Refilling 1 lb propane bottles

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garyb1st

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The DW bought the hose and an adaptor more than a year ago. I've been reluctant to use it and recently read there is a risk associated with refilling some bottles. I also read that unless the bottles are chilled, it's likely that they're not going to fill completely. Even then it likely they won't get much more than maybe 50 - 75% full. Seems like a waste of time. That said, I've thought one of the 5 lb bottles may make sense. The pricey but compared to the ever increasing cost of the 1 lb Coleman bottles probably worth while. Anyone have any experience with refilling the 5 lb bottle and if so, do the same issues exist.
 
You can purchase 1 lb cylinders that are designed (and legal) to be refilled.

Flame King Refillable 1 lb Empty Propane Cylinder Tank - Reusable - Safe and Legal Refill Option - DOT Compliant-16.4 oz (2-Pack), green (YSN164-2)

Technically, it is illegal to refill the throwaway cylinders, if they are carried across state lines. They are quite difficult to get gas in them unless you vent them, and the only way to do that is to use some needle nose to pull on the pressure relief valve that is on the tank, while you are filling it. Odds are, it won't reseat properly and will leak all of the gas out. Odds are good that the valve in the top port of the cylinder will leak also, even on new throwaways after the first use, so I have brass caps with seals that I screw on for safety.

MACIMO 5 Pieces Solid Brass Refill Cap 1 LB Propane Cap Tank Cylinder Sealed Cap Cap for Outdoor Stove.

You need to fit your MH with a fitting so you can use a hose to your grill instead, money better spent.

There are 5 lb and 11 lb cylinders but these must be professionally refilled. Tip, Tractor Supply refills using a meter by the gallons and tenths and their prices are very competitive. I have been using them to top off my 30 lb cylinders.

Charles

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If you have a grill or griddle that has a built in regulator and you cannot use the RV's low pressure gas, the small cylinders are a good option, with the correct hose. If the grill or griddle uses the small external regulator on the side of it, or on the "BBQ" cylinder you generally can use the low pressure from the RV. A few LP devices use an odd pressure which necessitates using their regulator.

The small cylinders are also handy if you frequently cook more than about 20 ft from the RV. Note the small cylinders I linked to have gauges in them, which is a plus, but are rather pricey.

Charles
 
I've refilled "thowaway" pounders for years now and can tell you that at best you'll around 85% of their original volume back in. That being said:

So long as you get them and the filling source (I use a standard 17# LP grill tank) as cold as you possibly can...

You do the actual filling in ambient temperatures as cold as you can...

You do an initial fill, do a short purge with the 1# tank upright, and then do a second fill, and then repeat the process once more after that.

Being that I live in Minnesota it's advantageous for me to perform this in either late January or February when all my tanks are out in my detached garage and well below 0 degrees anyway, and if its in the -20s or -30s outside, even better.

Otherwise, plan on having a chest freezer large enough to store everything for at least 24 hours if not twice that if you do this in warm weather, and plan on working quickly.

And yes, going through all of this rigamarole brings my cost per bottle down by as much as 2/3rds the cost of buying new ones, depending on the costs to fill my supplying tank.
 
I have also been filling my own well used 1 pound bottles for several years from a 5 gallon tank upside down,, just throw the 1 pounders in a freezer for 30 to 40 minutes and I fill them as full as you can buy them new..>>>Dan
 
I ended up buying the 11 lb cylinder after buying an adapter to refill 1 lb cylingers.. I managed to refil a couple of them with no problem, but on day had one i just filled that leaked...
I put it out in our back yard and watched a stream of propane vapor drift some 50 feet or so across my lawn... Very dangerous situation!! It was the last time I filled a 1 pounder, and just before I bought the 11 lb with a 4 foot adapter hose..

It not only works great with my blackstone and propane stove, but makes a great backup if I forget to fill my 25 pounders.
I also bought a wye adapter and second 4 ft adapter hose so that I can operate both the blackstone and stove at the same time from the 11 pounder..

You just have to ask yourself if the risk is worth the savings...

Safe Travels and all the best....
 
There are refillable 1 lb bottles now with DOT certification. Not cheap, $27 at amazon.
 
That's good to know. I use a propane torch in the kitchen occasionally.
Could you explain this? Do you use the torch for food? repairs?

If for food, something like Creme, Brulee, BBQ, ? I carry with me in the camper a Butane cook burner, and since I have those cannisters already, I bought a Butane torch for starting fires. Butane Torch Kitchen Blow Lighter - Culinary Torches Chef Cooking Professional Adjustable Flame with Reverse Use for Creme, Brulee, BBQ, Baking, Jewelry by FunOwlet (Butane Fuel Not Included)

Its small and compact and the same cannister fits in my portable cooktop.

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If using for a Propane torch for maintenance, Flame King also makes a smaller cylinder that can be refilled that is bottlenecked and appears to be easier to handle than even the tall, thin Bernzomatic cylinders. Flame King 1/4-lb Empty Refillable Propane Cylinder Tank - Reusable & Transportable - Safe and Legal Refill Option - UL1769 Listed Valve

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As I mentioned in another thread, the transfering of any pressurised liquidised gas is all about differential pressure. The donor cylinder needs to be warmer than the receiving cylinder to maximize the fill and speed up the transfer. I put the small cylinder in the freezer after first venting any residual pressure in a well ventilated area. I always use scales to ensure I don't overfill and always manage to get a full 20oz. I use a small tent peg to vent pressure, it fits perfectly and as yet, have not had issues with leakage.
 
Creme what? Not me!

We make chili rellenos with fresh chilis. (I especially like the Hatch variety. They're spicier). The torch gets the skin the grill misses. The peppers need to be skinned but not overcooked to make a good relleno.

They are a lot of work, but worth it.
 
I too tried re-filling 1 lb bottles for a year or so and got experienced with the technique, e.g. chilling, inverting, etc. It's manageable but somewhat a nuisance for what you save, but I suppose that depends on how many 1 lb bottles you would need to buy regularly. For me, the more convenient yet still cost effective solution was to buy a 5 lb LP bottle and have it filled at my local LP gas place, which charges by volume (a 5# tank is a bit over 1 gallon). The bigger 5 lb tank is still easy to tote and lasts several times longer than partially-refilled 1 lb'ers. The downside is high upfront cost, about $60 for a new one last I looked.
 
I'm kind of wondering why anyone would bother to refill the small 1-pound cylinders anyway. Although they are convenient, I buy them at WM (or wherever) a dozen at a time and when one is empty it gets tossed. I have a small table-top gas grill (which is a pain to clean) and it is meant to use those, but I just got an adapter hose and fuel it from a 20# tank sitting on the ground.
 
I'm kind of wondering why anyone would bother to refill the small 1-pound cylinders anyway. Although they are convenient, I buy them at WM (or wherever) a dozen at a time and when one is empty it gets tossed. I have a small table-top gas grill (which is a pain to clean) and it is meant to use those, but I just got an adapter hose and fuel it from a 20# tank sitting on the ground.
I think there's renewed interest because the price of the throwaways is getting ridiculous. Our local Scheels has the refillable Flame King empties for under $20.00, they're $27.00+ on Amazon ( but they have free shipping which is only $7.00). Thinking I'll heed the advice on here and go that route.
 
Most new RV's come with outside low pressure propane connections. That and a 20 ft hose with a male nipple and a female disconnect/shutoff on it, plus any adapters you might need for Coleman, Blackstone, Camp Chef, etc, will take care of your situation and no small canisters to keep track of.

I still carry a small grill that uses the one pound cannisters but it rarely gets used, as 80% of the time, my travel buddy and his wife do the cooking, and I provide the salad o_O

Charles
 
I think there's renewed interest because the price of the throwaways is getting ridiculous. Our local Scheels has the refillable Flame King empties for under $20.00, they're $27.00+ on Amazon ( but they have free shipping which is only $7.00). Thinking I'll heed the advice on here and go that route.
It's been about 5 years since I bought any and I still have a bout a dozen in my shop, but the last time I purchased them they were going for about $10 for a 4-pak. I just looked and they are now $4 - $5 each. Wow, what an increase.
 

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