How much propane do I need?

[eviljafar]

I'm getting ready to do my first all grain today. My burner is a 72,000 BTU outdoor cooker. I'll boil down to 6 Gal. I estimate I've got about 1/3 of a tank of propane but it's always a bit hard to tell. It's an 8KG cylinder. Does that sound like enough?

Maybe I'll could heat the wort up to near boiling, pop over the road to the gas station and get a replacement, then return to start my boil.

 

[ErikH]

about 1/3 of an 8kg tank = roughly 5-6 lbs. It should be enough for a batch. I get 5-6 batches out of a 20 lb. tank. If you're gonna run out and get your tank refilled do it while the grain is mashing, there's a good hour to kill.

Oh yeah, and get a second tank...

 

[jdoiv]

+1 on the second tank. I have 4 laying around and get them filled when ever I get a chance. I hate running out on brew day.

 

[Ó Flannagáin]

Yea, I have 3 tanks lying around, it sucks running out during a boil. Happened to me twice. I usually get 3.5 - 4 batches out of a normal sized tank.

 

[jezter6]

+1 for a backup tank. I ran out mid boil this weekend, just popped over to the new tank and was fired back up and boiling in less than 5 minutes.

I don't know how good you would do running out in the middle and taking a 20 minute jaunt to get a replacement.

 

[bradsul]

Definitely get a backup tank! I've run out in the middle of a boil too and just swapped it out.

I get 4-5 AG sessions on a single tank though so with 1/3 of a tank left unless you're going to run that thing wide open you'll be fine.

 

[the_bird]

The backup tank will pay for itself very quickly - you can run them dry. Otherwise, if you've got a fifth of a tank left, what are you going to do? Probably swap it out for a full one and give back all that gas.

 

[Bobby_M]

I love my natural gas setup because of this whole thread. </gloat>

 

[bradsul]

The backup tank will pay for itself very quickly - you can run them dry. Otherwise, if you've got a fifth of a tank left, what are you going to do? Probably swap it out for a full one and give back all that gas.

Another excellent point! When I did my first few brews before I got a backup tank I was paranoid about running out so I'd go and fill up when there was still 1/4 tank left. Talk about a waste of money! Now they stay hooked up until the tank empties and then the replacement gets hooked up.

 

[eviljafar]

I brought the tank inside to warm it up a little so I could try and "feel" how much gas was in it and I think it was more like 1/4 or less. I decided to buy a second tank at the gas station but the lady there reckons they only do swap-outs. It took her a while to get the price for that too so I don't think she knew what she was talking about.

With no car to try elsewhere and now 15 mins into my first AG mash I decided to play it safe and got a swap-out. I'll go back when the 16 year old kids are working. They'll know if they really sell complete cylinders or not.

As usual my brew related behaviour draws attention. This time it was walking up the footpath with my son's little red wagon with a propane cylinder in it. Last time it was taking a sanky keg on the metro and the bus.

 

[the_bird]

It's not really "buying," but they should be able to take a deposit on a second tank. Maybe it was just a matter of verbiage that confused her?

 

[BierMuncher]

While you’re at it…get a second burner.

You’ll cut your all grain time down about 4 hours if you can start the boil whilst sparging your grains.

 

[eviljafar]

You're probably right Bird. I had to look up verbiage so obviously my language skills need improving! I see that verbiage is of french origin too. That's half my problem in Montreal, I'm still learning French.

 

[Chriso]

Also, if you don't want to lose the 1/5 tank at the bottom when you go get a new tank, then... well, don't!

At least here in NE, both camper supply stores and U-Haul rental locations can refill your existing tank, and charge you actual poundage instead of a flat rate per canister. Here, at least, that equates to HUGE savings.

Our U-Haul location even lets you refill your tank outside with a debit card, no moronic lackey required!

:fro:

 

[z987k]

Yeah I really need to find a place that will refill my tank, not swap it. I hate swapping.

 

[WortMonger]

Backup tank is a brewing necessity IMHO. I always have a at least one full tank on brew day, no matter what.

 

[the_bird]

Meh, swapping is just a LOT more convenient for me, it's worth a dollar or two more. I'm at Home Depot all the time anyway, it's easy enough to toss the tank in the back of the car. If I did happen to run out mid-brew, there's a couple places to swap out right within walking distance.

 

[bradsul]

Refilling makes more sense in my area. A swap tank costs $50 (Canadian prices) to purchase and $23 to swap out. I can buy a new (empty) tank for $30 and get refills for $17. I can buy a lot of tanks with all the money I save refilling when I eventually have to replace it due to age.

 

[the_bird]

Every place I've seen around here, the cost of BUYING an (unfilled) tank is virtually identical to the implied cost of the tank when doing the deposit/swap (total cost of the first tank, including deposit, less the cost of the refill). Last time I "bought" a new tank, I think it was $46 for the filled tank and like $16 when it was time to swap it out. Just buying a new tank (empty) was going to cost $30. Prices may have gone up since, though,

 

[bradsul]

I have a feeling it depends on the area. Around here pretty much every gas station has a propane cylinder for filling tanks. If your area is setup mostly for exchanges then it makes sense that refilling would be more expensive.

I'm not positive but I think some jurisdictions consider the large cylinders a hazard and like to restrict them (in Ontario anyway).

 

[SenorWanderer]

the price between buying and "renting" around here are the same, for the most part. BUT, i recently found a little mom and pop place on the outskirts of town that does propane fills for what seems like way below market average. combine that with the 40lb tank i just bought at HD and i'm good for months at a time.

 

[eviljafar]

I just went back to the same gas station to get some milk. There's a nice new sign on the propane bottle cage with a price for an exchange cylinder and a price for a cylinder with no exchange. Stupid old woman, she probably cost me $5! I guess she asked about it after I left.

 

[kappclark]

You should have a backup tank ... refilling is more economical, but like the swapping, you need to be sure the tank is empty (which is where that backup comes in !) ... I wasn't too happy when the guy at refill station said the tank wasn't empty (but charged me as if it were empty) ...

I bought a 40 lb tank and have 2 20 lb tanks ... we will use for maple sugaring in the Spring ...

 

[shafferpilot]

We're lookina t getting a new house, soon. I am thinking about getting a great big outdoor propane tank (assuming there's no natural gas) and plumbing it into the brewery and the kitchen, I can't cook on electric stoves and in electric ovens any more. And the juggling of 20lb tanks drives me nutty!! Anyone have an idea what it costs to have a truck come out and fill a big tank like that?

 

[Ó Flannagáin]

We're lookina t getting a new house, soon. I am thinking about getting a great big outdoor propane tank (assuming there's no natural gas) and plumbing it into the brewery and the kitchen, I can't cook on electric stoves and in electric ovens any more. And the juggling of 20lb tanks drives me nutty!! Anyone have an idea what it costs to have a truck come out and fill a big tank like that?

Depends, I think it was around/a little above a couple hundred bucks for the one I had at my rental place in college.... can't remember exactly though, was splitting it three way.

 

[DrunkTrucker]

I just had to refill mine this last saturday while I was trying to heat up sparge water. I think it cost me about 15 bucks to fill it. Im definitely getting a spare tank and another burner.