If you’ve been spending your evenings grilling as often as we have, chances are you’re going through propane on your journey towards creating some truly delicious burgers, steaks, and brats (or, alternatively, some more unique foods if you’ve been following along with our blogs lately). But if you’re new to grilling, you may have a question–”how do I know if it’s time to buy a propane tank or tell when mine is empty?”
Luckily for you, we have a couple of tips for you in today’s blog. And, more than likely, the answer to your question is much, much simpler than you may have initially thought. Keep reading to learn more!
Need to Check and See How Much Propane is Left?
Your first inclination is no doubt to look at purchasing a propane gas gauge. These vary in price from between about $15 and all the way up to nearly $70. “That must be the best option,” you think to yourself. After all, how are you supposed to tell how much propane you have left when the tank itself is so heavy and you have no idea how much 30 minutes of grilling time is supposed to weigh?
Well, these gauges certainly can work and if you decide to go this route, your best bet is to read as many reviews as you can for the gauge you’re considering. With so many options available, the level of quality can vary pretty wildly, as you can probably imagine. Because when it comes right down to it, a gauge that’s inaccurate is a waste of money if it tells you you have enough propane left to make it through cooking tonight’s meal and it runs out halfway through your grilling session.
A number of propane enthusiasts, however, will simply tell you that these gauges aren’t accurate enough for you to spend your money on. Sure, some of them can do the trick just fine when it really comes down to it, but there’s a better way.
All You Need is Water
“All I need is…water?” Yes, dear friends and neighbors, you read that correctly. “But how am I going to be able to tell how much propane is left by using water?” you ask. We’re about to tell you.
It’s pretty darned simple really. You’ll have to start by making sure your propane valve is in the off position and disconnecting your tank completely from the grill. For your next step, set your propane tank down on level ground (your patio or sidewalk should do the trick, but setting it in the grass or landscaping rocks could lead to less accurate results.) Next, walk inside and get yourself a nice big glass of hot tap water.
Pour your water down the side of your propane tank, then use your hand to feel the side of the tank where you’ve just poured water. The area where the tank is warm is where there’s no propane and the area that feels a bit colder has propane remaining in it. No special gauges needed.
But How Does it Work?
You see, when your tank is filled with liquid propane (hopefully at a Mighty Flame location), the liquid inside is heavier than the air inside. In other words, your propane is going to be at the bottom of the tank and any vapor will be at the top. Make sense?
When you fire up your grill, the thing that keeps it lit is the vapor coming off of the liquid propane and the liquid in the tank is what’s supplying the vapors. You didn’t know you’d be getting a science lesson in this blog, but bear with us because this is fun! When vaporization of propane occurs, the liquid in your tank begins to boil just a little bit, resulting in–you guessed it–warmer temperatures. As the liquid turns to vapor, the amount of liquid propane in your tank begins to diminish.
Once you’re ready to check how much propane is left in your tank, start pouring slowly so the liquid can absorb some of the heat from the water. The way you’ll be able to tell how much propane you have left is because your water is quite warm and the liquid propane is resting in your tank at -44 degrees Fahrenheit.
Back to the Tank
The key to get as accurate an idea as possible about how much propane you have left is to move your hand slowly down the side of the tank. You’ll be able to feel the difference in temperature. Is it a completely accurate way to tell how much propane you have left? No, but as we learned above, neither is a gauge. Plus this method is free which is always an added benefit.
At the very least, you should be able to tell approximately how much propane you have left. On average, a propane tank cooking over medium to high heat can burn for between fifteen and twenty hours, so if your tank appears to be half full, you can expect about seven to ten more hours out of your tank before it runs empty. It’s as simple as that!
Do You Need a Fresh Propane Tank?
If it’s time for a refill (or if you want to buy a propane tank to keep as a spare), Mighty Flame is here for you! With locations all across the Eastern U.S., we’re always nearby. Swing in today to make sure you’re ready to grill tomorrow!
