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NorPlan · Jan 7, 2015, 08:04 AM

Having just recently installed a new furnace and switched from oil to propane heat, my query is to figure out the cost to run factor. We have 2 420 litre tanks. After the installation was approved/certified, the tanks were topped up at 80 lbs each on Dec 19/14. According to date we've burned 20 lbs or 1 lb. per day. Lol... This load of propane sold for 0.58 cents a litre. Cheers Thanks.

ebaines · Jan 7, 2015, 10:08 AM

One pound of liquid propane has a volume of about 0.8 liters. So if you use 1 pound/day then you're using about 0.8 liters/day, which at a cost of $0.50/liter equals about $0.46 per day.

Are you sure of your numbers?

ma0641 · Jan 7, 2015, 03:36 PM

80 lbs? Sure you don't mean 80%-672 liters? Otherwise, you will run out or propane fast in cold weather.

NorPlan · Jan 7, 2015, 04:49 PM

Originally Posted by ma0641

80 lbs? Sure you don't mean 80%-672 liters? Otherwise, you will run out or propane fast in cold weather.

If you recall the Shortage of Propane scenario last Winter here in the East... Our Propane Supplier suggested we go with 2 Tanks as we do intend at some point to add a Gas Stove , Gas Fireplace as backup... btw Note: Propane Shortage was due to local supplier not Topping up his Tank Farm at the end of the previous Winter Season.. Anyway each tank is a ( 123 gallon / 420 lb. / 465 litre capacity ) They sit vertically.. The Pressure Gauges on both tanks which the Delivery Driver goes by is in Pounds.. The Billing which I pay by is in litres.. Cheers

ma0641 · Jan 7, 2015, 08:03 PM

I was surprised that they only put in 80#. I have a 250 gallon, roughly 1000 liters, and they typically fill me with 200-210 gallons which is about 80%. You need more headspace with the propane so it doesn't over expand in the summer and blow the safety valve. I'm sure it will be used up tonight, it's going to be 12 F in the Atlanta area.

joypulv · Jan 8, 2015, 03:56 AM

My propane is filled to 80% too. I don't get where you see a pressure gauge. It isn't under pressure.

NorPlan · Jan 8, 2015, 06:23 AM

Originally Posted by joypulv

My propane is filled to 80% too. I don't get where you see a pressure gauge. It isn't under pressure.

If anyone can Chim in and tell me just exactly what type of Gauge that is on top of the Tank... Propane is Billed by the Litre , the Gauge / Meter on the Delivery Truck counts off Litres.. The Driver monitors a Gauge on top of my Tank , @ or as close to 80 Incrimints he disconnects the Delivery Hose..

Bottom Line.. I'm curious and attempting a Price Comparison from Oil to Propane.. The initial readings on 1st Fill Up read 76 / 78.. 20 days later the readings on the Tank Gauges were 56 / 58.. And the price on the Delivery Ticket showed the Propane was sold to me for 0.58 cents a litre.. Cheers. Thanks..

ebaines · Jan 8, 2015, 06:41 AM

Does the gauge go from 0 - 100? if so, perhaps it's a measurement of the percentage fill of the tank. In your original post you said you had burned 20 pounds since December 19, but perhaps what really happened is you burned 20% of the volume of the tank in that time (i.e. taking both tanks from 80% fill to 60%). 20% of 840 liters is 168 liters, which makes a lot more sense to me.

joypulv · Jan 8, 2015, 06:57 AM

It's just a depth gauge, like on an oil tank. You multiply the % times the size of your tank to get the liters.
Two 465 L tanks.
You first said topped off at 80%, now 76 and 78, so I'll go with the latter.

So you subtract 76-56, and 78-58. Happens to be 20% on both tanks, so you can skip some figuring and just multiply .2 x 930 = 186 liters.
That's 186/20 days = 9.3 liters a day.
BUT the actual number of liters delivered is right on your ticket, so this is all just approximate. Even if you didn't have a ticket in hand, you would have to know what the gauge read on the most recent fill.
The driver should have hand written the actual liters delivered.
Divide that by 20 days, and you have the real usage for 20 days.
Count on the Jan, Feb, and half of March being colder and using more.

[Just saw ebaines... now I see that you say 420 liter at the beginning and 465 later! Which is it? I think it's 465, so my math should be right. But it's all unnecessary - you have the liters delivered on your ticket!]

ma0641 · Jan 8, 2015, 03:54 PM

Definitely a % gauge which should show temp corrections and a yellow to red zone. They pump by liters, gallons here, but tank is rated by volume. That's why I questioned 80# since it won't last long, was 11 in Atlanta this morning

NorPlan · Jan 9, 2015, 09:01 AM

Originally Posted by joypulv

[Just saw ebaines... now I see that you say 420 liter at the beginning and 465 later! Which is it? I think it's 465, so my math should be right. But it's all unnecessary - you have the liters delivered on your ticket!]

Thanks were set straight.. lol.. The weight of the Tank is 420 lbs, the volume is 465 litres.. Yes following the formula we get an approximation... Upon installation of the new Propane Furnace the Supplier set up the tanks with 150 litres in the tanks with the Top Up to follow once the Installation was Certified.. That's how I got 76 / 78 %... We had burnt 218 litres of propane as of 20 days, breaking down to costing $6.44 a day.. It's been bone chilling cold the past week, the Supplier suggested we call for the next top up when the gauges read 20 %... Cheers