School Me On Propane

Never done anything with propane other than run the little 1lb. tanks on a lantern, so looking for some suggestions.
Just bought a buddy heater and want to know the cheapest and most efficient way to run the thing. I’m sick of buying the little 1lb. tanks. So first question, do I run a big tank with hose, or refill 1lb. tanks with adapter?

If buying a big tank, do you just do the 20lb. and exchange at gas station?
I had it suggested to me that you could buy a smaller tank, maybe 10lb., and take it to get filled somewhere. It would be lighter and take up less space. Is this a good idea, or not because its harder to find a place that fills them?

I use the 20 pounders with a hose. They will last a long time and wont freeze up until almost empty. The 10lb tanks seem to cost a fortune to buy and it seems everyone has the 20s for exchange.

I recently started into looking to filling my 1lb tanks and from what I’ve heard it can be dangerous. But it looks really easy, You can’t fill them quite up all the way but still, saves a fortune on those stupid things.

Later in the season when I can drive out I might use my 20# because I don’t have to get it refilled as often. I would NEVER exchange it; a) it is cheaper to get a refill and b) I’ve heard many negative stories about poorly maintained tanks just getting re-circulated by the exchange companies. There are many stations that refill tanks once you’re aware of them.

I also have an 11# tank because it is lighter and more portable than the 20# when pulling a sled on foot. I generally get 25-30 hours out of a tank.

Red
This season when I hope to finally be able to get out on safe ice I will be using a 10 lb tank with a buddy heater. There are a number of different hose options available. Some require a filter and some do not. My preference is a hose that does not. I will send some links later of what I recently purchased.

The least expensive route is 20 lb tank they are more popular. If you have the room I would go that direction.

I have read horror stories of people get hurt and kiled refilling 1lb tanks themselves. I value my life it is worth more than the small amount of savings to refill a 1 lb tank.
Bob

Get a regulated hose and run off a 20lb tank. 100lbs would be cheaper yet but totally unrealistic.

So after a quick search, at Mendards, 11lb. propane tank is $50. 20lb. is about $26. ???

May be a stupid question, but is there a certain kind I should buy? Get one with a gauge?

I did already buy a hose, with the separate filter. Just need a tank now.

I dont disagree with the guys that exchange, but I like the idea of getting a 10lb. and getting filled.
Thanks,

benelli-bob wrote:

Red
This season when I hope to finally be able to get out on safe ice I will be using a 10 lb tank with a buddy heater. There are a number of different hose options available. Some require a filter and some do not. My preference is a hose that does not. I will send some links later of what I recently purchased.

The least expensive route is 20 lb tank they are more popular. If you have the room I would go that direction.

I have read horror stories of people get hurt and kiled refilling 1lb tanks themselves. I value my life it is worth more than the small amount of savings to refill a 1 lb tank.
Bob

Tank free shipping
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KOLF1IQ?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

Hose does not require a filter
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001CFWF5U?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s01

I will add the place I took it to fill the 10 pound tank the price was almost the same as filling a 20 pound tank. I might shop around some I have been using them for years to fill my 20 pounders. 20 pound tanks are most economical to buy and fill.

red89 wrote:

So after a quick search, at Mendards, 11lb. propane tank is $50. 20lb. is about $26. ???

They sell many more 20s than 10s. That’s why they are cheaper.

Cost is usually almost the same to fill a 20 as they charge for a 10. Really you are paying mostly for the labor, the propane itself is only a couple bucks.

Unless you are humping it and weight becomes more of an issue, the 20 makes the most sense.

I’m using a 5lb tank they’re expensive but I picked mine up on sale for $50 last year. Still light enough and packs nice.

Their was a post mentioning more than one kind of hose was available could someone enlighten me. Theirs the end connections which have to match and the regular hose needs a filter because of the debris between the lp and the hose. Are their two kinds of hose material?

Not certain on hose material, to my knowledge they both get stiff in very cold weather.

One hose has an OPD fitting connected straight to the hose and the other end connects to a filter and then into the port where a 1lb bottle fits in. Pressure is regulated internal of the heater.

The better hose in my opinion has a pressure regulator attached between the OPD fitting and the hose. The appliance end of the hose has a female quick connect. This attaches to the male quick connect located in the left side bottle compartment.

I use a 5lb tank due to weight and space. My 5lb tank weighs 12lbs empty and 17lbs when full. Most 20 lb tanks will weigh 18lbs when empty. I usually get two weekends (both days) out of my 5lb tank before I need a refill.

I fill my 33# forklift tanks at Ferrell gas or Amerigas. I’m sure they will fill smaller tanks also. Problem for some will be they aren’t open weekends.

Buy a 10 lb tank, it’s way easier to handle and pack on the ice and frankly you don’t need a 20 lb tank for day trips. The initial cost may be higher but you will like it much better.

As far as the filter an hose…I quit using the filter, had a buddy heater blow up in my face in my portable a couple years ago an got lucky I didn’t burn everything down. I bought the 15 ft hose with the quick connect coupler so it’s a direct feed to the unit and haven’t had a problem. Plus when packing up its a quick pop and it’s disconnected and we’re moving on, not fumbling with taking the gloves off and unthreading. That’s my recommendation, safer, quicker, lighter and doesn’t take up as much space.

There was a post about cost of filling saying it was the same as a 20 lb tank, an that’s not true, it’s half of what a 20 lb is cuz your getting half the propane…duh! Filled my 10 lb tank last week and paid 8.43. A 1lb bottle is damn near 6 bucks so do the math, runs longer and cheaper once you break even on investment

Travis wrote:

A 1lb bottle is damn near 6 bucks so do the math,

I was in my local Walmart last night picking up a set of wiper blades, walked past a display of 1lb bottles, $5.77 for a two pack.

The place where I fill my 5 lb tank charges me half of what they charge to fill a 20lb tank. I’m getting 1/4 the LP yet paying 1/2 the price of a 20lb fill. So yes, I pay more per pound than the 20lb guys, but still cheaper than 1lb tanks at $5.77 per two pack.

I’m not sure if the propane companies do it everywhere but the place I go to charges you by the pound. It’s a farmers union oil company and I had a 20# filled half way and my 5# filled and they charget me for 16 lbs. Way better than a gas station charging the same price whether it’s half full or empty.

Jason Guthmiller wrote:

I’m not sure if the propane companies do it everywhere but the place I go to charges you by the pound.

all of the gas station in my area also charge by the pound. you only pay for what you buy; size of the tank is not a factor.

Seems like where I’m at they charge for the inconvenience of having to go outside to fill it at the gas station.

Travis wrote:

There was a post about cost of filling saying it was the same as a 20 lb tank, an that’s not true, it’s half of what a 20 lb is cuz your getting half the propane…duh! Filled my 10 lb tank last week and paid 8.43. A 1lb bottle is damn near 6 bucks so do the math, runs longer and cheaper once you break even on investment

This is variable. South Park Welding where I filled in Michigan years ago a 10lb was about half the cost of a 20.

Range CO/OP where I fill now a 20 is $18 and a 10 is $16. I’ve checked othere locally and found similar.

Idk what other states or individual shops run on prices etc. Overall what you will pay on filling a tank to use vs buying 1lb bottles all the time your still gonna come out on top.
I along with everyone a have a budget and try to get the most bang for my buck, but staying warm isn’t one of those. All I was saying was trying to advise the gentlemen to get it set up so it’s easy, packable and convenient. It may be a Lil more expensive than other options, but in the long run its well worth it to be quick, warm and efficient in the field rather than quibbling over a couple bucks and fumbling with equipment or have excess equip that isnt necessarily needed. Nothing more frustrating than when equip doesn’t work or you run out of 1lb bottles an it’s cold and you just wanna relax. That was my point.

When it comes to hoses I dont want to mess with filters. New hoses have come out that do not require filters. The reasons filter came out in the first place is that the hoses when under pressure leech oil that can get into the heater and mess them up.

The next thing you need to know is your fittings. I have two buddy heaters. First one was the standard buddy heater that needs a screw in bottle type fitting. You used to have to buy the hose with afilter. But they came out with a version that does not leech oil under pressure so you don need a filter.
http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-Buddy-Hose-Assembly/dp/B001CFWF5U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452476878&sr=8-1&keywords=buddy+heater+hose
I have read that this hose can be stiff in the cold. I have not tried it yet but appears flexible.

I also have a Big Buddy heater. They make a hose with a regulator to reduce the pressure so it does not leech oil and no filter is required.
It also has a quick connect hose to the heater
http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-Regulator-Disconnect-F271803/dp/B000UC7966/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452477052&sr=8-1&keywords=Big+buddy+heater+hose

One thing to keep in mind when using these hoses is you have to prime the hose by holding the pilot for up to 2 minutes which seems like an eternity

I hope this information is helpful. Im not an expert but read alot about this before I bought.

Bob

I fill all my own 20lb and smaller tanks off of my big 500 gallon tank. Simple and easy if you use common sense….yea yea I know mot much of that left any more.

A gallon of LP weighs 4.26 lbs and cost delivered was $1.32 so a lb of LP cost me .32 cents. Do the math a 20lb tank costs me $6.40 or 1 lb cylinder .32 cents..