Complaint Review: Blue Rhino - Princeton Iowa

Many people will say that Blue Rhino has a right to operate (what appears to be) an "exchange service" on propane tanks. I disagree. I feel they are deceiving consumers because they are making people think it is a convience they are paying for when, in actuallity, they are slowly, one by one, cornering the market on propane tanks. Sooner or later people who are having their tanks refilled will take it to an exchange center. Whether it's for convenience, or because they have no choice at the time, or whatever the reason. When they do, that tank is modified by Blue Rhino and another tank is out of circulation for refilling and into the hands of Blue Rhino. After a period of time there will be very few "refillable" tanks left in circulation. I had to have a new style tank because when I went to refill my last one it did not have the government required overfill (OPD) valve on it. The low price for the Blue Rhino exchange looked inviting so I fell for it. I found out several months later, when I ran out of fuel on it, that the tank could not be refilled because of the modified valves Blue Rhino puts on their tanks to ensure no one else can refill them. I got my tank at a local Wal-Mart store. When the refill dealer couldn't refill it I took it back to Wal-Mart and complained that this is unfair. When I changed out the tank I was not made aware of this deception by Blue Rhino. I agree, if you look close enough there is a small explanation on the tank's large label that makes it look as though Blue Rhino's special TriSafe2 valve is for safety. The special valve Blue Rhino tanks have is for cornering the market - not for safety! Wal-Mart agreed to exchange the tank one time only for the price it would have cost me to refill it. But I am still left with a tank that can't be refilled. When I called Blue Rhino to complain I was told to take it to a Blue Rhino exchange dealer and ask them if I could change my empty Blue Rhino tank for an empty tank that had not been modified. This is unacceptable. I see Blue Rhino's program as only being acceptable (but still questionable) if they put THEIR OWN new tanks into the recycle system and did not take other tanks in exchange for them, or, if they did take other tanks then to not modify them in any way. I plan on pursuing this problem and, if possible, file a complaint with my state's consumer protection department. Maybe they could take some legal action to stop them.

Many people will say that Blue Rhino has a right to operate (what appears to be) an "exchange service" on propane tanks. I disagree. I feel they are deceiving consumers because they are making people think it is a convience they are paying for when, in actuallity, they are slowly, one by one, cornering the market on propane tanks. Sooner or later people who are having their tanks refilled will take it to an exchange center. Whether it's for convenience, or because they have no choice at the time, or whatever the reason. When they do, that tank is modified by Blue Rhino and another tank is out of circulation for refilling and into the hands of Blue Rhino. After a period of time there will be very few "refillable" tanks left in circulation. I had to have a new style tank because when I went to refill my last one it did not have the government required overfill (OPD) valve on it. The low price for the Blue Rhino exchange looked inviting so I fell for it. I found out several months later, when I ran out of fuel on it, that the tank could not be refilled because of the modified valves Blue Rhino puts on their tanks to ensure no one else can refill them. I got my tank at a local Wal-Mart store. When the refill dealer couldn't refill it I took it back to Wal-Mart and complained that this is unfair. When I changed out the tank I was not made aware of this deception by Blue Rhino. I agree, if you look close enough there is a small explanation on the tank's large label that makes it look as though Blue Rhino's special TriSafe2 valve is for safety. The special valve Blue Rhino tanks have is for cornering the market - not for safety! Wal-Mart agreed to exchange the tank one time only for the price it would have cost me to refill it. But I am still left with a tank that can't be refilled. When I called Blue Rhino to complain I was told to take it to a Blue Rhino exchange dealer and ask them if I could change my empty Blue Rhino tank for an empty tank that had not been modified. This is unacceptable. I see Blue Rhino's program as only being acceptable (but still questionable) if they put THEIR OWN new tanks into the recycle system and did not take other tanks in exchange for them, or, if they did take other tanks then to not modify them in any way. I plan on pursuing this problem and, if possible, file a complaint with my state's consumer protection department. Maybe they could take some legal action to stop them.

Many people will say that Blue Rhino has a right to operate (what appears to be) an "exchange service" on propane tanks. I disagree. I feel they are deceiving consumers because they are making people think it is a convience they are paying for when, in actuallity, they are slowly, one by one, cornering the market on propane tanks. Sooner or later people who are having their tanks refilled will take it to an exchange center. Whether it's for convenience, or because they have no choice at the time, or whatever the reason. When they do, that tank is modified by Blue Rhino and another tank is out of circulation for refilling and into the hands of Blue Rhino. After a period of time there will be very few "refillable" tanks left in circulation. I had to have a new style tank because when I went to refill my last one it did not have the government required overfill (OPD) valve on it. The low price for the Blue Rhino exchange looked inviting so I fell for it. I found out several months later, when I ran out of fuel on it, that the tank could not be refilled because of the modified valves Blue Rhino puts on their tanks to ensure no one else can refill them. I got my tank at a local Wal-Mart store. When the refill dealer couldn't refill it I took it back to Wal-Mart and complained that this is unfair. When I changed out the tank I was not made aware of this deception by Blue Rhino. I agree, if you look close enough there is a small explanation on the tank's large label that makes it look as though Blue Rhino's special TriSafe2 valve is for safety. The special valve Blue Rhino tanks have is for cornering the market - not for safety! Wal-Mart agreed to exchange the tank one time only for the price it would have cost me to refill it. But I am still left with a tank that can't be refilled. When I called Blue Rhino to complain I was told to take it to a Blue Rhino exchange dealer and ask them if I could change my empty Blue Rhino tank for an empty tank that had not been modified. This is unacceptable. I see Blue Rhino's program as only being acceptable (but still questionable) if they put THEIR OWN new tanks into the recycle system and did not take other tanks in exchange for them, or, if they did take other tanks then to not modify them in any way. I plan on pursuing this problem and, if possible, file a complaint with my state's consumer protection department. Maybe they could take some legal action to stop them.