May is National Barbecue month – which means it’s time to get out and cooking on your propane grill! Just be sure you have enough propane to get you through a busy summer of outdoor cooking.
If your grill is built-in and connected to your main propane tank, that means keeping an eye on your fuel gauge and scheduling a propane delivery when it gets to about one-quarter full. But if you use a 20-pound portable propane cylinder, things get a little more complicated.
That’s because 20-pound propane cylinders generally don’t have a gauge – which means you’ll have to find another way to judge how much propane is in your tank.
Here are three simple ways to do that.
The top of the cool spot is the fill level of the tank (it’s cool because liquid propane inside the tank absorbs heat from the water, which makes the metal wall of the tank cool to the touch).
To measure how many pounds of propane are left in your tank, simply weigh it on a scale and subtract the TW number. For example, if a tank weighing 27 pounds has a TW of 17 pounds, there’s about 10 pounds of gas left – a little more than half a tank.
Pick the gauge you like and give it a go!
So what does all of this mean when it comes to planning your meals this summer?
As a rule of thumb, a medium-sized grill on high heat will use approximately two pounds of fuel per meal. Following this rule, a 20-pound propane tank will provide 18-20 hours of cooking time on a medium grill. A larger grill can burn through 20lbs of propane in as little as 10 hours.
Remember – these are only estimates, so be sure to plan ahead!
Don’t get burned by your propane cylinder – follow these tips to know how much gas is left in your tank before your next summer cookout!
If you need a propane cylinder refill, please visit one of our Cherry Energy Dealer Locations for an exchange.
If you have a built-in propane grill, be sure to keep enough propane gas on hand to keep it running all season long. Contact Cherry Energy today to schedule a propane delivery in eastern North Carolina today.