How Much Grilling Time Does Your Tank Have Left?

Written on: August 1, 2022

Helpful Tips for Checking Your Propane Level

August is the perfect time of year to enjoy your backyard—not to mention firing up the grill as often as possible! And if you’re doing exactly that, you should know also that grilling with propane is as easy and efficient as can be. However, one thing you don’t want to do is get caught without enough gas!

It’s easy to check how much propane you have and figure out how many more meals you can cook with what’s in your tank. Here are some tips to help you out:

Checking Your Grill Tank’s Propane Level

Whether you’re just planning to cook for the family or need to grill a feast for neighbors and friends, you want to know you have enough in the tank to finish the meal. Here are some ways to check your propane level.

The warm water method:

1. Fill a small bucket with warm to 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 your tank:

1. Find the two numbers stamped on the handle of your tank. One is the water capacity (WC) and the other is the tare weight (TW). Your tank’s tare weight is its weight when it’s empty.
2. Weigh the tank on a scale.
3. Subtract the tank’s tare weight from its current weight. The difference is how much propane is left.

Install an external gauge.

You can choose from a variety of 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 TW.
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?

What does this all mean in terms of how much grill time you have left? Here’s a general rule of thumb: A medium-sized grill on high heat will use approximately two pounds of fuel per meal. So, a 20-pound tank should provide 18 to 20 hours of cooking time. If you have a larger grill, you may get roughly half that amount of cooking time with a 20-pound tank.

Remember, these are just estimates. Several factors will affect how much cooking time you’ll get out of a tank. If you have a backup cylinder, you never have to worry about being caught without enough propane to get grilling.

Need a Tank Refill? Stop By Our Office Today!

Propane can do much more than power your grill. If you’re looking for a reliable source of propane for your home, make Brideau Energy your fuel provider. We deliver propane to homes across Central Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. We are a family-owned, top-quality fuel company. We have also earned a reputation for fairness and honesty.

Click here to see if we’re in your neighborhood of Central Massachusetts or Southern New Hampshire.