California Banning Single Use PROPANE Cylinders.

Plastic.... that is my crazy. Especially when I clean out a fire ring with melted stuff. I agree on the single use propane can evolution to something better. It was easy but there is always a price to be paid. Somebody will no doubt come up with a wicked cool alternative and make a fortune! The American way!
 
Someone did come up with a better idea. Flame King sells a 1 pound refillable propane canister. And better yet, if you buy it at Sports Basement, they will give you up to 5 free refills per year. Details here:

Sport Basement Propane Deal
Sounds like a good alternative. Free refills might cost the company $16 annually if they pay retail for propane at current my current local costs, but may generate sales. And countless people with propane camp stoves, lanterns, space heaters and other appliances won't have to throw them away when the ban goes into effect.
 
I wonder about the safety/liability of that. I don't know if those standard bottles are made to withstand repeated fillings. Or what provisions there off to determine when it is full.

After a quick search I see that there are several brands of refillable cylinders on the market. And interestingly, an adapter to fill your refillable cylinder using a 20# tank.
 
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DOT has a problem with those being refilled but its not likely anyone would ever get fined. I have one of the refillable bottles for emergencies but I run the bbq off the big tank. I doubt we'll see beer cans outlawed any time soon.
 
Beer cans get recycled, my one pound propane clylinders get refilled. If the clylinders show any sign of swelling, or the valves leak after filling, they get recycled after they are empty. Alot of places have the 1 lb cylinders on sale right now. At some point I will have to get some clylinders that can be refilled, and are "legal".
 
From an article I just published in Exploration Quarterly on the history of the Coleman lantern:

"You can buy refill adapters for the ubiquitous one-pound DOT39-type cylinders and find instruction online for doing so, but the USDOT strongly recommends against it, after documenting several accidents and at least one fatality. The sealing gasket in this type of cylinder is not meant for repeated use."

The refillable canisters from Flame King are made differently than the DOT39 canisters and are safe to refill. Many people get away with refilling the DOT39 canisters, but many people get away with not wearing seat belts too.
 

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