Quote:
Originally Posted by bedrck46
I will agree that they aren't that great of a value. Yet when I have a tank that is getting old and needs to be re-inspected I will take the old tank and exchange it for a much newer tank. Would cost about $10.00 for a re-inspection or about $20.00 for an exchange tank that should have at least 10 good years before needing re-inspection. Rather than buying a new tank. Granted I may be getting a tank that is 3/4 filled but then it becomes very cost savings.
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Be careful if you do a tank exchange. I have three friends that are in three different police force in the area. They all say the same thing, don’t use tank exchanges. They state that most propane incidences they are called to involve tank exchange tanks catastrophically failing due to corrosion from the inside out. Some of the issues is with Meth manufacturing using the tanks with caustic chemicals.
By law after the initial 12 years, the tanks need to be inspected and recertified every 5 years. The inspectors are required to date the tank. The tank exchange vendors do not inspect the tanks, which means they are not marked, or verified they are safe. They just give them a quick coat of paint to look good, fill them and send them on there way. Never inspected.
I have used tank exchanges. I had an old tank, no time to get it inspected, so I did, went to the big box store by my house that does tank exchanges. I looked at a dozen or more tanks before I found one that was in date compliance. Then it took a few more tanks before I found one that was only 6 months old. I still have that tank.
Buying a new tank is cheap, and it is very cheap to have refilled. I just had 3 20 pound tanks filled a few weeks ago. Each tank cost about $12.50 to fill. Tank exchange was requesting $17.99 for a replacement tank. Just need to locate a dealer. Near my house, I know 6 places to fill tanks, only two of them are at gas stations, and only one of them is at a traditional gas station.