How Long Will My Grill Tank Last This Summer?

Easy Methods for Checking Your Tank’s Level

Spring is here, summer is around the corner, and it’s time to get grilling. If you want to know how much grill time you can get out of your current BBQ grill tank, keep reading. There are a few fairly simple ways to check your tank’s level.

If you don’t already have a propane grill, then now the time to invest in one, and James Oxygen & Supply has you covered. We offer great grills from Phoenix and Broilmaster. And they’re all customizable. You can add features like a side burner, rotisserie, and more!

Cooking with a propane grill makes life easier in the following ways and offers the following benefits:

• They’re easy to start and heat up quickly.
• They easily maintain a consistent temperature.
• They’re easy to clean.
• They save you money because, meal for meal, it costs about half as much to cook with propane versus electricity.
• They work without electricity, so even if your electric service is interrupted, you can keep cooking.

Calculating Your Propane Level

All season long, you want to be sure you have enough propane to make it through your next BBQ. Don’t worry, there are some easy ways to calculate your propane level and determine how long your tank will last.

The warm water method is a safe and simple way to determine how much propane is left in your tank.

1. Fill a small bucket with warm or hot tap water.
2. Pour the water down the side of the tank.
3. Run your hand along the side of the tank and feel for a cool spot. The top of the cool spot indicates the fill level of the tank because the liquid propane inside the tank will absorb the heat from the water and make the metal wall of the tank cool to the touch.

Weighing the tank is another straightforward way to determine how much propane is left in your tank.

Most propane grill tanks come with two numbers stamped on the handle. One is the water capacity (WC) and the other is the tare weight (TW). Your tank’s tare weight is how much it weighs when it’s empty (i.e., when there is no propane in it).

Most grilling tanks weigh about 17 pounds empty and can hold about 20 pounds of propane.

To calculate how many pounds of propane are left in your tank, simply weigh it on a scale. Once you have its weight, subtract the tank’s TW number from its current weight.

Installing an external gauge can also help you determine how much propane is left in your tank.

Here are some gauge types:

1. Inline pressure gauges install between the gas line from the grill and the cut-off valve on the tank, measuring pressures to determine how full the tank is.
2. Analog propane scales look like luggage scales and are pre-set based on your tank’s tare weight.
3. Digital propane tank scales give a digital readout of remaining cook time and gas fill percentage. Some even connect to smart phone apps.

How Much Grill Time Do You Have?

At the end of the day, you don’t just want to know how much propane you have, you also want to know how much grilling you can do with the propane left in your tank.

Generally speaking, a medium-sized grill on high heat will use approximately two pounds of fuel per meal. That means you can get 18 to 20 hours of cooking time on a medium grill with a 20-pound propane tank. With a larger grill, that 20-pound tank might run out after 10 hours of cooking. However, all of these are just estimates. Propane is easy and safe to store, so why not have a backup tank at all times?

If you need a propane tank refill, come to James Oxygen & Supply. We make getting your propane fast an easy with ten refill stations around western North Carolina. We also deliver to Catawba County!

James Oxygen & Supply

James Oxygen & Supply is family-owned and focused on service. We’re also more than just oxygen. We provide quality propane services as well. In fact, we’ve been a reliable source of propane and propane products in western North Carolina for over 60 years.

If you’re ready to fire up your grill, get you propane tank refilled for a great price at James Oxygen & Supply. Contact us today to learn more.