Propane Usage

[Cat320]

There are lots of questions on all the forums about propane usage and the amount used for doing various things. The following came from the owner's manual to my old TT:

1. Each LP tank is 30 lbs (7 gal of gas at 4.2 lbs/gal).
2. Each gallon = 91,500 BTU of heat energy, for a total of 640,500 for each tank.

Here is a general chart for appliances and the amount of BTU comsumption for one hour of heavy usage:

Water heater, 12,000.
Refrig, 1,500.
Furnace, 20,000.
Oven, 14,100.
Each stove burner, 5,600.

[OntMont]

That's handy info. Last winter I did some rough calculations on the cost of using propane vs electricity. The way I figured it, at RGV prices (15 cents/KWHr and $14 for 30lb of propane), it came out about even, althogh a lot depends on what you assume the efficicy of these appliances to be.

[sreigle]

Thanks for the info. I am assuming those appliance usage numbers are for when that appliance is actively using propane. To whit, for a couple of years we ran our water heater on only propane. When we had no other propane usage except occasional oven and stove use, a 30 lb bottle would last us a month to six weeks. At the stated usage above, it would last only 53 hours. So I assume that's 53 hours of burning propane over a calendar month. Does that sound resaonable?

[Cat320]

I can't add much to what I noted earlier...they said "an hour of heavy usage." I would assume that would mean in an hour you might do the dishes and take a couple of showers...that would be an hour of heavy usage.