Propane LPG tanks in Australia

[JPA Cate]

You can buy the steel ones, then have them galvanized, and then they last so long, you wind up having to get them re-certified.

[model 10]

I sprayed our mild steel cylinders with rubber spray. Comes in a regular sized spray bomb at the hardware store in several colors and in clear. It took 1 can per 11# cyl. for a good heavy coat. It is holding up pretty well and It looks like it will last 4-5 yr. or more.

[savoir]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Hang on there, mate!

The 20 lb tanks are certified for that capacity... you don't have to overfill them to get there.

The external dimensions of the swap tanks (with only 15+ lbs of gas in them) are visually the same as the 20 lb non-swap ones that you buy from HD or such. I submit that this looks like underfilling, with a profit motive suggested to my cynical mind.

Cheers,

Jim

A 20 lb propane tank will not contain 20 lbs and if it does it has been dangerously overfilled. 15 lbs is a little light but you should not expect more than 16 or 17. 20 lbs is the weight at 100% full. The safety valve in the filler should pop at 75 or 80% capacity depending on local regulations.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by savoir

A 20 lb propane tank will not contain 20 lbs and if it does it has been dangerously overfilled. 15 lbs is a little light but you should not expect more than 16 or 17. 20 lbs is the weight at 100% full. The safety valve in the filler should pop at 75 or 80% capacity depending on local regulations.

Hmmm...

I must admit that I am not sure about the American tanks, and will defer to your probable better knowledge. The one I am looking at now is labeled 15.0 lbs and is stamped with a tare weight of 17.0 lbs. I weighed it and indeed it weighed 32 lbs when I brought it to the BBQ.

However, in Australia where the standard tank is rated at 9 kg and the Swappers have but 8.5 kg I believe that I am correct: The 9 kg tank is normally filled with 9 kg of propane. The Australian valve is not like the current American one, but is like our older "unsafe" designs (Ie, no internal safety valve). They are normally filled by decanting from a larger reservoir, not by pumping. The method is to connect the two vessels, open the valves and the vent valve on the receiving tank. When liquid propane starts to spurt from the vent the process is stopped. I suspect that in the swap tanks the pickup tube for the vent is just a bit lower in the volume of the tank, thus limiting the fill to 8.5 kg. And in Australia, the tanks are of identical dimensions (to a reasonable approximation, for I haven't measured the diameter of the body accurately). Apparently the safety authority in Oz ( a nanny state by most standards) does not view this as a hazardous operation.

Cheers,

Jim

[Mr B]

Petrol stations, Sell swap and go Gas tanks,
How can they rust out, my tanks, 9lb, last 3 weeks, Change the gas bottles over, you have new bottles again, They do the maintenance,

They will not fill Fijian Bottles in Australia as they dont have a bleed off valve,

I just bought new bottles in OZ, But OZ bottles are just a bit too tall to fit in my locker,

Gas tanks have to be recertified every ten years, In cars and trucks, its about $100-00 per

tank for recertification, Thats what I paid last time I had my truck tanks done, about two

years ago,

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

You can buy the steel ones, then have them galvanized, and then they last so long, you wind up having to get them re-certified.

Some swap and go refillers were exchanging painted steel tanks for galvanized ones, and charging only an extra $5.00. I swapped out 4 painted ones for gal.

I got mine at Hervey bay marina, I've been told Rosslyn bay and Mackay marinas do it too.

[JPA Cate]

Wow, Cruising Cat,

That's super!

Ann

[44'cruisingcat]

No worries Ann!

I should add the disclaimer: I don't have personal experience with Mackay and Rosslyn bay's swap-n-go. I was TOLD they will swap steel for gal, for a price. And I haven't been back to Urangan boat harbour in 3 years, so can't guarantee things are the same there. But if you're in these areas it would be worth asking.

[jim_thomsen]

Thanks for the suggestions. The swap&go won't work since we are headed to PNG in a couple of weeks. We did use that solution in New Zealand where they would not fill our fiberglass tanks.

Thanks 40South, I talked with Whitworths and they will hold 2 tanks for me in Cairns. Even though they will deduct the GST these are the most expensive tanks I can imagine. But since I'm not sure when or where I could buy something reasonable it seems to be my choice.
Outback Marine had tanks, but even though their prices were better they charge shipping to Cairns ($140) and didn't seem to be able to sell without GST.

Great to have something else in stainless that I should polish. And won't.

[Teknav]

A lot of Australians on here! Greetings from Texas...Cowboys and Angus beef country!

Mauritz

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Teknav

A lot of Australians on here! Greetings from Texas...Cowboys and Angus beef country!

Mauritz

Geeze, Mauritz, whatever happened to Longhorns? Can you imagine the fans at UT yelling " Hook'em Angus"" Surely you are mistaken!

Jim

[Teknav]

OK...and Longhorns!

Mauritz

[savoir]

There must be someone in Australia making aluminium propane tanks.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by savoir

There must be someone in Australia making aluminium propane tanks.

Well, after twenty years in Oz (in and out) I have never seen one for sale. There are indigenous stainless tanks, but no aluminium to my knowledge.

Jim

[savoir]

That's a shame. I got mine from Defender and they have been absolutely faultless.