How Much Propane Is In My Grill Tank?

Don’t run out of propane in the middle of grilling!

Summer is one of the best times of the year, thanks to all the outdoor grilling and dining we get to do! There are fast weekday dinners, leisurely weekend dinners, and family cookouts.

Propane grills offer all of the convenience and none of the smoke, wait, or hassle of a charcoal grill.

To ensure that you may enjoy your barbecue, make sure there is enough propane in your propane cylinder. Because if you run out of propane, the cookout will be paused and your only choices are to go out and obtain another cylinder or call for takeout.

There are a few things you can do to find out how much propane is in your tank so you don’t have to deal with this. Let’s go through them one by one.

The hot water hack

This method is as easy as 1-2-3! Here’s what you do.

• Fill a small bucket with hot tap water.
• Pour the water down the side of the tank.
• Run your hand along the side of the tank and feel for a cool spot.

The top of the cool spot is the fill level of the tank. It’s cool because liquid propane inside the tank absorbs the heat from the water, which makes the metal wall of the tank cool to the touch. You can use this method to gauge how many of the original 18 to 20 pounds are in the tank.

Weigh the tank

The water capacity (WC) and Tare Weight (TW) are usually imprinted on the handle of a propane grill tank. Most grilling tanks weigh about 17 pounds when empty and contain 20 pounds of gas.

Simply weigh your tank on a scale, subtract the TW number, and you’ll know how much propane is left. Here’s an illustration of how that works: If a 25-pound tank has a TW of 17 pounds, there are approximately 8 pounds of gas remaining. That’s less than half a tank.

Use an external pressure gauge

There are a variety of external tank gauges to select from. They’re accessible online or at your local home improvement, grill, or hardware shop. Options include:

• 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.
• Analog propane scales look like luggage scales and are pre-set to take your tank’s TW into account.
• Digital propane tank scales provide a digital readout of remaining cook time and gas fill percentage. Some even come with smartphone apps. 

Add a grill box

Another alternative would be to have a grill box installed directly on top of your existing bulk propane tank. Never have to go for a refill or exchange and never run out of fuel while grilling. Get in touch with us to inquire about adding a grill box that will let you use your gas BBQ continuously.

Get dependable propane delivery with Pioneer Oil and Propane! Become a customer today.