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

Calculating the Duration of a 20lb Propane Tank on a 30,000 BTU Heater

Propane Tank Capacity: A 20lb propane tank holds approximately 4.7 gallons of propane, which is equivalent to about 430,050 BTU of energy.

Energy Content of Propane: One gallon of liquid propane contains around 91,500 BTU or 0.915 therms.

Heater Consumption Rate: The 30,000 BTU heater will consume 30,000 BTU per hour.

To calculate how long the 20lb propane tank will last on the 30,000 BTU heater, we need to divide the total BTU energy available in the tank by the consumption rate of the heater.

Here's the calculation:

Total BTU available in the tank = 4.7 gallons × 91,500 BTU/gallon = 430,050 BTU

Duration = Total BTU available ÷ Consumption rate

Duration = 430,050 BTU ÷ 30,000 BTU/hr

Duration ≈ 14.3 hours

Therefore, a 20lb propane tank will last approximately 14.3 hours when used on a 30,000 BTU heater.