23 replies to this topic

[Joe Romas]

This is for those who use exchange tanks. Yesterday I exchanged my 3 empty propane tanks at Wally World. I noted after paying for them the sign said 15 pounds net weight   Thinking I was having a senior moment I looked at my empty tanks. They were 17 pounds net weight So the good news is my mind is fine and the bad news is another consumer rip off I went across the road to Miejer to fill my jeep up and their tanks are not Rhino and are still 17 pounds. As a recap the tanks are rated at 20 pounds but for expansion they can only be filled to 85% and that works out to 17

Last years 17 pound tank

this year's rip off

[frosin]

That's pretty interesting. Companies have been getting away with that stuff for years. I small can of coffee was 1 lb. when I worked at a supermarket (and even later). Now it's 12 oz., but the can size stayed the same. Blue Bell is advertising that their ice cream still comes in 1/2 gallon cartons. I guess that others are using the same size cartons and putting in less.

If you fill 'em at a propane dealer I guess that you would actually get what you pay for.

Fred

[Don in OKC]

15 or 17 lbs is the weight of an empty propane container.

Does the difference in the weight of the empty Rhino bottle have anything to do with a difference in (volume) capacity? I dunno, I'm asking. I wouldn't care if they figure out how to make a lighter container.

Could be that if you're exchanging bottles, Rhino needs to state the weight of the lighter container so folks don't think they're being cheated out of 2 lbs of propane????......I dunno.......does anybody weigh a full exchanged container? Usta be 47 lbs, I guess now it'd be 45 lbs using a new container, if so, who's getting cheated?!

Or are you implying that there's less propane in an exchanged container.

Perhaps I'm missing something.

As Alfred E. Neuman said, "What, Me Worry?!"

[Fireballsocal]

It says net weight, 15 pounds propane. Not tare weight (container only) or gross weight (container plus propane). I'm thinking they put less propane in there. The steel containers are all standard.

[Don in OKC]

Well, I think you guys have it wrong.

It's a 20 lb bottle, meaning it's capable of holding 20 lbs of product (in this case, propane). The 'net weight' (15 or 17 lbs) is of the container without product (empty).

The (lpg) propane industry is regulated........hopefully, more closely than the banks.  

[Dunollie]

Don,

I went over to the Ice Box and looked at a couple items. Net Weight is the weight of the product, not the package.  Net weight on the Propane Bottle is the product inside not the weight of the bottle.

les

[sticks]

I'll go with the " wrong" side,

net weight = contents

jk

[Joe Romas]

fireballsocal has it dead on
Every tank has "TW" or Tar Rate stamped on the handle part and my current ones are 16.6 pounds. Some tanks just say WT. Both of these are the weight for the empty bottle. Find the weight of your bottle then weigh it. That will be the GROSS weight (bottle and contents). Then subtract the TAR weight and you will get the NET weight (weight of the contents)  

Don.
"Perhaps I'm missing something" Yes you are and it's 2 pounds of propane

Frosin. Some refillers charge flat rates for refilling a tank no matter how much they put in
Had I realized what Wally and Blue were doing all I had to do was go accross the road, where they still contain 17 pounds

So look at the lables first.

[highwayfl]

I believe TW = TARE weight

WC = Water Capacity  (Not Water Closet)

I believe a 20 pound propane tank could be full with 17 pounds propane...but then each tank is slightly different, depending upon it's WC.

I wonder if ambient temperature when filling makes a difference? If it is cold, more propane, and if it is hot, less propane at filling?

Edited by highwayfl, 19 May 2009 - 03:42 AM.

[Us burros]

My take.

Dictionary.com: "Net Weight Definition:   the weight of actual goods, excluding packing materials."

The container labels:  

15 is less than 17.  

The newer container is smaller than the older one and re-fillers are allowed to fill whatever size container only to 80% of total capacity. Therefore, the total capacity of the newer container is approx. 18.75 lbs and the older container is approx. 21.25 lbs. I'm betting the newer 15 lb. containers will have to be replaced more often because they contain 12% less product than the 17 lb.     

When I have my "20 lb." containers refilled, the charge ticket states the actual lbs put into it (usually around 18) and the flat fee dollar charge is for "one twenty lb. fill"

Harold

[Bill & Karen]

Back a few months ago I had an empty tank I was going to swap out and I weighed on a bathroom scale, it came in at 18 lbs, the TW on the side said 17lbs so lets average it out to 17-1/2 lbs. I then went to store and brought back a filled one and as Joe's label said it was 15 lbs. I measured the full and it came to 34 lbs. Most bathroom scales are not the most accurate way to measure as we all know when we step on them, but............. it seems that my figures fall into what most have said, more info
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_much_does_a_...pane_tank_weigh

[Don in OKC]

Ohhhh my, now I see. Yup, I was hung up, confused and mis-spoke. I really got off track.

THanks for all your patience.  

[Fireballsocal]

I was starting to worry as I read your initial reply to me Don.   Thought I was about to eat crow. Tried jumping on Blue Rhinos website and they were down. I could only imagine the legions of angry casita owners leaving them nasty emails.  

[friz]

Flying J and some other places sell the propane by the gallon. Thats where I get mine, you see the meter, and pay for what you get.

... friz

[craig.humphries]

So ... I guess Don in OKC's scoreboard reads something like this:

3455 correct
1 incorrect

I believe this might qualify as a trend.

Edited by craig.humphries, 19 May 2009 - 08:52 PM.