I was lucky enough not to have to fill up my propane tank last Winter.  I'm at just over 30% now, and even though that would last me well into the start of Winter, I’d like to get it filled now, before prices start rising again.

At least I’m assuming the prices have gone down, I haven’t called my provider yet.  I emailed them weeks ago, but they haven’t responded, so I’m assuming their thieving practices prevent them from ever putting any pricing down in writing.

This last Winter I had found a great website http://www.dleg.state.mi.us/mpsc/reports/shopp/ which showed the average propane prices week by week, but unfortunately they stopped updating their chart on March 24th, so I don’t have any idea where prices are at right now.

If anyone has filled up recently in West Michigan please let me know about what you paid per gallon and who the supplier was.  My current supplier is Suburban Propane out of Coopersville.

It would be great if I owned my own tank, so I could shop around and purchase from whichever supplier I wanted, but I don’t know the ins and outs of owning your own tank.

I currently have a 500-gallon tank, but I’m sure I could get by on a smaller one.  Since I swapped out my propane water heater to an electric one a couple of years ago, my only daily need for propane is our gas dryer.  My furnace is still propane, but I try to use it as little as possible.

I’m wondering the feasibility of getting rid of the 500-gallon tank and trying to get by using one or two 100-gallon upright tanks.  If that is not feasible how does one go about purchasing their own 500-gallon or smaller tank, so they could use any supplier they choose at any given time?

The 100 gallon tanks are $$$$ to get filled.
Baker Gas in Grant MI will set a tank for you 231-652-5252 easy Number

Get it filled NOW.

Folks will be filling thier tanks for the Corn dryers shortly, and even though most buy on contract, the spike in deliverys always causes prices to go up.

Call CHS and a few others and shop around.

You will always get a better price with the 500g tank, and get raped with the 100g.

I work at a place with a propane fill station. We are under contract at $1.6 a gallon currently. I don't know if you can get it that cheap.

Also we charge $100 for a 100lb tank and are the cheapest in Holland that I know of.

I'm contracted thru FerrellGas for 760 gallons @ $224.9

After 760 gallons it's market price

Ferret Gas is one of the propane companies who price gouged and are being sued. We've been with them since 1971.

Autore $2.09/gallon, a couple weeks ago.

Not west MI, RIF.

I'm in your area and own my own LP tanks if you buy your own PM me first. Definitely get a 500gl tank it's way cheaper to fill under 500gl you will be paying LP tank exchange prices per gallon. In our area a good price estimator is at http://www.hamiltonspropane.com/pricing/

When you get a price at Suburban please post it.

Owned tank prices:
Hopkins LP $1.999
Van Andel LP $1.899
ALTO $1.799 + $60

I thought I would be smart this year and fill up in early august.

500gal tank is not mine so I can't shop around.

They have a 250 gallon minimum order or you pay add. $75.

Since they only fill to 80% max...I can't do it yet.

I barely fulfilled the 600 gallon contract so I haven't renewed.

Gonna be getting low in the dead of winter without a contract. Last winter some people couldn't get a delivery (at any price) if they weren't contracted through someone.

Thanks everyone for your feedback.

I've emailed back and forth to Baker's Propane in Grant/Newaygo and so far they look like my best option for purchasing a used 500-gallon tank.  The only other supplier I've been able to find in Western Michigan is Blarney Castle out of Scottville and they don't sound any cheaper than Baker's and Scottville is a further drive for me.

My current propane supplier, Suburban Propane out of Coopersville, will not sell me a tank.  My current pricing from them to fill the tank they currently are leasing me is a whopping $2.89 a gallon.  The lady I spoke with confirmed they would sell me propane at a cheaper price of about $2.39 a gallon if I owned my own tank.

Earlier I spoke with another supplier in the area (Excel Propane) to see what their fill price would be and if I leased a tank from them they would charge me $2.46 a gallon right now with a 200-gallon minimum purchase.  They stated they absolutely will not fill a privately owned tank.

I just got off the phone with Kohley's Propane and while they do not sell tanks, they will deliver and fill a privately owned tank as long I provide proof of ownership and the data plate for the tank is legible.  Their current pricing for a customer owned tank is $170.90 per gallon with a 300-gallon minimum.

Oh the money I would have saved if I would have bought my own tank 13 years ago when I purchased this home.

We're under contract now with Suburban.  The propane business is the biggest bunch of crooks I've ever seen.

"We'll only sell you propane if you lease our tanks"
"We'll only agree to sell you huge contract quantities"

But they know they've got rural customers (who reconfigured their homes for propane in the 80's-90's) over a barrel.  I suspect there is a massive amount of collusion going on between the different companies in most areas, because commercial or co-op pricing for propane is absurdly low compared to res prices, but the res pricing between companies is very similar.

Good folks there

Benefactor,

Get ahold of Hamilton Energy, which is now CHS.  https://www.myhamiltonenergy.com/

They have tanks for sale, and good rates on fills. We got our new tank from them a couple years back.

If you strike out with them, call Berrien Farm bureau oil. http://www.berriencountyfboil.com/eau-claire-mi-propane-diesel-and-gasoline.htm

They have tanks as well.

I have been calling around to get a used tank so I can fire the pirate a-holes at Ferrell Gas for the bs pulled last year.

I got prices for 500g refurbished tanks.
CHS/Hamilton is $1065 and $2.099g for fill
Blarney Castle is $1114 and $1.849g for fill
Coyne Propane is $850 and $1.649 for first fill and $1.849 after

I'm going with Coyne as they are real close to me in Manton and the best price.

I'll do a quick check soon. I'm just north of GR though.  We're going the wood pellet stove route this year but have propane for everything else and backup.

As I've recently learned, you may not be comparing apples to apples.  A lot of the used tanks I looked at were from the 70's.  While those older tanks are almost always made from thicker steel, the parts may not be as readily available and the tank's data plate is almost always on the outside of the hood and may be almost unreadable at this point.  Looks for as new of a tank as you can find and afford and make sure the data plate is in good condition.

The Blarney Castle in Scottville quoted me a lot more than whatever office you called.

Postban,

Another one I forgot to mention.

Berrien Farm Bureau Oil.
They have tanks as well as bulk delivery service.

Down here in Van Buren, Praxair has the lowest price, and came through during the crunch for a LOT of folks last winter.

Ferrel is about ripping people off, as much as Amerigas is.
It's nuts to look at what they get away with.