Are all propane bottles the same?

[Redline]

Hey, I know, these newbies think of the goofiest questions...
But I was buying some 1-pound propane bottles the other day and noticed that the off-brands (at Farm & Fleet) were less expensive than the same size Coleman-brand bottles. Do the cheaper brands perform as well as Coleman?
Many thanks for your help, and many thanks for putting up with my stupid questions! (I am trying to do this camping stuff right...)

[mikeschn]

All the 1 # bottles should hold the same amount of propane. So the only differences should be control of manufacturing costs. Obviously stuff made in China is going to be cheaper.

1 pounders are not refillable... so I would probably buy the cheapest I could find.

On another note... I've seen some really cool looking, light weight fiberglass bottles if you are in the market for a 20 pounder.



Mike...

[halfdome, Danny]

Nice but, One Hundred Twenty-one dollar$ is quite $teep for a 20# propane tank. Danny

[asianflava]

One thing that I've noticed with cheapies. The valve doesn't always shut off the gas when you disconnect them from the stove, lantern, etc. I have to just leave them attached.

[halfdome, Danny]

One thing that I've noticed with cheapies. The valve doesn't always shut off the gas when you disconnect them from the stove, lantern, etc. I have to just leave them attached.

If you are referring to the 1# cylinders, I'll agree. Danny

[mikeschn]

Nice but, One Hundred Twenty-one dollar$ is quite $teep for a 20# propane tank. Danny

Even our local hardware store, which is considered expensive, sells them for $79.

But look at the bright side. You'll always know how much propane you have left, just by looking at the bottle!

Mike...

[halfdome, Danny]

Nice but, One Hundred Twenty-one dollar$ is quite $teep for a 20# propane tank. Danny

Even our local hardware store, which is considered expensive, sells them for $79.

But look at the bright side. You'll always know how much propane you have left, just by looking at the bottle!

Mike...

Now that is more in line price wise since there are added benefits over the steel. Haven't seen any locally here though. Would consider getting one in something smaller like 5 or 10 lbs. Danny

[halfdome, Danny]

All the 1 # bottles should hold the same amount of propane. So the only differences should be control of manufacturing costs. Obviously stuff made in China is going to be cheaper.

1 pounders are not refillable... so I would probably buy the cheapest I could find.

On another note... I've seen some really cool looking, light weight fiberglass bottles if you are in the market for a 20 pounder.



Mike...

Test Video of The Clear Tank

[sdtripper2]

I have used this adapter on my 20 Lb-der to my 1LB bottles to refill them:
This keeps my cost per refill to a minimum and I don't carry the big 20 LB-der.



Harbor Freight sells this one but have seen them else where:
Refill standard 16.4 oz. disposable propane bottles from a portable 20
lb. cylinder. Safe and legal, you no longer have to dispose of, or pay for,
those small propane bottles. Propane resale or transport across state lines is
prohibited by law.

[madjack]

Steve, it is actually not legal to refill(and transport) the 1# bottles but who is gonna know!!!!!!!!!!...................

[halfdome, Danny]

With the way some 1 # tanks leak It's not worth the risk to refill and transport anywhere. IMHO Danny

[asianflava]

With the way some 1 # tanks leak It's not worth the risk to refill and transport anywhere. IMHO Danny

Tell me about it, I finally got to use my handy dandy, Harbor Freight refiller adapter. When I removed the 1# bottle, it had one of those leaky valves. I had to screw it back onto the regulator. Maybe I'll only refill those high dollar Coleman 1# bottles.

[Scooter]

What do ya do with the 1lb. bottles when they're empty???

[halfdome, Danny]

What do ya do with the 1lb. bottles when they're empty???

I heave them but there are recycling programs at some National Parks. Danny

I found this on the web.

Recycling Propane Cylinders Through a partnership with Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone and Grand Teton concessionaires, the Yellowstone Park Foundation, and several private entities, there is now a program for collecting and recycling propane cylinders in the greater Yellowstone area. The Propane Bottle Recycler (PBR), a mobile propane cylinder recycling unit, is now being utilized to recycle an estimated 5,000, small, one-pound propane cylinders discarded in the greater Yellowstone area each year. The recycling function of this unit is twofold --the PBR is powered by propane that is extracted from the canisters and recycled; the canisters are then flattened to be recycled into steel. This is the first unit of its kind to address the significant issue of more than sixty million propane cylinders ending up in landfills in the United States every year. In 2005 Yellowstone National Park recycled 3,678 discarded cylinders within the greater Yellowstone area.

[asianflava]

I throw them away. With a leaky valve, I have no problem doing so.