Refilling 1lb Propane Tanks

Does anyone refill their own 1 lbs propane tanks? What do you like or dislike? Any issues beyond the obvious to watch out for?

Fill wash tub with hot water and place 20lb cylinder in that and let the tank warm up. Put your 1lb in the freezer for a half hour. Turn the 20lb upside down when you start to fill 1lb count to 60 and take 1lb off. Sometimes they don’t fill all the way. Do this outside!

I bought the adapter last year and haven’t had any problems with it. It is pretty simple to do and the they seem to work just like new. Just to be on the safe side I don’t fill them to full capacity but they are still over 3/4 full.

here’s a Youtube video about it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKCYIOnxwkg

HRG

I could be wrong but I don’t think it is legal to do here in Minnesota

My girlfriend’s Dad refills his and he said it works very well. He does it the same way that Buckslayer described.

I’ll be the bad guy here and put thumbs “absolutely down” to this procedure. I bought one of those adaptors about 20 years ago and it’s laying in my toolbox never to be used again. “Frequently” after filling the 1# canisters, the valve will seep gas or leak. NOT GOOD !! Additionally, there is no accurate way to fill them. Counting to 60 certainly isn’t an accurate method. If they become overfilled, and should get warm in an ice shack, could they explode? I’m not sure what the safety ratings on those things are but to me, it absolutely isn’t worth the risk !! Buy yourself a 5#, 11# or 20# tank and get the tested adapters for your heater or lantern. I run a small sunflower heater off the top of a 5# tank. I bought a right angle adapter at Fleet Farm for a few bucks and it works great! For the few times you’ll ever wander so far into the distance that the weight needs to be minimal, just buy a couple new 1#ers. I’m with Thumper’s post above, I believe it is illegal to transport them anyplace in Minnesota. Just my $0.02

Just haul all your empties up to West Rush and leave em on the ice, then go buy new ones. Apparently that’s what a lot of guys are doing, what a dump!

In all seriousness, I’ve never considered the risks assosciated with re-filling to be worth the cost of buying a new bottle. Why chance it, are ya broke?

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Just haul all your empties up to West Rush and leave em on the ice, then go buy new ones. Apparently that’s what a lot of guys are doing, what a dump!

In all seriousness, I’ve never considered the risks assosciated with re-filling to be worth the cost of buying a new bottle. Why chance it, are ya broke?

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I think guys are referring to the fact that you can’t recycle the 1lb tanks vs. the cost of buying new ones…RR

You may want to weigh a new one from the store and then weigh an empty one too. Using these values you will know how much gas is in the filled ones and the how much is left in the one your using. Be careful not to overfill. Following Buck Slayers method will allow you to get more liquid in the small tank from you 20 pounder. If you do not fill with the 20 pounder upside down you will only be filling with gas and not the compressed gas which is actually a liquid. The 20 pounder should be room temp and the 1 pounder should be cold. Good luck!

Buy a 5 pound tank, and be safe. That’s what I use, and it will last me all winter.

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I’ll be the bad guy here and put thumbs “absolutely down” to this procedure. I bought one of those adaptors about 20 years ago and it’s laying in my toolbox never to be used again. “Frequently” after filling the 1# canisters, the valve will seep gas or leak. NOT GOOD !! Additionally, there is no accurate way to fill them. Counting to 60 certainly isn’t an accurate method. If they become overfilled, and should get warm in an ice shack, could they explode? I’m not sure what the safety ratings on those things are but to me, it absolutely isn’t worth the risk !! Buy yourself a 5#, 11# or 20# tank and get the tested adapters for your heater or lantern. I run a small sunflower heater off the top of a 5# tank. I bought a right angle adapter at Fleet Farm for a few bucks and it works great! For the few times you’ll ever wander so far into the distance that the weight needs to be minimal, just buy a couple new 1#ers. I’m with Thumper’s post above, I believe it is illegal to transport them anyplace in Minnesota. Just my $0.02

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I would agree that the 1 pounders are not designed with refilling in mind and the pressure release valves can malfunction much more easily after refilling. BE CAREFUL if you do choose to do this.

I have an adapter I would sell…I tried it…I didn’t like it…

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Buy a 5 pound tank, and be safe. That’s what I use, and it will last me all winter.

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Buy a 5 pound tank, and be safe. That’s what I use, and it will last me all winter.

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I’ve already been thru a 20 pounder!

Shorty at Prarie Bait in Kellog MN has been doing this for 30 years, bring in your emptys and get a refilled one for a buck, and they seem to have more gas.

Refilling seems like a better idea than throwing away all thos 1 lb tanks. I agree weighing and comparing to a new on sounds like a good idea.

Shorty could find himself in a heap of trouble if there is ever an accident that can be pointed back at him. If indeed he is selling refills for the 1#ers, he is violating Minnesota law prohibiting transport of those containers AND I believe they are stamped “not to be refilled”. He’s taking a big risk..as are the guys buying them.

We hear so much about being “Green” so why not use them over again if you have the equipment. Like anything else, you have to be careful and use good sence.

If you want to go “green”, why tap the earth’s resources, why not just let the sun’s rays warm ya up?

What do you do on cloudy days or at night???

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We hear so much about being “Green” so why not use them over again if you have the equipment. Like anything else, you have to be careful and use good sence.

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5lb ,10lb and 20lb is even greener and 1)is legal 2)is safer. 3) cleaner (no 1 lb empties laying around = trash)

It’s to bad we live in a must be easy,lazy, profit margin type of world now days.

I refilled them one winter.

You have about 1/4 – 1/3 that don’t seal.

Then you have the ones that wont fill up all the way and some overfill.

How much money are you going to save a year?

$100.00? $200.00?

$500.00?

How much is an ambulance ride or a trip to the ER?

It’s not worth the risk in my opinion.

is this a safe alternative? i would love to be able to save money on those little tanks but hae heard this is very veryunsafe!
EK

I think you have a better chance of getting killed driving to work everyday than filling a 1lb cylinder. Don’t use any that have rust on them.

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I think you have a better chance of getting killed driving to work everyday than filling a 1lb cylinder. Don’t use any that have rust on them.

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I have to agree, I’d think if it was as dangerous as what some try to make it sound, you would hear of bad incidences regularly. Not the case, matter in fact I haven’t read or heard of anyone blowin’ up while filling or using a refilled 1lb tank.

With that said, from everything else I have read, it doesn’t really seem like it would be worth my time. After a couple leaky bottles it doesn’t sound like you are ahead of the game saving any money, and sooner or latter the bottles will all end up in a landfill.