Propane tank recertification along East Coast

[SVRocinante]

Thank you SailorLady323, CelestialMelody, Traga & Offshore1960!
Appreciate the referrals!

[Canopus199]

Suburban Propane Maple Shade NJ. 856 779 7400
Free pick up and delivery from Riverside NJ or Worton Creek MD for Cruiser only

[Boston Blackie]

Holden Oil upgraded the valves on our two 25 year old 10# aluminum tanks and recertified them two years ago. I think it was around $50 each.
91 Lynnfield St
Peabody, MA 01960
978-531-2984.

[wsmurdoch]

Jenkins Gas in New Bern, NC recertified my two aluminum propane tanks. When I got there they said the fellow that did the work was not there. I left them and picked them up the next day. Had he been there they said he would have done it while I waited. I got a visual inspection with a current date and an "E" stamp good for five years.

Bill

[Lepke]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I finally gave up and just stamped my own tank.

And I thought I was the only one that did that!

[BlackHeron]

There by is something to be said for converting to steel 20# tanks and just swapping them. There is always a place nearby that does swaps and even though a refill is cheaper the convenience of the swap system is worth it in the US.

I built a stern rail mount for a BBQ 20# steel tank, abandoned the locker, and ran a new LP hose to the transom, as well as replaced everything else including a new Xintex sniffer solenoid panel and and a Force-10 stove.

Knowing I can swap bottles in any small town in the USA within blocks of the dinghy dock is truly priceless.

Also, get yourself a disposable green camping bottle adapter and carry a couple of those in a safe place like pockets on the lifeline dodger. Then when you run your tank dry you have a few days on each green tank while you find a place that does swaps.

[wingless]

Originally Posted by BlackHeron

Also, get yourself a disposable green camping bottle adapter and carry a couple of those in a safe place like pockets on the lifeline dodger. Then when you run your tank dry you have a few days on each green tank while you find a place that does swaps.

Here are the custom 16.4oz propane tank storage bags that I designed and built.

[wsmurdoch]

Here is an interesting (?) read of what is involved with visually recertifying a propane cylinder. http://www.cfins.com/wp-content/them...dentManual.pdf

Bill

[john61ct]

The expensive refill process via swapping is only needed when you want a new tank.

Long as the one you're using is OK, you should be able to get it refilled at a regular much cheaper place that charges by volume or weight, not a high fixed price.

I've heard of swap vendors that tried to put proprietary valves on their tanks to prevent you doing this, but apparently hurt their business so much they reverted to the standard valve, aka Type 1 QCC 1-5/16" ACME/FPOL, with OPD

[BlackHeron]

It is true that refilling is almost always cheaper than the swap lockers but being a full-time cruiser without a car I have found that rarely can I find a propane refill facility nearby the anchorage or marina we stop at in walking or even bicycle distance from the dinghy dock.

The swap model has become so successful in the US that just about every major gas station convenience store, grocery store, hardware store, Walmart, Home Depot, even pharmacies like Walgreens and CVS have the swap lockers. All the while propane fill facilities have become fewer and fewer. Many small towns don't even have one these days. Finding can one can be a chore.

We've been at marinas like Velcro Beach where there is a service that will pick up your tank at the marina office and fill and return it but the price is over $10/tank more than even a swap place. No thank you. The only way I'd pay that much more for a fill is if I were stuck with a special tank that I couldn't swap.

The swap places charge between $15 (Walmart is always the cheapest we have found) to the mid $20's a tank. Worst price I paid was a Walgreens at $26 after taxes someplace on the East Coast. A 20# tank lasts us 2 months or more. Even at $13/month it is a minor budget item in our cruising costs, especially when you think about $50-75 just to recertify some fancy aluminum tank and hiring an Uber or taxi to drive you 20+ miles to a place that will fill it.

Some marinas have a courtesy car but we would rather avoid the $70 marina fee in the first place as we anchor our most of the time anyhow.

If there happens to be a propane refill facility right there I would definitely refill and save a few bucks over swapping, but this almost never is the case we have found, instead they are usually miles away.

[SVRocinante]

Thank you Canopus199, Boston Blackie, Wsmurdoch!
Awesome storage bag/system wingless - great job!

I’ve thought about it BlackHeron, but so far, we’ve not had any issues getting our tanks refilled along the East Coast. For the most part, we don’t stay at marinas and we don’t rent cars/uber except for specific long distance trips to visit family, etc.

Mind you, we have 3 tanks, so we can go 3 months without need for a refill!
So while you’re certainly correct, that many towns don’t have, we’ve always made it to a town that does befoer running dry.

The longest walk has been just shy of a mile in Provincetown, but we have a folding cart we use for propane, laundry & shopping!

Thanks again everyone!

[pcmm]

Originally Posted by wsmurdoch

Jenkins Gas in New Bern, NC recertified my two aluminum propane tanks. When I got there they said the fellow that did the work was not there. I left them and picked them up the next day. Had he been there they said he would have done it while I waited. I got a visual inspection with a current date and an "E" stamp good for five years.

Bill

Recertification should have included replacing the relief valve not just a visual inspection. Its a requirement for recertification.

[wingless]

Remember that the tank swap gets a 20 pound tank filled with 15 pounds of propane.

[pcmm]

Originally Posted by wingless

Remember that the tank swap gets a 20 pound tank filled with 15 pounds of propane.

A 20lb tank never gets 20lbs. the OPD valve prevents filling above 80% At most you get 16lbs. but 20lb tanks aren't all that common on boats anyway usually you'll find them setup for 10 or 11lb tanks

[wsmurdoch]

Originally Posted by pcmm

Recertification should have included replacing the relief valve not just a visual inspection. Its a requirement for recertification.

Replacing the relief valve was not called out as a separate item on the receipt.

The training guide listed in post 38 only mentions replacing the relief valve in fork lift cylinders with the quote "All cylinders used in industrial truck service (including forklift truck cylinders) must have the cylinder’s pressure relief valve replaced with a new or unused valve within 12 years of the date of manufacture of the cylinders and every 10 years thereafter."

Fork lift tanks have a relief valve installed in a separate nozzle on the tank while BBQ tanks have the relief valve as part of the OPD valve.

Other than that I did not see anything in the manual about replacing relief valves.

Looking at the OPD valve on one of my cylinders, I don't see any way to replace the valve without replacing the entire valve assembly.

Bill