Propane usage

[khoa l]

After searching on this site for about 15min, I couldn't find the answer I'm looking for. I'm trying to get an idea as to average propane consumption on an outing. I know there are many factors involved, such as type of appliances, how long they are on for, how many days out..etc..

I guess the fear is heading out to a site for a weekend to find out I'm out of propane. I suppose I can weight the tank prior to every couple uses or refill every couple trips, bring a spare etc..

My Boler has a 'coleman' type of stove, and a 10,000 BTU furnace. I guess in the cooler months or outings, I may fire up the furnace for say up to 4-8hrs per day. Have the stove on 3-4 times a day at 5-10min/each.

So with that in mind, would I even come close to running down a 20lb tank?

[David Mooney]

That's an excellent question. I don't have an RV yet, but it will be nice to find out what sort of consumption rate certain resources have.

You are right in that the rates will vary greatly, depending on the weather conditions outside, how low/high you set your heater or A/C, how much you cook, etc. Your camping "habits" will also dictate the rate to a certain extent....

I know in the past I have emailed manufacturers and asked them specific questions like this about their products (the Wave 3 and 6 cat heaters actually). They'll probably be able to give you specific rates via email.

Just an idea, since I don't have any experience behind me yet.

[Booker B.]

Heating will be your biggest propane draw - you could easily last a week or two if you were just using the fridge and stove.

[khoa l]

Brian B-P, that is exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks

[Gina D.]

This is purely anecdotal, but here is my most recent experience.

I dry camped for 3 nites, two full days a week for 4 months straight as a camp host in a FS campground.

During that time, every minute I was there I ran the Fridge. I also ran the Hot Water Heater which regulated itself as required, I used the stove for full cooking daily, and I would say the heater ran in the evenings for approx 25% of that time.

In 4 months, I went through 2 20lb tanks.

Thats for 1 person, daily dish washing, daily "me" washing, be it a full shower or navy dip.

So, I would say that a 20lb tank will last ya a weekend, yep.

[Glenn Baglo]

You don't have to take the tank off the trailer and weigh it to find out how much is left. If you pour a kettle of boiling water over the tank, condensation will form up to the level of the gas inside. That will tell you how much you have left. You can buy a strip that is applied to the tank and does the same thing, but they cost too much.

baglo

[Harry Young]

Good question...I will throw in what I use myself and my wife...We have a gas light I use everyday when camping, three hours at least. I have a larger gas refrigerator with freezer, we set it to Max setting, our rig is heated with a Nt 16S Suburbon forced air furnace and we set it to 65F at night. (the trailer is uninsulated fiberglass) I use the 3 burner stove 5 to 6 times a day usually one burner 2 hours total time per day. We shower every day and have a suburbon 6 gal hotwater heater, we leave this unit on pilot and it make all the water we need per day. The daytime temps when I am camping are usually 60 to 80 degrees F for the highs and 55 to 25 F for the low temps, the altitudes I camp at are above 4500 feet to a ceiling of 8400 feet. My furnace will not work above 8000 feet.

Using the above info I use 4.3 gallons per 6 days, if the dog gets skunked the gas goes up to wash it. I long term camp in the summer and two tanks is what I take, one to use and then one to back up on.

Harry

After searching on this site for about 15min, I couldn't find the answer I'm looking for. I'm trying to get an idea as to average propane consumption on an outing. I know there are many factors involved, such as type of appliances, how long they are on for, how many days out..etc..

I guess the fear is heading out to a site for a weekend to find out I'm out of propane. I suppose I can weight the tank prior to every couple uses or refill every couple trips, bring a spare etc..

My Boler has a 'coleman' type of stove, and a 10,000 BTU furnace. I guess in the cooler months or outings, I may fire up the furnace for say up to 4-8hrs per day. Have the stove on 3-4 times a day at 5-10min/each.

So with that in mind, would I even come close to running down a 20lb tank?

[Anne H]

I fill my 20# tank once a season (maybe 25 nights of camping). But, I use propane mostly for the stove and fridge - if I need a heater, I try to use my electric one (I'm already paying for the electricity).

I spent 8 days on the coast this March (it was cold and rainy) where I forgot the electric heater and depended on the propane heater a lot. I didn't run out of gas.

well, not until halfway through my next weekend So now if I have a big weekend where I use the heater a lot - I check the tank level.

[Pete Dumbleton]

Coleman sez one gets about eight hours on a one-pound canister of LP with the Black Cat which produces 3,000 Btu, so your furnace will burn a bit more than three times that amount when running.

I had only range and ODS LP vent-free heater, so I replaced the larger LP tank with a ten-pounder, to save weight -- I carry a Steak-Saver and a canister or two for backup.

[Patrick Mc]

My wife and I got 22 days out of one 20 pounder. We do a quick shower every day and occasionally use the furnace if it's very cold when we wake up. Even then it's only for about 5 minutes. After that making coffee and moving around keep the pod warm.

Pat

[Dan Meyer]

A 20 pound propane tank has about 433,000 BTU's. Doing the math (433,000/10,000) you can get about 43 hours of furnace run time from your furnace and a full tank of propane.

-- Dan Meyer

[Nancy]

We use very little propane, I'm with Pete and want to change to 10 pound tank.

Maybe this would help you, I didn't get one yet. Thought it would be handy for my son's gas grill.

http://www.kitchencollection.com/Temp_Prod...fm?sku=01021762

Nancy

[David & Leslie]

Well, our experience might be a bit unique, as we only have one propane appliance - the range top. Our Scamp did not come with a fridge or heater, and we have yet to see the need to add either. We are into our 3rd year of full-timing and have refilled our standard tank just 4 times. Not bad ... but I've gone thru quite a few of Coleman's small pods cooking outside and heating with a small "cat" heater. Just our input. Happy camping - L 'n D

[Pete Dumbleton]

Be aware that ten-pound tanks come in two ways -- One is as tall as a 20-lb but has smll footprint and the original holder may work -- The other is more stable, having the same footprint as a 20-lb but is much shorter.