# anyone run a gas appliance off a small propane tank



## brettz (Jun 21, 2013)

We have an old electric cooktop I need to replace. I'd love to switch to gas and install a gas range and cooktop in its place. It would be the only gas appliance in the house. We are thinking we'd like to just run it off a 30 gallon tank that we can fill ourselves. Does anyone else use propane for just one appliance and run it off a smaller tank? It seems like it would be pretty straight forward to install a gas line, get a small tank we can store on the patio, leak test everything and be done with it.


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

Yes...tank size only matters on how long it will last.
We use 100# tanks run the antique range at "The Place"...but have used 20 pounders.

Just use the proper regulator.....but most propane pressures should be that same.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Just always keep an extra full tank handy so you don't run out of gas in the middle of preparing something.


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

Get two 100# Tanks, put Regulator with Split Lines, Main Line going into the House. When one Bottles empties, turn it off and open the other. When you get time refill the Empty. Have it where it is standing up and tied in Good. Some times they will let you lay the Tank down, just make sure the Valve is pointed towards the Cab of your Pickup.

Use Soapy Water to check for Leaks when you rehook Fresh Bottle up. It will bubble up at the leak.

We had this set up for most my life.

Now I have 500 Gallon Tank I pay Rent on, mostly run Cook Stove but run small Ventless Heater when it gets real cold.

big rockpile


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

I repurposed a gas cooktop from a camper for our cabin. Runs off a single 20lb bottle. Being that the place is only used on weekends and vacations a bottle lasts us about 6 months. We have a 100lb bottle hooked to our frig but haven't had to refill that yet. Going on 2 years.

WWW


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## Bellyman (Jul 6, 2013)

I'd be tempted to run very much like an RV setup with a couple of 30# or 40# tanks and a switchover type regulator. Run off of one of them until it's empty, let the regulator switch to the new tank, get the empty tank filled, rinse, repeat. It's not that complicated. The switchover valve usually has a little window in it that tells you when it has switched from one tank to the other so it's easy to tell when that's happened. 

The thing I wouldn't care for with the 100# tanks is having to lift them onto a trailer or truck to take them to get filled then get them back off the trailer or truck and back to where I need them. My RV tanks are 30# and they're heavy enough that I wouldn't willingly go beyond maybe a 40# tank. To each their own, though. If you're strong enough that you don't mind hoisting around 120 pounds of tank and propane, go for it. I'm getting enough years behind me that I don't want to work that hard if I don't have to.


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## NorthwoodsMike (Jun 10, 2013)

We ran a modern gas range on a grill tank and regulator. I love to cook, and we went through maybe one tank a month. Usually they lasted longer, but we always had a backup tank handy.


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## FireMaker (Apr 3, 2014)

We use a 10# tank at the cabin. Wood hear, small dorm fridge and two burner stove so no need to have much. We have two tanks and swap out so always have a full one. 30# would be great


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## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

I think you meant to say you want to run it off a 30 pound tank. If you can pick it up and take it to town for a fill, the tank is rated in pounds. Stationary tanks that they come out and fill from a truck are rated in gallons. One gallon of propane weighs a bit over 4 pounds.

I run my gas stove off a 250 gallon tank. There is a propane furnace to backup the wood stove but I've never used it. The 250 gallon tank lasts about 2 years running just the stove.

A tank rated in pounds needs only a low pressure regulator like the one on your gas grill. Tanks rated in gallons usually have a high pressure regulator on the tank and a low pressure regulator on the house, just before the gas line goes indoors. Gas appliances only need about 1 PSI of pressure.

Check your local building codes for approved gas line. Around here you need soft bendable copper and flared fittings.

Getting the pound rated tanks filled is expensive. You can get a valve and hose assembly that allows you to fill the pound rated tanks from your big gallon rated tank. It costs about $18 to fill a 20 pound tank in town. I fill a 20 pounder for $5 from my big tank.


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## CajunSunshine (Apr 24, 2007)

big rockpile said:


> Get two 100# Tanks, put Regulator with Split Lines, Main Line going into the House. When one Bottles empties, turn it off and open the other. When you get time refill the Empty.


I did this for many years...but with 30 lb tanks. I learned to drastically cut down oven use which eats propane like nobody's business! If I absolutely needed to cook in the oven (turkeys, etc.) I would also cook other dishes in it at the same time. Most of the time, I used my little electric toaster-oven for casseroles, etc.



.


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## Robotron (Mar 25, 2012)

Two things to remember:
1, tank must be able to boil enough gas from the liquid, especially when cold to supply the device.
2, gas devices use low pressure, its measured in inches of water column. 6 inches of water column equal about .21 psig. Make sure the gas regulator is able to supply the required btu's for the devices.


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## OLH (Sep 13, 2017)

we use both we use 2 100 # tanks for heating and a 20 # tank for cooking it last for over a month but it depends on how much cooking you do . we also keep 2 extra tanks as back up. a 100 # tank would probally last around 6 moths with average cooking.


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

The common set up I see is you have (2) 100# tanks sitting side by side in a handy location along the outside wall of the house. They are hooked up to a valve so that when one runs empty you just switch the valve so it runs off the other tank, giving you time to take the empty one in for a refill. I wouldn't mess with a 30# tank, too small.


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

I would think two - 30 pound tanks hooked up to a dual cylinder regulator (with manual switch-over and empty tank indicator) would be plenty. 
Currently slumming in a RV, and swap out tanks once a month, on the nose, using tanks for hot water and cooking (rarely eat out). I bet if I was just using tanks for cooking, each one would last 2-3mths. 

30 pound tank are fairly easy to haul about...once you get into the larger tanks, I'd suggest you have easy access from where they sit to truck. Or go real big, and have a truck come and refill. Tanks up here have a 10yr lifespan, and have to be tossed, which means buying new ones.


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## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

My 250 gallon tank only runs the cook stove. The stove has a pilot. I do fill about six 20 pounders and one 100 pounder off the big tank each year. The big tank lasts 2 years.

In MN propane tanks must be transported in an upright position. Difficult to do with a 100 pounder, easier with 30 or 20 pounders. Also, 100 pounders are getting a bit heavy as I get older.


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