How to Measure the Remaining Propane

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Engraved on the side of the tank should be the letters TW then a number.

   This number is the empty tank weight.
   
   For example, the typical 5 gallon (18.9 L) propane tank might say TW
   17.2.
   
   The weight of the empty tank in the example is
   17.2 lbs.
2. 2

   Step 2: Weigh the tank on a bathroom scale to find the total current weight.

   Let's say that the current weight of the tank is
   24.2 lbs. ,
   24.2 lbs
   -
   17.2 lbs = 7 lbs. , Multiply the number of pounds by the number of BTUs contained in each to get the total number of BTUs remaining in the tank. 7 × 21,600 ≈ 151,000 BTUs. , These can often be found on manufacturers web sites.
   
   For example a propane grill may burn 12,000 BTUs an hour.
   
   To find the remaining running time for the grill divide 151,000 by 12,000. 151,000 ÷ 12,000 ≈
   12.6 hours of run time. , divide
   12.6 hours by the aforementioned 7 lbs to get
   1.8 hours of grill run time per pound of bathroom scale measured propane.
3. 3

   Step 3: Subtract the tank weight from the total weight to find the weight of the propane.

4. 4

   Step 4: Each pound of propane contains 21

5. 5

   Step 5: 600 BTUs.

6. 6

   Step 6: Find the BTU output of the appliance in question.

7. 7

   Step 7: For easy future reference.

Detailed Guide

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