Recently I posted an article about the refillable 1 lb. LP cylinder called the Fuel Keg. There were several comments on the article and many readers emailed me directly. I thought it would be good to post those for your review, as some used a different product and some thought it was not a safe (or legal) idea. Here is the original post.
Here are some of the comments on LP cylinders:
JB: “I use the Flame King kit to refill the Fuel Keg refillable bottles, which are a lot safer to use than the thin-walled disposable bottles. The disposable bottles were not such a big problem before greed kicked in on propane prices.”
Jim R.: “I use a small 5 lb. cylinder that cost about $45. It cost about $3.50 to fill—unless you go to a boutique grill store. It’s small enough to carry over to the picnic table. It uses the same hose to connect to the grill as the 20lb. tanks.”
Andrea (also uses a 5 lb. cylinder): “Yes, this is very handy. It has an advantage over the 1 lb. cylinders, in that the pressure is more even. With the 1 lb., for my Little Red Campfire, I had to keep adjusting the setting as it emptied. Friends found the same with their 2-burner camp stove. (I already had the 5 lb. cylinder when we added a single burner propane stove. We use white gas most of the time, but the option is handy.)”
Legality of transporting refillable LP cylinder
This came from Arn regarding the legality of transporting a refillable cylinder:
“Hi Dave,
Regarding the refill adapter you can buy on Amazon for refilling disposable LP tanks, I would not suggest a person use them. I have used them extensively and there are a number of issues that make refilling the disposables a bad idea.
“First of all, you need some way to measure the amount of LP you have put into the cylinder. I used an electric food scale and that worked fairly well. The biggest problem occurred when I overfilled the canister. If the canister got overfilled, I had to vent out the excess by opening the overfill valve on the canister. I did this by grabbing the stem of the overfill valve with a needle-nosed plier and leveraging it open. It was a hazardous task both from the standpoint of possible ignition of the evaporating LP and due to the possibility of getting frost-bitten skin on one’s hand if it came in contact with the liquid LP.
“My experience with using the overfill vent was that the vent was very poorly made and once opened it would frequently not close all the way. The gas would slowly leak out. If this happened somewhere near an ignition source the result could be very bad.
“There is also the issue of a major fine ($5,000) if you transport refilled disposable canisters in a vehicle.
“All things considered, refilling disposable LP canisters just is not a good idea. Just buy the correct, little, refillable tank.”
More suggestions regarding refillable LP cylinders
Deborah (also a 5 lb. cylinder user): “I just read your answer to the question about the 1 lb. one-and-done propane tanks. My family are all RVers and found a solution that works for us, a refillable 5 lb. propane tank. It lasts longer than 1 lb. and might have enough to last overnight with a heater. It is lighter to carry, smaller for packing and, again, refillable.
We are also lucky enough that our city reclamation site will take EMPTY 1 lb. green propane tanks to recycle for their steel. Just a suggestion on this topic.”
Donald: “Regarding the disposable 1 lb. cylinders, we travel with a Blackstone grill and bought an Ignik 5 lb. cylinder. It is designed to be refilled at any propane station, is much easier to transport than a 20 lb. tank, and obviously lasts a lot longer than the 1 pounder.
Bob: “Dave, on the refill for 1 lb. bottles, I have been refilling Flame King for about 10 years. The system works well, and I own about 10 refillable bottles. Before a recent boondock and needing a bottle for 3 meals on my flattop, i purchased a 5 lb. bottle and hose with attachments. Works great. Refilling disposables carries a substantial fine if you’re transporting, and the valve in them may leak propane into your enclosed areas.”
Products mentioned
You can find the Flame King model on Amazon here.
You can get a 5 lb. LP cylinder on Amazon for about $50 here.
You will probably need the adapter hose with the ACME filling for the cylinder and the CGA600 Male (1”) for the grill or heater. There is one for about $10 on Amazon here.
Or you can purchase the entire Flame King Kit with a cover/hauler for about $93 here.
You might also enjoy this from Dave
Is it safe to drive with propane on in RV?
Dear Dave,
We’ve always traveled with the propane “on” for the RV refrigerator. Now people are telling us it is unsafe. Yikes! Please advise, and thank you! —Rebecca, 2011 30′ Classic Airstream
MORE FROM DAVE ON LP
- The ultimate guide to liquid propane (LP) systems
- How do I know when my LP tank is at 80 percent?
- I’m told my LP tank needs recertification so can’t be filled, but I’m getting conflicting advice
- Why can’t anyone fill my RV’s LP tank?!
Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and the author of the “RV Handbook.”
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While I do not refill (green) disposable 1 pound propane tanks, I note some of the comments refer to potential fines for transporting one if it has been refilled. I do use the refillable Flame King 1 pounders. Seems to me it would be hard for the DOT to prove a disposable had been refilled without a confession from the “guilty” party, unless there is some requirement that the disposable tanks contain an identifiable element not required in bulk propane.
Thank you for sharing your comments and the purchase information, Dave! Have a great weekend and safe travels!