Propane Question

[SteerCrazy]

I have a propane tank that I bought last year when I fried a couple turkey's for Thanksgiving. The tank has been sitting on my back porch since then and I plan to do another fried turkey this year for T-day.

My question is can a propane tank lose any of it's gas without being in use for a year? The valve has been on close of course and the tank has not been hooked up to anything. Hate to have a loss of gas midway through a turkey frying session.

Anyone experience or not experience this?? Thanks

[TX Sandman]

I've had tanks sit awhile and never had a problem. As long as the valve is closed tight, you should be fine.

What you might do is just take it and get it refilled. That way you'll be sure. Me, I own 3 tanks, so I always have a spare.

[Kalrog]

I can usually get quite a few turkeys out of a single tank. I would expect that you are okay as is. But I always have a spare as well (or at least the one that is in the grill can backup the one that is frying the turkey).

So how much do you want to tempt Mr. Murphy.

[Smoked]

All portable propane cylinders are required to have certain markings stamped into the cylinder usually on the collar around the valve, the marking you need to be concerned with is (Tare Weight). You need to look for (T.W.) followed by a number stamped into the cylinder collar... In the case of a 20lb. cylinder you should see something like (T.W. 11.5); tare weight is quite simply the weight of the cylinder when it contains no gas..

The common reference of cylinder sizes like 20lb. and 30lb. refers to the amount of propane by weight that a particular cylinder will hold when filled to 80% of its total capacity... This 20 and 30 pound reference refers only to the weight of the propane and not the weight of the tank itself..

So, if we use the example tare weight of our grill cylinder above of 11.5 we add the weight of the propane 20 to get the total weight of our filled cylinder 31.5 pounds.. So, to judge the amount of propane left in the cylinder by weight, a person would figure that 31.5 pounds is full and 11.5 pounds is empty... So if you weigh your tank and subtract the T.W you will have your amount of propane..

Just a side note here to keep in mind, most of the cylinder exchange services that you see at Home stores and Wal-mart, are filled in an automated assembly line type facility.. Because the process is automated and the machines can’t account for tare weight variations in cylinders, they are generically filled to around 17 pounds of propane..


In reality the quickest way to estimate the amount of propane in a cylinder is to stand above the cylinder, bend your upper body forward, use both hands and lift the cylinder just off the ground using the handle in the collar... Once it’s just off the ground gently swing it just a bit from side to side. When you stop swinging the cylinder you will feel the weight of the propane sloshing side to side in the tank..


Hope this helps...



Ken

[JamesB]

The weight information is great! I just never thought about weighing the tanks! I just pick it up and make a guestamate... Of course, I've always got a tank or two as spares...

James.

[Papa Tom]

I'm running on tanks that are well over a year old, you are probably OK.

BTW good info there Smok'd' Thanks

[Stan41]

A Gallon of liquid Propane weighs 4.24 pounds.
Stan

[DATsBBQ]

A Gallon of liquid Propane weighs 4.24 pounds.
Stan

Back when I was on the mountain we heated the house with propane. 1.80/gallon. Now when you spend $20 to buy about 4.5 gallons of propane...where's the justice?

[Stan41]

I heat my house now with Propane. My propane dealer fills my little bottle for much less than $20.00. I guess it's because he enjoys filling my 500 gallon tank with $1.80 propane so much he cuts me a little slack on the bottle.
Stan

[DATsBBQ]

I heat my house now with Propane. My propane dealer fills my little bottle for much less than $20.00. I guess it's because he enjoys filling my 500 gallon tank with $1.80 propane so much he cuts me a little slack on the bottle.
Stan

I got some black pipe and ran a line to my gasser. It was only about 6 feet total. Had to remove the connector for the 20# tank but that was only a couple of bucks at the hardware store and used the regulator that came with the grill.

[SteerCrazy]

thanks for all the info fella's. I don't use propane for anything except turkey frying at my house so I only have 1 tank. Good info on the weight Smoked. I'll spend the $15 and get a refill just to be safe