Want Propane? Better Hurry

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Yesterday the propane company was here installing my tank, range that doesn't use electricity, heat on demand water heater, and heating stove. One of the guys asked me why I spent so much money on the water heater ($650) and bought such a inexpensive cooking stove. I told him I wanted a stove that didn't use electicity. He said "YOUR NOT ONE OF THOSE Y2K NUTS ARE YOU?" I looked him staight in the eye and said "No...why?" He told me they quit leasing tanks to those Y2K nuts last week because they didn't want to have to go get them in 10 months. Then he told me the whole Y2K hype was just a way to sell more computers! Now I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer but I'm supprised this guy remembers to breathe! What really suprises me is that he didn't ask me why a family of 4 needed 1,000 gallons of propane. Anyone have any suggestions on hiding a 16 foot long propane tank?

Thank you in advance for reply!

Kimbo WA

-- Kimbo WA (aliveandwell@WA.com), March 02, 1999

Answers

Put a conning tower on top of it and tell propane company workers it's a submarine. Seriously, we, too, have a 1,000-gallon tank, but we're in the country and it's at the back of our property behind a large metal building. Thought about burying it?

-- Vic (Roadrunner@compliant.com), March 02, 1999.

Vic, Yes I did think of burying it but then I couldn't get the refill valve put on for smaller tanks. Since I'm the only one in the family who lives in a rural area, I may have guests in travel trailers and campers. That valve is a must unless I want all those people in the house through the winter.

-- Kimbo WA (aliveandwell@WA.com), March 02, 1999.

I've had a little better experience with my propane company. Here's my post from early December.

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000I 4G



-- Arnie Rimmer (arnie_rimmer@usa.net), March 02, 1999.


Hi guys,

An easy answer for a large propane tank (or two :) ) is that propane prices are super-low right now and you want to take advantage of it. Around here the average for propane (the last few years) has been about 75 cents/gal. But right now it's 47 cents/gal. Good enough reason for me.

-- Dean T. Miller (dtmiller@nevia.com), March 02, 1999.


I don't know who's selling them, but I've been seeing stealthy, black-painted (maybe water-proof coated) propane tanks with three or four foot high refill valve extensions. I guess someone's found that there's a market for bury-able tanks and has moved to fill the market niche.

About twice a week I'll meet a semi-trailer load headed north on I-81 as I make my early morning commute. Maybe I ought to turn around and follow him one of these days, I could use a stealth propane tank myself.

WW

-- Wildweasel (vtmldm@epix.net), March 02, 1999.



Dean,

If you're not worried about revealing where you are, would you tell us? As soon as I saw your post, I called my supplier and was told 76 cents, 73 if you fill up and pay the driver in cash and 70 if you buy 300 gallons or more. (BTW, I am in an area where propane is commonly used and plentiful, but I'd rather not say just where.)

-- Hardliner (searcher@internet.com), March 02, 1999.


Kimbo, Thanks for info. Have you considered a cedar hedge or fencing painted forest green? Best wishes,

-- Finding (sspicer@nas.net), March 02, 1999.

Paint it military green, add some circles around it, put a few numbers on it, then add the finishing touch a nuclear symbol. Should keep the hoards away.

-- Bill (y2khippo@yahoo.com), March 02, 1999.

Re propane tanks: If you live in earthquake country...which could also be New York State or the Mississippi River country, besides California....think about securing your tank with deadmen....posts in the ground with chains to the tank. I dunno about hurricane country...would those things get airborne?

Flying submarines with nuclear biohazard signs falling out of the air? beats airplanes.

Mary P.

-- Mary P. (CAgdma@home.com), March 02, 1999.


Hardliner: Haven't followed the prices since we bought our surplus in December but at the time, the price in Iowa was $0.57/gal

-- Arnie Rimmer (Arnie_Rimmer@usa.net), March 03, 1999.


Underground tanks for propane are available.

I hope your $650.00 waterheater has a SELF-GENERATING PILOT. $650.00 seem high, but I don't know what you needed for venting and pipe.

Propane would be very propne to shortages, believe me I know.

Price per gallon would be all over ther place so be sure and check around because many are getting ripped, again I know.

-- Archimedes (robin@icubed.com), March 03, 1999.


Be careful about propane at low prices. We have a good friend who sells propane. He says that some prices are SO low because the quality is poor (water) and is not good for long term storage. You may run into problems if you don't know for sure what you are buying.

-- Linda Smith (smitmom@hotmail.com), March 03, 1999.

propane in western nc: 90 to 1.00/ gallon. Somebody tell me where the 47 cent stuff is...it would be worth it to have it trucked in at that price.

-- a (a@a.a), March 03, 1999.

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