This probably belongs in the general homebrewing, but I figured I’d stick it here.
For years we complained on rcb, well, maybe I complained, about Blue Rhino not giving 20lb fills on their exchanges. It appears a class action lawsuit is moving forward. If you have documentation you can receive compensation up to $150. Since no one keeps records that long the payout is $7.50.
I guess that’s acceptable since I only got taken once by them.
More info:
www.propanesettlement.com
And what used to be an 18# fill has now gone down further to 15#. Only 3/4 of a full tank, but they’re not the only ones doing it.
I used them one time and wasn’t sure there was anything in the tank. The clerk gave me an empty one to compare with so I knew it had at least enough to finish brewing my beer but that’s the last time I used them. I buy from the propane jobber every time now.
I’ve always had an issue with giving my nice, well cared for and purchased brand new tank away in exchange for a tank of unknown age or condition. I have a couple of fill places to choose from close to home so I use them exclusively.
Exchange stations like Blue Rhino haven’t ever made me feel comfortable with just exchanging my tanks. I don’t do CO2 exchanges either. It’s my nice shiny tank, why would I want that scraped, scratched, and corroded one?
It’s probably just me. Glad to hear people will get at least some compensation though.
Paul
I always get my propane filled at Pacer, they supply the places I used to buy from so I cut out the middle man and saved money. It’s 3 blocks further, but hidden back in an industrial area. ::) Right near my welding gas place though. 
I only exchange propane in an emergency, because they rip you off on the fill and charge too much. I exchange my CO2 preferentially because they fill the tank and charge a decent price, and I don’t have to come back in a couple of days.
If the CO2 place filled on the spot for a good price I might not exchange, but that’s not the way it works here. Nobody fills at their location, they send it all to a central place (that is too far for me to conveniently go to).
They also exchange propane tanks at the CO2 place, but I get it cheaper at the propane place.
We have one place in town, a dive shop, that will fill CO2 while you wait. The guy who runs it is (I’ll be charitable) a bit disagreeable. I find the nice, happy and friendly atmosphere of the fire supplies place far out weighs the need to go back in a few days to pick up the tank over getting b!@#ed at about my “apparently illegal” activities.
Paul
Draft beer is illegal!? New one every day…
There are other certainly illegal uses for CO2. but it is funny that the guy will b&^*h at you for supposed illegal activities while taking your money. pick a side!
That was my feeling. Believe what you’d like but either kick me out or smile and thank me for the business.
Paul
I refill my propane at Sothern States for 10.99. On a rare occasion, I’ll exchange a tank but it costs more to do that (about $18). I would like to switch to NG at some point.
There’s nothing that makes me more angry than to go to a specialty shop to buy a repair part and have the guy selling it start lecturing me on how there are “people in the business” that do this for a living.
I feel the same way. Sell it to me with sincere appreciation or tell me to leave, but don’t take my money and bitch about it.
I’m glad I switched from 5 gal batches to 3 gal batches. Now I can brew on my stove!
Huh? Isn’t that like someone at the grocery store complaining that you’re putting restaurants out of business?
Not much different.
In Hilo they do propane exchanges at Walmart and the Home Depot. The price has not changed for the exchange in several years - $19.95. However, the price of propane refills has gone WAY up in the same time. Most places here refill and charge by volume - $5.60/gallon. So it makes sense that if the exchange price remains the same while the cost of propane goes up, the volume of propane in the exchanged tank goes down.
Oh she it… I feel a PV=nRT argument coming on… 
(Price)(Volume) = number of Real Tanks filled?
That works. :
Last month I got a refill at our Southern States and it was $18.43. Now granted, I use up every last drop before going in for a refill, but I’ve never gotten as low as $10.99. Nice deal you got.
I’ve done the exchange when my cylinders get out of date. The nice “Big Box” clerk lets me look through the filled ones and I can usually find one, which is practically new. I just “skin it” and go to my regular propane place thereafter.