I am putting our old home furnace in my pole barn. It is an 85,000 BTU set to use propane. Because it would be hard to transport bigger propane cylinders, would it be possible to hook up a couple of 20 lbs tanks? I would be heating the barn only on the days I am out there, not continuously.
Thanks for the input
Why not put in a 500 gallon tank? Propane doesn't age and you might get a better deal on the fuel in the off season. I don't remember if anyone makes a 250 gallon tank or so. Hooking up cylinders in parallel is ok but how long will a couple 20 pounders last?
Off hand I would say no. The propane has to boil off the liquid to make gas. The 20 pound cylinders probably can not boill off enough for a furnace that large, especially if it is already cold outside. Then too as the cylinders start to boil the gas off they get cold and compound the problem.
Can? Yes, Should? Probably not A 20 pound tank hods 430,000 BTU so you won't get a lot of run time.
In my last house we I had propane for cooking Two 100 pound tanks. Never moved them, the propane company came and filled them. I don't recall that we paid for them up front. That is a more sensible solution.
Talk to your propane company.
Mabee a couple of 50lb tanks in parallel MIGHT work if it's not below
40 degrees out - otherwize you will want 2 100 lb tanks or you will ice them up. 2 50s MIGHT handle a 50000btu furnace
It cost me $1500 about 10 years ago. That was a buried 150/125 gal tank and piping in a pool heater about 35 feet away. Permits etc. I own the tank so I can shop propane prices. I should have got a bigger tank.
That 20 pound will run the 85k furnace for 5 hours burn time. If there is any insulation at all that should get you a long day. A 250/200 could last you all winter if you are only out there a few days a week.
How far from the existing house tank to the barn? If it's not too far, how about just running a buried gas line? They use plastic today, less expensive than iron, less labor, etc.
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