Where to Fill RV Propane Tanks (How to Refill Guide)
Propane is vital to your vacation. You really can’t have a good RV vacation without having propane. This fuel operates so many different appliances, if you didn’t have it, you would be back to roughing it. The only difference is you would have a more comfortable bed to sleep in.
Where to Fill RV Propane Tanks? One of the most common places to go to get your propane tanks refilled is the gas station. Many of these dealers have large propane tanks for you to get your little tanks filled. Even when you are on the back roads, there should be gas stations with propane tanks ready to meet your propane need.
If you are not an experienced RV user and do not have a prepared list of propane sellers, you should continue to read our article. It is filled with the information you need to know so you can find the right place for you and your RV to fill up with the fuel that is vital for your vacation.
RV Propane Refill Stations 101
Where can I Fill my RV Propane Tank Near Me
In the old days there used to be television commercials telling everyone to let their fingers do the walking. They were referring to, of course, using the yellow pages to find what you need at a location near you.
Well times haven’t changed that much. You can still use the yellow pages to find propane sellers near you. No matter what city your in, there will be a yellow page book in a store that will help you.
Or you can still use your fingers and turn to the internet for help. Either look up the digital yellow pages for the city you are in or do a local search to find local propane dealers.
A third way is to ask the attendants at a gas station that does not have propane for sale. Hopefully, they are informed enough to let you know of the location of the nearest gas station, propane dealer or box store that handles propane for all users.
Finding one near you is not that difficult of a task. You just need to know where to look. One tip before we move on. Before you go on your trip, plan your route, then turn on your computer.
Do a propane seller search and make a list of all propane sellers along your route. That way you will be prepared to find the propane seller nearest you, no matter where you are.
Chevron Gas Station Propane Refill
They may be a bit more expensive than the competition but you can find different Chevron gas stations around the nation that will refill your propane tank. If you are in Cathedral City, CA., then this link will lead you to a propane selling Chevron gas station.
Or if you are in Seattle, WA., then click on this link to find a map to another station. Or finally if you are in Fresno, CA., this link will get you to where you need to be for a propane refill.
Uhaul Gas Tank Refill
If you can’t find a Chevron station with a propane refill tank near you, you can always try U-Haul. They do more than rent trucks or sell cardboard boxes for your moving needs.
Just click on this link, then scroll down to the section Alternative Fuel Vehicles and type your location or the location you are going to be at next to find the nearest U-Haul propane seller.
It only takes a couple of seconds to make sure you can fill your propane tanks when they are empty
Other RV Propane Refill Stations
There are over 8 million [propane using vehicles on the road today. That fact means that there are going to be plenty of propane refilling stations near you around the country.
In this day and age, you need to let your computer do your work for you. Just type in the words ‘other propane refilling stations’ and you will get a myriad of results detailing where they are and how to find them.
This link connects you to a propane refilling app that will do he work for you throughout the country. Or you can turn to this link to find those out refilling stations in remote and urban locations.
Two more links to try, this one and this one will keep you on the right track as you plan for your refilling needs.
RV Propane Refill Cost and Prices
A lot of your propane refilling costs will depend on where you buy it. At the time of this writing, you are looking at paying between $2.89 to 2.99 per gallon. Prices will also vary if you are out in the rural areas.
Just keep in mind that a gallon of propane weighs 4.2 pounds. Thus if you are filling a 20 pound tank, you will probably pay roughly $15 per tank. If you think you are saving money by exchanging propane tanks, you may be mistaken.
You do not get credit for any unused propane left in the your old tanks. Plus, it costs approx. $4 to 5 per gallon for the exchange. Of course, that cost will vary among different dealers as well.
You may need to shop around to find the price that will meet your budget. There is some good news to the high prices of propane. Both U-haul and tractor Supply companies will only charge you for the amount of propane put in your tanks. This can save you a few bucks when you need it.
When to Refill Your RV Propane Tank
There is really no hard and fast rule on when you should refill your propane tank. Generally it is up to your preference. If you have important events coming up, you may want to top off your tanks just to make sure you have enough fuel to do what needs to be done.
Or you can wait till the tanks are empty before refilling. The choice is yours to make. Just remember that there are those propane refill stations that will only charge you for the amount of propane they put in your tank. You are not spending extra money topping up your tanks.
Where you lose money is on exchanging your tanks with new ones. You do not normally get any credit if you exchange a partially filled propane tank. Plus, the cost of exchanging is most likely greater when you exchange than when you refill.
Also, before you refill, make sure to re-certify any tanks that are 12 years old or older.
How to Refill an RV Propane Tank
There are those propane refilling stations that may let you refill on your own. Or they may have a certified propane specialist on hand to do it for you. Either way the process is the same.
Here are some simple steps to follow:
- Locate the propane seller nearest you
- Make sure you know what the gauge, air fill and valve parts are and make sure you read your owner’s manual for any special instructions
- Now turn the valve to the off position
- Then remove the fill hole cap
- Attach the propane hose and begin filling the tank
- Watch your propane gauge to make sure you stop filling when the tank is full
- Once it is full, remove the hose and replace the fill hole cap
- Pay for your propane and head to your RV
How to Fill RV Propane Tank from Another
If you can’t get to a refilling station you can always keep your supply of propane up by transferring the gas from one tank to another. Here are the simple steps to follow to make sure it is done correctly:
Check the hoses on both tanks. The supply tank hose should be on the valve and the receiving tank’s hose should be on the fill hole
Make sure the couplings on the free end of each match up and can be hooked together
Then check to see if both couplings have rubber gaskets. These gaskets prevent any leaks from taking place. If one or both is missing, replace them before trying to transfer the gas.
Connect the hoses and make sure the connection is air tight
Open the valve on the supply tank and wait. The pressure will open the valve in the coupling and the receiving tank.
Shut the tanks off when the receiving tank is nearly full. About 80% should give you enough space for gas expansion
After closing the all the valves drain any gas left in the hoses
Unscrew the coupling and you are good to go
How to Refill Your Propane Tank Without Moving Your RV
There will be those times when you run out or nearly run out of propane but you do not want to move your vehicle. Here are some suggestions on how to fill your RV’s propane tanks without moving your vehicle:
Call the local seller and have them deliver the propane. They will hook up a hose and transfer the propane for you.
Or you can do a tank to tank transfer as described in the section above
These are the two ways you can fill your propane tanks without losing your campground spot. Just be careful of any local regulations on hauling propane in your car or truck.
RV Propane Tank Won't Fill
There are 3 common reasons why your RV’s propane tank refuses to fill.
#1. The control electronics have malfunctioned and they need to be replaced. This can be a costly fix to do
#2. The emergency cut off tripped accidentally and stopped the refilling process midway through the refill.
#3. The over fill protection valve got stuck. This happens more on portable tanks and a quick tap or bounce may unstick it.
One more issue may be that your visual liquid overfill indicator valve may not be open. If it is and it spits out white propane then the tank is full. If it spits out clear, then you need to put more propane in.
RV Propane not Working After Refill
One of the main reasons why your propane tank is not producing any propane after you refilled it is because the RV propane pressure regulator is not working right or at all. Without this accessory in top shape, you won’t get any propane no matter how hard you try.
Or yo haven’t turned the regulator back on after filling it. Sometimes the more embarrassing solutions are the answer to the problem. If these two issues are not the problem, then you may want to check the OPD valve and the stop flow valve on your propane system.
The latter just takes a quick turn off and turn on twist to fix it.
How to Empty an RV Propane Tank
Emptying a propane tank i snot a difficult process to do. If you have an empty portable tank, you can do the tank to tank method described above and empty the permanent tank’s contents into the empty tank.
Or you can unhook your portable tanks and place them on a slight slant. Then you can open the valve and let the propane find its way out. You will need to stand back when you do this as the gas will come out at a very high pressure.
Once the tank is empty, just close the valve and put your tank back. Also, don’t have open heat sources or cigarettes, etc. Near by when you do this, Propane is highly flammable.
Some Final Comments
Dealing with filling your propane tanks is not that difficult. You just need to do good internet searches to find the dealers nearest you. You may want to compare costs but when it comes to filling, the only difference may be a dollar or two.
You may spend more than that in gas searching for a cheaper propane source. Once you find a propane seller, then the rest is even easier. The key is to follow the instructions in your owner’s manual and from qualified propane experts.
And keep the flame away while filling or empty your propane tanks.
