# Propane Question



## Jeffish1 (May 1, 2004)

This might be a stupid question, but where do you guys get rid of the propane cylinders from your heaters and stoves? My garage is starting to fill up with them, I tried putting them out next to the dumpster, but they didn't take them. Coleman told me that i had to remove a valve and take them to a salvage yard, does anyone else know of a safe way to get rid of them? Thanks!


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## Guest (Feb 22, 2005)

I used to burry mine but now I just load up the trunk and look for the nearest empty dumpster in my neighborhood. Apartment complexes are good places to dump.


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## WalleyeGuy (Apr 9, 2004)

They make great targets for 200 -500 yard sight in's.
leave a small amount in them and set them up
Keep them away from anything that might die or get hurt.
It will let you know when you are starting to get in to the drive a tack shot zone.


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## atrkyhntr (May 31, 2004)

I let mine go to the local curb salvagers...
I have shot a few and it is fun but not a very smart thing to do...


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## DaleM (Apr 5, 2004)

Most recycling place will take them. If they are totally empty you can just dispose of them in the trash. I sometimes push the inside valve open to make sure. Throwing them in a dumpster isn't a good idea. If kids find them who knows what they may try to do with them. Also it is illegal to dipose of them in dumpsters. Don't go there guys. As a firefighter we had someone do just that and we had a fire fighter almost lose his eyes. Dumb idea to say the least.


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## hardwaterfan (Apr 6, 2004)

seems darn ridiculous that gander mountain or stores that sell them dont give you a quarter back for them or some darn thing...

the tank has got to be worth as much as the gas inside them, doncha think??

ive picked a few up off the ice this year  (not my own  )

what a waste.... to think they say its illegal to refill them but i dont see why with the valve that is on them....

i think im gonna write to coleman. they need to reuse the dang things.

gosh i hate swearing in my mind and "cleaning it up" as i type. dang!


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

Wait until the ice melts at Mosquito. There will be empty bottles floating all over the place. Probably the same at all the popular ice fishing lakes.
There should be a heavy enough deposite on the emptys to make it worthwhile to return them or collect them.
Good advice on the apartment dumptster Dale. Too much potential for injury.


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## Chippewa (Oct 25, 2004)

They say that it is illegal to refill them... but they do sell the refill kits...I think that i have seen them in cabelas. I have a friend that got one and is using it, and he gets them to refill about 3/4 full.... I am gonna borrow his and start to refill all of my emptys that are laying around... and if i like (and feel safe) how it works i will probably buy one.... save a lot of money and solve the problem of having to get rid of the canisters....


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## bassmastermjb (Apr 8, 2004)

I think LaDue Reservoir is the place to take all the empty propane bottles.The last time I was there I saw at least a couple hundred empties under the 44 bridge.It was a very sad sight to see.What is wrong with these people?Do these people think they will just disappear over time when they leave them behind.I'm sorry to vent on you guys, but I needed to get this off my chest.


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## mousejam515 (Jun 3, 2004)

dad says with the refill kit you plug the empty one to a regular big one and flip it upside down and it fills the small one. that kind of makes me wonder if it would be better for me to get a regular lantern that you put the pour gas in. is it cheaper to buy a jug of the gas or a tank of propane or keep buying the small ones?

j


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

The gas fueled lantern will burn longer than a propane unit on a full tank of fuel. You will probably require two extra refills for a day or night of fishing with propane while the gas unit should just require a small bottle of extra fuel. Last time I used a propane lantern for a night on Mosquito I ran out of heat about 4AM and I was using full store bought bottles. I carry a used alcohol bottle of extra fuel and have been able to fish for a whole day or night with my gas unit. The only drawback is you have to be a tad carefull during a "hot" refill.
Propane also requires a little care in handling it during the bottle refill.
My gas fired Coleman is 34 years old and still works perfectly with a minimum of maintenance once a year.


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## Jeffish1 (May 1, 2004)

Thanks for the insight guys, I'll try and get them over to the recycling center...Do they have to be completely empty to take there as well?


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## Lil' Rob (Apr 11, 2004)

As Chippewa said, there is a refill kit...which is really nothing more than an coupler to connect the cylinder bottle to a standard connection found on you grill's 20lb tank. I forget where I purchased this. It is called the "Mac Coupler" by K-M Products. There phone number is 800-431-2255. 

Obviously, this process should be done outside and there are plenty of other warnings. Do not refill a cylinder if it is rusted or damaged, if it is not completely empty, if it doesn't have a pressure relief valve.

The instructions say to "chill" the cylinder, but doesn't say how cold, and to have the tank between 65 and 75 degrees Farenheit. Mate the two together with the coupler, turn the whole thing upside down, and open the valve. It says to have the valve open for a minute, but I could hear that there was no more propane moving through before a minute was up. I have used this adapter twice now. The first time, both cylinder and tank were same temperature...in the cold garage and it seemed to fill the cylinder about 1/3 full. The second time, I brought the tank into the house to warm up for about 4 hours and then took it back outside to transfer the propane. I am not sure how much the propane in the tank warmed up, but this time it seemed to transfer enough to fill the cylinder about 2/3 or 3/4 full.

There is also a method to transfer from the cylinder to your larger tank.


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## atrkyhntr (May 31, 2004)

I always wondered if those worked Rob... THANKS for the info
I use an adapter for a 20lb tank when camping and the whoey with those small tanks which I find are only good for 1/2 night excursions... I wish I was in Ron's boat so to speak and have my old gas ones back I got rid of years ago...


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## chuckie (Nov 12, 2004)

those valve are sold at Harbor Freight in Akron for around $16-18. not sure about the legality of refilling them but i think it beats the littering problem hands down!


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## Lil' Rob (Apr 11, 2004)

As far as the legality of the coupler...???? If they were illegal, then I should not have been able to place the order for it and/or have it delivered.?

On the packaging from this coupler, there was the following wording:

"For Personal Use Only"

Regardless, there are some inherent risks associated with using this product, and directions should be followed.


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

Shorty is right. Wait till Mosquito thaws and you'll find out where all the empty canisters go.
Ronk and couple others cleaned the Mosquito causeway 2 years ago. We had close to 200 of those empty cylinders. All the lazy icefisherman and the drunks nightfishing the causeway either leave them on the ice or on the shoreline. 

If you live in Summit County you can dispose of them for free at the hazardous waste disposal area behind the Carter Lumber in Cuyahoga Falls. 
They took my old dry chem fire extinguishers when nobody else would.


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## ice addict (Dec 22, 2004)

I have a coupler and have used it for two seasons now. The trick is to put the small cylinder in the freezer. Have the big bottle room temp. Take the small one right out of the freezer and fill right away. That seems to get the most fill out of them. I personally think love it because it's cheaper. I also hate people leaving their bottles out on the ice so I pick them up take them home and fill them for myself. I also encourage friends and fellow fishermen I fish with to save their bottle and I will fill if for them. I usually trade a empty for a full. I would rather spend money on propane then have them leave them on the shore or ice. My feelings about being illegal is the cops aren't in my basement. I think it's illegal to refill and sell them. I hope this helps any questions out there.


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## Lil' Rob (Apr 11, 2004)

You Medina guys (you know who you are  )...are welcome to borrow my coupler any time.


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## atrkyhntr (May 31, 2004)

sniff sniff


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## viper1 (Apr 13, 2004)

Never really thought it a problem. Refills are legal as long as you don't sell them. Thats only because you may over fill causing a accident, just like the 30 lb tanks. If the tanks are empty they don't pose much of a problem as long as they are not burned. I usally put my torch head on emptys, open valve untill empty and throw in the trash. They bury it here so it really cant do much but rust. The thought of people trowing them out around a lake is ... well just wrong. But so is the cans,fishing lines, 6 pack plastics etc. Well good fishing and hope we still have clean lakes to fish in the future.


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## CAUSEWAYCREW (Apr 15, 2004)

I've Been Racking My Brian On Ways To Keep The Clutter Of The Empty Propane Tanks Of The Causeway. And I Came Up With This.
Please Tell Me What You Think. 
If I Gave A 5 Cents Refund For All Empties Return To Us. I Think That Would Help Keep People From Leaving Them On The Causeway. Or Maybe Someone Would Just Go And Collect The Ones That Are Left There, To Make Extra Cash. I Know It's Not Much But It Might Help The Problem.
Now I Need To Know Where Could I Get Rid Of Them After I Pay For Them. Will It Be Too Hard To Find Someone To Take Them Off My Hands? Any Suggestions? Thanks Linda


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## Parrothead Jim (Apr 7, 2004)

I'm sure if you just put out a sign saying that you accepted the empty tanks you would get a ton of them. The reason I think that there are so many of the tanks laying around is because people don't know how to dispose of them. Kids would have a ball collecting them for 5 cents a piece...JIM


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## JIG (Nov 2, 2004)

I TWO HAVE SEEN THE MESS AT THE 88 CAUSEWAY AND IT ISNT PRETTY!
LOOKED LIKE A DUMP!  ALOT OF THESE NE LAKES AT THE CAUSEWAYS AND BRIDGES ARE A MESS! PEOPLE DONT CARE ANYMORE.THEY SHOULD USE THE PRISON INMATES TO CLEAN IT OR FINE PEOPLE. THAT ILL TAKE CARE OF IT! THE TANKS ARE PROBABLY NOT GOOD FOR MUCH BUT U MIGHT BE ABLE TO REMOVE THE VALVE AND SCRAP THEM. GOOD LUCK!  SEE YA SOON!


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