5 Gallon Propane Tank Weight
We have 2 five gallon propane tanks. Both are empty, although one weighs 7 pounds more than the other. The lighter tank weighs 21 lbs. When the heavier tank ran out yesterday, I opens the valve a crac...
Forum Discussion
Several factors come into play when converting gallons to pounds of propane. The commonly stated conversion is ~4.2 pounds per gallon. HOWEVER, it is important to note that this applies at 60 degrees and at a specific microatmospheric pressure of whatever contains the propane. If you alter the temperature or the microatmospheric pressure, then 4.2 no longer applies.
It is for this reason that converting from gallons to pounds is generally avoided for filling purposes whenever only standard, simple equipment is available. Rather, fillers are trained to fill by *weight.
Gallons come into play not for filling, but for billing. As one often hears about filling gasoline tanks, there is some variation with standard, simple equipment that does not compensate: A gallon at one temperature is not a gallon at some other temperature.
:)
Lynn
*There is one other way to fill propane safely, namely, by gravity-determined volume. Again, though, filling by this method avoids simply measuring out some amount of propane in gallons.
It is for this reason that converting from gallons to pounds is generally avoided for filling purposes whenever only standard, simple equipment is available. Rather, fillers are trained to fill by *weight.
Gallons come into play not for filling, but for billing. As one often hears about filling gasoline tanks, there is some variation with standard, simple equipment that does not compensate: A gallon at one temperature is not a gallon at some other temperature.
:)
Lynn
*There is one other way to fill propane safely, namely, by gravity-determined volume. Again, though, filling by this method avoids simply measuring out some amount of propane in gallons.
