedodge]

Mines a rental that's on a sliding scale depending on how much propane you buy. Before I got it I talked to several people I knew on propane and they had tried others and were with the same company. I thought about buying my own tank to save that cost but haven't found much for sale or worth buying and don't want to run into the hassle of finding out it wasn't theirs to sell or a reason no one wants to fill it.

 

[karoc]

Friday I meet with local propane guy, which he was very knowledgeable and helpful. He told me if I can wait while he will keep eye out for one. And if it’s local then he won’t charge. So going to keep fingers cross, which there’s good chance finding used cause there’s lot tanks out there. Just can’t be pitted and has have psi rating above 199 lbsI believe

 

[ratflinger]

Ferrell *****, do not use them unless there is no other choice. I had a tank leased from them, with a keep-full plan. Yep, they let me run out twice and then I found out they charged the most, per gallon, to the keep-full people. A double screwing. I've owned my tanks since then.

 

[kj_mustang]

Those are apparently unicorns in Missouri. Been trying to find one.

Surprising, one of the suppliers near my house always has about 10 new in ground tanks and a bunch of new above ground tanks sitting on their lot.

 

[dcg9381]

Any used tank is going to require testing/cert. Ask ahead, how much?

How would they know that it's a "used" tank? Just call as a service switch.

I looked into buying used years ago - and I looked for about 18 months. The one tank I found that had a < 5 year build date and had been in-service, to move it would have required pumping out all the old propane, paying the propane company to move it, then pay them to refill it. Still less than a new tank, but not by much.

Ours will lease you a 250/500 gallon for free if you buy their gas. Has a minimum requirement but its a very reasonable amount and varies by tank size. Pays to shop around.

Then you are tied to their minimum annual (not a big deal if you live there). The bigger deal is that you're tied to their rates and often their refill schedule.

I believe a "new" 500 gallon cost me around $3k a few years ago... (minus propane). But I can choose who refills it and I can choose what time of year they refill it.

I installed a "wet kit" on it so I could refill bottles (gravity / pressure feed) on site, which has been very useful.

 

[rocksnstumps]

My old propane company got the boot after a couple of things to watch for with leased tanks. They supposedly gave a good lease rate if you signed up for keep full program. Well they liked to sneak in a fill in late spring even if tank was not low to make sure you still paid the winter rates instead of waiting for the off peak summer cost. They pulled that a couple of times but last straw was the year I was traveling for work so much that not home much that winter. Turned my heat way down and then got zapped for lease fee of $75 extra because did not meet the minimum annual usage. That's it good bye....

After that bought a 1000 gal used tank from a smaller local gas supplier and only have to typically fill once a year. Fill during the summer lower rates with max discount for filling over 600 gals/delivery and no lease fees. Payback on that was something like 8 yrs but that was with a recertified rather old tank. Nameplate says 1964.

 

[littleboss]

If you buy a used tank you’ll need to have a certificate of ownership or some type of paperwork showing that the tank really belongs to you and is not a leased tank from another company, even if you bought it from someone.
I bought a used tank on Craigslist, the guy dropped it off at my house. A local privately owned LP company came out and unhooked the old and moved it and hooked it up and filled it. You will probably find a smaller company will be easier to work with than one of the large regional or national chains.

Nobody cares where you got it. All the propane company wants to see is that the tank has a legit manufacturer plate on it.

Here I can rent a 250 for $60 a year. In CO at our vacation home its $100 for a 500 gallon and that includes the tank monitor. At those prices it would take 30 years for you to break even.

Don't use AMERIGAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[JeepYJ]

Nobody cares where you got it. All the propane company wants to see is that the tank has a legit manufacturer plate on it.

Here I can rent a 250 for $60 a year. In CO at our vacation home its $100 for a 500 gallon and that includes the tank monitor. At those prices it would take 30 years for you to break even.

Don't use AMERIGAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes they do. They won’t fill it if it doesn’t belong to you or leased from them.
Amerigas does seem to **** more than most others.

 

[jar944]

Can’t help you with the used tank option.

Our propane contractor in my area uses the following to determine tank location options

Propane tank set backs:
20’ well
20’ septic
10’ structure
20’ property line
120’ fill hose max from truck

EDIT - the above applies to 1000 gallon buried tanks as that’s all we offer on new construction homes if on propane.

Odd..

To the property line..

 

[Firebrick43]

Odd..

To the property line..

The NFPA 58 (and 54) is what most of the state codes are written off of and they update them every few years and changes are common. Most of the recommend changes come from PERC. (Propane Education and research council). They represent a good portion of the NFPA technical committee and most of the rest on the committee are from the NPGA (represent the equipment and tank manufacturers)

Things like underground setbacks, tanks will be “grandfathered” in. Converted anhydrous tanks is something else now forbidden but if you are a continued customer are grandfathered.

But a reputable propane supplier won’t touch one that was recently converted or from a new customer that we have no history of.

 

[littleboss]

Yes they do. They won’t fill it if it doesn’t belong to you or leased from them.
Amerigas does seem to **** more than most others.

you must be from California. NOBODY in TX or CO cares at least at our places

 

[jar944]

The NFPA 58 (and 54) is what most of the state codes are written off of and they update them every few years and changes are common. Most of the recommend changes come from PERC. (Propane Education and research council). They represent a good portion of the NFPA technical committee and most of the rest on the committee are from the NPGA (represent the equipment and tank manufacturers)

Things like underground setbacks, tanks will be “grandfathered” in. Converted anhydrous tanks is something else now forbidden but if you are a continued customer are grandfathered.

But a reputable propane supplier won’t touch one that was recently converted or from a new customer that we have no history of.

Looks like 10' is code.