Propane refills from private 500gal tank?

[DUNEFLYER]

I have had a 500gal propane tank on my property for many years. I would like to buy a set up (fittings and hose) to top off my moho tank and even the 5gal tanks if needed.
No pumps so just gravity fill. I know this will only fill my smaller tanks maybe 2/3 full but that is fine.
Where can I buy all the right fittings and hoses to tap into my 500gal tank to fill my smaller tanks?

Thanks for any info.

 

[monkeyswrench]

For roofing, I just went to a propane supplier and had them make me up a hose with the right ends...filled bbq tanks from a 100g. For yours, you'd need a T from your setup so you don't have to undo your house.

Legalities? That I'm not sure of. I was buying a shit-ton of propane at the time, so it may not have been legit.

 

[dread Pirate]

Pretty sure you can't do it on your own in California anymore.

Yes I have the ability to do this from my tank.

Let me know if you want pics of the assembly.

 

[RiverDave]

You wouldn’t need pumps?

 

[dread Pirate]

You wouldn’t need pumps?

I have a valve on the bottom of my tank with a hose and the fitting to fill the smaller tanks. It's not real fast, but you wait until the gas blows out the vent just like at a pump. Takes longer and some say the tanks aren't "full". Gas came out the air vent, so that's up to you to decide, but I save a lot of time and $ by being able to fill my own being as far from town as I am.

 

[DUNEFLYER]

Pretty sure you can't do it on your own in California anymore.

Yes I have the ability to do this from my tank.

Let me know if you want pics of the assembly.

Message sent

 

[boat527]

I have a valve on the bottom of my tank with a hose and the fitting to fill the smaller tanks. It's not real fast, but you wait until the gas blows out the vent just like at a pump. Takes longer and some say the tanks aren't "full". Gas came out the air vent, so that's up to you to decide, but I save a lot of time and $ by being able to fill my own being as far from town as I am.

Correct..never will " fill" once the pressure equalizes. Hence the need of a pump.

 

[wash11]

Ricky Hobday from A&B Propane set us up with a deal to fill small tanks and RV’s from our 325 gallon tanks. The valve you screw onto is located on top and has a tube that goes within an inch of the tank bottom. Takes about 20 minutes to fill a 5 gallon tank but way better than the 80 mile round trip to town to get them filled.
Just sent you his contact info. This was a hodgepodge of new and used stuff he had so I think it was pretty reasonable. You’d probably just need a longer hose to access the tank on your rv.

 

[dread Pirate]

Ricky Hobday from A&B Propane set us up with a deal to fill small tanks and RV’s from our 325 gallon tanks. The valve you screw onto is located on top and has a tube that goes within an inch of the tank bottom. Takes about 20 minutes to fill a 5 gallon tank but we better than the 80 mile round trip to town to get them filled.
Just sent you his contact info. This was a hodgepodge of new and used stuff he had so I think it was pretty reasonable. You’d probably just need a longer hose to access the tank on your rv.
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Thats a little different than mine. I fill off the bottom. Takes 5-7 minutes or so to fill a 5 depending on how clogged the vent tube is

.

 

[DUNEFLYER]

Thanks for the info and nice chatting. I will talk to Ricky once I get my shit together.

 

[fishing fool]

This is correct. You need to move LIQUID into the empty tank.

Thats a little different than mine. I fill off the bottom. Takes 5-7 minutes or so to fill a 5 depending on how clogged the vent tube is

View attachment 1314189 View attachment 1314190 .

 

[Go-Fly]

Tap a liquid line. Fills tanks until the safty valve kicks in and liquid starts to come out the vent. That's as full as you can get it.

 

[DLow]

This is correct. You need to move LIQUID into the empty tank.

You can pull liquid from top or bottom, just depends on internal plumbing of valves.

Tap a liquid line. Fills tanks until the safty valve kicks in and liquid starts to come out the vent. That's as full as you can get it.

Correct. It will be just as full as what you get from propane fill stations as long as you crack the bleed valve and let the vapors out. Just takes longer and you are pushing heavier than air flammable vapors into atmosphere around you instead of back into the more full tank.

 

[Go-Fly]

You can pull liquid from top or bottom, just depends on internal plumbing of valves.

Correct. It will be just as full as what you get from propane fill stations as long as you crack the bleed valve and let the vapors out. Just takes longer and you are pushing heavier than air flammable vapors into atmosphere around you instead of back into the more full tank.

I had a tank heater on my tank. Made filling much faster. Ran four forklifts 16hr a day and used a lot of propane. More in the summer when the employees filled their BBQ tanks. Amerigas took care of keeping it full.

 

[prorider]

Have learned if you lean small tank on a bit of angle they fill better. Seems all the safety devices on valves can be a problem. We do it all the time.

 

[yz450mm]

My new to me work truck is propane powered, so I'm going to get another 500 gallon LP tank delivered to the house to fuel the shop heaters and fill the truck. I'll probably just end up buying a LP transfer pump and setting up a legit filling station.

I've talked to the LP company about it, they told me to set up the lines and make sure it'll pass a pressure test, and they will bring the new tank and install it.

I go through about 32 gallons of LP a week in the work truck, so having a (second) dedicated tank at home is worth the initial cost.

 

[fishing fool]

You can pull liquid from top or bottom, just depends on internal plumbing of valves.

Correct. It will be just as full as what you get from propane fill stations as long as you crack the bleed valve and let the vapors out. Just takes longer and you are pushing heavier than air flammable vapors into atmosphere around you instead of back into the more full tank.

I never said you can not fill from the top. If filling from the top the line needs go into the liquid.

 

[infield]

If tank has a wet leg you can fill completely full. In the good old day some farm tractors ran on propane and they were filled with a tank you pulled around. Just need to vent the tank you are filling. I can fill small tanks for my pasture burning torch or bbq grill.

 

[DLow]

I never said you can not fill from the top. If filling from the top the line needs go into the liquid.

You’re right. You didn’t. When I read what I quoted of yours, it seemed like you were saying pulling from the bottom was the only correct way, as someone earlier had posted they pull from a liquid line at top of tank.

I had a tank heater on my tank. Made filling much faster. Ran four forklifts 16hr a day and used a lot of propane. More in the summer when the employees filled their BBQ tanks. Amerigas took care of keeping it full.

Tank heaters are nice.

 

[Eliminator21vdrive]

LIQUID PROPANE TRANSFER KIT 1-5/8"-20 TANK GRILL BBQ FILLER FILL UNLOADING ACME

CONNECTORS: LIQUID TANK TO GRILL VAPOR TANK, INCLUDES 6' OF HOSE APPLICATION: TRANSFER FUEL FROM TANK CONNECTION (1-5/8 -20 THREAD) TO GRILL TANK (ANY

www.ecrater.com

 

[Go-Fly]

Believe it or not you can fill your own propane tanks without opening the vent. Propane converts back to a liquid when under pressure. Voids will be filled and the two tanks will balance in the same amount of time within a few minutes. Bleeder vents can only discharge 2cfm on a 20% vapor tank. Does very little to relieve pressure, more to tell you when it is full. I never open the vent other then to see if they are full. Don't like the smell or the danger per say. Put a flow meter on your tank hose. Money well spent.

 

[monkeyswrench]

Ya'll are slackin'...no Hank!

 

[lbhsbz]

Pretty sure you can't do it on your own in California anymore.

Yes I have the ability to do this from my tank.

Let me know if you want pics of the assembly.

any commercial warehouse still running propane forklifts is set up to do this...