Propane suppliers quietly reduce size of refills

[BUTCH1]

Originally posted by: mshan

"What about the 10-15 tanks I've paid for since last august?"

Wow, sounds like you are a perfect candidate for buying own empty propane cylinder, finding a local propane distributor that refills tanks, and save a lot of money (I read comment elsewhere that it only cost person $13 to do so, though YMMV).

I've got 2 tanks and that's my future plans. I used to get then re-filled @ the campground but got hooked on the convenience of the grocery store route, no more of that though now that I found out the truth..

 

[SunSamurai]

Originally posted by: The Boston Dangler

Originally posted by: PlasmaBomb

Originally posted by: The Boston Dangler

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

I think this all started when the companies HAD to reduce portions to avoid price hikes.

a reduced amount at the same price is a price hike, professor.

Increase the sticker price then...

people would notice that, tho. it's easier to go from 12 oz. to 10.5 oz. in the same jar.

Yeah if you want people to stop buying because you tried to deceive them.

 

[BoomerD]

Originally posted by: mshan

"What about the 10-15 tanks I've paid for since last august?"

Wow, sounds like you are a perfect candidate for buying own empty propane cylinder, finding a local propane distributor that refills tanks, and save a lot of money (I read comment elsewhere that it only cost person $13 to do so, though YMMV).

I've never done the cylinder exchange. I own 2 "5 gallon" bottles (aka 20 lb) and have them refilled. The last time I did this, (about 2 weeks ago) it cost about $15 to fill one. (4.5 gallons)

LIke everything petroleum related, the price of propane has gone sky high in the past several years, but when oil prices fell last year, propane stayed the same.

Wasn't too many years ago that $1.00/gallon was considered a rip-off.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Many garden/nursey laces have propane refill station

 

[iGas]

I hope the ignorant writer do a retract article and an apology for not doing their research before they spouted their mouth.

17-18 lbs out of 20 lbs is illegal by any standard because gas code & manufacture safety regulation allow for 80% fill or 16 lbs on a 20 lbs tank. And, some localities required no more than 75% fill or 15 lbs out of 20 lbs so that one may not go over the 80% max safety capability.

 

[arcenite]

Originally posted by: iGas
I hope the ignorant writer do a retract article and an apology for not doing their research before they spouted their mouth.

17-18 lbs out of 20 lbs is illegal by any standard because gas code & manufacture safety regulation allow for 80% fill or 16 lbs on a 20 lbs tank. And, some localities required no more than 75% fill or 15 lbs out of 20 lbs so that one may not go over the 80% max safety capability.

It says 15lbs right on Americagas's website:

http://www.amerigas.com/exchange/consumer/

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: iGas
I hope the ignorant writer do a retract article and an apology for not doing their research before they spouted their mouth.

17-18 lbs out of 20 lbs is illegal by any standard because gas code & manufacture safety regulation allow for 80% fill or 16 lbs on a 20 lbs tank. And, some localities required no more than 75% fill or 15 lbs out of 20 lbs so that one may not go over the 80% max safety capability.

I believe there sufficient empty space in a 20 lb. tank to allow for 20 lbs. of propane to be pumped in.

Living in a semi-rural area, there are plenty of places around me that pump it in the tank right in front of you. I even made mention of the practice of short filling to the guy doing the pumping and he couldn't believe it. He said the tank weighs 17 lbs. so the whole thing should be 37 lbs.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I take my tanks and have them refilled. Screw that tank exchange bullshit.:thumbsdown:

 

[BUTCH1]

Originally posted by: arcenite

Originally posted by: iGas
I hope the ignorant writer do a retract article and an apology for not doing their research before they spouted their mouth.

17-18 lbs out of 20 lbs is illegal by any standard because gas code & manufacture safety regulation allow for 80% fill or 16 lbs on a 20 lbs tank. And, some localities required no more than 75% fill or 15 lbs out of 20 lbs so that one may not go over the 80% max safety capability.

It says 15lbs right on Americagas's website:

http://www.amerigas.com/exchange/consumer/

Yea, but at the exchange station they just now put up a sign indicating it's 15Lbs, plus they used to put 17 in according to there own info..

 

[Pliablemoose]

I only do the exchanges when my tank is rusty & looks like crap.

Otherwise I just get them refilled.

 

[IGBT]

Originally posted by: 91TTZ
The public should form an action committee and have rolling boycotts of companies guilty of doing this. Make the companies live in fear.

I think this all started when the companies HAD to reduce portions to avoid price hikes. But once the cost of goods went back down, these established companies could not resist the temptation of additional profits and kept the portions the same.

This will all be temporary, though. With any competitive market the opportunity will present itself for new companies to spring up and offer more product for the same price. If the profit margins are really that high new startups will be able to undercut the established greedy companies.

the consumer/taxpayer no longer have advocates in gov.any more. Lets see what happens when the eco-KOOKS in calif.ban charcoal bbq's and propane is the only option.

 

[sao123]

Originally posted by: Citrix
FYI for all you Memorial day grillers... get your tank refilled so you dont get ripped off.


http://www.9news.com/money/art...oryid=116311&catid=344


DENVER (AP) - Backyard grillers may get a little steamed this holiday weekend when buying refilled propane tanks: They will be getting less fuel for their money than last Memorial Day.
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When oil prices soared in 2008, propane suppliers quietly reduced by two pounds the amount of gas pumped into each 20-pound tank, saying they wanted to avoid raising prices.

Since then, propane prices have been cut in half as the price of oil has dropped. But smaller refills are still being sold nationwide by many dealers, and most buyers are unaware because the tank is the same size.

"It's a price increase," retired lawyer Stuart Barr said Friday as he swapped a tank at a Home Depot store in Denver. "I'm a great believer in full disclosure. Give me the information."

The problem, consumers say, is that no one tells them they're getting less propane. Companies have adopted similar practices in the packaging of coffee, sugar and laundry detergent.

"I'm not surprised," said Tammi Dorsey of Denver. Carrying a tank of propane from a store Friday, initially unaware that she got less this time.

For the past year, tank exchanges at retail stores have generally cost $20 to $25. For a few bucks less, consumers can take their tanks to some stores to get them refilled instead of exchanging them. Those refills usually contain the full amount of fuel allowed by law.

Until last year, Blue Rhino and Amerigas, two major suppliers, put 17 to 18 pounds of propane in each 20-pound tank. Tanks should not be filled completely for safety reasons.

About a year ago, that amount was cut to 15 pounds to save consumers a price hike, Blue Rhino spokesman Chris Hartley said.

"There are a number of companies in different industries across the country addressing product packaging, just because of the soaring costs," he said.

Last year, all energy costs increased sharply, as did the price of steel used in tanks. Crude prices soared past $100 per barrel at the start of 2008 and climbed toward $150 by July. Propane futures hit $1.95 per gallon in the same month.

Those prices have all fallen this year, which would suggest bigger profits for propane distributors.

Hartley would not say if there were plans to return propane refills to the same levels as before the 2008 price spikes, but he did say that energy markets remain volatile.

In the last year, propane futures on the New York Mercantile Exchange have dropped from about $1.73 per gallon to just above 71 cents. They have climbed 11 cents since January.

Retailers who offer propane say they have not increased the volume of fuel in each tank because propane companies have not reduced prices.

Home Depot, which offers propane tank exchanges, said cutting the amount of propane in 20-pound tanks was an industry-wide measure.

There have been no customer complaints, spokeswoman Jean Niemi said.

Jose Rivera of Denver did the math in his head and concluded that the extra money spent on propane could have helped pay for other cookout supplies.

"That's some steaks," he said.

the exchange places did the same thing.

 

[rbV5]

Originally posted by: iGas
I hope the ignorant writer do a retract article and an apology for not doing their research before they spouted their mouth.

17-18 lbs out of 20 lbs is illegal by any standard because gas code & manufacture safety regulation allow for 80% fill or 16 lbs on a 20 lbs tank. And, some localities required no more than 75% fill or 15 lbs out of 20 lbs so that one may not go over the 80% max safety capability.

Not according to Bruce Swiecicki, senior technical advisor for the National Propane Gas Association

?Technically, the maximum fill level for the container is 42 percent of the marked water capacity. Most grill cylinders are of the order of 47 pounds water capacity, so the maximum fill level for those containers is about 19.7 pounds. However, the properties of propane and the required overfilling prevention device (OPD) effectively limit the amount of propane that can be placed into a cylinder to something less than 19.7 pounds. Depending on the temperature of the propane (the warmer it is, the less will be the weight of the product), some cylinders may only be filled to 17 or 18 pounds.?

Also, from thew same article: (June 28, 2009)

Company Type Price Amount of propane

Blue Rhino (Lowe?s) Tank exchange $18.77 15 lbs

AmeriGas (Home Depot) Tank exchange $19.97 15 lbs

AmeriGas (Publix) Tank exchange $17.99 15 lbs

U-Haul Refill $2.55/gal.* Empty tank takes about 4.3 gallons

Georgia Gas Distributors (Atlanta) Refill $15.33

Full tank (about 17-18 lbs)**

Corbin Gas Co. (Jonesboro) Refill $14 Full tank (about 17-18 lbs)**

Suburban Cylinder Express (metro Atlanta) Home delivery $24.95 Full tank (about 19 lbs)***

Source


edited to place link at bottom.

 

[squirrel dog]

The little old lady I speak of owns an Amerigas dealership,and refills a 20LB tank for $9.50 , I have two of those and two larger ones(40 LB)she does those for $20.00.Sort of a must have for South Louisiana .The only upside to exchange is you get a new(or newer) tank.

 

[waggy]

we have a local gas place that will do it for whatever the cost of propane is now (have to be a home costumer though). hell we just filled up 400 gallons at $1.50 a gallon. cheapest i have seen it in while.

 

[allisolm]

Originally posted by: iGas
I hope the ignorant writer do a retract article and an apology for not doing their research before they spouted their mouth.

17-18 lbs out of 20 lbs is illegal by any standard because gas code & manufacture safety regulation allow for 80% fill or 16 lbs on a 20 lbs tank. And, some localities required no more than 75% fill or 15 lbs out of 20 lbs so that one may not go over the 80% max safety capability.

The Amerigas rebate says:

"Propane grill cylinders like this one can hold 20 lbs of propane, but for safety reasons the standard exchange fill since at least 2002 has been about 17 pounds or approximately 4 gallons.
In August, 2008, with the cost of propane rising sharply, AmeriGas was one of the propane providers who chose to reduce the amount in its cylinders from 17 to 15 pounds...''