A set of stamped markings can be found around the handle. These documents contain vital information regarding the tank’s origins as well as its capacity rating. A date should appear near the valve on the handle, showing the date of manufacturing. It’s usually written in the normal Month-Year format. It would say “06-20” if your tank was built in June of 2020.
Each tank also has a unique identifying mark, similar to those found on cars. This enables the US Department of Transportation and propane dealers to keep track of and maintain safety data for each tank in use.
Additional markings reflect the cylinder’s empty weight, which is recorded as “TW.” If you want to weigh the tank to see how much propane is left in it, this is useful. The stamp “WC” denotes the water storage capacity of the tank, which allows dealers to determine the exact amount of propane that can be securely stored inside.
It’s also very uncommon to see the identity of a requalifier imprinted into the handle area of your tank. You’ll be able to tell how near the tank is to hitting its expiration date if you know the manufacture or recertification date.
On a propane tank, what do the numbers mean?
We’re in the midst of outdoor living season in Connecticut, which means it’s time to fire up your propane BBQ grill! Simply ensure that you have extra gas for your next summer BBQ.
However, as any veteran propane griller knows, most 20-pound propane barbecue cylinders lack a gauge, which means you’ll need to figure out how much fuel is left in your tank in another method.
Here are three easy ideas to get you started:
1. Make use of warm water. This safe and straightforward method for determining how much propane is left in your tank was given by the FiX IT Home Improvement Channel. To accomplish this,
- Fill a small bucket halfway with warm to hot tap water and set aside.
- Pour the water down the tank’s side.
- Feel for a cool location around the tank’s side using your hand.
The fill level of the tank is at the top of the cold spot (it’s cool because liquid propane inside the tank absorbs heat from the water, making the tank’s metal wall cool to the touch).
2. Check the tank’s weight. On the handle of most propane grill tanks are two numbers: the water capacity (“WC”) and the tare weight (TW), which is the weight of the tank when it is empty. When empty, most grilling tanks weigh around 17 pounds and store around 20 pounds of gas.
Simply weigh your tank on a scale and subtract the TW number to find out how much propane is left in it. If a 27-pound tank has a TW of 17 pounds, there’s about 10 pounds of gas left, or little more than half a tank.
3. Install a gauge on the outside of the building. Options for external propane tank gauges include:
- Installed between the gas line from the grill and the tank’s cut-off valve, inline pressure gauges measure pressures to determine how full the tank is.
- Analog propane scales resemble luggage scales and are pre-programmed to account for your tank’s TW.
- A digital display of remaining cook time and gas fill percentage is provided by digital propane tank scales. Some even have apps for smart phones.
Choose a gauge that you like (they’re available at your local hardware shop and on Amazon) and try it out!
Don’t let your propane cylinder burn you.
Before your next summer party, use these ways to figure out how much gas is left in your tank. Don’t panic if you run out of propane; simply visit one of our Connecticut showrooms for a propane cylinder refill!
How do you decipher the code on a propane tank?
The recertification date of a propane tank is usually represented by a letter rather than a number. Each quarter of the year is represented by the letters A, B, C, and D. The letter is a “A would indicate that the tank was recertified in January, February, or March, followed by the year’s two numbers. In this scenario, a tank with the inscription “The number 20 denotes the first quarter of 2020. The type of recertification is indicated by additional letters, which helps define the frequency of follow-up inspections.
On a 20-pound propane tank, how do you read the expiration date?
1. What should you do if your propane tank has run out?
When those 12 years are over, you have the option of replacing the tank or having it inspected for requalification for another five years of use.
2. What is the expiration date of the propane tank?
The date of manufacturing or requalification of a propane tank is stamped on its collar. The format will be month-year, for example, 06-21 for June 2021.
3. How should old propane tanks be disposed of?
Propane tanks with a volume of 100 pounds or less have a 12-year shelf life from the date of manufacturing. When those 12 years are over, you have the option of replacing the tank or having it inspected for requalification for another five years of use.
4. What is the average lifespan of a tank?
Propane tanks with a volume of 100 pounds or less have a 12-year shelf life from the date of manufacturing.
5. Do all tanks have an expiration date?
Large propane tanks used for residential heating and hot water are restricted by federal container restrictions in most states. According to the legislation, a propane tank can only be filled by the owner or someone authorized to act on their behalf. In practice, this means that the majority of household propane users lease their tank from a fuel supplier, who is responsible for keeping track of the tank’s expiration date.
6. Where can I have my propane tanks recertified?
Learn More about Propane Tanks:
- How to Check the Level of Your Propane Tank at Home
- How to Get Your Propane Tank Ready for the Winter
- Buying vs. Renting a Propane Tank for Your Home
- Is It Possible to Paint My Propane Tank?
- How to Dispose of Old Propane Tanks Correctly
- Propane Tanks: Above Ground vs. Underground
- Where Should My Propane Tank Be Stored?
- When Buying a House with Propane Heat, Here Are 5 Questions to Ask
- Changing from Natural Gas to Propane
- Is it better to rent or buy a propane tank?
How can I figure out how big my gas tank is?
To figure out what size tank you have, compare your measurements to those for consumer propane tanks. A 20-pound propane tank, according to the Propane 101 website, is 18 inches tall and 12.5 inches in diameter. A 30-pound propane tank has a height of 24 inches and a diameter of 12.5 inches.
What does the number 240 on a propane tank mean?
The water capacity number will be stamped on the collar of each gas cylinder and will look something like “WC 240.” This is the total mass of liquid that a cylinder could store if it were completely filled with water, expressed in pounds.
What does a propane tank’s date indicate?
Because propane cylinders must be requalified or changed every 10 years, this mark will indicate when it was done. Finding a sequence of numbers and letters that conclude in ‘E’ is the quickest way to get the requalification date on a cylinder.
On a propane tank, what does WC stand for?
Everyone in the Hudson Valley understands that there are still some great fall days ahead. If you haven’t yet covered and stored your outside grill, you’ll want to double-check that you have enough propane in the tank for your next fall picnic.
Because most propane barbeque cylinders lack a built-in gauge, you’ll need to find out how much fuel is left in your tank without relying on guesswork. You clearly don’t want to find out that your propane tank is empty when your barbeque goes down.
Ways To Read Your Propane Level
1. Make use of water. Using a small amount of water, you can estimate the amount of propane in a tank. Here’s how to do it:
Fill a small bucket halfway with hot water from the tap.
The tank’s fill level is at the top of the cool spot. It’s cool because the liquid propane inside the tank absorbs the heat from the water, keeping the tank’s metal walls cool to the touch.
2. Check the tank’s weight. The water capacity (“WC”) and Tare Weight (TWthe weight of the tank when it’s empty) are stamped on the handle of most propane grill tanks. When empty, most barbecue tanks weigh around 17 pounds. Simply weigh your tank on a scale and subtract the TW number to find out how much propane is left in it. If a 27-pound tank has a TW of 17 pounds, there’s about 10 pounds of gas left, or little more than half a tank.
3. Make use of an outside gauge. External propane tank gauges are available in a variety of styles.
- Installed between the gas line from the grill and the tank’s cut-off valve, inline pressure gauges measure pressures to determine how full the tank is.
- Analog propane scales resemble luggage scales and are pre-programmed to account for your tank’s TW.
- A digital display of remaining cook time and gas fill percentage is provided by digital propane tank scales. Some even have apps for smart phones.
Safety tips for propane cylinders
When dealing with cylinders or being near one, there are a few safety precautions to keep in mind.
- A propane cylinder should always be stored or placed outside, in an open area, rather than in a basement, garage, shed, or tent.
- Always keep an eye on who your cylinder is hanging out with. It shouldn’t be near a stove, fireplace, or other source of heat. This is also why a spare cylinder should not be kept under or near your BBQ grill.
- Always be aware when working with cylinders. You don’t want anyone smoking near it, and you should avoid exposing your cylinder to ignition sources like flames or spark-producing electrical gadgets.
- Always entrust the care and repair of a cylinder to a qualified propane technician. Valves, regulators, and other cylinder or appliance parts should not be modified or repaired.
Remember that propane cylinders have particular valves, connectors, and other pieces to ensure that they are safe to use with barbecues and other gas equipment. A gas leak might be caused by any component that has been damaged. Don’t take a chance!
No matter how you use propane, we want to make sure you know how to handle propane safety in and around your house or company. We recommend that you visit the Propane Education and Research Council’s website to examine propane safety and operation tips.
How can I tell if my propane tank in Canada is expired?
So, when do propane tanks in Canada expire? In Canada, propane tanks must be replaced every ten years. Every propane cylinder has a month and year written on it. After 10 years from the year on the tank, the tank will be regarded expired at the end of the month.
Propane tanks in the United States have a 12-year lifespan. Even if your propane cylinder is from the United States and the 12 year rule is printed on the side, you must still obey the 10 year rule if you live in Canada.
How long does unused propane survive in a tank?
We get asked all the time how long propane can be stored before it spoils.
The basic reason is that propane has a long lifespan. It is, in fact, one of the most storage-friendly, reliable, and durable energy sources currently available. Propane has an unusually long shelf life because it has no expiration date and does not degrade or lose its potency over time. To clarify, “shelf life” is defined as “the amount of time a commodity can be stored before it becomes unfit for use, consumption, or sale” (Wikipedia). Unlike diesel, which has a one-year shelf life and gasoline, which has a three- to six-month shelf life, propane can be stored indefinitely, making it a highly effective and convenient fuel for both residential and commercial applications, as well as an excellent partner in emergency preparedness plans.
Furthermore, the cylinders in which propane is kept have a very long shelf life. This is why propane cylinders must be recertified by a skilled propane technician on a regular basis. When regular cylinder maintenance is followed, it is possible to get 30 or 40 years out of a stored propane tank.
Home heating, portable cylinders for BBQ and gardening/landscaping, space heating, forklift, autogas, and emergency preparedness are just a few instances of how propane outperforms other fuels in terms of convenience and longevity.
Oil-fired heating systems are colossal, filthy behemoths that take up valuable space and necessitate regular maintenance. If heating oil is stored for an extended period of time, it might become dangerous. What does it mean when something is “too long?” Think 18 months or fewer, depending on how properly it was stored in the first place.
BBQ cylinders are widely used. They’re lightweight, portable, refillable, and easy to store. They can last for years if stored properly, with no need for replacements or additives.
Propane in portable, tiny cylinders up to and including 1,000 gallon cylinders can be used for emergency preparedness.
Space heaters and generators powered by diesel or gasoline emit a foul odor, can cause messy spills and stains, and must be replaced on a regular basis. However, not propane! Its long shelf life makes it an ideal fuel for portable use or powerful backup generator systems that can power a whole house.
It’s no surprise that propane is popular among homeowners and businesses because of its convenience, versatility, and peace of mind.
Visit our Residential and Commercial sections to learn more about all the wonderful things propane can do for you.
At Paraco, we’ve got you covered with daily fuel.
Do Coleman propane tanks have a shelf life?
Yes. The expiration date is written on every Coleman propane tank. The tank has a shelf life of up to 7 years provided it is not opened. The gas should be utilized within two years of opening it before you need to vent and replenish it.