What Camper Propane Tank Sizes Are There?
Your Handy Guide to Portable Propane Tanks
As the weather warms and the season slides into summer, you may be thinking about hitting the road, or the trail. Whether you prefer the back-to-basics rugged freedom of camping, the comforts of an RV, or you’re not planning to go farther than your own back yard, you’ll probably need a propane tank.
And there’s a portable propane cylinder sized for just about every need—even if “portable” means a full-size ASME tank that’s built into your motor home. The tank size you need depends on what you’re using it for—such as cooking, heating, a fridge, and so on.
All About ASME Tanks
Using a motor home? You’ll have what is called an ASME tank (it meets the standards of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers). It’s sized specifically and built into the body of your motor home.
ASME tanks usually have capacity of about 100 pounds, but can come as compact as 60 pounds. They do not need to be recertified, but you should inspect your tank regularly for signs of rust and replace it if necessary.
When you need a fill-up you need to go to a propane service station.
All About DOT tanks
If you are using a travel trailer, or are camping in a tent and bringing propane to run a generator or grill, you have a DOT cylinder, which meets the standards of, and is certified by the Department of transportation. Most people know these as portable tanks or cylinders. The most common sizes for campers are 20, 30 or 40 pounds.
Here’s a guide to the different size tanks and how long each size would last at about 20,000 Btus per hour:
- 1 lb disposable tank
Lasts about 1 – 1.5 hours
Best for small portable grills or tabletop heaters. - 20 lb tank (5 gallon cylinder)
Lasts about 22 hours
Great for weekend trips if you are powering multiple appliances off and on. - 30 lb tank (7 gallon cylinder)
Lasts about 33 hours
Good for extended trips or cold-weather camping. - 40 lb tank (10 gallon cylinder)
Lasts about 44 hours
Ideal for longer trips.
What Are You Powering?
Not all camping equipment requires 20,000 Btus per hour. Another way to calculate your needs is to think about how much propane different camping equipment requires. Here’s a few averages:
- Refrigerator: 1,200–1,500 Btus/hour
- Stove burner: 7,000–10,000 Btus/hour
- Water heater: 8,000–12,000 Btus/hour
- RV furnace: 20,000–30,000 Btus/hour when running
If your RV has a tankless water heater, and many of the newer models do, you’ll use a lot less propane to heat water, since you don’t need to keep a tank of water hot.
What About a Generator?
Using propane to run a generator? Run time is a little different: Based on a typical 3,500W generator, which uses roughly 1.5 lbs/hour at 50% load, a 20 lb propane tank will deliver about 14 hours of runtime, a 30 lb tanks gives you about 20 hours, and a 40 lb tank gives you about 27 hours of runtime. Using a generator to run the AC in your motor home will require at least a 30 to 40 lb tank.
Need a Refill?
Admiral makes sure refilling or exchanging your portable cylinder or motor home tank is a snap. Bring your empty tank to our convenient Blountville and Greeneville locations for a quick refill, or exchange your tank at multiple other locations across the Tri-Cities area.
Contact us for more information today!
