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Safety -- Make sure you are safe!

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  #1  
Old 2011-05-05, 2:04pm
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Default Amerigas Frickin Frack - Rant

Okay so I've had Amerigas for my home heating, cooking and hot water since 1997. Was so sure I'd keep them that I had them bury the ugly 500 gallon/pound tank in the yard so I wouldn't have to look at it.

For the past 6 years, they have also been filling a 200 gallon/pound tank that they own for my torch. My studio is located in a garage converted into a room the same level as the rest of the house. Hose is run through the window with quick disconnects at the torch.

Last week, I called them to fill the 200 pound tank and they came when I wasn't home. They left a note saying the tank was being used illegally and put a lock plug on the tank. So, I call, ask the to install iaw code and they come out and tell me there is no way they can do it. I explain that folks have propane piped to houses all over the country for lampworking and quoted Dale's statement that NFPA says that the limit for propane to a dwelling is 10 psi. They (one of the largest propane providers in the country) tell me that they can't help. They will not even offer any solution to my needs. So they picked up the 200 pound tank and hauled it away. I'm on BBQ tanks now.

Long story short, I contact a smaller propane provider (Parkers) and the man comes out and says he can make it happen. I showed him DeAnne's thread and Dale's drawing and he talked to the city and the fire department and we are on for them to install me correctly - no charge except for the propane.

While I'm at it I ask the price of their lock-in rate for propane and it's almost a dollar per gallon less than I'm paying with Amerigas. So, I'm having them dig up the old 500 pound tank and install their tank and fill it with cheaper propane.

I call up Amerigas to see what settling up my bill will be. I own them a whopping $147 minus the refund I will get when they pay me for what is in the tank, plus $75 for them to siphon the tank. The tank is half full so they should own me money.

They call me back wanting to know what they can do to keep my business. Politely, I tell them they could have been more serious about getting me correctly hooked up to the torch.

I just got a call from Parkers. They heard through the grapevine that Amerigas has called the city and the fire department, claiming that what they are going to do for me is illegal. So, Monday morning, the new company and all their technicians, safety folks, maybe the city inspectors and the fire department will be here to ensure that I am up to code and safe. Life doesn't get any better.

Oh, and to keep Amerigas, from cheating me, I have taken a dated photo of the gage on the tank showing half full and I have put a laminated sign on the tank stating no deliveries so they won't try to fill the tank and make things difficult. That and a padlock on the tank cover ought to keep folks honest.

Whew, done with rant. It feels good to be getting legal and safe. Thanks, Dale and DeAnne.
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Old 2011-05-05, 3:06pm
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Nice one Linda.
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Old 2011-05-05, 3:18pm
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That is messed up. They SUCK.
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Old 2011-05-05, 3:33pm
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Id be sure to tell the city how long amerigas has been filling your "illegal" tank, since they are playing the tattle tail game.
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Old 2011-05-05, 4:25pm
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Thanks guys. It should get REAL interesting around here on Monday. Swapping out the big underground tank - backhoes and such. Hard piping for the torch tank. I expect to see city inspectors and fire folks and supervisors from the new company all over the place.
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Old 2011-05-05, 5:08pm
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Long story short, I contact a smaller propane provider (Parkers) and the man comes out and says he can make it happen. I showed him DeAnne's thread and Dale's drawing and he talked to the city and the fire department and we are on for them to install me correctly - no charge except for the propane.
I think this is the funny part since it was all "approved" before Amerigas started playing games...

Think you might whisper in building inspectors ear that they need to look more closely at any Amerigas (illegal) hook ups...

Dale
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Old 2011-05-05, 5:24pm
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I think this is the funny part since it was all "approved" before Amerigas started playing games...

Think you might whisper in building inspectors ear that they need to look more closely at any Amerigas (illegal) hook ups...

Dale
I'm sure the inspectors are hearing an ear full from Parkers Fuel Company. Apparently this isn't the first time Amerigas has become vindictive over loosing a customer to Parker.

Thanks for all your help Dale. It's so nice to know you are there.
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Old 2011-05-05, 7:53pm
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kind of on the same track, my propane company came out to "auto-fill" my underground tank earlier this year and charged me double the local price for my delivery...I was so shocked I just figured it was a mistake. When I got the printed bill in the mail it was the same price. I called and talked to customer service who told me they could lower it from $5.50 a gallon to $3.99 a gallon (still over $2.50 more a gallon then every one else)...I called the Board of Public Utilities, they don't consider propane a utility like gas, or electricity....so on to the Consumer group I went, all the while waiting for a manager to call me back....finally he calls and lowers the bill to $3.50 a gallon (still over .50 cents more than everyone else) and tells me to get this price again I need to use MORE propane. this is what I get for being frugal!! If I want the tank out, they tell me i have to PAY them to have it removed......When the bill came in the following month, he forgot to tell customer service to change the rate, then charged me a late fee!!! Don;t ya just love it!!!
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Old 2011-05-05, 8:36pm
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I was talking to my deliver driver (I'm on residential propane) and he told me that the "front office" was screwing with the numbers and at some point the billing price the calculated into his "delivery computer" (in truck) was something like $4.40 a gallon and after a lot of complaints and a lot of driver rants at them they finally stabilized prices to current market prices and quit playing with the numbers... Highest I have ever paid was $2.59 a gallon... Its still a shock when delivery is 151 gallons... As of a few days ago the temperatures have broken the cold spell and now I probably wont be filling tank but about once every 3-4 months through summer to keep stove and water heater going...Now all I have to look forward is electricity bill to jump keeping AC running ... Cant win...

Also there is a website that posts the daily average price of propane, I will see if I can find it and post it so those with big tanks and rely on it for heating and cooking can get daily price and have ammunition to go against propane gougers....

Bottom line is you have to be propane smart to deal with some of the company's....

Geese I beginning to sound like "Hank Hill" on "King of the Hill" TV program...



Dale
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Old 2011-05-06, 7:33am
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I agree about being propane smart and from here on I will try to be. The day Amerigas came out but did not deliver any fuel, they sent me a bill for $18.47. When I called to settle up my bill, they said it must have been a mistake but I'm sure they would have taken my money had I paid it without question.
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Old 2011-05-06, 8:07am
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I just switched to Amerigas for my oxy..but I'm thinking perhaps they won't get the propane business after all.

You can usually get a 100# tank from the hardware store, the headache then just becomes hauling it to the filling depots.
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Old 2011-05-09, 8:54am
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Update:

Parker Gass got here at 0900 this AM and by 1100 they were gone. Must have had 6 trucks in the yard. They dug up Amerigas's 500 gallon tank, dropped in their new one, hard piped me through the wall (permit from city) installed 100 gallon tank, filled both tanks and charged me only for the gas in the tanks.

I have my regulator and a cut off valve in the studio, a 10 psi fixed regulator and cut off valve outside. The city inspector will be here tomorrow to check everything.

I'm a happy camper. Now to call Amerigas and have them remove the old tank and give me credit for the propane in the tank. It says that it is about 40% full. That should be about 200 gallons, correct? Lets see 200 x $2.89 a gallon - that about $578.00. Whoo Hoo!

Thanks again DeAnne and Dale!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Old 2011-05-09, 12:04pm
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Quote:
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Update:

Parker Gass got here at 0900 this AM and by 1100 they were gone. Must have had 6 trucks in the yard. They dug up Amerigas's 500 gallon tank, dropped in their new one, hard piped me through the wall (permit from city) installed 100 gallon tank, filled both tanks and charged me only for the gas in the tanks.

I have my regulator and a cut off valve in the studio, a 10 psi fixed regulator and cut off valve outside. The city inspector will be here tomorrow to check everything.

I'm a happy camper. Now to call Amerigas and have them remove the old tank and give me credit for the propane in the tank. It says that it is about 40% full. That should be about 200 gallons, correct? Lets see 200 x $2.89 a gallon - that about $578.00. Whoo Hoo!

Thanks again DeAnne and Dale!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Be sure to mention to inspector that Americas by their own admission did a illegal gas hook up for you....

Dale
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Old 2011-05-09, 5:42pm
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Be sure to mention to inspector that Americas by their own admission did a illegal gas hook up for you....

Dale
I certainly will.

Here's photos of the install. The pipe comes in over a near empty bottom shelf besid my workbench and is mounted to the floor for support. There is a cutoff inside and outside the house. The red thing above the tank is the 10 psi regulator. I have it set to 5 psi with my regulator. Bonus - my tank has a gage so I can see how much propane I have. Parker tells me that they never fill above 80% on this tank and my 500 gallon.

I'm a happy camper.
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Old 2011-05-10, 7:18am
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Whoo-hoo. The set up passed the city inspection. I never doubted it. Thank you Parker Oil and Propane!
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Old 2011-05-10, 7:30am
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CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!

Umm.... Should sent this thread to Amerigas....

BUT.... I think your date on camera is a month off..... Shame....

Dale
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Old 2011-05-10, 7:59am
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CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!

Umm.... Should sent this thread to Amerigas....

BUT.... I think your date on camera is a month off..... Shame....

Dale
I could edit it out but why give them a clue on how it's done. I've convinced Parker Oil to create a FaceBook page for themselves so I can post my pics and phrase their efforts there.
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Old 2011-05-12, 10:14am
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My experience with Amerigas' business practices was very similar. They are hosers for real.
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Old 2011-05-12, 1:30pm
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My experience with Amerigas' business practices was very similar. They are hosers for real.
Yes, I'm still trying to get them to come pick up the old 500 gallon tank that is over 40% full of propane that they will have to pay me for. They claim they will have to remove mist of the propane before they move it.

I have fixed the date/time stamp on my camera and took pics of the gage showing the 40 full since it has been removed from the ground and close up photos of the outside of the tank so they can't claim the paint was scratched removing it from the gound. Except for some rust on the bottom, it is pristine.
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Old 2011-05-12, 8:02pm
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Mine was trying to get reimbursed for propane when I sold my house and moved.

They told me I couldn't be reimbursed until they removed the tanks. They dragged their feet so long that the new owners had taken possession. They finally showed up to drain the tanks and remove them and the new owners threw a fit about wanting to keep the propane and the tanks.

So Amerigas saw the difference between leaving the gas, keeping their money and getting a new customer AND refunding me the money they owed me and taking their tanks. Not hard to guess which they picked. Basically they told me, 'good luck getting the money out of the new owner'.

I let it go, but reported them to the BBB.

~~Mary
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Old 2011-05-13, 7:02am
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Maybe its time to start climbing the corporate ladder to let the people up above what a bunch of bums the have working for them at consumer level.....

http://www.amerigas.com/

Dale
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Old 2011-05-13, 7:03am
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Maybe its time to start climbing the corporate ladder to let the people up above know what a bunch of bums they have working for them at consumer level.....

http://www.amerigas.com/

Ahem...
http://amerigas.pissedconsumer.com/

Dale
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Old 2011-05-13, 6:14pm
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We used to have amerigas too and switched companies to save money. Nat gas has finally made it down here, way cheaper.
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Old 2011-05-14, 3:15pm
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Ouch, Mary. I'm thinking I'm going to follow Dale's links and file complaints. I have called twice to set a day for them to come get the tank. They say it is their "busy" season. Funny, Parker/Sentry says it's their slack season.
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Old 2011-05-18, 8:41am
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Yippee. Amerigas just picked up the 500 lb tank. Now to get my money for the gas in the tank.
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Old 2011-05-18, 8:48am
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That's going to be the hard part.
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Old 2011-05-18, 10:32am
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That's going to be the hard part.
I'm hoping they don't make me open up a can of whoop ass on them. I am unemployed right now. 200+ gallons of fuel is a lot of $. They were quick on the credit for the smaller tank but I know I'll have to be persistant. Some how it worries me when the squiddly is dubious.
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