How To Keep Propane Tank Warm In Winter

• #1

Moved to New England this year. I struggle to keep my propane tank from freezing in the cooler months.

Does anyone have any tricks to forestall this?

• #2

I get out mine in the garage all winter long. I live in upstate NY and the winters here tin can get very cold and I oasis't had any issues. I guess I have to enquire what is freezing ?

• #3

adamc said:

Moved to New England this yr. I struggle to proceed my propane tank from freezing in the cooler months.

Does anyone have whatever tricks to forbid this?

I take a large plastic tub that I fill up with hot water.

Hooking two tanks together is also supposed to piece of work well, but warm water was easier for me.

• #iv

It doesn't really need hot h2o to work fine, either.
Simply above freezing will work too.

• #6

motion information technology closer to the burner

• #seven

Wrap the wife's heating pad or electric blanket effectually the tank.

• #8

I've gotten in the habit of switching between ii tanks. First to oestrus strike water and the sparge water...then second for the boil. I've plant that even at 50 degrees a tank used by itself freezes with my setup.

• #nine

If you're not a slave to the tank exchange process and tin get local fills, information technology would be a good idea to go yourself a xl pound tank (or larger).

• #10

Bobby_M said:

If you're not a slave to the tank commutation process and can get local fills, information technology would be a expert thought to get yourself a 40 pound tank (or larger).

Don't hateful to high jack the thread, but with batch sparging a 5 gallon batch how much propane would the average batch consume?

• #11

MollyHatchet said:

Don't mean to high jack the thread, simply with batch sparging a five gallon batch how much propane would the average batch swallow?

I get about 4 batches with 1 tank. I'm using fourteen" 220k btu banjo burners.

• #12

Nosotros employ LP to heat our house in New England. In a very cold winter, the supply company will add a bit of methanol for antifreeze when they fill up the tanks. I am certain that the swap-bottles do not comprise methanol. If yous get them refilled somewhere they may have the ability to add it.

If I used propane, I would keep ii bottles, one inside the house, and swap every bit needed. Second selection would exist a warm h2o bath of no more than 100F so you do not exceed expected design temperatures.

• #xiii

I just had this happen to me while brewing last week, I put the tank in a tub of warm water and information technology was good for the rest of the brew.

• #fourteen

cadillacandy said:

I become about four batches with 1 tank. I'm using fourteen" 220k btu banjo burners.

Thank you!

• #15

4 batches?? How big are your boils???

I become 2

• #16

four batches?? How large are your boils???

I get ii

Usually 4-5 gallon. I become 2 10 gallon batches from ane tank.

If you're merely getting 2 5 gallon batches out of 20lbs of propane I'd be checking your air vents and wind screens. What kind of burner are you using? Not to highjack the thread...

• #17

"I leave mine in the garage all wintertime long. I live in upstate NY and the winters here can go very common cold and I oasis't had whatever problems. I approximate I have to ask what is freezing ?"

Brewers using 75-200K burners and doing a 60-90 minute eddy, using 20 pound cylinders in common cold weather. Detect that the cylinder ices up and pressure at the burner is decreased. It becomes worse, every bit the volume of liquid in the tank decreases. That'due south what the brewer ways, when saying that the tank is freezing. Keeping the tank warm helps with keeping the pressure up, when burning the fuel. It's a temperature/pressure level thing. Cheque a temperature/pressure correlation chart for propane. The chart may explain things better. Maybe, it is because that you're burners, humid time and boil volumes aren't the same every bit the brewers that experience the problem. Or, perhaps, you're cylinder contains magical space gas. That doesn't share the same characteristics of LP...

Nope no magical infinite gas here. I guess I've never experienced the above for mentioned weather. I general go out and run a heater to warm things up out in that location when I exercise actually brew in the winter, which this wintertime Im on the argue as to rather or non I volition be brewing this upward coming winter. I guess I will accept to practise at least one batch and leave at that place without first running a heater and run across what happens. I'm fortunate enough to have a friend who works at a gas & oxygen supply visitor and has "loaned" me a 100 lb tank and lines to run burners and heater. Just even so I still tend not to brew equally ofttimes equally I do the rest of the year, I guess I prefer to exist inside drinking information technology..

• #18

I eddy with a banjo burner and a keggle. Really i go 2 or iii.

I demand to enhance the burner up some obviously

• #xix

And i usually eddy over 60 mins. Then that explains a lot...

Like yesterday and today i boiled two hours.

• #twenty

adamc said:

And i usually boil over sixty mins. So that explains a lot...

Similar yesterday and today i boiled two hours.

I do either 60 or 90 min boils. I have about four" from burner to kettle. Plus a i/ii circular windscreen in the back and a plate on the front.

• #21

Painting the tanks black and keeping them in the dominicus has worked well for the states. Also an occasional splash from the waste product/heat water from the chiller. Once our tanks become low we swap them around every bit i freezes upwards.

• #22

How are some of you guys just getting two-3 batches out of a tank? I recorded from the start of a tank in one case and timed all my brews with it keeping the notes in my phone until it was empty. I got vi full brews in and I believe two of the boils were over hour. I call up 1 was 90 minutes and one was 75 minutes with the rest existence 60. I have a Blichmann burner and am doing 5 gallon batches (also a Blichmann 10G kettle).

Propane is pretty pricey, if I just got in 3 brews per tank at $25 a tank over here that would cost me $8.33 per brew instead of $iv.xvi.

Rev.

• #23

Rev2010 said:

How are yous guys only getting 2-4 batches out of a tank? I recorded from the start of a tank once and timed all my brews with it keeping the notes in my telephone until it was empty. I got half dozen full brews in and I believe two of the boils were over 60 minutes. I think one was ninety minutes and ane was 75 minutes with the balance being 60. I take a Blichmann burner and am doing five gallon batches (as well a Blichmann 10G kettle).

Propane is pretty pricey, if I only got in 3 brews per tank at $25 a tank over here that would cost me $8.33 per brew instead of $4.xvi.

Rev.

I well-nigh always do 90min boils for some reason. Gives me more fourth dimension to sit, relax and beverage beer. I'm running ii 220k btu banjo burners that probably could employ improve windscreens and I probably could adjust my air/gas mix a little amend. I get propane exchanges for $13 roughly, and then even with iv batches per tank it's merely about $three.25.

I've been meaning to counterbalance my tanks to run across how much I'thousand actually using per batch.

Cheers!

• #24

Aye like i said i normally boil 90 mins or more. There is a pretty big gap between the banjo burner and the keggle. Plus the banjo burners use a lot more propane than smaller burners. Never had a problem with freezing til i got the banjo.

More mass transfer equals more than freezing (gotta love thermodynamics!!)

• #26

Hijack tangent: At that place isn't a way to raise the burner closer to the pot is there? I'thou wondering if y'all can get too shut too. The burner has to take some degree of room to exhale. Mine is only factory gear up, only now y'all guys have me wondering.

• #27

My banjo burner has an air vent. Information technology pulls air through the manifold as it pulls propane. I programme on raising mine several inches and adding some better (and removable) windscreens.

And so in curt, it depends on your burner.

And your pot. I use SS keggles. It would be very hard to fire through SS. Simply an aluminum pot? Way easier i wait.

• #28

How are some of you guys only getting 2-3 batches out of a tank?Rev.

Longer boils and the apply of a keggle vs kettle mayhap?

I have a hunch that keggles are not the most efficient boiling vessels as they are heavy w/ a tiptop and lesser brim that also needs heating...just a guess?

Source: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/tricks-to-prevent-freezing-propane-tank.375858/

Share this post