Propane tank exchange
Swap the empty, take a full one
Under a minute, no waiting, no inspection to worry about.
The short answer
Lake Murray Chevron at 5600 Baltimore Drive, La Mesa exchanges propane cylinders. Hand over your empty 20 lb tank, take a full one, done in about a minute. We also refill by the gallon if you would rather keep your own tank.
How the swap works
1. Bring the empty
Any standard 20 lb cylinder in exchangeable condition. No appointment.
2. Hand it over
Ask inside. No inspection to pass, no date stamp to worry about.
3. Take a full one
Walk out with a sealed, ready to use cylinder. Usually under a minute.
When exchange is the right call
Your tank is out of date
Past 12 years from its stamp, nobody can legally refill it. Swapping it is cheaper than recertifying.
Check your dateThe tank is beaten up
Heavy rust, a bent foot ring, a seized valve. Hand the problem over instead of paying to fix it.
You are in a hurry
No attendant needed on the pump. If you turn up near closing, this is the fast lane.
You would rather not own it
Some people never want to think about tank condition again. That is a perfectly good reason.
The one thing worth knowing
An exchange cylinder holds 15 lbs of propane. The same tank refilled holds 20 lbs.
You are paying a flat price for roughly three quarters of a tank, and if you swap a cylinder with gas still in it, you give that away too. Refilling charges you by the gallon for exactly what goes in.
None of that makes exchange wrong. It makes it a trade: you pay a bit more per gallon and you buy speed and a clean tank. We do both here, on the same lot, so you can decide on the day rather than driving somewhere else.
Common questions
Do you do propane tank exchange?
Yes. Bring an empty 20 lb cylinder to 5600 Baltimore Drive in La Mesa, hand it over and take a full one. It takes about a minute and there is no waiting for an attendant to fill anything.
How much propane is in an exchange cylinder?
Exchange cylinders are filled to 15 lbs, not the 20 lbs the tank can hold. That is standard across the industry. It is the main reason refilling costs less per gallon, and the main thing worth knowing before you choose.
Can I exchange a tank I did not buy here?
Generally yes. A standard 20 lb cylinder in exchangeable condition is a standard 20 lb cylinder, whatever sleeve is on it. Bring it in and we will look at it.
What if my tank is rusty or out of date?
That is exactly when exchange is the right call. A cylinder past its certification date cannot legally be refilled by anyone, and recertifying a 20 lb tank usually costs more than the tank is worth. Exchange it and the problem goes with it.
Do you take tanks with a bit of gas left?
Yes, but you forfeit whatever is in there. If your tank is half full and in good shape, refilling is the better value because you only pay for the gallons that go in.
How late can I exchange a tank?
Until 9:00 PM most nights and 10:00 PM on Friday and Saturday. Exchange needs no attendant on the propane pump, so it is the quicker option if you arrive close to closing.