Lakeside
New member
Where can I get my tanks recertified in Maine or New Hampshire
Propane tank recertification.
- Thread starter Lakeside
- Start date
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darsben
Well-known member
Portable tanks need recertification
Built in permanent tanks do not.
So motorhome permanent tanks do not
20 lb 30 lb 40 lb even 100 lb that you take to be filled need recertification.
I have no way of telling which you have
Built in permanent tanks do not.
So motorhome permanent tanks do not
20 lb 30 lb 40 lb even 100 lb that you take to be filled need recertification.
I have no way of telling which you have
Babe2201
Well-known member
Like the other member said what size are they? If they are smaller ones that are the size used in most grills and are on the front of a TT I would suggest going to a place that has an exchange and change them in for a newer one that is certified.
Dan_Frisbie
Well-known member
For portables, it’s not worth it.
Lou Schneider
Site Team
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Any propane distributor can re-certify your tanks. A distributor is the company that sends trucks out to install and refill propane tanks at houses and businesses. Call them and ask. Usually they have names like Suburban Propane or Amerigas but since I'm not in that part of the country I can't be more specific, sorry.
NY_Dutch
Well-known member
That depends... I can get a DOT cylinder recertified for $5-$10, a whole lot cheaper than replacing a 30 or 40 lb cylinder that the exchange places don't carry.
Rene T
Site Team
I assume the OP has portable tanks. They used the word tanks with a S
I had some recertified several years ago and saved quite a bit. It was America’s in FL.
I had some recertified several years ago and saved quite a bit. It was America’s in FL.
Contributor
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I paid $15 to certify a 30Lb tank 7 years ago. Certification lasts 5 years so it was due earlier this year but still had some propane in it and the propane folks wouldn't fill it. I didn't want to be on the road with it when it ran out so I had a new replacement delivered to my home for $80. I believe it is good for 12 years.
For me the old tank would cost me $15 today, $15 in 5 years and another $15 on year 11 (assuming certification costs remain the same). That's $45 for nothing.
The new tank will only cost me to refill and recertification on year 13, And I have a new tank. Yes I paid $35 more than if I had recertified the old one but for me a new tank was worth not having to make extra trips for recertification.
For me the old tank would cost me $15 today, $15 in 5 years and another $15 on year 11 (assuming certification costs remain the same). That's $45 for nothing.
The new tank will only cost me to refill and recertification on year 13, And I have a new tank. Yes I paid $35 more than if I had recertified the old one but for me a new tank was worth not having to make extra trips for recertification.
CharlesinGA
Well-known member
The correct nomenclature is CYLINDERS for the portable units that you recertify. That is what the DOT calls them in the regulations.
The fixed units are American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) certified TANKS, and correctly, they do not need any certification other than a visual inspection each time they are refilled.
The certification interval on DOT Cylinders is 10 years for the common 20/30/40 lb units. It was 12 years and sometime about 2017 or so, the DOT issued a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) to reduce the inspection interval to 10 years. The proposal received no comment during the 90 day comment period so it was approved as a rule and became part of the Federal code. Suddenly the propane and compressed gasses industry watchdog agency's that operate to promote the industry realized what had happened (they failed their job basically) and the DOT issued a "do not enforce" letter to their field agents, and at the same time issued a new NPRM to change the time interval back to 12 years. At the end of the 90 day comment period, the majority of the comments received were to leave it at 10 years, so the NPRM failed and no further action was taken except to advise the DOT field agents to enforce the rules as written.
Charles
The fixed units are American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) certified TANKS, and correctly, they do not need any certification other than a visual inspection each time they are refilled.
The certification interval on DOT Cylinders is 10 years for the common 20/30/40 lb units. It was 12 years and sometime about 2017 or so, the DOT issued a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) to reduce the inspection interval to 10 years. The proposal received no comment during the 90 day comment period so it was approved as a rule and became part of the Federal code. Suddenly the propane and compressed gasses industry watchdog agency's that operate to promote the industry realized what had happened (they failed their job basically) and the DOT issued a "do not enforce" letter to their field agents, and at the same time issued a new NPRM to change the time interval back to 12 years. At the end of the 90 day comment period, the majority of the comments received were to leave it at 10 years, so the NPRM failed and no further action was taken except to advise the DOT field agents to enforce the rules as written.
Charles
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Well excuse me for calling them tanks,
While you are technically correct, calling them tanks seems a well accepted practice.
This is how they are described online
While you are technically correct, calling them tanks seems a well accepted practice.
This is how they are described online
Flame King YSN-301 30 Pound Steel Propane Tank Cylinder with Type 1 Overflow Protection Device Valve DOT and TC Compliant
Style: 30 LB TankAbout this item
- Safety first - Flame King tanks are Pre-purged vacuum ready for filling with LP gas - they are x-ray and hydrostatic tested plus Department of Transportation (DOT) and Transport Canada (tc) certified
- High quality - each tank is constructed from high grade Welded Steel and powder coated for long lasting durability.
- Premium valve - Premium OPD (overfilling prevention device) valve assembly which is required by law in most States, if your tank doesn't have this, most places won't fill it!
- Leading the industry - Flame King, a leader in propane storage solutions, prides themselves on making the highest quality, premium, refillable propane tanks on the market. From 1lb up to 100lb tanks, we've got you covered
- Suit your needs - With a standard-size connection valve, This large 30lb tank will connect as easily as smaller tanks, and work with RVs or trailers, propane tank attachable heaters, and other accessories.
- NOTE: The propane tank is empty and ready to be filled with gas
CharlesinGA
Well-known member
I understand what you are pointing out. I too have trouble remembering to call them cylinders, its kinda like remembering that it is a water heater, and not a hot water heater. Its like reading one of DonTom's posts where he calls something a "thingie" when he should be calling it a "widget" instead. Bearing "races" are actually "cups" in the manufacturers catalogs, and the bearings themselves are "cones".
I spent all of my life in the aviation industry, 31 years as an airline mechanic. You learn real quick to call something by the correct nomenclature, and not that "flippy flappy thingie" on the wing. That gets the wrong part shipped to an outstation attempting to repair damage to a flight control.
Not trying to be critical of anyone, just trying to get the word out.
If the OP had asked right off where to get a cylinder re-certified I'll bet there would not have been a minutes discussion about it, but by saying tank it caused discussion because a tank, to the average person, implys anything that holds LP (in this case), while the term cylinder is something much more specific. (you don't hear anyone calling the tank under a motor home, a cylinder, nor do you call the tank for my shop air compressor, a cylinder)
The only clue the OP gave us was that he stated tanks, the plural, and you don't see too many motor homes running around with two of them underneath.
Well, gotta get back to packing for a long trip, will be 4k or more when its done. Still debating on an oil change for the truck, it has 2500 or so now, and the oil is still clear (odd for a diesel), so I think I will let it go, which reminds me, I need to load extra oil, but it never uses any.
Charles
I spent all of my life in the aviation industry, 31 years as an airline mechanic. You learn real quick to call something by the correct nomenclature, and not that "flippy flappy thingie" on the wing. That gets the wrong part shipped to an outstation attempting to repair damage to a flight control.
Not trying to be critical of anyone, just trying to get the word out.
If the OP had asked right off where to get a cylinder re-certified I'll bet there would not have been a minutes discussion about it, but by saying tank it caused discussion because a tank, to the average person, implys anything that holds LP (in this case), while the term cylinder is something much more specific. (you don't hear anyone calling the tank under a motor home, a cylinder, nor do you call the tank for my shop air compressor, a cylinder)
The only clue the OP gave us was that he stated tanks, the plural, and you don't see too many motor homes running around with two of them underneath.
Well, gotta get back to packing for a long trip, will be 4k or more when its done. Still debating on an oil change for the truck, it has 2500 or so now, and the oil is still clear (odd for a diesel), so I think I will let it go, which reminds me, I need to load extra oil, but it never uses any.
Charles
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Wasillaguy
Well-known member
One little thing to keep in mind with exchanging 20 lb. cylinders-
Brand new cylinders can have a small amount of liquid in them if not properly purged by the local propane company. The cylinders are shipped empty, with a bit of nitrogen? if I recall correctly. Anyway, if not correctly purged they will have some moisture come out.
For most appliances this will never be an issue, however certain products that have very fine jet orifices can become clogged. The "Mosquito Magnet" is one such device. I had to demonstrate the moisture problem for our local Amerigas, and finally convinced them to trade my brand new wet tank for a 6 yr old that was dry.
Now when one of my tanks gets too old to refill, I get a new one and use it on the BBQ for a couple refills before attempting to use it on the skeeter eater.
Brand new cylinders can have a small amount of liquid in them if not properly purged by the local propane company. The cylinders are shipped empty, with a bit of nitrogen? if I recall correctly. Anyway, if not correctly purged they will have some moisture come out.
For most appliances this will never be an issue, however certain products that have very fine jet orifices can become clogged. The "Mosquito Magnet" is one such device. I had to demonstrate the moisture problem for our local Amerigas, and finally convinced them to trade my brand new wet tank for a 6 yr old that was dry.
Now when one of my tanks gets too old to refill, I get a new one and use it on the BBQ for a couple refills before attempting to use it on the skeeter eater.
Contributor
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Yes, I agree with you on that. I spent over 32 years in the aerospace defense industry and your are 100% correct there. When I was younger and all of my customer correspondence was proof read by my bosses, I learned quickly to use the proper terms as my corrected documents came back with "blood all over them".
Later on, when I was chief engineer on some projects and was responsible for many "white papers", I was very careful to read and proofread everything many times. Now days, I can be a pain in the arse when those tendencies come over me.
Two of the most misused terms I ran into in the support of manufacturing electronic systems were repair vs rework.
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Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
To add to the present terminology confusion, DOT-spec petroleum gas tanks can be called a "bottle" as well as a "cylinder", but an ASME-spec gas container is always a "tank". And the engineers who specialize in designing and producing those things call them all "pressure vessels".
NY_Dutch
Well-known member
There was talk earlier about the recertification cost versus a new cylinder cost, so I thought I would mention that my daughter just had a 30 lb cylinder recertified by a local LP distributor using the "proof-pressure" method for $15. When it passed, the cylinder was recertified for 10 years, the same as new cylinders. The proof-pressure method subjects the cylinder to air pressure at twice the cylinder's maximum rating with a leak check. The cylinder does need to be purged after testing before refilling. I don't know if that was included in the testing cost or added to the fill price.
Mountain high
Guest
Why bother with recertification?
Even though my two 40 pound propane cylinder tanks are just over a year old on the manufacturing dates, being winter I'm refilling them every few weeks.
In our travels from Western Colorado to Chesapeake Bay Virginia the process of refilling the propane lacks consistency. Some places visually check the dates, some take photographs of it, and some don't bother to look at all. There's always one whom will refill them without inspection.
I was informed that 100 pounds of propane is the limit to haul through the states, so I carry two 40's and a 20.
Even though my two 40 pound propane cylinder tanks are just over a year old on the manufacturing dates, being winter I'm refilling them every few weeks.
In our travels from Western Colorado to Chesapeake Bay Virginia the process of refilling the propane lacks consistency. Some places visually check the dates, some take photographs of it, and some don't bother to look at all. There's always one whom will refill them without inspection.
I was informed that 100 pounds of propane is the limit to haul through the states, so I carry two 40's and a 20.
Mountain high
Guest
Correction 90 pounds is the limit transporting it enclosed.
Recertification can be performed by our propane (Ferrellgas) company. The propane gas doesn't ever get old unlike other fuels even if the cylinder propane tank has expired.
Recertification can be performed by our propane (Ferrellgas) company. The propane gas doesn't ever get old unlike other fuels even if the cylinder propane tank has expired.
CharlesinGA
Well-known member
Because 99% of the fill locations WILL look at the dates and refuse to fill them. Now you are stuck with tanks you cannot get filled and certification is something you have to search around to find a place willing to do it.
Charles
gwinger
Well-known member
There are problems with tank exchanges like Rhino. They are only filled to 15lbs. The price for the exchange is about the same for a tank filled at a propane supplier. I just paid $20 for a full 20 lbs.
Tanks may have valves that are hard to turn, or extremely loose and probably not tested . I picked one up for our grill once and it was out of date and I could hardly open the valve. And the tanks look like they went through a war and repainted several times. My 7 year old tanks still look like new.
It's the price you pay for convenience.
Tanks may have valves that are hard to turn, or extremely loose and probably not tested . I picked one up for our grill once and it was out of date and I could hardly open the valve. And the tanks look like they went through a war and repainted several times. My 7 year old tanks still look like new.
It's the price you pay for convenience.
Mark_K5LXP
Well-known member
I just exchanged 2 damaged grill tanks for 2 Rhino tanks. I weighed them and each had about 17lbs. So not quite 20 but more than 15. For the convenience of trading two unserviceable tanks for two that looked pretty decent and were nearly full, I think I got my $21 worth. But generally I do get them filled, if nothing else even if I don't get a full 20lbs I only pay for what was actually dispensed.
Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
