Topic 'Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ' in forum 'Home Improvement' - dslreports.com

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 15:03:09 EDT

robbin posted :

Fulll capacity IS NOT 17 pounds. Since this is a "Check My Math" thread, do a little of math of your own. You have your own propane tanks. Look on the collar of the tank and find the ~~tare~~ W.C. for the tank. Then start calculating. You will find that no matter how you calculate it, 17 pounds is no where near 80% full.

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 09:53:03 EDT

mityfowl posted : Price aside.

Wouldn't you love the convenience of never having to swap tanks or going to the propane store for a refill (usually on the hottest, coldest or wettest day of the year)?

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 09:44:43 EDT

IowaCowboy posted :

said by cableties:

What about inflation of gas prices, or pricing of tank exchange services (like BlueRhino...which is less for me than buying a tank, taking it to filling place which charges more to fill than swapping)?

I purchased my propane tanks empty (one in 2009 at Lowe's and one in 2012 at Home Depot, both were $29.99)

The propane exchange places around here (such as Big Y, Home Depot, etc in Springfield, MA) get about $19 for an exchange or $49 for a filled tank without an exchange. And those places only fill it to 15 lbs instead of the full 17 lbs that the tank was designed to handle.

I can get my tank filled at BJ's (members only warehouse) for $13.49 to fill a 20 lb tank to it's full capacity of 17 lbs And BJ's uses a meter so you only pay for the amount of propane that is in your tank. So if you top off a half empty tank, you only pay for the the amount of propane that you purchase. With the exchange programs, you don't get credit for propane that is left in the tank.

The rule of thumb when it comes to running out of propane is you run out of propane in the middle of a big neighborhood get-together.

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 20:40:00 EDT

SwedishRider posted : Here's a great link that lists the propane dealers in a given area depending on services needed:

»usepropane.com/fpr.aspx

It's a great tool to help with price comparisons for propane (and help find the widest variety of dealers possible to help keep prices in check).

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 19:46:29 EDT

macsierra posted :

said by 49528867:

Now propane exchanges do provide a useful service, they are a great place to dump out of date non-ODP tanks in exchange for in-date OPD equipped partially filled tanks. ;-)

Wayne

Thanks.. You have me thinking now!
--
Hey There, Voter! Do you remember that on Inauguration Day (Jan 20th) 2009, the national average for a gallon of gasoline was about $1.78? How's that "Hope & Change" working out for you? Anyone But Obama Nov. 2012.

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 19:39:45 EDT

Jack_in_VA posted :

said by 49528867:

said by Jack_in_VA:

If it rusts on the inside than some can break off and contaminate equipment downstream like a generater.

It's not going to rust in the inside as propane (the atmosphere within the pipe) is not an oxidizer.

Wayne

The gas co installer could have installed something like this and eliminated the unsightly rust problem.

»ep.yimg.com/ca/I/fittingsandadap···44426359

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 18:45:40 EDT

49528867 posted :

said by Jack_in_VA:

If it rusts on the inside than some can break off and contaminate equipment downstream like a generater.

It's not going to rust in the inside as propane (the atmosphere within the pipe) is not an oxidizer.

Wayne
--
Madness takes its toll, please have exact change ready�

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 18:42:59 EDT

49528867 posted :

said by robbin:

They do or they should although OPD valves can stick and are not a reliable way to fill a tank to capacity.

OPD’s have two common problems, the dangerous one is if the valve has been used repeatability as a re-fill shutoff it may begin bleeding allowing an un-weighted tank to be capped out with the operator shutting the fill down upon noticing (hearing) the pump going into bypass, and if not resolved this sends the customer on his way with a 100% filled tank, which if you will pardon the pun is not too cool as once that liquid warms up the over pressure valve begins venting.

The other problem with OPD’s is shutting down a fill before the tank is to capacity leaving the owner with two decisions, use the less than full refill and return the tank for another one or just put up with a pound or so loss.

Wayne
--
Madness takes its toll, please have exact change ready…

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 18:28:04 EDT

49528867 posted :

said by robbin:

Can you find anything to back up their claim that 17 pounds is the correct fill for "safety reasons and laws"?

It's purely economic as NFPA 58 allows a 20 pound cylinder to be filled with 20 pounds of propane.

Down here if I take my tank to an AmeriGas filling location and am serviced by a guy who has a clue, he will fill the cylinder with 20 pounds of propane, if he understands to add 4 or 5 pounds to the total weight needed to compensate for the weight of the filling valve. Conversely if I exchange my cylinder at an AmeriGas exchange location I will get a tank back with 15 pounds of propane in it.

With exchange you are getting easy propane based on a per tank price and depending on local propane prices that can be quite a rip…

Now propane exchanges do provide a useful service, they are a great place to dump out of date non-ODP tanks in exchange for in-date OPD equipped partially filled tanks. ;-)

Wayne
--
Madness takes its toll, please have exact change ready�

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 15:20:10 EDT

robbin posted :

said by wth:

said by LazMan:

said by wth:

As for refilling a propane tank, I get mine refilled for $14.88 AND that's for 20 lbs of propane. You may want to check with your refiller or exchanger as some places are only putting in 16-18 lbs in the tank to increase profits.

That's the law, actually... Not allowed to fill past 80% by volume, as to allow expansion and vaporization room... 18# would actually be overfilled on a 20# cylinder in most circumstances.

I just assumed that even with the current specs for 20# tanks (the ones with a float valve in them) would still allow a legal 20lb fill.

They do or they should although OPD valves can stick and are not a reliable way to fill a tank to capacity.

"By the way, if your tank has an OPD or Overfill Protection Device, do not let your propane supplier convince you that the tank need not be weighed simply because it is full when the valve closes. This isn't necessarily true! These valves are notoriously unrepeatable and you will have no idea how much propane is actually in the tank. While the tank is full in that no more propane can be placed into it, it doesn't mean that you have received the maximum amount of propane that the tank was designed to hold (i.e. 42% of WC). Make them weigh the tank before AND after the fill."

As noted in the above quote, the correct way to calculate tank capacity is based on the WC number stamped on the tank. That number is how much water the tank holds in pounds.

"To fill the tank properly, the dealer must calculate the maximum safe fill from the Water Content (WC) value stamped on the tank. The maximum amount of propane that can be placed in the tank is 42% of the WC value. This ensures adequate room for the propane in the tank to expand safely. The empty (tare) weight of the tank is also stamped on the the collar and allows the dealer to calculate a full or gross tank weight."

As an example, I have a 20 lb cylinder that has a tare of 17.0 and a WC of 47.6. Multiplying the WC of 47.6 by 42% gives me a propane capacity of 19.992 lbs. Adding the tare of 17 shows that my tank should weigh 36.992 lbs when filled to safe capacity.

Above quotes taken from this webpage.

Alternately, the propane company uses a propane cylinder filling chart as shown below.

[att=1]

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 14:16:06 EDT

SwedishRider posted : As a sidenote, I literally just got off the phone pricing propane from the three companies that supply propane for a customer owned 500 gallon propane tank in my delivery area, and here's the breakdown:

Amerigas: $2.299/gal as a first fill-up price only... then who knows...

Osterman Propane: $1.999/gal

Northeast Propane: $1.619/gal (including discount of 10 cents per gallon for payment within 10 days)

$1.61 is the lowest I've ever paid for propane... like I said, propane pricing in unreal at times... both to the upside and the downside. Northeast's price comes out to ~53,737btu/$

Needless to say, I'm expecting a top off from Northeast soon. :D

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 11:45:27 EDT

SwedishRider posted :

said by Jack_in_VA:

Why didn't you use a Brass or Stainless coupling? You already have rust (or what appears to be rust). If it rusts on the inside than some can break off and contaminate equipment downstream like a generater. Personally if it were me I would change it out. It is a good installation and very handy.

Thanks. :) The local propane company did the work and it was inspected by the AHJ. I don't think code requires stainless or brass, just black iron, but I'm not sure. Guess they could have used those materials, but didn't. So far, I've had no problems.

It is a great convenience to have propane always ready for grilling and generator use... and the ability to do both at the same time will be awesome if I want to cook but don't want to heat up the house and still provide power while cooking. :D

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 10:29:42 EDT

Jack_in_VA posted : Why didn't you use a Brass or Stainless coupling? You already have rust (or what appears to be rust). If it rusts on the inside than some can break off and contaminate equipment downstream like a generater. Personally if it were me I would change it out. It is a good installation and very handy.

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 10:19:23 EDT

SwedishRider posted : I just expanded my deck to over double what it was and had another grill quick disconnect box added (inside the deck space). That way, I can plug in my portable generator and gas grill and use both at the same time. It's also easier as I can simply use the shutoff in the grill box inside the deck rather than having to walk around the deck to shut it on and off for use. Plus there's a shutoff right on the regulator to shut off propane to the entire deck.

Very nice convenience! :D

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 09:52:28 EDT

wth posted :

said by LazMan:

said by wth:

That's the law, actually... Not allowed to fill past 80% by volume, as to allow expansion and vaporization room... 18# would actually be overfilled on a 20# cylinder in most circumstances.

I just assumed that even with the current specs for 20# tanks (the ones with a float valve in them) would still allow a legal 20lb fill.

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 09:36:38 EDT

alkizmo posted :

said by cdru:

The final $/BTU difference would be the only thing that matters and the OP has essentially already done that with his original calculations (even though his conversion rates are slightly off).

Correct.
I corrected the original post with more accurate numbers in terms of BTU per propane tank so the subject doesn`t come up anymore.
The difference is still substantial at 12$ more for propane per refill.

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 09:09:24 EDT

cdru posted :

said by cableties:

Perhaps stay with propane. It has double the BTU than NG which means you'll use more NG to heat/cook than Pp.

By the same logic, kerosene, gasoline, diesel, or fuel oil would all be better choices because all have higher energy content per gallon then propane.

If you are paying the same amount per unit of measure between the two, then your argument would make some sense. But since you're paying for different amounts for different units of measure between the two, BTU content is fairly irrelevant. And it's not like cooking time gets adjusted whether you're using natural gas or propane.

The final $/BTU difference would be the only thing that matters and the OP has essentially already done that with his original calculations (even though his conversion rates are slightly off).

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 08:37:04 EDT

SwedishRider posted :

said by Jack_in_VA:

I have my tanks manually filled and he puts 17 pounds in them. It might be different at another location that fills tanks.

I had a 20# propane cylinder filled often some time ago (before I had built with a house propane grill hookup), and they didn't use a scale at all. The guy at the local filling station opened a bleed screw and when liquid propane started spitting out he stopped filling it. I have no idea how much propane the tank actually had in it.

Thankfully, nothing bad came from it.. but I'm guessing that wasn't the right way to fill it.. :uhh:

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 07:19:35 EDT

Jack_in_VA posted :

said by robbin:

said by Jack_in_VA:

Note that the tanks were being only filled to 17 lbs to start with for safety reasons and laws.

Can you find anything to back up their claim that 17 pounds is the correct fill for "safety reasons and laws"?

The statement from Amerigas approved by the judge detailing the standard practice since around 2000 that 17 gal was the safe fill. See image I posted earlier. I'm sure if you need more info you can Google it.

I have my tanks manually filled and he puts 17 pounds (~4 gal) in them for $20 ($5/gal). Propane is expensive here. It might be different at another location that fills tanks.

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 06:49:37 EDT

alkizmo posted :

said by robbin:

Nice thing about the 100 lb tanks is they aren't required to have an OPD valve.

haha except you have to transport 100lbs + tank weight :p
Plus what's the downside to OPD?

It's true though, a 20lbs tank is designed to actually hold 20lbs of propane while still being at the 80% capacity limit. OPD has no impact on that.

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 22:04:25 EDT

robbin posted :

said by Jack_in_VA:

Note that the tanks were being only filled to 17 lbs to start with for safety reasons and laws.

Can you find anything to back up their claim that 17 pounds is the correct fill for "safety reasons and laws"?

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 20:52:10 EDT

SwedishRider posted :

said by macsierra:

I was referring to the 80% rule. Agreed, weight is much more accurate and 15 lbs is 3.19 gallons liquid. Wow, at $20 that's over 6 dollars a gallon..

That's about 3X what I currently pay. Propane pricing is just ridiculous sometimes..

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 20:03:54 EDT

Jack_in_VA posted :

said by fifty nine:

With tank exchange it has nothing to do with OPD. Ferrellgas (blue rhino) and others are putting 15lb in the tank now and charging the same price. They said flat out that it is because of pricing pressure.

Correct I have a customer statement from Americagas who was sued for shorting the weight. Note that the tanks were being only filled to 17 lbs to start with for safety reasons and laws.

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 16:41:52 EDT

IowaCowboy posted : I own two propane tanks (one purchased at Lowe's and the other purchased at Home Depot and both were purchased empty) and I have them filled at BJ's (which is a members only warehouse club) and I get member pricing on propane. It costs $13.49 to fill an empty 20 lb tank and they charge per gallon. Much cheaper than using an exchange service that only fills them to 15 lbs instead of the 17 1/2 lbs that they are designed to hold and they don't give you credit for fuel left in the tank. I think the business model used by propane exchanges is kind of deceptive myself. As for the NG, I don't have a choice as I don't have a gas line coming into the rental house I live in and I am not going to spend that kind of money upgrading a property I don't own to natural gas. At Grandma's house in Maine, NG is not even available (although I wish it was because it is much cheaper than heating oil).

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 16:41:29 EDT

robbin posted :

said by macsierra:

said by fifty nine:

said by macsierra:

[
It's kinda out of our hands with the advent of OPD valves. They are engineered to close the fill valve at 80% liquid by use of a float arm.

I was referring to the 80% rule. Agreed, weight is much more accurate and 15 lbs is 3.19 gallons liquid. Wow, at $20 that's over 6 dollars a gallon..

A 20 lb tank holds 20 lbs at 80% full. Forget the exchange ripoffs and go to a propane company to have your tank refilled. I don't remember the price offhand for the smaller cylinders but a month or so ago I had a 100 lb tank refilled and it was $74. Nice thing about the 100 lb tanks is they aren't required to have an OPD valve.

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 15:30:44 EDT

macsierra posted :

said by fifty nine:

said by macsierra:

[
It's kinda out of our hands with the advent of OPD valves. They are engineered to close the fill valve at 80% liquid by use of a float arm.

I was referring to the 80% rule. Agreed, weight is much more accurate and 15 lbs is 3.19 gallons liquid. Wow, at $20 that's over 6 dollars a gallon..
--
Hey There, Voter! Do you remember that on Inauguration Day (Jan 20th) 2009, the national average for a gallon of gasoline was about $1.78? How's that "Hope & Change" working out for you? Anyone But Obama Nov. 2012.

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 13:21:50 EDT

cableties posted : May I?

Perhaps stay with propane. It has double the BTU than NG which means you'll use more NG to heat/cook than Pp.

What about inflation of gas prices, or pricing of tank exchange services (like BlueRhino...which is less for me than buying a tank, taking it to filling place which charges more to fill than swapping)? You'll need to get a new grill (not all propane grills are swappable or available for NG...and those that are NG are usually more $.. E-330 Weber NG is $20 more than the PP version... and line/prices scale up).

Now, you might consider a home (external 75-250gallon) propane tank versus portable with a hookup for outside grill. That way you can get filled once a year, heck even have kitchen range and H/W heater off it. Again, that option if Pp gas is cheaper. But watch out, if you rent the tank, you will pay the filler's price. If you buy a tank, you can shop around for best price for filler to visit. And I think summer Pp prices are less than winter...

Unless you are a pro-chef that caters outside, or have lots of cookouts, you'll have to weigh (pun) the cost of the fuel, the cost of equipment (change for NG over Pp), and value (BTU, inflation of fuel prices...)

Good luck! I was going to do NG for my house (since everything else in it is) but then, I use only 2 tanks/annually, 3 if parties... YMMV...
--
Splat

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 13:16:10 EDT

alkizmo posted :

said by mityfowl:

That gas line for the range will run you a pretty penny.

Why? Because they need a new bigger line from the meter?
At least my meter is in the basement under the kitchen, about 15 feet from under the range.

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 13:04:02 EDT

dennismurphy posted :

said by fifty nine:

Correct; they're all doing it now. It's now at least $20 for 15lbs of propane here.

Since I moved into a house with NG service, I'm done with propane... NG for everything. It's wonderful.

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 12:53:03 EDT

mityfowl posted : That gas line for the range will run you a pretty penny.

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 11:54:06 EDT

fifty nine posted :

said by macsierra:

[
It's kinda out of our hands with the advent of OPD valves. They are engineered to close the fill valve at 80% liquid by use of a float arm.

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 10:53:09 EDT

macsierra posted :

said by wth:

It's kinda out of our hands with the advent of OPD valves. They are engineered to close the fill valve at 80% liquid by use of a float arm.

At Costco yesterday they had 20 pound OPD bottles for $27 brand new in the wrapper. Hard to believe they can manufacture bottles for that in this age.. The 5 year hydro test is almost more than a new bottle.

I'm lucky enough to have NG out front so that's what I use on the grill now..
--
Hey There, Voter! Do you remember that on Inauguration Day (Jan 20th) 2009, the national average for a gallon of gasoline was about $1.78? How's that "Hope & Change" working out for you? Anyone But Obama Nov. 2012.

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 10:47:29 EDT

alkizmo posted :

said by ke4pym:

When I had my tankless water heater installed, I opted to let them run a line to my grill. Have yet to regret it.

Took about 10 minutes to swap out the guts so it could run on NG and that was that.

Yeah maybe I'll do two birds in one stone. Or three birds in one stone.

There is a NG fireplace in my basement which I need to temporarely disconnect for my renovation. I "think" I can do it myself, but the flexible line looks very very old. It's some sort of ribbed metallic line which I fear may crack by disconnecting the fire place from it.

There's also the fact that I'd like the option of installing a natural gas line behind my oven/range for the future.

If I get all these things done/fixed in the same visit, it would save me a penny.

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 10:35:34 EDT

alkizmo posted : Ok at 445,000 BTU, it would cost me 6.01$ (rounded) in natural gas.

Instead of being 13.28$ cheaper than propane, it is 11.99$ cheaper than propane.

It doesn't change much my amortization, but who knows, I'll see what the Gas company says :p

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 10:11:53 EDT

cowboyro posted : 1. Your math is off. You can't convert gallons into CF without specifying pressure. Gases are compressible...
That being said it's 91500BTU/gal which at 4.11lbs/gal translates into 445,000BTU for 20lbs.
2. Look into a tank scale.
»www.herringtoncatalog.com/y391.html
My grill has a built-in scale (the hanging type).

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 09:52:20 EDT

ke4pym posted : When I had my tankless water heater installed, I opted to let them run a line to my grill. Have yet to regret it.

Took about 10 minutes to swap out the guts so it could run on NG and that was that.

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 09:42:59 EDT

Draiman posted : You can get spare tanks free on Craigslist. I got someone to drive to my house and drop off 3 newer empty tanks. We only use 2 a year tops but eventually the wife wants an outside heater so we'll have more use for tanks then.

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 09:34:05 EDT

alkizmo posted : I'll send an client request to my gaz company just so they recommend a contractor (Or offer it to do it themselves) and get an estimate.

I'm just throwing numbers here and even if I'm willing to amortize over several years, I don't know yet how much it would really cost me and thus how many years.

Anyway my wife just re-arranged the deck layout so she wants me to move the grill somewhere else. I'll need to get her to be 100% sure it won't change before I get a NG line installed.

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 09:26:19 EDT

LazMan posted :

said by wth:

That's the law, actually... Not allowed to fill past 80% by volume, as to allow expansion and vaporization room... 18# would actually be overfilled on a 20# cylinder in most circumstances.

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 09:19:09 EDT

wth posted : As for refilling a propane tank, I get mine refilled for $14.88 AND that's for 20 lbs of propane. You may want to check with your refiller or exchanger as some places are only putting in 16-18 lbs in the tank to increase profits.

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 09:04:25 EDT

cdru posted :

said by alkizmo:

By my calculations, it would take me a couple of years to amortize the cost of installing a NG line for my BBQ, even if I'd empty 12 tanks a year.

You're numbers are off slightly (at least by US tank filling standards) but close enough that the amortization doesn't make switching economically the best choice in the short term. It's more about convenience or aesthetics.

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 08:26:54 EDT

AVD posted :

said by Viper:

I am a charcoal guy, by the time I am done eating, cleaning, I am hungry again :D

said by alkizmo:

I'm so tired of cleaning dishes at home. I'd hate BBQ if I have to clean it as well.

Ever heard of the invention called 'dishwasher'? (just kidding) :p

yes, I married one (actually two, but upgraded to a newer model after a while)
--
--Standard disclaimers apply.--
The preceding posting is null and void in Arizona and any other jurisdiction where prohibited by law.

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 08:15:55 EDT

telco_mtl posted :

said by Viper:

said by gordom:

that's woman's work (sorry, couldn't help my self)

but really, you can also run other things with the propane tank (heater, smoker, ect..) as well as take it camping

I go for the taste. You cant beat the taste of charcoal BBQ. :D

i second you on that, i have my propane grill for the winter when its just too darn cold to spend an hour getting the coals going, but once march rolls around. and none of this kingsford sawdust stuff either, im a lump charcoal guy!

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 08:14:06 EDT

telco_mtl posted :

said by Mr Matt:

Do not forget the cost of replacement tanks. If you have your own tank refilled you have to remember that DOT propane tanks must be hydro tested every 5 years or replaced. If you use a distributor that uses an exchange program that is not normally an issue. But many distributors with an exchange program require that you purchase the tank you exchange, from them.

what i do ;) when i have a tank about to expire i go to the tank swap propane places and get a new one hehe

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 07:58:20 EDT

dennismurphy posted :

said by alkizmo:

A second tank only costs 25$
Never run out again (Unless you forgot to always keep the backup one full).

Well, that's the thing - you have to be very diligent and not forget to swap the empty after a party or whathaveyou.

I've also had tanks with bum valves - that's no fun either.

... AND, you need a decent location to store that second tank - not close to the house, but out of the elements. I used to use my shed, which was great, unless it snowed - then I had to trudge through snow drifts to get it.

I'll take the NG convenience, amortization be damned! Time is money, and saving me the trouble of dealing with tanks is worth it to me.

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 07:33:09 EDT

alkizmo posted :

said by SwedishRider:

Yeah, Quebec sucks in terms of construction costs.

said by dennismurphy:

A second tank only costs 25$
Never run out again (Unless you forgot to always keep the backup one full).

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 22:48:37 EDT

dennismurphy posted :

said by alkizmo:

By my calculations, it would take me a couple of years to amortize the cost of installing a NG line for my BBQ, even if I'd empty 12 tanks a year.

The first time you're grilling those nice, expensive prime ribeye steaks you bought at Costco, and run out of propane halfway through grilling ...

... only to find that the propane place is closed early on Sundays ...

... leaving you with half-cooked, nice, expensive steaks that are now going to taste like crud after you finish them on the stovetop or in the oven ...

... you'll forget all about your amortization table and swear up and down about why you didn't hook the grill up to NG!

(not that the above situation's ever happened to me, nuh uh ....)

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 22:26:42 EDT

prairiesky posted : a handheld scale is pretty easy

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 18:39:20 EDT

scooper posted : When we got the propane put in, the wife surprised me (pleasantly so) by having the propane company put in a line for my propane grill. There is nothing like the convience of never running out of gas while grilling :D

Re: Check my math - Propane vs. NG cost comparison for BBQ

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 17:33:57 EDT

SwedishRider posted :

said by alkizmo:

said by DiskDrive:

I had a relatively easy run from a line in my basement. It was so simple, the guy only charged me $35 on top of the delivery and setup of my NG BBQ.

Yeah well here, they're anal about anything gas/electric.

I just found a provincial consumer magazine article about setup cost for gas appliances and were talking about 600$-800$ hookup for a NG range (And they said BBQ would be similar).

That's ridiculous! I have a propane quick disconnect on my deck that services both my grill and portable generator (though I've expanded my deck and I'm not sure the hose will reach anymore).

But it was about $75 for the quick disconnect box and maybe another $75 for the labor. I already had a T-fitting on my regulator pipe after the regulator, so no major overhaul to install it.

It's an awesome convenience, and saves me a lot of money. If you figure about 4 gallons of propane in a 20# container and about $20ish dollars to do a tank exchange, that's about 5 bucks a gallon.

My last propane fillup price was $2.12/gal. The math works, and the convenience is priceless. :D