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I am amazed this product is still on the market.

Nick, the small 1# bottle tank does not have a valve to open or close. I use the same 1 # bottles with my Heater Buddy, one just screws them in. I would expect the adapter has a "arm" that when screwed into the 1 # tank, that allows the propane to flow once the large tank valve is opened. This adapter instruction is shown on Youtube, a few times and all of the instructions are basically the same.

Tank u are filling cold and beneath supply tank.

Having large tank warm will just creat a little more pressure to propel LPG into smaller tank

Having small tank cold will just help condense the gas so you can get a little more LPG in it.

If grenade tank is older place a drop of oil down valve opening to help lube and seat the float.

Paul, if you try this and it still doesn't work with another small tank I think you have a faulty adaptor.

Thanks all for the replies and help.

First of all, you are taking a risk in heating the large tank, which I don't. What I do is store both large full and small empty tanks in the outside garage where they both reach ambient outdoor temperature equally. I screw the 1lb tank into the fitting which is attached to the large tank. Turn the large tank upside down and open the large tank valve ALL THE WAY. I found that leaving both tanks in this position for TWO MINUTES transfers enough gas top operate my two tank heater for 3 to 4 hours. I do not attempt to transfer a full 1lb to the small tank. IMHO that's just too risky. When removing the small tank I first tip the tank so the small tank opening is up and crack the valve as I listen for gas to pass through the connection, then I shut the valve and remove the small tank.

I did HVAC work and too many times to remember transferring freon from tank to systems and vise versa. Without scales to determine transfer weight the danger of overfilling is too easy to do, and IMHO, stupid when it comes to propane.

I must have twenty five 1lb tanks that I rotate through service cycles and I discard any tank that will not seal or refuses to accept a charge. I found that tanks that refuse to accept a charge are not empty enough. To check such a tank attach it to a torch tip and open it outside as you listen for gas escaping. DON'T SMOKE WHEN YOU TACKLE THIS OPERATION!

Some just don't take a refill. But I bet Paul's problem was leaving it in the freezer too long. That can freeze the valve. I only freeze them for 30 minutes. It works much better if the 20 lb bottle is room temperature.

I have had some bottles leak after a couple fills. I have a cheap off-brand bottle (gray), flat bottom, that I've probably refilled 50 times during the time I've had it. Old Faithful. At $5 a bottle now for the 1 lb, if you use very many, its foolish to not refill them.

I’m all for DIY but after watching a propane tank explode and metal shards go through my siding and sheathing…No thanks.

Only fill to 80% and do this by volume after weighing. Get a tare weight of 1# cylinder and add no more than 80% (calculate weight to volume using D=M/V for propane.).

You could get he fill weight that manufacturer uses by weighing a new full propane small cylinder and then again after you used it to empty. Weight again and calculate the difference of propane. This is your safe fill weight.

Be reminded, saving a few bucks is not worth the danger of refilling small propane cylinders. I do believe it is illegal as well. Too many have been named and killed refilling propane incorrectly.

I find myself agreeing with cnelk re buying a 5 pounder, unless weight is critical - and who backpacks with propane?

I have just bought new ones, weighted them so that I know a target weight to reach. I am usually doing it in the winter for ice fishing so I leave the 1 lb'ers outside and take my 20 inside. That will get them about 3/4 full. Some times all the way. But if you release some pressure and hook it up again you can get a lot more in. Just don't overdo it.

I use them with buddy heaters, camping grill, ice fishing hut heaters, lantern, camp stove. Probably 20 a year. As far as cost differential, a 20 pound bottle refills for about $16 now, give or take. That will refill a whole bunch of one pounders (that don't totally fill) . A 1 lb bottle sells for $4.99 at my local hardware store.

I do it exactly as 2Wild Bill. Never an issue in over 30 years of refilling.

As a precaution against any overfill I leave them outside for a day. Any excess will bleed off through the small pressure vent. Any bad tanks get substantially lighter and I trash them.

"Any excess will bleed off through the small pressure vent."

My professional experience has been that safety relief valves, once lifted, never reseat themselves as good as they are when released from the factory. This has been proven to me regarding various substances or pressures under control.

I've been doing this a long time and while I've had the rare tank not hold seal it's very rare. Just my experience which reminds me I've got a dozen to refill and it will be easier since temps are getting down to the 20's.

We've got a very accurate scale and I might weigh a few just to satisfy my curiousity.

Tanks and safety.... they don't "blow up" by filling. No more than they do by using, the pressures are the same in both given the same conditions. The pressures involved are not that high but will vary with temps. If I recall at 70 degrees about 120lbs? 110 can get you to 200lbs? In all honesty, that's not that much pressure, my air compressor runs at 175 all day long and has for couple decades. Unless WAY overfilled it won't be any more of an issue that a brand new one off the shelf. If overfilled and in some heat it might blow off some pressure out the side valve. It's a pop off valve (looks like a schrader valve but it's not, you know because you pull it to open it rather than push on it) It's not tank pressure that is the issue. It's gas leakage and ignition that is the issue.

If you use some awareness and take into consideration you are dealing with a highly flammable gas you're good to go. I do it outside in the yard. Well ventilated and no ignition sources are the keys. But those are the rules when you are using them as well.

I never touch the side vent valve and have never had any issues with them leaking. Those are notorious for leaking if you use them much. (they do fill faster if you use them) The main connection valve I have had leak on some.... but have also had them leak on new ones between uses when you remove the tank and it still has some in it. Ever put one on the shelf and come back in 6 months and it's empty? It's leaking. Those main valves are made cheaply and are the main issue, not the tanks. Propane gas is heavier than air and in still air will sink to the lowest point and "pool" (boat bilges are notorious) If you take note, a good deal of ignition sources are low.... pilot light in stoves and water heaters, HIVAC, etc. And many can be in basements or garages. Just a heads up.

Pick up some threaded brass caps made for sealing the tanks. Best thing I've ever done with those lil tanks regardless if you fill them or not. I think $20 can get you a dozen of them. A little silicone spray on the threads (adds a bit of lube/conditioning to the valve too, don't use wd40 or some such as it's hard on rubber) Thread on a brass cap (has a rubber gasket in it to seal) and no leaks, period. Reuse at will. And in our salt air environment they really help keep the threads from rusting. Years ago we used the heck out of them on lanterns when drifting fishing at night (ika shibi) The lights hanging off the rails with reflectors would bring up squid and other critters near the surface and the yellowfin tuna (ahi) would come in when everything aligned. (these days they use LEDs with 12 volt batteries that are even brighter and last all night... or three...)

WRT safety.... be safe. Personal responsibility, common sense and all. Some folks might want to keep their kids away from buckets too.... Let Karen watch em for ya. Those bucket warning labels are on there for a reason..... Climbing trees? Firearms? Well, we won't even talk about that....

But WRT playing with flammable gas..... oughta see the fun you can have with an oxy-acetylene torch and a bag of balloons..... with safety glasses on of course....

I used the small pressure relief port on the side as I filled them (10 - 1# tanks) to release some "air" as I filled them to 16oz. (made sure they were completely empty, weighted them before and after filling). Took the empty weight and added 16oz - assumed they were full???

Every single one of them leaked till empty. After reading some of these posts, I'm thinking I will try it again. This time I'll only leave it on for about 2 minutes and see what they weigh. I will NOT use the side port this time.

Thanks all for your input. My best, Paul

The oddity timing of this thread, I recently bought a small Weber Go Anywhere grill and almost bought an adaptor kit with 3 or 4 foot hose for the bigger refillable tanks, but put it on the back burner (pun intended) for now...

I forget what "brand" my rig was, but pretty sure all these adapters, like 90% of everything else.... made in Chi-na.

We all climbed trees years ago without fall protection, that didn't make it safe.

BTW, also have a Mr. Heater for my hunting shack...