Gas bottle refill

I agree we are being ripped off, so whats new? Checked the price of an exchange cylinder at Toronto NSW today. 8.3 kgs for $33-95. Not even 9kgs. There was a thread the other day re gas prices and same story everywhere. It is not because the Japs are buying it all at a lot lower price than aussies can, but because the gas company just like the oil company can charge whatever they like, and if you want it,You will have to pay. We as consumers have bought it on ourselves to some extent. No driveway service any more except in remote regions because we want the cheapest price. I am not sure we are getting the cheapest price with the price of everything these days unregulated. End of story, I think not!

If u r weighing the same gas bottle before and after then u have a case but if u r comparing the one that u swapped for the one that u received then u need to weigh several different gas bottles of the same size and u will find that they vary a lot in weight!!!!.
Unless u have a different sized bottle to normal swap & go then they swap 8.5kg & 3.7kg bottles.

MATTIE

I still support my local BBQ Galore store.

Service is excellent
every third 9 kg refill is free.

Now just off topic slightly for a moment.
I found another use for my MacCoupler refill adaptor on the Weekend.

Went to use my blowtorch which has a disposable gas cylinder and it was very low on gas. So out came the MacCoupler and presto, it fitted the cylinder just like the Coleman one.

So, in the freezer went the bottle for 20 Min's and connected everything up to the larger 4.5 kg bottle. Turned upside down, opened the valve and counted to 60. You know, 1000 and 1, 100 & 2, etc.
Shut the valve off after the 60 secs had elapsed and wallah!
A full gas cylinder for the blow torch. (even though it specifically mentioned on the bottle, "do not refill":-)

So the MacCoupler is a multi purpose (or at least a multi bottle) tool.

Do the people open the bleed screw, as the bottle is filling ?. This lets out the gas and you just get liquid.
Sounds to me like thay are ripping you off ( proffiteering )
Local refil agent, here in Wonthaggi, first checks the date stamp, then weighs it, fills it, and reweighs it again. I pay the weight difference.
Its almost the same price as the gr8 Swap-N-Go stations,, I love them as I can renew my bottles, at no cost to me ,,
The overall price is still a bit or a rip off, but what can you do ?
Cheers
Bucky

9 kg bottle - REFILL not exchange - $14 camden valley way on the way down to campbeltown -

cheapest i have found - and have you noticed that since they started the exchange program for gas bottles -- the price has gone up and up ?

i have 2 new bottles - cost me $40 each from bunnings - i get them filled a lot as i used them with the bbq and the biodiesel production

and after working it out - have saved a lot of money rather than using the exchange system

Boc

If you live in an area that gets cold then it would be a good idea to get your own tank refilled but first bleed out any remaining gas in the tank. In cold areas the propane fraction of the gas mixture can burn off first leaving mostly butane in the tank. After a few fills nearly all the remainder gas is butane which gives a lower heat flame and can be hard to light in some stoves.

Problem is that "service stations" no longer give service but are a self service supermarket that just happens to sell petrol and gas. ,, you paid for 4.5 and got 3.5 ,.the weight is NOT an approximation , a kg of gas is still a kg of gas be it in liquid form or in vapour. ,

Last week I purchased a New 9kg bottle ( March 07 dated) from Stratco $39.95 with a full load of gas...Made the new bottle very cheap. From China of course!

Everything is cheap back at the hole in the ground. Its getting the stuff transported and stored and supplied to our bottle that adds up the cost. All those middle men have to make a living ay. I mean I wouldnt stand around filling bottles all day for nothing either. \

Wasnt long ago that dairys were comparing the price at the farm gate to the supermarket checkout. Its all that value added and dont forget the tax ay.

Owen