How many propane tanks to keep on hand?

[Bushman]

I have 2 of the 20 lb tanks and about 15 of the 1lb tanks. I also have about 10 of the isopro backpacking camp stove cylinders as well.

I'm considering buying 3 more of the 20 lb tanks for bug in. How long can one 20 lb tank last for cooking 3 meals a day? Meat cooks faster than rice and beans. Most of what I have is rice and beans with canned meats.

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[EHJ]

I have 2 of the 20 lb tanks and about 15 of the 1lb tanks. I also have about 10 of the isopro backpacking camp stove cylinders as well.

I'm considering buying 3 more of the 20 lb tanks for bug in. How long can one 20 lb tank last for cooking 3 meals a day? Meat cooks faster than rice and beans. Most of what I have is rice and beans with canned meats.

I did the same... I have 10 5 gals I keep in storage for emergency's.
Used a couple last month - went to refill...
Had no idea how fast an LP tank needs re-certification. (I'm getting older - things happen fast...)

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I lived the Bus Life for 13 years. Propane was my salvation. For cooking you should be good for up to a month or more. As a heating source - even being a scrooge - 20 lbs lasts about a week at fall temps.

 

[Bushman]

I did the same... I have 10 5 gals I keep in storage for emergency's.
Used a couple last month - went to refill...
Had no idea how fast an LP tank needs re-certification. (I'm getting older - things happen fast...)

On a totally different topic...

Metal Letter & Number Stamps | Metal Stamping Tools | Beaducation

Looking for a new metal stamping kit? Beaducation offers a variety of different metal letter stamps & number stamps for your jewelry making projects!

www.beaducation.com

I lived the Bus Life for 13 years. Propane was my salvation. For cooking you should be good for up to a month or more. As a heating source - even being a scrooge - 20 lbs lasts about a week at fall temps.

1 month for 5 tanks or per tank?

 

[EHJ]

1 month for 5 tanks or per tank?

Cooking I get a little over a month per 5 gallon tank. And that was for 2 people w/occasional hot water. A 2 burner with an oven. Full time.
Heating with a catalytic heater in a 250 ft2 bus and I could get a week with a 5 gallon in fall/winter.

 

[Camelfilter]

Get a pressure cooker, or a few. Saves on fuel, cooks faster as well.

There are small ones all the way up to canning sized ones.

 

[Bushman]

Get a pressure cooker, or a few. Saves on fuel, cooks faster as well.

There are small ones all the way up to canning sized ones.

That run on propane?

 

[Certaindeaf]

That run on propane?

They are stove top.. you put it ON the heat source.

 

[Stomper]

They are stove top.. you put it ON the heat source.

it appears some people could park one on top of their head, because math is hard....

 

[Flymph]

That run on propane?

They're also used for canning, which is where you could probably find one in a department store.
I should have a lot more propane, but I keep putting it off.

 

[Camelfilter]

That run on propane?

As mentioned, you use them stove top. So grill side burner, propane camp stove etc.

Amazon currently has the best pricing I've seen on smal ones, 2liter Hawkins is $36.50, 4liter is $34.23.

In particular are great for cooking rice, beans, lentils. Faster & using less fuel.

However all kinds of other things as well.

As to how many propane tanks to get? Depends. Will you be using propane as a heat source/backup heat source/extra heat source? If so, then much more propane, depending on temps etc.

For just cooking? Depends. What are you cooking? ie simple types of stuff, or more complicated with multiple burners.

It's one of those kind of things that's likely best to try out what you'll be doing from a single pounder, and then just extrapolate.

We will usually get a couple burgers 5-7 days a week for a month off of a 20 pounder + light use on a lantern + light use on a buddy heater. Using a propane tree. This is using a Coleman camp type grill, with a single side burner AND running the grill about 5-10 extra minutes each time.

Would run even better/longer without use of the lantern nor heater. Etc.

Camping, 2-4 meals a day + lantern + heater. About a week.

There are larger tanks too. 30lbers are nice. Just about into the weight zone before becoming a hassle to haul around. Run about twice as long as a 20. IIRC, 20 ponders are 4 gallons, and 30 pounders are 7 gallons.

 

[Ops]

enough for a stuber moment

 

[Defense Minister]

I keep significant propane on hand for bug in and for that reason have calculated a few things regarding its capacity. A gallon of propane contains about 91,500 BTUs, so a 20 lb. cylinder (4.6 gal.) contains about 420,000. You need to look at the BTU/hr. consumption/output of the appliances you plan to run, estimate how many hours they will be operated, and then you will know how long the propane will last.

As an example, I have a Big Buddy heater that I would use in an emergency which produces 9000 BTUs/hr. on medium output. In this scenario, I can run that heater on medium output for about 46.5 hours on a 20 lb. cylinder containing 420,000 BTUs. I actually piped in a 100 lb. cylinder for use with that heater so I can run it for 233 hours, or just over 4 weeks if I run it 8 hours per day.

In regards to cooking, when my family of four visited Yellowstone National Park on a 10-day camping trip we prepared all of our breakfast and dinner meals in camp plus brewed coffee in a percolator at breakfast, and heated water for hot cocoa on some evenings. The dinner meals were essentially heat-and-eat, but a 10 lb. cylinder lasted us for the entire trip with a fair amount left over. You can do a lot of cooking with a 20 lb. cylinder if you plan your menu wisely.

 

[Member 34319]

Right now, not enough as id like. I've got three bigger tanks. one mainly for the bbq. A smaller portable 10 gallon. And a extra for the bbq.

I am looking to add a lp generator to my possessions, once that happens I'll invest in a 100 gallon tank.

 

[Angie]

We have 3 of the 5# tanks full, plus several of the 1# tanks for camping. I'd like to get an additional 10# at some point.

 

[CountryGent]

500-gallon, above ground tank. Recently topped off.

 

[kisfish]

I have three...

 

[cigars]

Check with your local propane distributor. They usually have a variety of tank sizes from small to large which can give you ideas about what might work best for your situation.

 

[41mag]

My 2 -1/2# buddy gets us thru outdoor canning season with maybe 1 refill; it serves to heat the tool shed during winter and lasts for weeks a few hours at a time, depending on my projects.

Used the 1# Coleman stove style for a few seasons. Firewood cooking was a better use of my efforts.
Bought a 12 pack case of the 1# cylinders to celebrate the Mayan End of Calendar event, useful with 'Benzomatic' matchless torch to start wood stove daily. Generally last all the way thru a heating season for 1.

 

[Kruel J]

Newer tanks can be had with a built in gauge. They are fairly accurate, especially compared to those magnet stick on jobs.

 

[cigars]

Newer tanks can be had with a built in gauge. They are fairly accurate, especially compared to those magnet stick on jobs.

I bought one with the gauge on it from the Costco. The face on the dial was too vague to be accurate. It still showed "green" when it was empty.