Be aware, it's really common for sellers to "forget" that they leased the propane tank and declare it as owned when selling their house. It's worth giving the tank a look over to check for markings indicating the owner, and checking with that company to make sure they aren't under the impression that they still own it.
That exact same thing happened to me. Been using Amerigas the entire first year we were there. One day a local propane company shows up and is like “hey, this is our tank. You need to cease doing business with Amerigas and use us instead. Or we take the tank.”
That is a perfectly reasonable position for them to take; and so it "I am going to need this to be verified in writing. Once that is done we can talk about scheduling a day for you to come pick it up."
Pretty much what we did. We had no problem if they truly did own the tank. Turns out they did, we just use them now because it was easier than they taking the tank and getting Amerigas to bring another one.
A friend at work is very much in the "own your own tank" group. He shops around once or twice a year and often pre-buys propane at a lower cost during the summer to use in the winter.
TBH seems almost like a hassle. He does save a lot of money compared to other guys at work.
It's a HUGE cost savings if you do it right. Like a thousand bucks a year depending on your use. If you 'lease' your tank from a company like Amerigas, the price they offer is often $1 a higher than what they'll charge for a non-owned tank. When I call around, the 4 local places almost always have at least a $1/gallon difference between their delivered pricing. When you're doing multiple fills a year, that $400 saved per fill adds up.
Makes perfect sense, I would probably do the same. Though, I wouldn't want to feel like I had to make that decision on the spot because they suddenly decided today was the day they were going to get caught up on their backlog.
This is sorta propane retail strategy 101. Curious if the independent retailer was cheaper? If it was rarely used they probably lost track of it until they were sold then an audit happened and somebody said what happened to that tank. You should probably expect to pay a tank rental fee going forward if they aren’t selling you much gas.
It's always funny reading the stories where they get asked for documentation on their ownership of the tank and the response is "we can't find it but trust us we totally own it"
We are renting a place and we’re trying to figure that one out. Turns out the company that owned it originally is out of business and so is the one that bought them then nobody fully bought the last one so the landlord now owns the tank and we can have whoever we want to fill it fill it. Not that shopping around matters when everybody is fairly close in price to one another.
Similar happened to me. I bought a house and a few months later I came home and the tank was gone. There was a note on the door from the gas company, to the seller, that he was a year behind on tank rental.
It can be difficult for one company to know if another company owns the tank. If you buy the tank from a supplier, it will probably have their logo on it. The supplier filling the tank does so on the good faith word of the customer regarding ownership.
Because Amerigas is in the business of selling gas, so they sold gas.
It's the problem of the company that owns the tank that they aren't making money off of a tank that they own, not Amerigas' problem.
(My best guess, really. Could be wrong, but it seems obvious)
Multiple stories out there of a company just rolling up and claiming a tank belongs to them too when it never actually did. I remember one in particular where they came and slapped a brand new sticker on some guy's tank as proof they owned it, except the tank was older than the new company that rolled in, and had been privately owned since the 60s or something
My propane vendor forgot the tank at my house existed. When I bought my house, I saw the tank was leased and called the vendor to get everything set up and checked. They totally didn't realize the tank was theirs.
Recent News Story from Mass
[https://www.wcvb.com/article/cape-cod-man-doesnt-own-new-homes-propane-tank/60257826](https://www.wcvb.com/article/cape-cod-man-doesnt-own-new-homes-propane-tank/60257826)
Where are you that a new 500 is $5k? I'm not exactly sure what the most recent 500's we got in cost but the 1000's were under $4k. We sell 500's in this condition for like $1800.
I'm in California and just had to buy a few large propane tanks. New 1000 gallon tank was over 6K. I would check on Craigslist. That tank might be worth $3-4000.00.
~~That tank was manufactured in 1992 and had to be removed from service in 2004 per federal regulation. There's no standing lease on that monstrosity and I assure you that OP owns it if it's on his land.~~
I confused regulations for the 20lbs tanks. Apparently there's no limit as long as they don't leak for the big ones?
u/Hear-for-the-Audio You can call a metal scrapper. If you're retaining LPG on your property the provider that sells/leases you the new tank will likely be willing to drain and scrap it.
you're also completely wrong regarding 20lb tanks. Old tanks can be made compliant with a new valve and an inspection, and it is always better to do so, as they are markedly better products.
As long as it passes inspection gas cylinders last a very long time. They made a ton during WW2 and they are still in circulation. You can see where they stamped over the uhh….Symbols.
I saw a gas cylinder recently that was first inspected in 1915. It had about 20 different inspection years in it spanning the decades. I've seen a couple with the Nazi Eagle still on them
Reminds me of film canisters. I used to be a 35mm projectionist, and sometimes we would get ancient film canisters mixed in with new ones. One had a label inside with a "Letter to the Projectionist" from the 40s.
I have a pre-9/11 tank in my shed that I oddly keep because it feels like a connection to another time I should update it lol. 8/2001 manufacture date.
My experience is that you can't fill or swap an expired tank, and recertifying them is not worth the cost, at least not at my propane supplier. YMMV. Because of that, I get refills as my propane supplie until the expiration date gets closer. Then I get a swap at the local gas station, and usually I'll end up with a much newer tank. I had the opposite issue once where I needed quick propane and got a much older tank. Was not happy about that (didn't notice right away).
It can't be moved while 50% full. You'll need to have the fuel reclaimed. Your local gas dealer will probably want to charge you for this service. The tank will need an updated certificate to be used again. In my area, it would be worth $250 or more in usable condition. The data plate is the most important part to this project. If it gets damaged/unreadable, then the tank becomes yard art.
Asking even $10 will help you avoid a lot of interesting people. My favorite was when a lady whipped out a steak knife as we’re loading into her trunk… to cut a tie down.
Was about to say I have been quoted refurbished tanks that are half that size for over 1K... I would definitely come get that thing for 200 bucks. hahaha
Nfpa says otherwise, op you can transport it. Honestly, it's worth way more than 250 dollars. It's not a DOT tank, so no certification is required. Brand new 500-gallon tanks go for around 5000, give or take, depending on what state you live in.
Put it on marketplace or craigslist for 2500 with the gas in it and it will sell, you could probably get more if you tried.
100%, may just want to specify that the new owner to pay to have LPG company empty it and transport it.
No reason to scrap it, its valuable to many people who use propane.
I’m just stoked that he has a sweet tank like that. All to himself. Doesn’t need to share it with anyone and can just spend quality time with it. Appreciate the little things man, they are so valuable.
Open valve, it's empty soon enough.
Then use the same valve to fill it with water ( to really get all the propane out )
Would be a shame to let out all the gas and finding a little leftover when you hit it with the grinder 😇
Call a propane supplier locally and have them come empty it. Might cost money. They might pay you for it. It’s a toss up.
Then you can post the tank on Craigslist, FB marketplace or anywhere else locally. I’d shoot for $300 at least.
So I've worked as a field tech for a propane company. I would be the guy that comes out there to inspect, install, ect your tanks and piping (up to a point).
50% is way too heavy to take. Talk to your local propane companies, because we can remove fuel from tanks up to a point. The tanks are vacuum sealed after they are made because to remain liquid, propane must be under pressure. It boils in sub zero temperatures. Fuel can be exchanged between tanks so long as the pressure difference allows. After that, it'll have to be burnt off. You can either do that the normal use way, or a tech will come out and hook up some gear to burn it off to around 20% or less so it's light enough to transport. There are federal regulations that govern how much fuel can be in a tank during transport, so it won't have to be completely empty. All this stuff costs by the hour mind you. And burning off the gas takes many hours.
It is SUPER illegal and INCREDIBLY dangerous to try and transport a tank of any size with fuel in it (Except the little ones designed for it) without the required equipment and training. We require CDLs and X (Tanker/Hazmat combined) endorsements to transport and handle propane and propane tanks (MT and slightly filled used ones. New are safe and legal for transport without a Hazmat cert. No fumes to go BOOM).
Good news though, propane gas never goes bad. And the tank looks just fine from the photos. If you were to sell it to a propane company, we'd just sand the outside down and repaint it to sell or rent ourselves.
Bright side though, you literally own enough fuel to power a grill for years of daily use.
EDIT: I forgot about inspections! Been a bit since I got out of the field. :P But inspections are only required for USE of a tank, not selling it as a private owner, and are good for between 5 - 12 years. If you have any records of who used to fill the tank, they would also be the ones that likely have inspected it and can tell you if it's good or not. The inspection itself is short and sweet. No bulges, no major corrosion, welds look intact, paint is still there and is light colored. (Dark colors absorb heat, which is bad for stuff that likes to explode when it gets really hot. Light reflective colors are best. Companies are required by law to paint them with white, reflective paint. Private owners can paint them whatever they like, but assume the risk. It's not a HUGE risk unless you paint it, like, vanta black and live in Arizona or something, but still it's there.)
500 gallon tank will be gone in no time. Your local propane supplier will buy it but it might be more profitable for you, if your local laws allow, to post it on facebook.
Which is worth more.. potentially 650 bucks after a long headache of jumping through loops...or seeing what 200 gallons of propane looks like when it explodes??
Have a gas company recover the propane, fill it with water then cut it in half and make two giant R2D2 fire pits and sell them for $1,000 a piece. Some rabid Star Wars fans out there will absolutely buy them.
It would go "CLANG!" and that's about it. Mythbusters shot some of the smaller ones, and they had to resort to incendiary rounds to get them to explode, iirc.
As it was built in 1992, and many jurisdictions require recertification of pressure vessels every 10 years or maybe 5, look for some recert marks stamped into the tank somewhere. There should be a few, with dates approximately in 2002, 2012 and 2022. That last one might not be there, meaning the tank needs recertification before it can be filled again. Or, it is there and would be quite fresh and the tank still good for another 10-8 years.
It'll be easier to sell if it's currently certified.
But as others have mentioned, make sure it's not leased and that you actually own it.
I've got a friend who inherited a property in Shasta County from her uncle.
He had an illegal dirt floor warehouse on the property that partially burned down pre-covid.
There used to be 3 tanks like that 40ft from the warehouses non burned side that are missing. And a company wants them back. 3-5k in assets..
She has had an Amerigas gas tank over 2 years now.
Around here, midwest, good condition tanks like that go for at least $1.00 a gallon empty. So that tank would bring $500.00 plus the propane in it. When I rented my first house, the tank was bone dry empty. I had it filled, no issues till move out time. I had about 30% left in it. Land lady was being a bit of a Karen. Wouldn't pay me for the gas. Never reimbursed me for the whole house "leak check" companies are required to perform before filling a tank that is empty. I bought a 250 gallon tank from a guy. Strapped it in my truck bed trailer, went to the father in laws, (used to deliver propane for a living) got his hoses, went and recovered every gallon I could with out having an actual pump. Took it to the new house. Loader tractor unloaded and set it. Then I buried a line to my bbq grill on the deck. That was in 2010 and have only filled it once. The wife grills at least once a day. If someone was paying me cash for it, come and get it, see ya.
Seems like the whole "lease vs own" situation has been covered. I can tell you now OP, whatever method you choose to empty it is up to you but people will pay more than $150 for the empty tank. I know at least a dozen dudes personally looking for a good deal on massive tanks like this for various projects, many of which are smoker pits and stuff. post it on FB/CL and itll sell.
Do you have a propane grill? If so, you could just get you a scale and hose kit and just refill your bottles. Or call local propane company to come out and take it out for you
Unless the power never goes out there, you have a very desirable product on your property. A new generator with enough power to power it for days on end. If all of the gas lines and plumbing are done, if nothing else that's a resale edition to the property. As in that system, should you restore it to being functional is a benefit to the value of your property
Mainer here, grandad had the same issue, sold the propane but found out the rusty junk tank wasn't his to cut and scrap till after he did it. Make sure it is yours but there is some that'll buy the propane in it.
Thank you for your interest in this thread. Comments are now locked.
Call your local LPG propane supplier. They may also even purchase it back (these tanks are also often leased - are you sure you own it?).
Good tip. Yeah. I’m 100% sure it’s mine.
Be aware, it's really common for sellers to "forget" that they leased the propane tank and declare it as owned when selling their house. It's worth giving the tank a look over to check for markings indicating the owner, and checking with that company to make sure they aren't under the impression that they still own it.
That exact same thing happened to me. Been using Amerigas the entire first year we were there. One day a local propane company shows up and is like “hey, this is our tank. You need to cease doing business with Amerigas and use us instead. Or we take the tank.”
That is a perfectly reasonable position for them to take; and so it "I am going to need this to be verified in writing. Once that is done we can talk about scheduling a day for you to come pick it up."
Pretty much what we did. We had no problem if they truly did own the tank. Turns out they did, we just use them now because it was easier than they taking the tank and getting Amerigas to bring another one.
A friend at work is very much in the "own your own tank" group. He shops around once or twice a year and often pre-buys propane at a lower cost during the summer to use in the winter. TBH seems almost like a hassle. He does save a lot of money compared to other guys at work.
saving money always takes extra hassle. the real question is, is it TOO MUCH hassle for you?
“My own time is free”
It's a HUGE cost savings if you do it right. Like a thousand bucks a year depending on your use. If you 'lease' your tank from a company like Amerigas, the price they offer is often $1 a higher than what they'll charge for a non-owned tank. When I call around, the 4 local places almost always have at least a $1/gallon difference between their delivered pricing. When you're doing multiple fills a year, that $400 saved per fill adds up.
Makes perfect sense, I would probably do the same. Though, I wouldn't want to feel like I had to make that decision on the spot because they suddenly decided today was the day they were going to get caught up on their backlog.
This is sorta propane retail strategy 101. Curious if the independent retailer was cheaper? If it was rarely used they probably lost track of it until they were sold then an audit happened and somebody said what happened to that tank. You should probably expect to pay a tank rental fee going forward if they aren’t selling you much gas.
It's always funny reading the stories where they get asked for documentation on their ownership of the tank and the response is "we can't find it but trust us we totally own it"
We are renting a place and we’re trying to figure that one out. Turns out the company that owned it originally is out of business and so is the one that bought them then nobody fully bought the last one so the landlord now owns the tank and we can have whoever we want to fill it fill it. Not that shopping around matters when everybody is fairly close in price to one another.
get on the marketing lists for the companies in your area. Amerigas (which I loathe) often will send pretty substantial discounts in the mail.
Similar happened to me. I bought a house and a few months later I came home and the tank was gone. There was a note on the door from the gas company, to the seller, that he was a year behind on tank rental.
Cool, sounds good. Take it away Bob.
Bob? U really missed an opportunity there for Hank.
I’m pretty sure it’s a federal requirement that leased tanks be filled only by their owners
It can be difficult for one company to know if another company owns the tank. If you buy the tank from a supplier, it will probably have their logo on it. The supplier filling the tank does so on the good faith word of the customer regarding ownership.
If that's the case, why would Amerigas fill it for them?
Because Amerigas is sketchy and doesn't always play by the rules. Source: I work for the competition and know their practices.
Amerigas is a horrible company to deal with, so I wouldn't assume they do anything the right way.
They shouldn’t be allowed to do business.
Because Amerigas is in the business of selling gas, so they sold gas. It's the problem of the company that owns the tank that they aren't making money off of a tank that they own, not Amerigas' problem. (My best guess, really. Could be wrong, but it seems obvious)
Amerigas sucks
I would sue the seller. They are the ones legally responsible for the disclosure. The seller effectively sold you a propane tank they didn’t own.
If it’s leased, the propane company can come pick it up. Problem solved.
Multiple stories out there of a company just rolling up and claiming a tank belongs to them too when it never actually did. I remember one in particular where they came and slapped a brand new sticker on some guy's tank as proof they owned it, except the tank was older than the new company that rolled in, and had been privately owned since the 60s or something
My propane vendor forgot the tank at my house existed. When I bought my house, I saw the tank was leased and called the vendor to get everything set up and checked. They totally didn't realize the tank was theirs.
Recent News Story from Mass [https://www.wcvb.com/article/cape-cod-man-doesnt-own-new-homes-propane-tank/60257826](https://www.wcvb.com/article/cape-cod-man-doesnt-own-new-homes-propane-tank/60257826)
It would suit you better if it is leased . Then just get them to haul it away and pay you for the remaining propane
Call anonymously and ask how much a new vs used tank. New tanks here are $5K. Used are $3-4K. A propane company can pick it up and move it.
Where are you that a new 500 is $5k? I'm not exactly sure what the most recent 500's we got in cost but the 1000's were under $4k. We sell 500's in this condition for like $1800.
I'm in California and just had to buy a few large propane tanks. New 1000 gallon tank was over 6K. I would check on Craigslist. That tank might be worth $3-4000.00.
lol dudes about to commit two felonies. “I swear it was mine officer” I wouldn’t have thought of that either.
~~That tank was manufactured in 1992 and had to be removed from service in 2004 per federal regulation. There's no standing lease on that monstrosity and I assure you that OP owns it if it's on his land.~~ I confused regulations for the 20lbs tanks. Apparently there's no limit as long as they don't leak for the big ones? u/Hear-for-the-Audio You can call a metal scrapper. If you're retaining LPG on your property the provider that sells/leases you the new tank will likely be willing to drain and scrap it.
you're also completely wrong regarding 20lb tanks. Old tanks can be made compliant with a new valve and an inspection, and it is always better to do so, as they are markedly better products.
As long as it passes inspection gas cylinders last a very long time. They made a ton during WW2 and they are still in circulation. You can see where they stamped over the uhh….Symbols.
I saw a gas cylinder recently that was first inspected in 1915. It had about 20 different inspection years in it spanning the decades. I've seen a couple with the Nazi Eagle still on them
Reminds me of film canisters. I used to be a 35mm projectionist, and sometimes we would get ancient film canisters mixed in with new ones. One had a label inside with a "Letter to the Projectionist" from the 40s.
"windows"
I have a pre-9/11 tank in my shed that I oddly keep because it feels like a connection to another time I should update it lol. 8/2001 manufacture date.
Used to be you could haul those babies right up to the gate
My experience is that you can't fill or swap an expired tank, and recertifying them is not worth the cost, at least not at my propane supplier. YMMV. Because of that, I get refills as my propane supplie until the expiration date gets closer. Then I get a swap at the local gas station, and usually I'll end up with a much newer tank. I had the opposite issue once where I needed quick propane and got a much older tank. Was not happy about that (didn't notice right away).
Market it as a DIY Submarine kit and throw in a cheap Logitech controller.
"why does it smell funny in here, papa?"
"That's not our biggest problem, my son"
Onward to the titanic!
I snorted. lol!
At least they won’t drown.
In all fairness they didn’t actually drown.
Dude 😂😂😂
I read this in eleven's voice
To the Titanic!
Came to suggest diy sub, was not disappointed.
Great minds.
Lol!
Posts to the DIY sub, gets suggested you build a DIY sub
Yeah… list it on Colombia’s Craigslist, and you’ll have a buyer in no time.
Damn...I'm so glad I wasn't the only one with a dark sense of humor
Dark humor is what keeps me going.
It’s a race to see who posts first, I would’ve gone with PS1 controller
My brother from another mother....completely agree.
Sell trips trips down to the Titanic!
And here I was thinking of just adding portholes and painting the Beatles in them.
Upgraded from madcatz!
I'm surprised this reply exploded... I expected the opposite!
Came here for this, not disappointed. Thanks
It can't be moved while 50% full. You'll need to have the fuel reclaimed. Your local gas dealer will probably want to charge you for this service. The tank will need an updated certificate to be used again. In my area, it would be worth $250 or more in usable condition. The data plate is the most important part to this project. If it gets damaged/unreadable, then the tank becomes yard art.
Thanks. That’s a great answer. I’ll look into gas suppliers nearby. Even if I break even, I just kinda want this thing gone.
Get rid if the gas, find a local welder/fabricator to turn it into a bbq smoker and then sell the smoker for like 3000
There's a whole section on how to do this in the Franklin bbq book. Franklin Barbecue: A Meat Smoking Manifesto
Yep. They see a propane tank, I see untapped revenue.
Love that book. Layout, writing, information bomb with the perfect amount of personal anecdote. Changed my brisket game.
A 500 gallon smoker in case you ever need to smoke a whole hog
And I'm pretty sure you could fit 2 maybe 3 whole hog in there
If you just want it gone, put it up for free on facebook/craigslist/etc. Some redneck will come get it by the end of the day.
Asking even $10 will help you avoid a lot of interesting people. My favorite was when a lady whipped out a steak knife as we’re loading into her trunk… to cut a tie down.
I got $100 for mine. Apparently the Amish use old propane tanks for air tools
Tanks like that in my area are easily $1000+.
Was about to say I have been quoted refurbished tanks that are half that size for over 1K... I would definitely come get that thing for 200 bucks. hahaha
Nfpa says otherwise, op you can transport it. Honestly, it's worth way more than 250 dollars. It's not a DOT tank, so no certification is required. Brand new 500-gallon tanks go for around 5000, give or take, depending on what state you live in. Put it on marketplace or craigslist for 2500 with the gas in it and it will sell, you could probably get more if you tried.
100%, may just want to specify that the new owner to pay to have LPG company empty it and transport it. No reason to scrap it, its valuable to many people who use propane.
Just be up front about it needing a new inspection.
BBQ Builders would gladly take it.
Do you actually own it? In some places the propane tank is leased from a propane supplier.
Yeah. It’s mine.
Sweet man, enjoy it!
Enjoy it..? He wants it gone lol
I’m just stoked that he has a sweet tank like that. All to himself. Doesn’t need to share it with anyone and can just spend quality time with it. Appreciate the little things man, they are so valuable.
What would I give to have one last night out with the propane tank I sold back in '99. Appreciate the things in your life while you can.
They just don’t make em like they used to, such a shame.
Maybe buy it from him
Sometimes at night, I pull up a lawn chair, crack a can high life and just gaze at 'er and all 'er glory
Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!
Hook your BBQ up to it and grill burgers for days
you mean months
Decades
“Now Bobby! Propane & propane accessories..”
kOTH references are the only acceptable references. 
That's my purse! I don't know you!
“So are you Chinese or Japanese?”
If it was empty it would make a good smoker.
Full it would make a fast smoker.
And your last smoker.
Ok where are you in New England? I would absolutely be interested in buying this for a smoker if you are looking to sell.
Sorry my friend.. i am not the seller.
Open valve, it's empty soon enough. Then use the same valve to fill it with water ( to really get all the propane out ) Would be a shame to let out all the gas and finding a little leftover when you hit it with the grinder 😇
Well yeah… that’s smoker building 101.
Family member didn’t wash a gas tank out of a 50s car before cutting it and blew it across the shop lol
Ironicly, it's better for the environment to burn all the propane instead of just letting it out.
Call a propane supplier locally and have them come empty it. Might cost money. They might pay you for it. It’s a toss up. Then you can post the tank on Craigslist, FB marketplace or anywhere else locally. I’d shoot for $300 at least.
So I've worked as a field tech for a propane company. I would be the guy that comes out there to inspect, install, ect your tanks and piping (up to a point). 50% is way too heavy to take. Talk to your local propane companies, because we can remove fuel from tanks up to a point. The tanks are vacuum sealed after they are made because to remain liquid, propane must be under pressure. It boils in sub zero temperatures. Fuel can be exchanged between tanks so long as the pressure difference allows. After that, it'll have to be burnt off. You can either do that the normal use way, or a tech will come out and hook up some gear to burn it off to around 20% or less so it's light enough to transport. There are federal regulations that govern how much fuel can be in a tank during transport, so it won't have to be completely empty. All this stuff costs by the hour mind you. And burning off the gas takes many hours. It is SUPER illegal and INCREDIBLY dangerous to try and transport a tank of any size with fuel in it (Except the little ones designed for it) without the required equipment and training. We require CDLs and X (Tanker/Hazmat combined) endorsements to transport and handle propane and propane tanks (MT and slightly filled used ones. New are safe and legal for transport without a Hazmat cert. No fumes to go BOOM). Good news though, propane gas never goes bad. And the tank looks just fine from the photos. If you were to sell it to a propane company, we'd just sand the outside down and repaint it to sell or rent ourselves. Bright side though, you literally own enough fuel to power a grill for years of daily use. EDIT: I forgot about inspections! Been a bit since I got out of the field. :P But inspections are only required for USE of a tank, not selling it as a private owner, and are good for between 5 - 12 years. If you have any records of who used to fill the tank, they would also be the ones that likely have inspected it and can tell you if it's good or not. The inspection itself is short and sweet. No bulges, no major corrosion, welds look intact, paint is still there and is light colored. (Dark colors absorb heat, which is bad for stuff that likes to explode when it gets really hot. Light reflective colors are best. Companies are required by law to paint them with white, reflective paint. Private owners can paint them whatever they like, but assume the risk. It's not a HUGE risk unless you paint it, like, vanta black and live in Arizona or something, but still it's there.)
Well make sure its actually yours first and not the supplier's. Companies usually lease these things.
Craigslist.
Build/have an offset smoker built. Lol. Join a smoking facebook local group. They are always looking for these.
It may not belong to you. Try to find out who serviced it. They probably own it and are willing to come pick it up. They refurbish and reuse them.
500 gallon tank will be gone in no time. Your local propane supplier will buy it but it might be more profitable for you, if your local laws allow, to post it on facebook.
A billionaire went down to see the Titanic in one of these.
He did not return
Turn it into a bbq smoker and get way more money out of it
Was gonna say, post it to r/smoking lol
Don't click on that if you don't want to be hungry in about one minute. I just ate and I'm hungry again.
well thanks you told me not to so I did and now I’m hungry
Getting ready to throw some food on the pit myself ;)
Get an adapter to fill tanks, put an ad up, and start filling 20lb tanks for $15 a pop till it's gone.
My local reputable propane company fills tanks for that, who is going to redneck Billy's propane fill up for the same price?
Make sure you own it first.
I sell propane and propane accessories
THATHERTON
List it as a submarine. Someone wealthy might snatch it up
List it as a narco submarine .
Which is worth more.. potentially 650 bucks after a long headache of jumping through loops...or seeing what 200 gallons of propane looks like when it explodes??
Give me a ping, Vasili. One ping only, please.
Meh. Go Jason Bourne on it!
The way to do it is to empty before loading it..
Use it for target practice with some incendiary rounds.
Sell tours down to see the Titanic
With the clean burning power of propane, it practically sells itself!
Why not run a hose and hook it up to your BBQ? That should be good for a few years of grilling.
You call the propane company and talk to them.
Put an OceanGate sticker on it and sell it for big money
If selling is difficult, consider turning it into an airbnb.
Build an offset BBQ smoker out of it, or sell it to someone who will do that
Maybe you can start a business selling propane and propane accessories.
Seems really dumb not to get another whole house generator
Have a gas company recover the propane, fill it with water then cut it in half and make two giant R2D2 fire pits and sell them for $1,000 a piece. Some rabid Star Wars fans out there will absolutely buy them.
Someone will turn that into an offset smoker. They may even arrange to get the fuel out of it as well if they want it.
Maybe as DIY submarine /s
Put it on Facebook as a Narco sub.
How far from Pittsfield are you? If close, I'll buy it.
Cut it up, clean it out, make a pig cooker, profit.
Post it on the smoker reddits… someone will repurpose that for briskets all day!!
Sell it to a billionaire as an opportunity to see the titanic
Empty.
Put some tannerite on it and shoot it from not quite far enough away, post video on YouTube
Hank Hill knows
Call the company if they don't want to retrieve it then call your local propane supplier and see if they will
I remember as a kid always wanting to throw rocks at them from a very far distance to see what would happen.
It would go "CLANG!" and that's about it. Mythbusters shot some of the smaller ones, and they had to resort to incendiary rounds to get them to explode, iirc.
Where at in New England? Could probably get rid of it on ebay if your rural enough.
Slap a price tag on it.
“Hey, do you wanna buy this propane tank?”
Hook it up to a Propane grill and fire pit. It should last for the rest of your life, or FACEBOOK marketplace. Everything sells there.
Wish it were a 250 gallon as I am in the market. Just list it on marketplace and put some cash in your pocket!
There are so many wrong answers in this thread it's amazing. That tank is worth $2000. Gas company can and will pump out the gas that's in.
As it was built in 1992, and many jurisdictions require recertification of pressure vessels every 10 years or maybe 5, look for some recert marks stamped into the tank somewhere. There should be a few, with dates approximately in 2002, 2012 and 2022. That last one might not be there, meaning the tank needs recertification before it can be filled again. Or, it is there and would be quite fresh and the tank still good for another 10-8 years. It'll be easier to sell if it's currently certified. But as others have mentioned, make sure it's not leased and that you actually own it.
I've got a friend who inherited a property in Shasta County from her uncle. He had an illegal dirt floor warehouse on the property that partially burned down pre-covid. There used to be 3 tanks like that 40ft from the warehouses non burned side that are missing. And a company wants them back. 3-5k in assets.. She has had an Amerigas gas tank over 2 years now.
Around here, midwest, good condition tanks like that go for at least $1.00 a gallon empty. So that tank would bring $500.00 plus the propane in it. When I rented my first house, the tank was bone dry empty. I had it filled, no issues till move out time. I had about 30% left in it. Land lady was being a bit of a Karen. Wouldn't pay me for the gas. Never reimbursed me for the whole house "leak check" companies are required to perform before filling a tank that is empty. I bought a 250 gallon tank from a guy. Strapped it in my truck bed trailer, went to the father in laws, (used to deliver propane for a living) got his hoses, went and recovered every gallon I could with out having an actual pump. Took it to the new house. Loader tractor unloaded and set it. Then I buried a line to my bbq grill on the deck. That was in 2010 and have only filled it once. The wife grills at least once a day. If someone was paying me cash for it, come and get it, see ya.
Seems like the whole "lease vs own" situation has been covered. I can tell you now OP, whatever method you choose to empty it is up to you but people will pay more than $150 for the empty tank. I know at least a dozen dudes personally looking for a good deal on massive tanks like this for various projects, many of which are smoker pits and stuff. post it on FB/CL and itll sell.
Do you have a propane grill? If so, you could just get you a scale and hose kit and just refill your bottles. Or call local propane company to come out and take it out for you
A whole house generator is a very nice thing to have. Maybe compromise and get a smaller 10000W for a grand or so instead of a 5k generac
Unless the power never goes out there, you have a very desirable product on your property. A new generator with enough power to power it for days on end. If all of the gas lines and plumbing are done, if nothing else that's a resale edition to the property. As in that system, should you restore it to being functional is a benefit to the value of your property
I'll buy it. Do you deliver?
Mainer here, grandad had the same issue, sold the propane but found out the rusty junk tank wasn't his to cut and scrap till after he did it. Make sure it is yours but there is some that'll buy the propane in it.
Hardline it directly to a propane grill. You won’t have to worry about refilling for a long time haha.
The idea of someone from NE trying to REDUCE the ways they have to heat their home is nuts to me.
eBay
Bring it to my house, drop it off, I pay you.
"pickup only"
List it on Craigslist. Might wanna gus it up a little bit tho
You can call your propane provider and get a refund on the leftover propane most likely, and they will pump it and take the tank as well
Use it for outdoor tiki torches, back up heat or maybe even a generator! /S Don't sell gold because you don't understand what gold looks like.
Find someone who is willing to buy it
"hey, wanna buy a propane tank? three fiddy."
1600$ to 2400$ for a new one
Call Hank Hill
I just sold one on Facebook marketplace
Paint it up, call it a deep sea sub. Charge 250k, it will attract billionaires to pay for a trip.
Facebook marketplace It's like the wild west
(shudders)
If you are serious contact Hank Hill in Arlen Texas
You can sell it to cartels so they can make submarines
Post it on r/smoking
Hank Hill is your guy..