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Propane Tank Refill by fill volume - BJ's price capped at $13.98

$13.98
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https://www.bjs.com/help/what-siz...lub-fill-/

Hi All. I am researching a place to get my Blue Rhino Tanks refilled. I know that the exchange is a loss making proposition as the tanks are filled to 75% capacity only.

After making a few calls I found that BJ's is the lowest in MA. They fill by volume & the max price is capped at $13.98.

Could you guys share the lowest cost to get the Propane Tanks refilled?
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Created 06-18-2021 at 11:49 AM by SlickFly
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Joined Feb 2007
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> bubble2 12,161 Posts
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sarcasmogratis
06-18-2021 at 12:10 PM.
06-18-2021 at 12:10 PM.
Agree that refill rather than exchange is usually more cost effective.

Lowest price is going to be very regional, but a club like BJs has a good chance of being very competitive.

Also check commercial gas stations/heavy equipment rental places (like United or Sunbelt) as they often do refills
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> bubble2 1,514 Posts
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bugelrex
06-18-2021 at 12:13 PM.
06-18-2021 at 12:13 PM.
Blue rhino doesn't have a proprietary valve?
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> bubble2 311 Posts
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syndkit
06-18-2021 at 12:16 PM.
06-18-2021 at 12:16 PM.
It takes 4.6 gallons of LPG to fill a completely empty 20lb. cylinder. Tractor Supply charges by the gallon. So few places charge by the gallon. Most are preset prices on tank size. In my area it $2.89 a gallon that would be $13.294 for 20# tank. Also some propane companies are high price for refilling the small cylinders because they are a nuisance to them. There's no real profit for the time/labor it takes to perform the service. They prefer bulk deliveries. And normal exchange retailers you get 15 lbs of fuel for the price of twenty because of Federal Transportation Regulations so your net is (4.24 lbs per gallon=3.53gals). They will check the date on the tank so make sure before you go, the tank has a good date. https://www.ferrellgas.com/tank-t...o-do-next/ If not bite the bullet go to the exchange a find a newly inspected tank you can keep for about 5 years or more!
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froberts2
06-18-2021 at 12:36 PM.
06-18-2021 at 12:36 PM.
Quote from syndkit :
It takes 4.6 gallons of LPG to fill a completely empty 20lb. cylinder.
And just to being this back to the OP's comments around 75% full, 4.6 gallons is actually a 20lb cylinder at 80% full, which is the most that they should be filled to.

If Blue Rhino do fill to 75% as claimed then it's not like they are shorting you 25% as that number implies, but only <10%.
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ShortChange
06-18-2021 at 12:42 PM.
06-18-2021 at 12:42 PM.
I think that UHaul centers, the main ones, have propane - not the filling station pickup locations.
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SlickFly
06-18-2021 at 12:52 PM.
06-18-2021 at 12:52 PM.
Quote from ShortChange :
I think that UHaul centers, the main ones, have propane - not the filling station pickup locations.

Yes you are right. I called my nearest Uhaul & learnt… they never carried Propane, but Uhaul website still populates their location on their propane link.
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SlickFly
06-18-2021 at 12:57 PM.
06-18-2021 at 12:57 PM.
Quote from froberts2 :
And just to being this back to the OP's comments around 75% full, 4.6 gallons is actually a 20lb cylinder at 80% full, which is the most that they should be filled to.

If Blue Rhino do fill to 75% as claimed then it's not like they are shorting you 25% as that number implies, but only <10%.

Please read this forum

https://www.forestriverforums.com...ost1503571
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> bubble2 2,749 Posts
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Jamesq
06-18-2021 at 01:07 PM.
06-18-2021 at 01:07 PM.
Quote from froberts2 :
And just to being this back to the OP's comments around 75% full, 4.6 gallons is actually a 20lb cylinder at 80% full, which is the most that they should be filled to.

If Blue Rhino do fill to 75% as claimed then it's not like they are shorting you 25% as that number implies, but only <10%.

So seems like a 20# tank is full (80%) at 20#. So a 20# tank filled to 100% would be 25#.

When filling a 20# tank to 80%, you will fill to 20#.

Those prefilled 15# tanks leave out 25% of the propane.... you are paying like $5gl when propane is like $2.25-$3.50gl

Guess the extra $4.50-$6 is the 'convenience fee' you have to pay to come back 33% more often and exchange your tank.
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FFPlayerVIII
06-18-2021 at 01:13 PM.
06-18-2021 at 01:13 PM.
I go to ACE Hardware for my propane refills.
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sarcasmogratis
06-18-2021 at 02:40 PM.
06-18-2021 at 02:40 PM.
Quote from IndiaPaleAle :
I'll take the exchange vs time equity going somewhere exclusively for a propane refill, especially when you consider Walmart pretty easy to slip past the exchange part and get a full tank for $16.

Yes, theft is cheaper.
You are correct.
🤦
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> bubble2 28 Posts
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fupresti
06-18-2021 at 03:17 PM.
06-18-2021 at 03:17 PM.
Most U-Haul company owned stores pump propane by the gallon.

https://www.uhaul.com/Propane/
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GlockGuy07
06-18-2021 at 03:25 PM.
06-18-2021 at 03:25 PM.
I just filled 2 tanks and it cost just under $20. I only ever fill there
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