How Long Does A Gas Cylinder Last?

We know a lot of people struggle to know when their Gas Cylinder is running low or has ran out of gas. Today we will be talking about how long your cylinder can last and how to know when it needs changing.

Gas Cylinders

There are 3 main types of LPG Gas Cylinders you could purchase, Propane, Butane, and Patio Gas.

Propane and Butane are the cheapest cylinders to buy which makes them a lot more common and of course the prices increase with the size of the cylinder.

Many people use Butane for their BBQ in the summer because it burns more efficient in the warmer weather. Butane is used more in the warmer weather because it produces 12% more energy than Propane.

How Long Will My Cylinder Last?

There is a wide range of cylinder sizes, some are small, and some are tall, but have you ever wondered how long each type of gas cylinder will last?

Never Fear IGas Direct is Here!

Every appliance used is different, so we are unable to tell you exactly how long your gas cylinder will last. For example – If you are using a Patio Heater then it all depends on the heat setting you are using. The higher the setting, the more gas used and the lower the setting the longer your gas will last.

Below you will find a table with the estimated time your Propane or Butane cylinder will last:

If you would like to work out how long your gas cylinder will last on your appliance, then here is how to do it!

Firstly, we need to work out the heat energy of your cylinder. Every Kilogram of gas stored within a cylinder produces 14kw of heat. You need to multiply the cylinder size by 14kw.

 (e.g., 19kg x 14kw = 266kw)

Now, that you have your heat energy, its time to work out how long your cylinder is going to last. With the heat energy figure, divide this by the heat setting on your appliance.

(e.g., 266kw / 4kw/h = 66.5hr)

The total you will receive is an estimate, we can’t guarantee that it is correct, but this method can give you an idea for how long your cylinder will last.

How to Know How Much is Left in Your Bottle

While I was doing research on this topic, I came across many websites that said to weigh the gas cylinder then do a calculation to find out how much is left.

However, we suggest a much simpler way! You can purchase Magnetic Bottle Level Indicator’s or Gas Level Checker Pens from eBay and Amazon. Instead of having to pull a heavy cylinder onto a weighing scale, you can put the magnet or pen against your cylinder, and it will tell you how much gas you have remaining.

Does the product used affect the Gas?

Yes, the product you use will affect your gas usage. If you are using high pressure equipment on your gas cylinder, then you will use more gas because of the higher pressure but if you use low pressure equipment on your gas cylinder then you will not use as much gas.

 Low Pressure Equipment                            High Pressure Equipment 

Infa-Red Phoenix Cabinet Heater            Space Heaters

Infa-Red LPG Site Heater                        0-1Bar Adjustable Regulator

Bottle Clamp LPG Site Heater                 0-2Bar Adjustable Regulator

37mbar Screw-on Propane Regulator     0-4Bar Adjustable Regulator

27mm Clip-on Propane Regulator           1.5Bar Fixed Regulator

50mbar Screw-on Propane Regulator     High Pressure Hose & Reg Kit

Low Pressure Hose & Reg Kit                  Torch Kits

The usage of your gas cylinder all depends on the operating pressure on your gas equipment. If your equipment is operating on ‘mbar’ then you are using a low-pressure product but if your equipment is operating in ‘bar’ then you are using high pressure items.

Myths & Theories

There are many myths and theories about how to check how much gas your cylinder.

There is one myth that comes straight to mind, the myth is that a pressure gauge will help tell you how much gas is left in your cylinder. This product is designed to measure the pressure of gas in the bottle and NOT for measuring how much gas is left in your gas cylinder.

I am sure you have seen on google the water technique for checking how much gas is in your gas cylinder but does the below theory really work?

• Fill a jug with warm water.
• Pour the water down the side of your gas bottle.
• Wait 5 seconds.
• Feel your bottle for a temperature change.
• The part which is cold on your cylinder shows you how much gas you have left in your bottle.

This theory does work but it is not the best way of finding out how much gas you have left. This is a very fast-moving method where you must act fast for the water to show you how much gas you have left. Whereas you would purchase a Magnetic Bottle Level Indicator’s or Gas Level Checker Pens which will warn you when you are getting low and would give you a more accurate reading.