How Many Gallons In a 15 lb Propane Tank (Propane Tank Size)


How Many Gallons In a 15 lb Propane Tank

Have you ever asked yourself or your friend how many gallons are in a 15 lb propane tank? Well, you are at the perfect place to find the answer to such a question.

Just in the US, over 47 million households use propane either for heat or gas. This estimation does not include businesses or families who use propane for other purposes. Needless to say, propane tanks are essential to have in most households. Despite how necessary propane is, it can be difficult to know how many gallons are in a tank.

A 15 lb propane tank holds 15 lb of propane, right? Well, not exactly.

To put it simply, on average you have 0.236 gallons = 1 pound of propane.

So, how many gallons are in a 15 lb propane tank? For a 15 pound propane tank, the tank will hold about 3.53 gallons of propane and weigh 27.7 pounds when full. This amount of propane is ideal for small appliances, not large grills or heating the entire family house. You will need to get a larger tank for larger purposes. In reality, a 15 lb propane tank is about 80% full, so the most you can put in is 3 gallons.

To learn more about calculating how many gallons are in your propane tank, keep reading. This article fully breaks down how to estimate how many gallons are in your propane tank and more.

How Many Gallons Are In a 15 lb Propane Tank?

Figuring out how many gallons a propane tank can hold can be a bit confusing. The short answer to the question is that for a 15 pound propane tank specifically, the tank can hold 3.53 gallons of propane or 13.4 liters of propane.

Just so you know, 15 pound propane tanks are smaller than the standard size. The standard size propane tank is 20 pounds.

20 pound propane tanks are able to hold 4.6 gallons or 17.4 liters of propane. It has dimensions of 18 inches by 12.25 inches.

Most often, the dimensions for a 15 pound propane tank are 18 inches by 10.5 inches or 45.7 by 27 inches, which is smaller than the standard.

Read also: Cheapest Propane Refill Near Me (Tanks Exchange Locations)

How Much Does a 15 lb Propane Tank Weigh Full?

Whenever you purchase an empty propane tank, it will have a tare weight, which refers to the tank’s empty weight.

In order to learn how much a propane tank will weigh when full, you have to add the tare weight to the amount of propane in the tank.

15 pound propane tanks weigh about 12.7 pounds when empty. As a result, the tare weight of a 15 pound propane tank is 12.7 pounds. Whenever a 15 pound propane tank is full, that propane gas will weigh 15 pounds.

So, you now have the information needed in order to calculate how much a propane tank weighs when full. It will weigh 27.7 pounds.

Tare weight + propane weight = tank’s weight when full

Here’s a chart that explains the dimensions and tare weight of many propane tank sizes:

Propane Tank SizeLengthDiameterWidthHeightEmpty Weight
1 lb8 inches4 inches4 inches4 inches1.3 pounds
2 lb10 inches5 inches5 inches5 inches2.1 pounds
3 lb10 inches7 inches7 inches7 inches3.7 pounds
5 lb12 inches8 inches8 inches8 inches6.7 pounds
10 lb18 inches9 inches9 inches9 inches9.8 pounds
11 lb12.4 inches12.2 inches12.2 inches12.2 inches10.4 pounds
15 lb18 inches10 inches10 inches10 inches11.8 pounds
20 lb18 inches12 inches12 inches12 inches13.5 pound
25 lb21 inches12 inches12 inches12 inches15.1 pounds
30 lb24 inches12.5 inches12.5 inches12.5 inches19.2 pounds
33 lb26.75 inches12.5 inches12.5 inches12.5 inches23.3 pounds
40 lb27 inches14.5 inches14.5 inches14.5 inches27.4 pounds
50 lb27.4 inches15.1 inches15.1 inches15.1 inches34.1 pounds
60 lb44.1 inches12 inches12 inches12 inches37.3 pounds
80 lb46 inches12 inches12 inches12 inches43.2 pounds
100 lb48 inches14.5 inches14.5 inches14.5 inches67 pounds
120 lb48 inches16 inches16 inches16 inches75 pounds
150 lb48 inches18 inches18 inches18 inches101 pounds
200 lb48 inches19.6 inches19.6 inches19.6 inches127 pounds

How Long Does a 15 lb Propane Tank Usually Last?

Predicting how long a 15 pound propane tank will last is a bit difficult. Many moving factors will determine its life expectancy.

Most importantly, the BTU rating of your burner and the approximate burn time will determine how long a 15 pound propane tank will last. Let’s take a look at an example.

Let’s say that you have a 15 pound propane tank and are using a 32,000 BTU burner. In that case, the propane tank will last about 10.12 hours.

You will then have to replace the propane within the tank once this 10 hour period is up.

Adjusting the BTU rating, as well as the size of the propane tank, will impact how long the propane tank burns.

Read also: How To Store Propane Tanks In Hot Weather: Storage Safety Tips

How Do You Calculate How Many Gallons Are In a Propane Tank?

Above, we mentioned that a 15 pound propane tank holds about 3.53 gallons of propane. How did we get this number?

There is a formula you can use to calculate how many gallons are in any propane tank. As a rule of thumb, one pound of propane is equal to about 0.236 gallons whenever the propane is at 60 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the recommended temperature for propane.

You can use this information in order to calculate how many gallons are in your propane tank.

All you need to do is multiply 15 by 0.236 in order to figure out how many gallons are in a 15 pound propane tank. When you do the math, you will find that the tank holds 3.53 gallons. This formula will work on any propane tank of any size.

How much the tank holds in pounds X 0.236 = how much the tank holds in gallons

Of course, the temperature of the propane will impact this calculation. The 0.236 conversion only applies whenever the propane is at 60 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature is way above or below this point, the conversion will be different. F

or your own safety, we always recommend keeping propane at 60 degrees Fahrenheit, though.

The reason why the temperature has to be 60 degrees Fahrenheit in order for this conversion to work is that changes in temperature will cause the propane gas molecules to either expand or constrict closer to one another, depending on the temperature.

Anything below 60 degrees will cause the particles to get closer together, whereas temperatures above 60 degrees will cause the molecules to expand. This change means that capacity differs.

Read also: How Many Gallons In a 100 lb Propane Tank (Propane Tank Size)

How Do 15 lb Propane Tanks Compare To Other Sizes?

Most standard-sized propane tanks weigh 20 pounds. As a result, 15 pound propane tanks are smaller than average and are not used for a wide array of projects. 15 pound propane tanks are better suited for small appliances.

Select a bigger propane tank for large appliances and home heating purposes.

Here is a look at different size propane tanks and how many gallons they hold:

Gallons of PropaneTank SizeTank Dimensions
1 – 1.2 Gallons5 lb12” X 8 ½”
2.6 Gallons11 lb17 ½” X 9”
3.53 Gallons15 lb18” X 10 ½”
4.6 Gallon20 lb18″ X 12 ¼“
7 Gallons30 lb24″ X 12 ¼″
7.7 Gallons33 lb26.7” X 12 ½”
9.2 Gallons40 lb2½″ X 12 ¼″
11.4 Gallons50 lb27 ½″ X 15″
23.6 Gallons100 lb48 ½″ X 15″
28.3 Gallons120 lb68” X 24”
60 Gallons250 lb92” X 30”
96 Gallons420 lb100″ X 37″
400 Gallons500 lb5’ X 10’
800 Gallons1000 lb5’ X 16’
24,000 Gallons30,000 lb10’ X 70’

Whenever you select a larger propane tank, the propane tank will have a longer runtime because the dimensions are larger. It’s important to select the size of your propane tank carefully depending on its intended purpose.

Small propane tanks, such as those that are between 5 and 50 pounds, are considered small propane tanks.

These propane tanks are better suited for appliances, such as space heaters or grills. Propane tanks that are larger than 100 pounds are better suited for big purposes, such as heating your home.

For example, many homes that are between 2000 and 4500 square feet select propane tanks that can hold 1000 gallons. This propane tank is also ideal for small businesses that use different commercial or industrial appliances.

Final Thoughts

Once again, a 15 pound propane tank is able to hold 3.53 gallons of propane. That is, it holds 3.53 gallons whenever the propane is housed at 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

Propane housed at another temperature will hold different gallons due to the expansion of the gas molecules.

Instead of just taking our word for it, you can do your own math to prove that a 15 pound propane tank can hold 3.53 gallons of propane.

You can actually use the calculations to figure out how many gallons your propane tank will hold, no matter what size propane tank you have.

Before you go out and buy a propane tank, double-check to make sure you are getting the right size based on your intended purpose.

Additionally, consider the BTU of the burner so you can have an adequate runtime.

Read also: Does Ace Hardware Refill Propane Tanks (Propane tank 20 lb)

References

https://www.amerigas.com/about-propane/propane-tank-sizes

https://www.cnet.com/home/smart-home/ways-to-estimate-how-much-propane-you-have-left/

Mike Gilmour

Hi, I'm Mike, co-founder, and editor of RV and Playa. My passion is traveling (with my RV) and enjoying the day at the beach (Playa)! Well, I originally created this blog as a way to share what I've learned by experimenting with the RV lifestyle, and I want to help others develop in life through new skills and opportunities.

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