LP Refill

[MichaelBarb]

Many campgrounds can refill LP tanks. It seems to me that most do.

We went to one last week that could not. At least they had a tank exchange system. They wanted $100 for the first tank and $25 for a refill.

How common is the ability to refill tanks, exchanges, or nothing at all?

[carybosse]

Originally Posted by MichaelBarb

Many campgrounds can refill LP tanks. It seems to me that most do.

We went to one last week that could not. At least they had a tank exchange system. They wanted $100 for the first tank and $25 for a refill.

How common is the ability to refill tanks, exchanges, or nothing at all?

I typically stay at State Parks, have never seen a refill or exchange option there, usually just outside the park.

[LETMGROW]

Originally Posted by MichaelBarb

Many campgrounds can refill LP tanks. It seems to me that most do.

We went to one last week that could not. At least they had a tank exchange system. They wanted $100 for the first tank and $25 for a refill.

How common is the ability to refill tanks, exchanges, or nothing at all?

I'm a little confused here. They will exchange a tank but then they can refill a tank? How big of a tank do you have?

[LMHS]

Depends on the type of campground. But I have found very few in the last 20 years that have fill stations, or operating fill stations.

I have one tank that I use as a "swapable tank". Normally I refill all my tanks at an LP dealer or fill station. Including my "swapable tank". I only swap if I can't get a tank refilled. I used to frequent an area that had NO tank fills in the county. It was swap only. That is why I always have a single "swapable tank".

I was told in Chattanooga that the reduction in campground fill stations had to do with insurance and training. But it was also a propane dealer who told me this so you can decide if it means anything.

All I know is I tend to run out of propane on a holiday or during a bad storm (worst possible time scenario). But I can haul my "swapable tank" in and swap it out for a semi-filled one.

[KenZ71]

Call around to Tractor Supply and U-Haul. Or try Propane Near Me in Google

[Isaac-1]

I have never had a problem finding places to get our motorhome onboard propane tank filled while traveling, and have seen commercial RV parks with propane fill stations, though I would certainly say they seem to be in the minority in the areas we tend to travel (southern US as far west as Arizona, and as far north as Wyoming). If I were to guess I would say that less than 1 in 10 RV parks where we have stayed have propane fill stations.

[Old-Biscuit]

During our FT travels....only seen a few CGs that had propane filling on site and some of those I wouldn't use after watching some of the yahoos doing the refills

Blue Rhino Exchanges are roughly $25 for swap of 20# cylinders
$65 to buy the cylinder
Course they only have 17# vs the 20#

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

During our FT travels....only seen a few CGs that had propane filling on site and some of those I wouldn't use after watching some of the yahoos doing the refills

Blue Rhino Exchanges are roughly $25 for swap of 20# cylinders
$65 to buy the cylinder
Course they only have 17# vs the 20#

The exchange cylinders don't even have 17# anymore.

They are now exchanging 15 lbs of propane. It's printed on the label and cage the tanks sit in.

I only exchange if my cylinder is out of date or desperate for propane.

[wildmandmc]

Lowes,CVS, and others have tank exchange most time for about $21.

[LETMGROW]

Most RV dealers will refill propane tanks. Most propane dealers will fill tanks as well. Weekends might be excluded. Plan ahead if you can.
I got my MH tank filled for free last week when I went to pay my bill for having my 300 gallon off road diesel tank filled earlier that day. At $4.99/9 per gallon for diesel I think I had it coming. LOL!

[inthepines]

Menards also does propane filling if you have one near you. Probably better odds there is a tractor supply near you though.
Do a google search for places that do propane refills.
There are still small hardware stores that will fill tanks and you might find one with a special going on. One by me usually does thru the summer, it isn't much but it isn't full price.

[95f5334j]

When in Yuma this past February we needed propane. The Yuma Gas delivery truck came to the park every Thursday. I had to call Yuma Gas office to set up an account then the driver filled both my onboard and 20lb tank for $4.999/gallon. A few days later, I found a Ferrellgas location I could have driven to where the price was about $1/gallon cheaper.

I now have this bookmarked for future reference https://www.ferrellgas.com/locations/all-locations/

On another note, we were in Oliver BC in May and needed propane again. The local propane dealer's truck came through the park weekly. When I asked the driver if he could fill my onboard tank, he told me it was illegal in BC to fill a motorhome tank from his delivery truck, he could only fill stationary tanks. If I wanted propane, I had to unhook and drive to their office ????? We went to Northwest Propane in Ferndale WA. a week later.

[LETMGROW]

Originally Posted by 95f5334j

On another note, we were in Oliver BC in May and needed propane again. The local propane dealer's truck came through the park weekly. When I asked the driver if he could fill my onboard tank, he told me it was illegal in BC to fill a motorhome tank from his delivery truck, he could only fill stationary tanks. If I wanted propane, I had to unhook and drive to their office ????? We went to Northwest Propane in Ferndale WA. a week later.

I ran into a similar situation when my propane company's delivery truck showed up at my house. Basically he said he wasn't allowed to do it. I wish now I had asked him why. Legalities, company policy or maybe the fact I signed a contract for the next two years to have propane delivered for $2.09/9 per gallon for my home tanks when I switched companies. This has to be hurting them. I use propane for heating, water heater, cook stove, clothes dryer and my standby generator.
I do know the nozzles on the hose are different between filling RV tanks and household tanks. Would they have to change them or do they have adapters? RV's take a bit more time and the amount they pump at one time is minimal. Not a big ticket item for them and increased liability.

[oatmeal]

Originally Posted by inthepines

Menards also does propane filling if you have one near you.

Only Menards locations with fueling stations refill tanks; at others, they have propane tank exchanges.

If you're filling a cylinder, Menards charges a flat rate for the refill regardless of how much propane is still in the tank, and they fill only to 18.5 pounds, not the 20 pounds a tank will actually hold. (This is on a sign INSIDE the fenced in area, not visible when you're standing outside.) If you're filling a tank on a motorhome, though, they charge by the gallon. Same with filling a car.

Here's their site with a list of locations that have propane refueling stations:

https://www.menards.com/main/service...ns/c-13167.htm

I looked into all of this last year, and remembered that at a given location, they had either propane refilling or cylinder exchanges, but I don't see anything on this page about that. However, I put it in the wayback machine and sure enough, just six months ago it said, "Our Self-Serve Propane Cylinder Exchange is only available at Menards stores that do NOT have a propane fueling station." You can see the previous version here:

https://web.archive.org/web/20211205...ns/c-13167.htm

I don't know why it's not there any more. Maybe they changed their policy and now have exchanges at some stores that have refueling stations, or maybe nothing has changed and they just took out that paragraph. The internet can be very maddening this way.