Some Businesses Will Not Fill My Tank. What Should I Do?Updated a month ago
Some businesses will not fill my tank. What should I do?
Propane fillers vary a lot from business to business. Some won't fill small tanks because they're not comfortable doing it, or because their minimum fill amount is larger than your tank's capacity.
We encourage supporting local businesses. But larger businesses like UHaul, Cenex, and Costco tend to know the rules well and are usually the most reliable for filling small tanks.
What to tell the propane attendant -
Some attendants just don’t see 3.8 lb / 5 lb / 10 lb cylinders as often, so you can help them out by easing their concerns with filling—this script should preemptively answer a lot of their questions:
“This is a DOT refillable propane cylinder that is Pre-Purged and equipped with an OPD. Please fill it like a standard cylinder. Important: Connect the fill hose first, then open the filling control, then slowly open the cylinder valve, and open the bleed valve last.”
That specific valve sequence matters because these compact cylinders have overfill safety features and can be harder to fill if the process is rushed or done out of order.
Standard fill steps (for the refill station)
Recommended: let trained refill staff do this.
If the station asks for the basic steps, here’s the correct sequence:
Connect the station fill hose securely to the cylinder fitting.
Open the station filling control FIRST.
Slowly open the cylinder valve NEXT.
Open the bleed valve LAST (this is a fixed liquid level gauge used during filling).
Fill until:
By weight: the cylinder reaches its correct filled weight (best method), or
By bleed valve: vapor/mist is normal; the fill is complete when the correct fill level is reached per the station’s standard procedure.
Close in reverse order: bleed valve → cylinder valve → station control, then disconnect and leak-check.
How much propane does my Gas Growler hold?
Gas Growler 3.8: holds 3.8 lb (0.9 gal)
Gas Growler 5: holds 5 lb (1.2 gal)
Gas Growler 10: holds 10 lb (2.5 gal)
Tip: Some stations prefer filling by weight. Your cylinder has a stamped TW (tare weight) on the collar/handle area—your attendant can use that plus the propane capacity above.
If you do find smaller, locally owned businesses who will fill your tank consistently, please do support them, and even share with us so we can give them some love!