Snow on propane tank

We heat with propane., The tank is almost buried in the snow. The guy filling it said if I kept it clear of snow, I probably would burn less gas. I haven't bothered. It's a big job. Is he right? If so, what is the reason? Would the saving be significant? Tx ds

Reply to
DS
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I don't know about burning less gas, (sounds hookie to me). But, he has a point that your regulator can freeze. Worst case it can stop the gas flow all together.

Barry

Reply to
Barry

Cold propane is more dense than warm propane. But the snow may be insulating the tank from even colder air temperatures.

Doesn't matter though. You just turn the knob on the stove down a bit for the same amount of heat.

Reply to
JerryMouse

Doubt you'd see any difference. Propane is liquid in the bottom of the tank, a gas on top that moves to the house where it is burned. Nothing is going to change the Btu in the vapor that I'm aware of. The sun hitting the tank may warm it a bit and increase the pressure slightly, but it still passes a regulator and then a nozzle and into the combustion chamber.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

He's right, but for the wrong reason. A propane tank needs the air around it to vaporize properly. Propane boils at -44 degrees. This boiling occurs on the part of the tank with that has liquid in contact with it. If the tank is covered with snow, it acts as an insulator preventing the surrounding air from coming in contact with the liquid surface area of the tank.

Reply to
Tom Lachance

The snow can be a good thing. If it is well snow packed and about 0 degrees, it will provide insulation if the air temperature suddenly drops to -45.

In any case, I don't see how it would make any difference as the heater burns vapor and the Btu content is not changed.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

Minocqua, WI

Reply to
Susan (CobbersMom)

I think your delivery guy is trying to find a polite way of saying 'keep the tank cleared'. Those hoses that they lug to keep you snuggly and warm are quite heavy. If they have to *try* to walk thru snow that you haven't shoveled or fill a tank that is buried in snow, a lot of times they end up wasting time or hurt. My friend puts up with this type of crap all the time and ends up at the chiropractor. Do him a favor and clean it up! Sue Minocqua, WI

"Do what you want and say what you feel because those that mind, don't matter and those that matter, don't mind". ~Dr. Seuss

Reply to
Susan (CobbersMom)

You would have to live in a place that experiances well below 0 F temps to cause any problems at all.

The only way for the usage to increase is if the tank pressure would fall to a level to where it wouldn't provide enough pressure to supply the connected gas appliance.

The connected appliances are requireing an input of 11-14" wc (which is a

1/2 psi). The tank boils liquid LP to vapor, this process is slowed down as the temp of the tank decreases. If the appliance is using more vapor than the tank can provide, then yes the pressure at the appliance is going to lower and effect the efficiency as well.

In order to give you an idea if all this is relavent you would have to give some technical figures for us to go on, like the following:

1.) furnace input BTU. 2.) size of LP tank. (and position.....upright, laying on side) 3.) single or two stage regulator set-up. 4.) piping size to second stage regulator. 5.) piping size to furnace. 6.) ambient temperature. 7.) % of fuel in tank.

~kjpro~

Reply to
~KJPRO~

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