Propane tank use

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Brew-Jay

Brew-Jay

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I know there's no precise answer, but to those of you who brew 5 gal batches (6 gals of water) how's my brews does a typical propane tank last?
 
I try to get the most out of my propane tanks. To do this I do several things. First, I heat strike and sparge water inside on the stovetop. This takes longer, but it significantly increases the life of a tank. After that I make sure I have a nice boil going, it doesn't have to bubbling out of control but it does have to be rolling.

I know that doesn't really answer your question but it really depends on several factors including what burner you have and how you use it.
 
I get 4-5 batches from a tank using a turkey fryer on my HLT starting from cold tap water, and an SP10 for my boil kettle.

BTW get your propane tanks filled instead of using one of the exchange places at gas stations. Those are filled to 15# at a fill station you should get 20# for fewer $$
 
kh54s10 said:
I get 4-5 batches from a tank using a turkey fryer on my HLT starting from cold tap water, and an SP10 for my boil kettle.

BTW get your propane tanks filled instead of using one of the exchange places at gas stations. Those are filled to 15# at a fill station you should get 20# for fewer $$
Click to expand...

Where do you go to get yours filled? I've only done the gas station.
 
I just got a 10 gallon tank and I'll make sure that the 5 gallon tank on the BBQ is full for a spare.
I get tanks filled at the gas station also. That's where I've always done it. No matter where you there is probably a gas station that fills propane tanks.

What kh54s10 was talking about is the service where you do the tank exchange rather than filling your own tank. They own all the tanks so they can have them smaller, without being so much smaller that they look smaller.
To me, if I had an exchange service near me one problem that I would have with it is that you have to run the tank dry or you are giving them free gas to re sell. I don't want to have to run it dry. I want to make sure that I have plenty in the tank before I brew or cook. If there is some gas in the tank and I'm not sure if it's enough to brew, I don't want to exchange a tank with $3 - $5 worth of gas in it. I just get mine filled if it's over half gone and I'm thinking about it in advance.
 
I must be doing good. My tank has a gauge, but it is worthless. I fill it once it's down in the red, four or five batches, depending on the number of 60 vs. 90 minute boils, but the guy that fills it always comments that it is still about 1/3 full. I use it for heating strike and sparge and the boil, but I also use a heat stick when heating the strike and sparge water to assist the propane. It seems to help quite a bit.
 
I get 7 boils out of one tank. To do this I usually only do the final boil on the stove top. The mash water and sparge water get heated on the stove. When I boil, I open up the valve to full blast until It really starts moving, then I dial it back as low as I can go. It also helps that I built a sheild to sit around my turkey fryer burner. This helps alot on cold and windy brew days.

Also, weigh your tank after it is filled. I caught a fill station shorting me a 1/3 of a tank. The tare weight should be stamped right on the top ring.
 
I have 2 tanks so I make sure to empty one before switching. Plus keep them in a water batch (mop bucket full of hot water) to keep the temp and pressure high enough to fully empty them. Then most tool rental stores (excavators, chainsaws, etc) fill them, or U-Haul rental stations do also.
I typically get 3-4 all-grain 5gal batches per #20 tank (but I also swap that tank onto the BBQ when not brewing).
 
I'm with the others. I typically get about 4 batches plus I use it at least twice a week for grilling. I also use the tank until it is completely empty then switch it out. If it goes out during a boil the temp of the kettle doesn't have enough time to cool more than 5 deg before I'm back with a fresh tank. I have been surprised to see they last longer than you'd expect. Man Hank Hill would be proud us home brewers lol. Gotta love propane!
 
Thanks for all the great replies. My brewin' buddy just found a great deal on a turkey fryer and kettle, so we're upgrading. Woo hoo!

I also just noticed the awesome iPhone auto-complete in my original post. Glad my question still made enough sense to get good answers!
 
What size kettle? I ask because the best investment I made in my brewing was upgrading from the kettle that came with my turkey fryer. It gets the job done but its hard to come out with 5 gal post boil without boiling over all the time.
 
I get about batches three, maybe four if I want to chance it running out. I have a backup on the bbq thought if it does.
 
Shooter said:
I must be doing good. My tank has a gauge, but it is worthless. I fill it once it's down in the red, four or five batches, depending on the number of 60 vs. 90 minute boils, but the guy that fills it always comments that it is still about 1/3 full. I use it for heating strike and sparge and the boil, but I also use a heat stick when heating the strike and sparge water to assist the propane. It seems to help quite a bit.
Click to expand...

The fact that propane tanks even can come with a pressure gauge is laughable. It's a liquid. So when you empty the gas out of the top, the liquid boils because it is under less pressure and turns into a gas replacing the liquid and thus keeping the pressure the same. It should be more of an totally Empty, or Not Yet Empty indicator. I used to have a camp stove that could run on liquid or gas. If you inverted the propane / butane tank liquid would flow to the generator tube. That thing was a beast. Like 15,000 BTU out of little stove the size of a tea cup. Yeah tea. Not coffee. But dainty little tea cup.

Who ever came up with this idea probably was the same guy that invented the stick on "cell phone booster".

I just wish it had been me.
 
I think we use a little over one tank per batch ;)
CIMG0095.jpg
 
Lots of nurseries have propane refills for cheaper than WalMart/Lowes, etc. They use lots of propane in their hydroponics (bring on the pot jokes!) to grow plants, so it's a natural add-on business for them. An exchange at WalMart cost me $16.00, a refill at the local nursery is typically around $12.00, and they charge by measuring the weight difference, so you don't waste that last little bit you might have left in the tank.
 
KeyWestBrewing said:
What size kettle? I ask because the best investment I made in my brewing was upgrading from the kettle that came with my turkey fryer. It gets the job done but its hard to come out with 5 gal post boil without boiling over all the time.
Click to expand...

It's an 8 gal kettle. Probably would rather have 10 gallons, but this should let us do 6 - 6.5 gallons if we watch it like a hawk.
 
highgravitybacon said:
The fact that propane tanks even can come with a pressure gauge is laughable. It's a liquid. So when you empty the gas out of the top, the liquid boils because it is under less pressure and turns into a gas replacing the liquid and thus keeping the pressure the same. It should be more of an totally Empty, or Not Yet Empty indicator. I used to have a camp stove that could run on liquid or gas. If you inverted the propane / butane tank liquid would flow to the generator tube. That thing was a beast. Like 15,000 BTU out of little stove the size of a tea cup. Yeah tea. Not coffee. But dainty little tea cup.

Who ever came up with this idea probably was the same guy that invented the stick on "cell phone booster".

I just wish it had been me.
Click to expand...

Actually, I don't believe it is a pressure gauge. I think there is some sort of float on a chain inside the tank. You can hear it rattling around inside of there and if you slosh the tank around the needle will move. I suspect the chain on mine is kinked up somehow so that it reads in the red/refill area when it still has a substantial amount of liquid left.
 
Shooter said:
Actually, I don't believe it is a pressure gauge. I think there is some sort of float on a chain inside the tank. You can hear it rattling around inside of there and if you slosh the tank around the needle will move. I suspect the chain on mine is kinked up somehow so that it reads in the red/refill area when it still has a substantial amount of liquid left.
Click to expand...

That would make more sense. The OPD valves on propane tanks also have a float thing in them too which will rattle a bit when you shake the tank. But if the gauge moves when you shake the tank, it's not a pressure gauge.
 

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