Refilling Propane Bottles

I use a old propane torch unit that i did a mod to . 1/4 npt is the thread i cut in. used all old stuff . one pound tank is drained for full fill.
20#/5gal tank is the feed & left in sun , one pound is frozen in freezer after it's blead out. invert 20# hook up my valve , prime it , connect frozen 1# tank with sun heated 20# & open valves ,next day I get a full tank for less that a buck .

Sloth

Ahh, you need to remove the 1# tank male piece that has A ball & spring check valve to let the LPG flow backwards . Far right brass center bit pointing out. Been filling them for 50years plus.

 

I'll pile on here and say that I've been refilling the 1lbers since the mid 80's with no problems. Have a few of the adapters floating around here and I keep one in the RV. Originally the instructions I had said NOT to chill the 1 pounders and to time the fill to 60 seconds. While I do put the little bottles in the fridge, I have found that the 60 second thing is pretty close to what it takes to fill.
YMMV

 

I've made my own shredder valve tool for adjusting the safety valve. It's special.
trick is to find the JUST point at which it gives way and where it stays closed. always check with bubbles.
The brass cap is still good insurance .

 

I've had hit or miss with refilling the 1# bottles. Over half of the ones I've tried ended up leaking. Finally gave up on trying to refill them 30 years ago. But then I never tried freezing them first and have always opened the safety valve near the top of the bottle (by pulling up on the spring-loaded center pin, with a pair of needle nose...and a glove) to allow the liquid propane to flow in from the larger tank.

The safety valve is the one that ended up leaking. When that happened I'd have to set them far away from anything and let them bleed out.

Now I rarely use the 1# cylinders any more. I have two propane lanterns that I haven't used in years. LED lighting came along. For portable BBQ grill I use a 5# refillable bottle. Larger grill uses the standard 20#.

 

@BTPost No actually they sell that 1#'er on Amazon by it's self as being refillable... only $19.99.

Rancher

 

I have also gotten 1#ers that were designated to be refilled. they are no different than the standard bottles .

 

Great post!
I've discovered the local state park camp area is a good place to gather almost brand new 1LB empty canisters... Camp is happy to have someone else dispose of them. Built my own refiller with small high presure ball valve. Easier to change canisters with minimal gas loss. Nice to have plenty of full canisters for heater buddy, torch, lantern and stove!

 

I'm surprised at the number of monkeys that mention or seem to say they only have one #20 tank! I have a gas grill & a few years back I got cranky. It would run out when food was half cooked or when I went to put the meat on. So bought a second tank. When I got my tank top heater I got a third. I have a cane type flamethrower that uses the #1 bottles, so after I'd collected about a dozen I bought a refill adapter, and added a 4th #20 bottle. Thing is my dumb butt just realized sumthing. I bet one those adapter hoses to use a #20 tank for camping stoves would work just fine for my flamethrower!! doh!

 

mmm, we have a shed full of 20 and 30 pound tanks If one has a way to fill them, you can pick up tanks with the "old" style valves for nothing many times and there is nothing wrong with them other than not having the OPD valve. One of our propane tanks has a wet leg so we fill the smaller ones here.

Side note: All of the tanks here that have the OPD valve I installed them myself, but not before disabling the float in the new valve. That way if I do need to take one to town to fill, I get a full measure. Not suggesting anyone follow my path. YMMV

 

I like the idea of having several bottles rather then having every thing in one big one.
If the one big one leaks you loose it all , but the likely hood of all the smaller bottles leaking is far less and much easier to handle in the long run.
If you must move and space is at a premium trying t haul a half full 100 gallon tank would be difficult to justify where as having several small tanks , if there are a few that are empty , they are not that much to be giving up, and their volume can be dispersed around the load..
Again the brass caps can make a big difference in keeping the gas in the 1# bottles even if they tend to leak the brass cap reduces the loss.