Large gas grill vs. small lpg tank

[homedad]

Hi, I have a very large gas grill on my deck. It has 5 burners, 1 rotisserie burner, 2 side burners and an oven. All this is expected to fun off a small 20# tank. I'm always running out of gas. Has anyone ever connected a portable gas grill to their home 500# of 1000# lpg tank? This grill weighs about 300 lbs, so it is never moved. I'm more concerned about operating pressures of these different size tanks. Thanks

 

[hawkeye08]

We did just that. When we added propane (1000 gal tank) to our home for heating and cooking, we included a drop with shutoff for bbq. I had a bbq rated quick disconnect hose made at the local hose shop that connected at the shutoff, removed the regulator that came on the bbq and all good. Never run out of gas now. We always shut the valve off after use to avoid draining our 1000 gal tank if there was a leak on bbq.

 

[GGB]

If you go to a larger bottle (100#) or fixed tank, you'll get a regulator valve which handles the pressure from the larger bottle or tank.

Check with area propane delivery companies regarding the placement of larger bottles or tanks. In my area, I can still have a 100# bottle next to the house, but if I want a tank (300 gallons), it has to be placed away from the house for safety. The propane companies will tell you what is necessary.

Also, be sure to inquire about purchase vs. rental on bottles and tanks. You may be able to save money long term by purchasing your own bottles or tanks, but some propane companies may only allow the fueling of their own equipment which they have leased or sold to you.

GGB

 

[sodamo]

Yep we did it also. Just had my plumber Tee off from closest connection and got new hoses. Works great and my plumber didn't charge me extra - we were building new house.
I love never having to drag a tank back and forth.

 

[homedad]

Thanks. So I wouldn't need the regulator on the grill since there is one on the tank and one on the house.

 

[Richard]

I use a propane fireplace so that is my primary concern.

Because of the fireplace, I have bought (and use for my grill) some 30 lb tanks. They are a LOT easier for me to sling around and get refilled than the 100lb tanks are (I have 2 of those).

I have recently discovered that you can also get 40lb tanks.

If you already have a large tank that you can siphon off of, then that might be the best answer.

For my uses, I've found these 30lb tanks to be perfect...that is, until I discovered the 40's. Now I'm debating on getting some 40's.

All of my tanks expired last winter/spring so I'll probably have to replace all of them this winter.

 

[Highbeam]

The pressure inside the tank is the same on 1000 gallon tanks or 20 gallon tanks or the little green coleman tanks. I thought maybe that was missed somewhere.

 

[hawkeye08]

Thanks. So I wouldn't need the regulator on the grill since there is one on the tank and one on the house.

that is what I did. big regulator when propane line gets to house. took the regulator off bbq. the quick disconnect is special in that if there is a fire, it has a special part that is supposed to shut off the gas flow. It is not just a run of the mill connector. I don't know if different areas have different pressure settings or not, but mine works fine for propane heating stove (looks like wood stove but is propane on thermostat) and large propane cooking stove (6 15,000 btu burners). We also had a stubbed line put in to the water heater/clothes dryer area so if we want to convert to propane on those later we can.

 

[schmism]

The pressure inside the tank is the same on 1000 gallon tanks or 20 gallon tanks or the little green coleman tanks.

It should be noted that the steady state pressure is the same in all. (no gas flowing)

what you need to be concerned with is the surface area of liquid, and surface area of the tank that is left to warm the liquid propane.

If the gas demand is high, then it requires the liquid propane to give off more propane gas. This is a endothermic reaction, meaning the liquid gets cold when it gives off gas. If there is insufficient area to give off enough gas, and or insufficient tank area to warm the now cold liquid back up, you eventually freeze up the bottle and your gas appliance stops working right.

Propane Gas Vaporization


as for regulators it was my understanding they are all the same pressure (4psi or so) and the size of the regulator is simply based on the volume of gas it can pass.

 

[rjkobbeman]

It should be noted that the steady state pressure is the same in all. (no gas flowing)

what you need to be concerned with is the surface area of liquid, and surface area of the tank that is left to warm the liquid propane.

If the gas demand is high, then it requires the liquid propane to give off more propane gas. This is a endothermic reaction, meaning the liquid gets cold when it gives off gas. If there is insufficient area to give off enough gas, and or insufficient tank area to warm the now cold liquid back up, you eventually freeze up the bottle and your gas appliance stops working right.

Propane Gas Vaporization


as for regulators it was my understanding they are all the same pressure (4psi or so) and the size of the regulator is simply based on the volume of gas it can pass.

In regards to the "freezing tank" yeah... that is why higher demand calls for a bigger tank.

As far as pressure, I think you are correct there too. In natural gas, my regulator is set for 7" of water column. For LPG, I think it is 14" or 15" of water column. This is pretty much standard for the house.

Now... some devices (appliances) want even less pressure so they have a secondary regulator on the device itself. My NG cooktop is one. It think it brings the pressure down to like 3" or 4" of water column. This regulator doesn't want any more pressure at the inlet than the already regulated 7" of water column.

I have never bothered to check the regulator pressure for a gas grill. I "assume" it is the full primary regulator pressure (7" for NG and 15" for LPG), but I could be wrong.

7" of water column is like 1/4 PSI
15" of water column is a little over 1/2 PSI

27.7" of water column is 1 PSI