propane consumption

[Squatch]

About a year ago I had both my 10 lb propane bottles in my Eagle topped off. Since then only one has been hooked up to the camper. I've probably spent 30-40 nights in the camper since then. making coffee in the am occasional cooking. And using the furnace mainly before bed and in the morning for a couple of cycles to warm the camper up. I have a compressor fridge.

Earlier in the year I bought a Little Red Campfire propane fire. Up until a couple of nights ago I hadn't used it. So I decided to set it up and ran it for 9-10 hours over the last couple of evenings at a moderately low flame. This was done on the full 10 lb tank.

Today I had both tanks topped off.

Between both tanks I used a touch over 5lbs of gas. About 4 lbs for 2 nights with the campfire. This tells me 1 tank will cover the LRC for 4 or 5 nights unless I really crank it up.

The tank that fueled the camper took just a little over 1 lb for a year of my usage.

Total cost to fill both tanks was just under $3 at the local tool rental place.

I think unless I'm using the LRC i can leave one tank at home safely and save some weight.

 

[Roaming_Eagle]

Wow, impressive. Just found a leak in my lines yesterday after wondering why a tank only lasted 2 weeks. Luckily I didn't blow myself up!

 

[NorCalSteve]

Something you might consider is getting a adapter to allow the green 1lb propane bottles to be connected to the camper propane line. Then, keep one small bottle of propane with you for any emergency. I do carry both propane tanks and have never needed to use the small propane tank but it is there if needed.

Steve

 

[Smokecreek1]

Yep those tanks seem to last a long time; for years I had only one tank in my 05 Granby and bought another when I started to do longer back country trips. My general rule of thumb is , I bring an extra tank if I plan to be gone over a week or are going into some place that I don't know well (especially in mud country and in the winter) and could get stuck-better safe than sorry ! I've always amazed how long these tanks last-even when I had an older 3 and 1 gas frig and had no solar like now! Now I have also a compression frig, a Wave 3 heater, plus a hot water heater and a regular stove top and have no problems.


Smoke

 

[Squatch]

I have one of those steak savers. Chances are it will never get used. Mainly because I have no other reason to carry a small propane bottle. My camp stove is ISO- Butane. I don't use anything propane other than what's mounted in the truck.

I have a really nice used twice Coleman 2 burner propane stove. it's 35+ years old and the O rings and gaskets are no longer available. They dried up because I never used the stove.

Even if I were to run out of propane I still have my backpacker/camp stove in the kitchen kit!

At present usage that would take several years!

 

[idahoron]

I don't have a furnace in my Hawk. I ordered it without one because every camper I have had with a furnace ended up with a dead battery after the first night. Anyway, I use a Buddy Heater in my camper. I seem to use about 2 pounds in 24 hours. I have a 40 pound tank I carry when I am hunting. The temps are always colder and the time used is always longer. I use the 10 pound tanks just for cooking and refrigerator when I am hunting.
My fridge and stove only used a pound on my last 10 day trip. My 40 pound used 19 pounds. To be fair I spent a lot more time in the camper this trip.

 

[Dphillip]

Very coincidental topic for me. Last week my wife and I got caught in a snow storm in Salida Colorado and had to camp at a local campground for two nights and one day. One of the nights the temp dropped to 18 degrees and I was positive the propane tank was going to run dry in the middle of the night. We kept the thermostat set in our Hawk at 55 which was way to low for the wife but was necessary in my opinion to conserve propane. The propane never ran out and as soon as we got back on the road we stopped to have the tank filled. It took all of one gallon! I was shocked that heater came on every 15 minutes for two full nights and a day. Of course, I sure heard it from the wife on keeping the thermostat so low.

 

[Bill D]

Very coincidental topic for me. Last week my wife and I got caught in a snow storm in Salida Colorado and had to camp at a local campground for two nights and one day. One of the nights the temp dropped to 18 degrees and I was positive the propane tank was going to run dry in the middle of the night. We kept the thermostat set in our Hawk at 55 which was way to low for the wife but was necessary in my opinion to conserve propane. The propane never ran out and as soon as we got back on the road we stopped to have the tank filled. It took all of one gallon! I was shocked that heater came on every 15 minutes for two full nights and a day. Of course, I sure heard it from the wife on keeping the thermostat so low.

On behalf of all cold wives.... shame on you

Living in Canada and winter camping I use the propane furnace all the time the GF absolutely loves it. I can safely say it's the reason we camp all the time and all year long. I find it to be very efficient even at -20C / -4F

 

[craig333]

35 year old coleman stove? You haven't looked hard enough. Parts are still available it maybe not through a coleman dealer.

Its not just the wives. My dog doesn't appreciate sleeping in anything much below freezing either.

 

[cwdtmmrs]

I have a Wave 3 heater that I run with 1lb cylinders and they last almost exactly 8 hours on high. I warm up the camper on the forced air furnace and then switch to the wave to save electricity.

cwd

 

[Squatch]

35 year old coleman stove? You haven't looked hard enough. Parts are still available it maybe not through a coleman dealer.

Its not just the wives. My dog doesn't appreciate sleeping in anything much below freezing either.

It has weird seals. I think very short model run. Last I looked it was one of the few that don't have replacement parts.

Not really an issue. I don't use it!

 

[smlobx]

When we ordered our Hallmark in the spring of '16 we spec' two 15 # tanks as we have run out of propane in rental rv's we've used and going more off-road we didn't want that to be an issue.
So far we're still on the first tank and have about 30 nights in the camper! The 2 way fridge must really make a difference!