Propane Tank Duration Calculation Explained

How long will a 20 lb propane tank last at 30,000 BTU?

Given that a 20 lb propane tank contains 20 pounds or 4.735 gallons of propane, how many hours will it last at 30,000 BTU? How is the duration calculated?

Answer:

A 20 lb propane tank will last for approximately 0.1578 hours at 30,000 BTU.

When calculating how long a 20 lb propane tank will last at 30,000 BTU, you first need to know the size of the tank and the appliance's burn rate. In this case, we already know that the tank contains 20 pounds of propane. The next step is to convert this weight to gallons. Since each gallon of propane weighs approximately 4.23 pounds, a 20 lb tank would contain around 4.735 gallons.

Now, to determine how long the propane tank will last at 30,000 BTU, we need to divide the total propane content by the burn rate. The burn rate tells us how many BTUs the appliance consumes per hour. In this scenario, the burn rate is 30,000 BTU per hour.

By dividing the total propane content (4.735 gallons) by the burn rate (30,000 BTU), we get the duration in hours, which is approximately 0.1578 hours. This means that a 20 lb propane tank will last for less than one-sixth of an hour when used at 30,000 BTU.

It's essential to know these calculations to estimate how long your propane tank will last based on the appliance's burn rate. If you are planning to use a propane-powered device, understanding the tank's duration will help you prepare and manage your fuel supply more efficiently.