How to Use a Propane Adapter to Fill a Green Bottle

If you have camped, then you probably are familiar with the sight of little green bottle liquid propane gas tanks. They are used for travel grills and many types of portable lamps. Several manufacturers make the 1 lb. propane tanks, and they are nearly always green, thus they are referred to as green bottles. Buying new green bottles for every single use can become expensive. Cut your costs by using a propane refill adapter on a larger propane tank to refill a green bottle with liquid propane gas.

Things You'll Need

  • Standard 20 lb. propane cylinder filled with liquid propane gas
  • Sturdy table or platform
  • Safety goggles
  • Work gloves
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Instructions

    • 1

      Find a well-ventilated area away from all sources of heat and sparks. Place a standard 20 lb. propane cylinder filled with liquid propane gas upside down on a sturdy table or platform.

    • 2

      Put on safety goggles and work gloves, and then screw a propane refill adapter onto the overfill prevention device (OPD) valve of the 20 lb. propane cylinder. Located on the top and side of a 20 lb. propane cylinder, the valve has left-hand threading; twist the refill adapter counterclockwise to tighten it.

    • 3

      Screw an empty green bottle propane gas tank onto the refill adapter. Because the green bottle has right-handed threads and the 20 lb. cylinder has left-handed threads, tightening one of them loosens the refill adapter from the other one. Hold the refill adapter firmly while you tighten the bottle to prevent loosening the refill adapter from the cylinder.

    • 4

      Open the valve on the 20 lb. cylinder by turning the knob attached to the top of the cylinder to the "on" position. Most cylinders require a counterclockwise turn to release the gas. Cylinders also normally have indication arrows on top of the knob showing which way to turn the gas on and off. You will hear the propane moving from the larger container into the green bottle. Gradually, the movement will slow until you can no longer hear the propane move. No sound indicates the gas can no longer freely flow into the green bottle.

    • 5

      Close the valve on the 20 lb. cylinder by turning the cylinder's top knob in the direction indicated as "off." The direction is normally clockwise. Unscrew the green bottle from the refill adapter.

    • 6

      Remove the refill adapter from the 20 lb. cylinder.