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Old 05-08-2016, 08:43 AM   #1
GCS
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Propane

Anyone using 30 gal propane tanks ? How about four 6 volt batteries ?
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Old 05-08-2016, 11:04 AM   #2
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Nope, but I get that little extra propane reserve with my 10 # tank, so 50, not 60.

I get my back-up, separate battery bank, with two 12's and a battery switch.

Redundancy is nice to have but weight considerations do start to come into play also.

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Old 05-08-2016, 03:20 PM   #3
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Do you really mean 30 gallons? That's a lot propane - the same size as the tank in my 37-foot motorhome. My guess is that you mean 30-pound. Common 30-pound portable cylinders (tanks) have the same diameter as the stock 20-pound tanks, so to use them you just need a taller cover (assuming that you want to use a cover), and likely a longer threaded rod in the hold-down clamp.

30-pound capacity tanks are about 7 pounds heavier than 20-pound capacity tanks (each), plus there's the propane, so the full combination of two tanks is about 34 pounds more (111 pounds instead of 77 pounds)... which means about 30 pounds more tongue weight on the hitch. This is fine if you are not running short of hitch weight capacity in the tow vehicle.
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Old 05-08-2016, 03:37 PM   #4
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Battery location details will vary by model.

There has been at least two discussions of using four batteries:
Solar considerations on a 21; Where to locate Batteries
AC/DC Refrigerators (an electric-only refrigerator is probably the most common reason to consider very high battery capacity; the four-battery discussion starts about post #43 of this thread)
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Old 05-08-2016, 04:27 PM   #5
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Thanks. Will research. Yep thinking 30 lb high polished aluminum without the cover and a diamond plate box on the tongue for tools and a 2000i generator. Also thinking of applying diamond plate on the front as a rockguard. Oh yeah can't forget the pink flamingo :-)
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Old 05-08-2016, 05:47 PM   #6
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If you want to start with a full 20# propane tank do not use tanks from a propane exchange. For your safety and the convenience of not having to lift 20# of propane, they only fill them with 15#. Just Google propane exchange ripoff if you are uncertain. I believe all the locations now selling out of those outside store racks are watching out for you by only selling you 15#.

I'm glad they got my back.
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Old 05-08-2016, 05:53 PM   #7
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Yep. Best place I have found to fill up is U-HAUL you pay for what you get. Lots of places over charge.
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Old 05-08-2016, 08:36 PM   #8
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Costco in our area sells propane, but you have to lug the canister to them. They have remarkably low prices and sell by the gallon in tenths. I've filled at propane distributors that let you leave the tanks in place. The dreaded Camping World has a discount one day of the week for members, but even that price is higher than most other places. I have an inline gauge I bought on line, and someone else suggested using a hand held luggage scale, but I can't remember what a full tank is supposed to weigh, or an empty one, for that matter.
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Old 05-08-2016, 08:43 PM   #9
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The empty tank weight ( TARE ) is stamped on the tank.
I buy my propane by the pound. So, a full tank is the Tare weight plus 20 lbs.
Not sure how you add a Tare weight and gallons.
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Old 05-08-2016, 09:05 PM   #10
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Tractor Supply charges by the 10th of a gallon. 2 empty tanks yesterday, each took 4.6 gal.
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Old 05-08-2016, 09:48 PM   #11
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I had forgot about them. Thanks.
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Old 05-08-2016, 11:06 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by padlin View Post
Tractor Supply charges by the 10th of a gallon. 2 empty tanks yesterday, each took 4.6 gal.
How do you know they were empty? How do you figure out how much propane is left in a tank if it's only partly empty? How do you weigh volume?
Tare weight is what the tank weighs when empty. Tare weight ( likely 17 lbs. or so - it's marked on the tank ) plus 20 lbs for a total of 37 lbs. is a full tank. If it is half full it's 17 lbs. ( tare ) plus 10 lbs propane for 27 lbs.
27 lbs. equals 12,246.9948 grams.
What could be easier?
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Old 05-08-2016, 11:31 PM   #13
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Originally Posted by gbaglo View Post
How do you know they were empty? How do you figure out how much propane is left in a tank if it's only partly empty? How do you weigh volume?
Tare weight is what the tank weighs when empty. Tare weight ( likely 17 lbs. or so - it's marked on the tank ) plus 20 lbs for a total of 37 lbs. is a full tank. If it is half full it's 17 lbs. ( tare ) plus 10 lbs propane for 27 lbs.
27 lbs. equals 12,246.9948 grams.
What could be easier?
There is no doubt a conversion from lbs to US gallons and back.
LP, Liquid Propane is a liquid I believe when compressed. It is a gas at standard temperature and pressure. The density could vary slightly with temperature.

From Wikipedia:

Density

The density of liquid propane at 25 °C (77 °F) is 0.493 g/cm3, which is equivalent to 4.11 pounds per U.S. liquid gallon or 493 kg/m3. Propane expands at 1.5% per 10 °F. Thus, liquid propane has a density of approximately 4.2 pounds per gallon (504 kg/m3) at 60 °F (15.6 °C).


So from this 20 lbs of propane would be about 4.76 US Gallons
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Old 05-08-2016, 11:46 PM   #14
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So from this 20 lbs of propane would be about 4.76 US Gallons
So, the question becomes what is the tare weight of tank in gallons?
And, if you're going to sell propane in gallons and tenths of gallons, why not just go metric? You know, pounds?
I sense a conspiracy.
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Old 05-09-2016, 12:15 AM   #15
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I'm lazy... i simply bought one of these $16 hand scales... it works really well.



http://www.amazon.com/Grill-Gauge-GG.../dp/B0012GTU3O
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Old 05-09-2016, 12:19 AM   #16
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Simple answer - it does not matter.
Gallons is volume but also has a mass depending on product; tank is mass, but the tank can hold volume, or that volume can be converted to mass at a standard temp and pressure.
You think??

Weigh tank with LP remaining inside.
Subtract tank tare from total weight of tank plus LP.
This gives you weight of propane remaining in tank.
Divide propane weight by 4.2 lbs/US Gal - this gives you amount of LP in US gallons remaining in the tank.
Full tank is about 4.76 US Gal, or 20 lbs of LP.

I guess then the 80% rule comes in??

At that point no one cares how many gallons the tank weighs !@?#!

Pass the cheese please, keep the hole. Or give me the whole cheese if that is easier?
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Old 05-09-2016, 12:25 AM   #17
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That scale is ok, but it assumes a certain tare for the container. You can read the tare ( the empty weight - it's stamped on the container ) and use a luggage scale to determine how many pounds of propane are left. Subtract the tare weight from the scale weight and you get the weight of the contents. You can use your luggage scale for luggage and for propane.
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Old 05-09-2016, 12:28 AM   #18
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I've never really cared how much is left in a tank or how much it weighs when I have two. When one runs out and switches over I fill the empty. If going out for extended trip, I fill the service tank before leaving so I know I have two full tanks to start. Dont worry, be happy.
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Old 05-09-2016, 12:29 AM   #19
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Another irrelevant rule to confuse the consumer. Fill to 80 per cent.
But a tank filled to 80 per cent capacity holds 20 lbs. of propane.
More proof of a conspiracy.
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Old 05-09-2016, 12:32 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg A View Post
I've never really cared how much is left in a tank or how much it weighs when I have two. When one runs out and switches over I fill the empty. If going out for extended trip, I fill the service tank before leaving so I know I have two full tanks to start. Dont worry, be happy.
And, with that, I have to admit that I actually ran out of propane once in the middle of the night. I had two tanks and auto switch-over, but both tanks were empty.
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