Cylinders & price
Propane cylinder refill vs exchange
With a refill, an attendant checks your own cylinder and fills it to its proper level, while an exchange swaps your empty for a pre-filled cylinder that may not be filled to its full capacity, so check the fill weight on the label. Exchange wins on after-hours convenience; refill usually gives you more propane per trip, and we refill cylinders at our Newcastle yard during office hours.
Updated · American River Gas office, Newcastle
How each option works
- Refill: you bring your own cylinder, an attendant checks it and fills it to its proper level. A partly used cylinder can be topped off.
- Exchange: you leave your empty cylinder at a store rack and take a filled one from the program's stock. You get a different cylinder, and you pay per swap, whatever was left in the one you turned in.
Check the fill weight
Cylinders are sized by how many pounds of propane they are built to hold, so a typical grill cylinder is called a 20-pound cylinder. Exchange cylinders are not always filled to that full amount. The label or tag lists the net weight of propane inside, so read it before you compare. When a refill fills your cylinder to its proper level, you know what you are getting, and any propane left from last time is not traded away.
When exchange makes sense
- You need propane at night or on a weekend, when the yard is closed.
- Your cylinder is out of date or damaged. An exchange program takes it out of service and hands you one that is current.
- You do not want to transport a cylinder to a fill station.
When refilling makes sense
- You grill or camp often, and more propane per trip matters to you.
- Your cylinder is half full and you want it topped off before a trip.
- You have several cylinders, larger cylinders, or an RV, which exchange racks do not handle.
- You like knowing the history of your own cylinder.
OPD valves and date stamps
Two rules decide whether a small cylinder can be filled. First, NFPA 58 requires cylinders from 4 to 40 pounds, the common grill, camping and small RV sizes, to have an overfilling prevention device (OPD). OPD valves have a triangular handwheel, and the attendant will look for it before filling.
Second, federal DOT rules require most propane cylinders to be requalified 12 years after the date of manufacture stamped on the collar. After that, the next due date depends on the requalification method used. A cylinder past its date cannot be refilled until it is requalified, and that is one case where exchanging it is the practical choice.
Handling cylinders safely
- Transport cylinders upright and secured, in a ventilated space, and take them straight home. Never leave one in a closed, hot car.
- Store cylinders outdoors, upright, away from heat. Never store them indoors, in a garage, or in a basement.
- Close the valve when not in use, and check hoses for cracks before the season.
- Before you bring a cylinder in, look it over for dents, deep rust or a damaged valve.
RV and larger cylinders
Exchange racks carry grill-size cylinders, so RV owners and anyone with larger cylinders will usually refill. Motorhomes often have a permanently mounted tank that is filled in place, which means driving the RV to a fill station. Bring the RV or cylinder during office hours and let the attendant know what you have before filling starts.
Refills at our Newcastle yard
We fill portable cylinders at our dispenser at 10290 Ophir Rd in Newcastle, Monday through Friday from 8 to 4:30, closed from noon to 1 for lunch. Grill, camping and RV cylinders are welcome. Call (530) 888-7438 if you have questions about a larger cylinder or an RV. If you smell gas, leave the building first, then call 911 and us from outside.
Questions
Straight answers
Is it better to refill or exchange a propane cylinder?
With a refill, an attendant checks your cylinder and fills it to its proper level. Exchange is convenient after hours. Check the net weight on an exchange cylinder's label.
Are exchange cylinders full?
Not always to the cylinder's full capacity. Read the net weight on the label or tag to see how much propane you are getting.
How do I know if my cylinder is too old to refill?
Look for the manufacture date stamped on the collar. Most propane cylinders must be requalified 12 years after that date, then on a schedule set by the requalification method.
What is an OPD valve?
An overfilling prevention device, required on 4 to 40 pound cylinders. You can spot it by the triangular handwheel.
When can I refill a cylinder in Newcastle?
At our yard on Ophir Rd, Monday through Friday from 8 to 4:30, closed from noon to 1.
Sources: NFPA 58, Liquefied Petroleum Gas Code (National Fire Protection Association) (opens in a new tab) · 49 CFR 180.209: requalification of DOT specification cylinders (Cornell LII) (opens in a new tab) · Propane Education & Research Council: safety guide for portable propane cylinders (opens in a new tab)
Newcastle yard · since 1966
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