propane tank life

[SndMtn_Xpress]

I have 3 trips on my new 386 and I haven't touched the propane tanks . I run the frig off nothing but propane , seems to work better , and cook and do showers like normal . How long does the 60 lbs of propane usually last ? Going on a 6 day trip and just wanna make sure if I need to top em off before I leave

[hankpage]

We get to use our trailer for about 30 days a year. With fridge, water heater and BBQ on gas we use less than ½ a tank of propane. At end of season I switch over to the other tank, use the ½ tank on the home BBQ and then fill it before heading out the next year. This holds true every year except when we need heat .... with furnace running propane does not last long. http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=251&pictureid=1111

[filmtex]

Google is your friend...at least in this case. We had the same questions when we started out with our first TT. We found out what the energy content of propane was, how much each of our appliances consumed and did the math. We ended up full timing last year and came through the winter this year without any difficulty, and this year was a longer, colder one for south Texas. We did end up buying two additional tanks and now don't have to visit the propane dealer quite so often. FYI-without using the heater or water heater, we are still on the two tanks we filled in February!

[hankaye]

SndMtn_Xpress, Howdy;

You can always weight them, the tank has the empty weight
stamped into the metal near the top, figure out what is left,
act accordingly. If one is full and the other 1/2 or less I would
go, but then it is only me and Rascal, and he dosen't require hot water...
If you have a case of nagging doubts ... top them off. Why allow the
nagging doubt rule the camp out???

hankaye

PS. Added benefit of topping them off is you will then KNOW
how much you have used and can use that as a refrence for later.

[KSH]

Anyone put gauges on the tanks like they have for the small bbq ones? Would they work the same?

[Steve S]

Anyone put gauges on the tanks like they have for the small bbq ones? Would they work the same?

They're very unreliable but they'll give you an idea. Best just to keep both full and run off one at a time. As Long as you're not using your heat the LP will last a very long time!

[Pmedic4]

Anyone put gauges on the tanks like they have for the small bbq ones? Would they work the same?

The problem is that gauges really don't work for propane tanks. Very simply, propane is a gas at atmospheric pressure, but when put into a pressure tank(your propane cylinder), it is put in as a liquid, when you use some of the that propane liquid boils and converts to a gas. That gas is created until the pressure equalizes and stops boiling. Whether you have 1/4 a pound of liquid propane in the tank, or full 30 pound tank, the amount of pressure created by the gas remains the same. To make it more confusing, the amount of pressure the propane gas creates depends upon the temperature of the propane and tank. At 0 degrees, a pressure gauge would show about 28-30 PSI, again regardless of the amount of propane in the tank. When the temperature of the propane and tank reaches 90 degrees on that hot summer day, the pressure in the tank will be almost 180 PSI. On a cool 60 degree morning, the gauge could read about 100 PSI, but as you used up 10 pounds of propane and the temperature increased to 85 degrees, the tank would show somewhere around 170 PSI.

Unfortunately, the only accurate way to measure the amount of propane in a tank is to weigh the tank. There are scales available that will show the weight of your propane tank and the propane in it, but as usual, there is a catch, and that is the tank can't be secured. As we all know, that's not a good thing in an RV which could later be moving down the road.

[KSH]

So... the ones on our little bbq tanks are jus BS?

[JRTJH]

So... the ones on our little bbq tanks are jus BS?

No, not really.... They usually do read EMPTY when the flame goes out :p

[Steve S]

No, not really.... They usually do read EMPTY when the flame goes out :p

Yes I agree with John, that's when you know that they're dead accurate :p
:D

[zuley]

We have a new Costco store in our town with propane and gas sales. With the propane you pay for what you get, not a flat rate price. Took my two 30 pounders in at the start of the season. One cost me 18 bucks from empty and the other was 8 bucks or something close to top up.