dbhost
Super Active Member
The other thread on this issue has taken a few too many tangents off into some strange territory, and I wanted to cover in a more organized manner, if at all possible the main points. Please feel free to chime in as you are comfortable. Please be respectful, and constructive here.
#1. Current pricing of the 16.4oz stubby green bottles A.K.A. DOT 39 cylinders, of propane vary wildly. Where I am at my local Wally World has them 2 for $7.59 I think it was. This is up over a dollar and half since this time last year.
#2. DOT regulations, with the force of law behind them with huge fines and jail time backing it up prohibit the refilling of the standard DOT 39 cylinders. It is unclear if this applies to private vehicles / persons or only applies to commercial carriers.
#3. The refilling of theDOT 39 cylidners s being common practice is covered widely through a huge assortment of youtube videos and online tutorials. Many members here claim to refill, many are against it. I am split on this issue personally. I understand there are risks to refilling, I understand there are legal risks to refilling. I understand there are risks just sitting here minding my own business as well. I will not say one way or another about the law / regulation prohibiting this, however, I will say that I like ideas where what would have been hazardous waste, or any waste, is reduced, reused, or recycled. We are all mature, enough, adults here, and we can do our own cost / benefit analysis. You do you, and I will do my thing.
#4. There is a good bit of debate between pre chill, don't pre chill, pop the relief valve, don't pop the relief valve. I have no experience in this so I cannot say.
#5. Spent DOT 39 cylinders are never fully spent, and thus are considered hazardous waste. Many municipalities forbid standard garbage disposal, or standard recycling of these cylinders and require they be saved until a household hazardous waste recycling event.
#6. There are 2 alternatives to refilling DOT 39 cylinders for propane camping appliance operation. They are.
#6a. Use a bulk tank such as a 20lb BBQ tank, with a set of hoses, and in the case of a Mr. Heater buddy heater, a fuel filter. These work great if all of your appliances are going to be used in close proximity and you have the carrying space and capacity of the bulky tank, hoses, and post.
#6b. Refillable 16.4oz bottles and refill kit. I have heard rumors of a second MFG, but the only one I can find with any certainty is the Flame King setup. Since COVID, costs on them went up and available has been sketchy. However REI seems to have the best pricing on the kits and bottles at this current time. $44.95 for the refill kit. https://www.rei.com/product/113711/flame-king-refillable-propane-cylinder-with-refill-kit-1-lb and $14.95 for the refillable bottles.https://www.rei.com/product/113609/flame-king-refillable-propane-cylinder-1-lb with free shipping on orders over $50.00. Keep that in mind.
#7. Flame king, or factory filled disposables, can, and do leak every so often. I have had far too many just not seal back up when I take the lantern or whatever off of the cylinder. There are gasketed brass caps made for these bottles, marketed for the refillers, but a great safety feature for those just looking to avoid problems with leaky bottles. https://amzn.to/3tNiXcG
#8. Using a pop up camper, traditionally all of your propane appliances would be plumbed through, and installed within or fed from a quick connect to the camper itself, however there are barebones, home brewed or other pop ups that do not have this feature, and a few of us are still tenting. Not to mention there are simply appliances we may want further away from the camper. Say you have a privy tent you want away from the camper for privacy sake, You will likely want a water heater / shower and in the winter a small tent heater. I mean who wants to get out of a nice hot shower in winter into a freezing tent before you can dry off right?
Lastly, for the most part, don't forget about GPA appliances. White gas, or ethanol free unleaded gasoline can run a stove, heater, lantern etc... The only item I can not replace with a GPA appliance is the on demand hot water heater / shower. And of course propane is easier to use as most people know how to use a gas stove at home... The concepts are more or less the same.
#1. Current pricing of the 16.4oz stubby green bottles A.K.A. DOT 39 cylinders, of propane vary wildly. Where I am at my local Wally World has them 2 for $7.59 I think it was. This is up over a dollar and half since this time last year.
#2. DOT regulations, with the force of law behind them with huge fines and jail time backing it up prohibit the refilling of the standard DOT 39 cylinders. It is unclear if this applies to private vehicles / persons or only applies to commercial carriers.
#3. The refilling of theDOT 39 cylidners s being common practice is covered widely through a huge assortment of youtube videos and online tutorials. Many members here claim to refill, many are against it. I am split on this issue personally. I understand there are risks to refilling, I understand there are legal risks to refilling. I understand there are risks just sitting here minding my own business as well. I will not say one way or another about the law / regulation prohibiting this, however, I will say that I like ideas where what would have been hazardous waste, or any waste, is reduced, reused, or recycled. We are all mature, enough, adults here, and we can do our own cost / benefit analysis. You do you, and I will do my thing.
#4. There is a good bit of debate between pre chill, don't pre chill, pop the relief valve, don't pop the relief valve. I have no experience in this so I cannot say.
#5. Spent DOT 39 cylinders are never fully spent, and thus are considered hazardous waste. Many municipalities forbid standard garbage disposal, or standard recycling of these cylinders and require they be saved until a household hazardous waste recycling event.
#6. There are 2 alternatives to refilling DOT 39 cylinders for propane camping appliance operation. They are.
#6a. Use a bulk tank such as a 20lb BBQ tank, with a set of hoses, and in the case of a Mr. Heater buddy heater, a fuel filter. These work great if all of your appliances are going to be used in close proximity and you have the carrying space and capacity of the bulky tank, hoses, and post.
#6b. Refillable 16.4oz bottles and refill kit. I have heard rumors of a second MFG, but the only one I can find with any certainty is the Flame King setup. Since COVID, costs on them went up and available has been sketchy. However REI seems to have the best pricing on the kits and bottles at this current time. $44.95 for the refill kit. https://www.rei.com/product/113711/flame-king-refillable-propane-cylinder-with-refill-kit-1-lb and $14.95 for the refillable bottles.https://www.rei.com/product/113609/flame-king-refillable-propane-cylinder-1-lb with free shipping on orders over $50.00. Keep that in mind.
#7. Flame king, or factory filled disposables, can, and do leak every so often. I have had far too many just not seal back up when I take the lantern or whatever off of the cylinder. There are gasketed brass caps made for these bottles, marketed for the refillers, but a great safety feature for those just looking to avoid problems with leaky bottles. https://amzn.to/3tNiXcG
#8. Using a pop up camper, traditionally all of your propane appliances would be plumbed through, and installed within or fed from a quick connect to the camper itself, however there are barebones, home brewed or other pop ups that do not have this feature, and a few of us are still tenting. Not to mention there are simply appliances we may want further away from the camper. Say you have a privy tent you want away from the camper for privacy sake, You will likely want a water heater / shower and in the winter a small tent heater. I mean who wants to get out of a nice hot shower in winter into a freezing tent before you can dry off right?
Lastly, for the most part, don't forget about GPA appliances. White gas, or ethanol free unleaded gasoline can run a stove, heater, lantern etc... The only item I can not replace with a GPA appliance is the on demand hot water heater / shower. And of course propane is easier to use as most people know how to use a gas stove at home... The concepts are more or less the same.
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