amerigas vs blue rhino: Buy my own propane tank or swap with Blue Rhino Amerigas? : grilling

The tank is NOT filled all the way to the top with liquid. Learn more about your rights as a consumer and how to spot and avoid scams. Find the resources you need to understand how consumer protection law impacts your business. A class of direct purchasers — like auto repair shops or home improvement businesses — previously reached a settlement agreement with AmeriGas and Blue Rhino for $12.6 million in 2019.

Let me do a cost analysis and a couple of dry runs and I’ll get back to the collective with my design. They are usually a little cheaper than Blue Rhino and Amerigas. However as others have noted they do not fill the tanks full, they short change you. Think about it – by refilling, you completely eliminate the blue rhino mass refill center too. OPD’s are relatively crude mechanical devices and are not calibrated when installed in your tank.

Share you photo

With over 54,000 locations nationwide, find AmeriGas propane at your favorite hardware or home improvement store, convenience store, gas station, and more. Companies are in business to make money, pure and simple. This is a technique to make more money that the customer rarely notices, but definitely pays for. You will likely pay more for the exchange, even if your tank is completely empty.

Meth labs are using propane tanks and if you get one that was used in that scenario, watch out. I googled and found that Amerigas and Blue Rhino both offer propane cylinder exchange programs at approximately the same price locally. It is well know they have proprietary fill valves designed to screw customers into being captive. The stations that charge based on temperature correct gallons or weight are being fair. If you have gas installed at your house already, you can have your gas company run an outlet to your barbecue and be free of the extra cost and many headaches of 20 lb cylinders forever.

The standard BBQ amerigas vs blue rhino is generally referred to as a 20 lb tank as that is the amount of propane that it will safely hold. Some might hold slightly less than this as the OPD valve varies in size, but it is well over 19 lbs. I grabbed a full 20 lb bottle of Blue Rhino out of the cage and had the attendant weigh the bottle.

OK, ice cream and coffee companies have done this, but they made the package smaller also. The safety of transport and the load of larger models calls for that delivery occur separately from gasoline supply. Once the unit reaches an expiration date (sometimes 12 years for the 15 to 20-lb ones), you must request an inspection earlier than you’ll be able to refill it. Buying a tank prices $5 to $3,500 for sizes between 1 to 1,000 gallons. On a easy price comparability, most householders might resolve that it is less expensive to purchase smaller tanks and rent larger ones.

In Settlement with FTC, Trade Associations Agree to Change Rules and Adopt Antitrust Compliance Programs

When propane shoots out of that hole, the bottle is filled to the proper level. Check the Blue Rhino sign again……they only put 17 pounds of propane in your 20 pound tank….they underfill it, too. I took a deep dive into propane tank capacities and how to weigh your tank to determine how much propane is left. Also at the beginning of that post, is the picture below, showing three 20# in the foreground.

Propane provides immediate heat and precise temperature control, which gives you the flexibility to prepare a variety of dishes that would be challenging with other outdoor heat sources. Exchanged propane tanks are regularly inspected, so you’ll know that the tank you pick up has a lot of life left and has been checked for any issues. Walmart rejected proposals from both AmeriGas and Blue Rhino to reduce the propane fill levels; Walmart’s buyer viewed each proposal as a price increase to which Walmart was not willing to agree. Although Blue Rhino’s largest customer, Lowe’s, accepted the fill reduction, it did so on the express condition that all of Blue Rhino’s customers also accept the fill reduction promptly. Blue Rhino and AmeriGas understood that they could not sustain the fill reduction across the industry unless it was accepted by Walmart.

Walmart purchases tanks from both Blue Rhino and AmeriGas and initially refused to accept the planned fill reduction. Blue Rhino and AmeriGas understood they could not sustain the fill reduction unless it was accepted by Walmart. Blue Rhino’s customer Lowe’s accepted the fill reduction only on the condition that all of Blue Rhino’s other customers, including Walmart, also accept the fill reduction within a short period of time. Faced with resistance from Walmart, Blue Rhino and AmeriGas colluded by secretly agreeing that neither would deviate from their proposal to reduce the fill level to Walmart.

There is no overfill protection on the 1lb cylinders and you are could over fill them. It is dangerous to travel with a tank on its side, so it’s extremely important to keep the propane tank in a vertical position during transport. ALWAYS place the cylinder in a well-ventilated area of the vehicle. Seal it with a plug if required—even if the cylinder is empty. The propane company only has to add 10 lbs to your tank when they refill and sell to someone else. Blue rhino has some bs “proprietary” valve, you can’t refill them.

Exchanging a propane tank: Pros and cons

Use our visualizations to explore scam and fraud trends in your state based on reports from consumers like you. While overblown and unlikely, I would just refill my tank. The mere existence of numerous phone calls between competitors in the midst of contractual negotiations with a major common customer may create an inference that the competitors are acting in coordination. Most grilling tanks weigh about 17 pounds when empty and hold about 20 pounds of gas.

These special TS2 valves are only on a very small portion of Blue Rhino tanks. The majority of Blue Rhino tanks can be refilled by any qualified and trained propane supplier. It’s quicker to exchange a tank rather than have a gas-station attendant come out and fill your existing bottle. Whether you choose to refill or exchange your propane tank, propane is the best way to keep your summer cooking. Propane is an affordable, easy to use, and efficient fuel that excels in backyard barbecues.

An MLP’s units are a lot like an ordinary company’s shares of stock, just like its distribution is a lot like an ordinary company’s dividend. But in exchange for special tax treatment from the government, an MLP is required to pay out nearly all of its net earnings as distributions to its unitholders. Each unitholder also has to do some extra paperwork come tax time, but the juicy yields from MLPs can often be worth the trouble. I live less than half a mile away from my nearest propane filling station. I guess they’re probably supplying them with propane…

Buying Blue Rhino Tanks FAQs

For a couple bucks extra it’s worth the peace of mind to exchange imho. Finally, if you are dissatisfied with a Blue Rhino tank, please return it to the store for a refund or replacement. Blue Rhino is not only installing OPD valves, they are installing their OWN proprietary OPD valves, called Tri-Safe II valves.

• Apparently there is a triangular indentation on the value itself on the TS2 valves .
• The mere existence of numerous phone calls between competitors in the midst of contractual negotiations with a major common customer may create an inference that the competitors are acting in coordination.
• I was surprised to learn that those small propane exchange bottles are rarly sold full.
• A Class of direct purchasers—such as auto repair shops and home improvement stores—had previously reached a $12.6 million settlement agreement with AmeriGas and Blue Rhino in 2019.

You will seldom, if ever, receive 80% (of Water Content-WC) which is what is considered a full tank from any supplier who fills an OPD equipped tank. Most retail locations have grill tanks available for both sale and exchange, so you can return your old grill tank and get a refilled one in one simple step! The location finder lets you know what services you will find at your local retailer.

Exchanging your propane tank at a Blue Rhino partner is quick and easy and can be done any time of the day. You can hold an impromptu barbecue, and quickly find the propane you need just moments before the grilling begins. The process only requires you to drop off your old tank and pick up a new one. You can save up to $1.75 per gallon by refilling over the cost of an exchange at third-party retailers. At the point of sale, the customer exchanges his or her cylinder for one supplied by the retailer. These empty cylinders are then stored for the propane company to pick up when the next delivery is made and the cylinder stock is replenished.

“Plaintiffs and their expert have failed to carry their burden of demonstrating that class-wide impact and damages can be established with common proof, as is required,” the judge said. Honestly, I would be very wary of buying either of these propane MLPs right now. If it’s a high yield you’re after, you can find plenty of oil and gas MLPs with comparable yields to Ferrellgas‘ or AmeriGas‘ that also have better growth prospects, better yield coverage, and lower debt. That doesn’t necessarily mean Ferrellgas is doing better than AmeriGas, but it’s probably a result of Ferrellgas‘ reporting including the frigid January while AmeriGas‘ doesn’t.

Because that’s what my local convenience store sells, but many outdoor cooks use Blue Rhino, which is owned byFerrellgas Partners, L.P. Even with regular use (couple times a week?), a full tank should last at least a couple/few months. I assume the S-345 has a tank holder attachment that is also a scale, so you determine roughly how much gas is left? The problem I found with that is some of the places have filled only fill it half way. There’s no obvious „full“ blinking light that goes off and you are paying a flat rate not by the cubic foot or whatever it is. I’ve gotten tanks home before and using the very inexact weight gauge on my Weber it tells me I have a half full tank and it certainly seems to run out faster.

AmeriGas, on the other hand, has increased its distribution for 13 straight years (admittedly, in 2017 it was only up by $0.01 per quarter). So, even if its yield is slightly lower, AmeriGas’s distribution is far more reliable, and its distribution policy more shareholder-friendly. I had my gas distributor put a filler hose on my 250 gal. I think I paid $1.50/Gal last time I filled-up the bulk tank. I have a friend who lives about 12 miles away and he pays close to $30 for a refill.

That settlement, one of the parties, Blue Rhino, also agreed to provide additional antitrust compliance training to relevant company personnel. One can only assume that AmeriGas took comparable steps following the settlement. In light of these considerations and others, scarce Commission resources would have been better spent pursuing other, more worthwhile matters. I have worked at a refill station for 10 years now and I can’t tell you how many complaints we get about Blue Rhino tanks. It is not unsafe to put 20lbs of propane in a tank, UNLESS that tank is exposed to 120 degrees F or above, at which point, the pressure relief valve with discharge to reduce pressure inside the tank.

You can get up to $2.50 per tank without uploading proof (claim up to to 50 for $125 total). No proof of purchase is necessary to obtain settlement benefits, do not fill it out if you never purchased these products to qualify. We work to advance government policies that protect consumers and promote competition. Find legal resources and guidance to understand your business responsibilities and comply with the law. Let Ferrellgas monitor tank usage and schedule refills with our most convenient delivery option. This is NOT the same is the Overfill Protection Device which has been required for all tanks for quite some time now.