I have been checking the stock level of empty refillable propane bottles locally.

2 weeks ago, our Home Depot had 2 PALLETS of the 20 lb size. On Friday, they were down to 3 bottles (20 lb.) and a few smaller ones. Yesterday, there were only 3 (4 lb.) and 2 (11 lb.) bottles left (fewer, after I departed I might add).

This weekend at both Sears and Orchard Supply Hardware, there appeared to be no propane bottles at all.

I was wondering, why would there be such a run on this item...it's not camping or barbeque season??? My conclusion: Y2K. Anyone else notice a similar trend?

-- No Polly (nopolly@hotmail.com), December 13, 1999

Answers

I was at our Super WalMart last Friday and noticed for the first time that ALL of the Coleman propane tanks were gone, first time this has happened. I was at Home Depot Saturday and ALL of their 20# and 40# tanks were gone.

Ray

-- Ray (ray@totacc.com), December 13, 1999.

Everysporting goods store aroun dhere is just LOADED with all the Y2K merchandise acquired to "meet the demand". Racks of 1qt coleman tanks; aisles of freeze-dried meals; shelves of cast-iron cookware, barbecue grills (that don;t move very well in December --even in the face of Y2K). Seems totally DGI around here .... NW Oregon.

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-- SH (squirrel@huntr.com), December 13, 1999.

The Coleman propane bottling facility in Witchita, KS is out of commission due to an explosion at that facility earlier this month. Coleman supplies over half of the 1 lb. propane bottles worlwide. Their competitor is the only other facility in the US that manufactures 1 lb. bottles. Someone close to me works there, and the rumor is that Coleman could be down for up to four months. This may be due to the equipment, which is custom-made. I posted the article about the Coleman explosion from the Witchita paper the day after it happened. I also said that 1 lb. bottles would be in short supply very soon. Wonder how bad it will get. I will post more info as I find out how Coleman is doing on repairs.

-- Jsyk (Justsoyouknow@it.com), December 13, 1999.

I was at Eagle hardware yesterday and saw new 40# bottles as well as the 20# bottles. No shortage anywhere around here. (LA)

-- wondering (wondering@nottoo.far), December 13, 1999.

WARNING: Yesterday I decided to hook up my Coleman propane stove and see how it works. In the process I discovered that one of the bottles (20#) didn't work (I think it got paint in the opening when they repainted it.) The other bottles worked fine. My suggestion: try out all your bottles NOW while you can exchange them!! Sure glad I did!!!

-- Garden Gal (preparin@home.com), December 13, 1999.

The K-Mart on Peterson in North Chicago had an ample supply just a week ago. Overstocked actually. It does seem that Chicago-dwellers are DGI for the most part though.

-- Ludi (ludi@rollin.com), December 13, 1999.

Thanks, everyone for your answers. I didn't know about the Coleman plant shutdown. That could turn out to be significant.

I just returned from my friendly propane supplier for my latest fill- ups. Propane was $1.35 per gallon (California). I filled an 11-lb. and a 4 lb. tank for the equipvalent of $0.33 per 1-lb. disposable cylinder. Until Y2K, I had no idea what a rip-off those small cans are. If Y2K is just a BITR, then I'm all set for my next camping trip!!!

-- No Polly (nopolly@hotmail.com), December 13, 1999.

Question: If I'm without power, I plan on doing most of my cooking on the outdoor gas grill. Normally, the gas tanks last quite a while, but I don't BBQ everyday.

If I'm using it daily to heat canned goods, etc, how long will a tank last do y'll think?

I've got two full tanks, but lately I've been thinking I should buy another.

The standarg gas grille tanks are 20#, right?

-- Duke 1983 (Duke1983@AOL.com), December 13, 1999.

-- Hank (tell@you.what), December 13, 1999.

Duke,

How long a stove or BBQ will burn is based upon BTUs. On one of the propane cylinder boxes, it stated that a 1-lb. cylinder would run a 1- burner stove for 4 1/2 hours; 2-burners, 2 1/4 hrs.

This would translate to 90 hrs. or 45 hrs. respectively, for a 20-lb. tank. What I don't know is the BTU rating on your BBQ. For the sake of estimating, you might use the 2-burner scenario (or double it), which would give you between 22.5 and 45 hours of burn time.

Hope this helps...

-- No Polly (nopolly@hotmail.com), December 13, 1999.

Duke,

Also remember that you do not have to heat canned goods - if they are low in fat they usually taste just fine - (cold fat floating is pretty yechy! - though easy to skim off).

Plan on using your cooker no more than once or twice per day - remember you can bake potatoes, cornbread, etc. while grilling meat (if it is a covered unit). Get an extra oven thermometer at the store and stick it inside the BBQ - works great!

-- Kristi (securxsys@cs.com), December 13, 1999.

Aussie Observations...

I bought 2x20 lb extra tanks on Sunday at our local Big W, I had checked earlier in the week and they had about 30 on the shelves, on Sunday they were down to about 5. I saw another person with 2 as well as myself.

I also bought a gas 3 way fridge (from a different store), I checked on saturday and they had 2, when I went back on sunday only one left, now none of course, and these are EXPENSIVE items.

Regarding eating cold canned food, if there is sun, any sun, you don't have to. Go to http://www.solarcooking.org/cookit.htm and build a solar cooker out of cardboard and Alfoil. It's easy and they really work. Even in poor sunlight and low ambient temperature they'll get a can of beef stew or whatever to a good eating temperature. You probably won't get it hot enough in your winter to bake bread like I can in Aus but you'll at least warm canned food very well.

I'm glad I'm in Australia but we have a different set of problems here, you guys are worried about keeping warm, I'm worried about getting the Fosters chilled. If Y2K goes for more than 4 months we'll have to swap notes!

RonD

-- Ron Davis (rdavis@ozemail.com.au), December 13, 1999.

I had bought two new 20# tanks earlier in the year, then when I went to have them filled recently I belatedly discovered they had the "wrong" fittings (one was a snap on, the other was the "new style"), returned them both, then discovered the new style would work with the old style fitting, THEN went looking for new tanks again. Went to CostCo and was told they didn't handle them at this time of year. Then I went to Home Depot (SF Bay Area) and found they were sold out. Was told that they would have more in on Thursday and to check back then. I did have my one old tank filled but am pretty disturbed to find out that this late in the game I still don't have my propane supply squared away.

-- dhg (dhgold@pacbell.net), December 14, 1999.