How Long will my Propane Last?
That question can be answered in two different ways. If asking about the lifespan of Propane:
- Propane does not have a shelf life like gasoline and does not require additives for storage.
- Propane will be of the same quality today as it will be decades from now.
- Because propane is normally stored under natural Propane pressure, contamination is very unlikely.
If asking about the length of time your fuel supply will last when burning your appliance: This is easy to figure out if you know the following:
- The number of pounds of fuel remaining in your propane cylinder.
- That 4.24 lbs of propane equals 1 gallon.
- The BTU/hr demand of your burner or other gas appliance.
- One gallon of propane contains approximately 92,000 BTU's.
The most common tank is a 20 lb cylinder (sometimes referred to as a 5 gallon cylinder). These are the same ones commonly used as BBQ tanks.
Here is how the calculations work:
- First: Determine your inventory of propane: Check for the "tare weight" of your tank. This is the empty weight. Locate this figure on the embossed data stamped in the steel of your tank.
- Second: Determine the weight of your propane tank and fuel. Subtract the tare weight to find out weight of propane.
- Third: Divide total weight of propane by 4.24 to determine gallons of inventory.
What do you do with this information?
A burner or appliance rated at 60,000 BTU/hr (with burner turned on to "High") will burn 60,000 BTU every hour which means consumption of fuel is one gallon of propane every 1.53 hours. (92,000 BTU/Hr / 60,000 BTU/Hr = 1.53 hours that one gallon would last Providing the burner remains on "high" you can determine the number of hours your propane supply with last. To adjust for appliances, like a furnace, that are controlled by a thermostat and only cycle "ON" maybe a few minutes per hour, you would then need to adjust your calculations. For example if the furnace cycled on for 15 minutes every hour in the winter you would adjust by a factor of 4. (92,000 BTU/Hr / 60,000 BTU/Hr = 1.53 hours that one gallon would last x 4 = 6.12 hours of furnace usage for each gallon in inventory)
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How Long Does a Propane Tank Last on a Fire Pit?
The average gas fire pit will last from 3 to 6 hours on a 20 lb. propane tank. Depending on your fire pit BTU rating a tank can last you as long as 9 hours, or as little as 1-1/2 hours. A 20 pound propane tank contains approximately 430,000 BTU’s. To determine how long the tank will last with your fire pit divide 430,000 by the BTU rating of your fire pit. How long does a propane tank last for a fire pit is a question we’re asked often. Below we have a table where you can determine how long your gas fire pit will last on a 20 pound propane tank.
The times in the table below are an approximation, the actual time you get from your propane tank will be greatly affected by how high you set your flame. The BTU ratings below can be significantly reduced by keeping the flame low and enabling you to get more usage time from your tank. Wind will also affect how long your propane tank lasts. Windy days usually require a higher flame setting to keep it burning nicely.
H-Burner Drop-In Pans
18” x 6” Drop In Pan 70K BTU 6 hours
24” x 8” Drop In Pan 90K BTU 4.5 hours
30” x 10” Drop In Pan 125K BTU 3.5 hours
36” x 12” Drop In Pan 165K BTU 2.5 hours
Linear Burner Drop-In Pans
30” x 6” Drop In Pan 54K BTU 8 hours
36” x 6” Drop In Pan 65K BTU 6.5 hours
48” x 6” Drop In Pan 91K BTU 5 hours
Round Drop-In Pans
13” Round Drop In Pan 48K BTU 9 hours
19” Round Drop In Pan 92K BTU 4.5 hours
Round Burner Rings
6” Round Burner Ring 48K BTU 9 hours
12” Round Burner Ring 92 K BTU 4.5 hours
18” Round Burner Ring 147 K BTU 3 hours
24” Round Burner Ring 294 K BTU 1.5 hours
H-Burners
18” x 6” H-Burner 75K BTU 6 hours
24” x 8” H-Burner 125K BTU 3.5 hours
CSA Certified Burner Kits
10” Square CSA Burner Kit 37K BTU 11.5 hours
12” Round CSA Burner Kit 37K BTU 11.5 hours
18” Square CSA Burner Kit 55K BTU 7.75 hours
18” x 6” CSA Burner Kit 65K BTU 6.5 hours
19” Round CSA Burner Kit 55K BTU 7.75 hours
24” x 8” CSA Burner Kit 65K BTU 6.5 hours
30” x 6” CSA Burner Kit 55K BTU 7.75 hours
30” x 10” CSA Burner Kit 65K BTU 6.5 hours
36” x 6” CSA Burner Kit 65K BTU 6.5 hours
36” x 12” CSA Burner Kit 65K BTU 6.5 hours
48” x 6” CSA Burner Kit 145K BTU 3 hours
How do I get more time from a tank of propane?
The obvious answer is to turn the gas down lower. While this isn’t the answer you wanted we do have something to offer which will help you to burn less propane. By adding a glass wind guard you’ll be able to burn less propane and still have an enjoyable flame. This is because the wind guard (also called flame guard) will protect the flame from the wind which will enable more of the propane to burn. In windy conditions, without a flame guard, the flame is blown back and forth across the table. This constant blowing of the flame results in a significant amount of gas not being burned. By protecting your flame from the wind you’ll burn 100% of the propane resulting in more burn time from a tank of propane.