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Irrigation Guy
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# Posted: 15 Nov 2020 08:57am
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Now that my shed addition Is complete I can permanently pipe my direct vent “wood stove†and range. I was thinking of signing up with a company to lease a tank and have it delivered but then I thought about winter access and my steep driveway. Do you guys with propane haul your own tanks or have delivery?
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Brettny
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# Posted: 15 Nov 2020 09:07am
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Most lease tanks require a specific amount of fuel useing for a free rental. I would call all and any companies in the area and ask about this and how long there truck hose is.
They do sell 100lb tanks that can be filled right from the truck. I believe there called a multi valve, home depot has them for about $30-40 more per tank.
Have you calculated how long a specific tank size will last?
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paulz
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# Posted: 15 Nov 2020 09:24am
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Haul my own 40lb. tanks, couple times a year. I would suggest you haul your own until you get a good feel for it, if you don't already know.
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Irrigation Guy
Member
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# Posted: 15 Nov 2020 09:34am
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I figured that 120 gal tank would give me 30 days of running the stove 10 hours which is an over estimation, it never runs that long. 2 100 lb tanks would give me about half that. I suppose If I got a 120 gallon from a delivery service and as long as I had it filled before the snow falls I should be good for the winter with limited weekend use. I drain everything when I leave and turn off the heat
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Nobadays
Member
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# Posted: 15 Nov 2020 09:57am
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We have a rental 250 gallon tank. They charge us $60/yr. It is sufficient for us for a full year... fill in September/October and will last all year. We live up here about 9 months out of the year. Worth it to us - $5.00/month - not to have to manhandle propane cylinders.
We have a standard 40 gallon gas water heater, a DynaGlo ventless wall heater - this only gets used on very cold mornings for an hour or two while the woodstove is getting going, and a gas range.
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toyota_mdt_tech
Member
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# Posted: 15 Nov 2020 10:27am - Edited by: toyota_mdt_tech
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Buy the tank, dont rent it, rental, you are required to buy their propane. Get a large enough one to hold you through the winters, so no winter delivery, and you can buy propane when its cheaper.
Get an ASME tank, not a DOT, ASME do not require the periodic inspections. And ASME tanks can be buried with a riser to the fill access and better for a wildfire if one was to come around.
If your using those larger portable tanks, by law, they can not come and fill them with their truck. I imagine its some law that prohibits it.
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ICC
Member
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# Posted: 15 Nov 2020 11:50am
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Quoting: toyota_mdt_tech Buy the tank, dont rent it, Quoting: toyota_mdt_tech Get an ASME tank,
 
...and underground beats all. Maybe more of a concern here in the wildfire prone west but it even looks better. They use replaceable anode rods that prevent corrosion.
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 15 Nov 2020 03:15pm
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Irrigation guy how many Btu is your heater and what's the coldest temp you normaly see?
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 15 Nov 2020 04:10pm
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+ 1 on an ASME tank, the 12 yrs expiration on DOT tanks comes faster than you think then its recertification and each only good for 5 years thereafter. But that min. fill thing, either gallons or cost may bite you if you go too small. And you cant just 'run em out', you have to have a buffer amount left or you will likely get billed for checking everything after a fill (it, too, may be required).
A story for consideration:
Our house is only 940sq.ft., the two of us, gas furnace and cooking range, elec water heater. For about 30yrs we had a 500gal. leased tank, and the first 15yr or so went pretty well, the gas man was easy to get along with and the local co-op decent to deal with. Our 'agreement' had been they set the tank and run 50ish' of line and a house reg. as long as we 'buy from them'. It was pretty much a handshake deal. They were foing by all the time so whatever we wanted, keep filled or call in.
Then they sold out. Second co-op kept mostly the same terms, then they sold out. Things changed, now it was min. fill or pre-buy, etc. Problem was we are so energy efficient that when we would run low and need a refill was often in March (no price break then!) and by the reduced rate 'summer fill' we hadnt used enough to make the min. so it was the up-charge. They had us over a propane tank. Plus they surprised us with a tank lease fee. When I told them about our original agreement I was told show em the paperwork that said so....or no go. Btw, They finally ran a Nat. Gas pipeline run out front and we switched over about 2yrs ago; it was a good thing for us (Id waited 30ish years for it).
If I had bought my own tank Id have been able to change. If you buy get a bigger tank than you think you will need. Sometimes you can buy them used but make sure it will pass inspection, it would be a shame buy it, set it, run line and call somebody come to fill and they same "no can do".
Cabin wise: We have a DOT 50gal tank, an upright pig; if you think 100#ers may be hard to handle......It lasts a fair long time and a neighbor has a tractor and bucket so we can set it on the trailer to strap down.
100's ya gotta haul upright, it is awkward for many but they can be man-handled with some care.
30's and 40's are the reasonable compromise; enough more than the 20's to be worthwhile, most can handle then pretty decently without being overloaded and you can use the auto switchover RV 2 stage regulator setups (though Ive just swapped mine manually for so long it doesnt bother me).
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Irrigation Guy
Member
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# Posted: 15 Nov 2020 05:25pm
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Quoting: Brettny Irrigation guy how many Btu is your heater and what's the coldest temp you normaly see?
The heater is 28,000 plus the oven/range. The coldest it’s been when I was there was 2 degrees but only briefly. Usually the coldest is in the teens but usually not for too long. The cabin is positioned facing south with unobstructed sunlight for optimal solar gain. Last winter when I was there working the daytime temps were in the mid 20s, the heat kicked off at 8:00 am and didn’t turn back on until 3:30 pm
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 16 Nov 2020 06:49am
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A 40lb tank wont supply enough propane at 20*. Even a 100lb tank is only about 4days of 16hr days. @10hrs a day a 100lb tank would last about 7 days.
If you dont want to get a delivery in the winter I would look at a larger tank. Even two 100lb tanks may not be enough.
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Irrigation Guy
Member
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# Posted: 16 Nov 2020 07:34am
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Quoting: Brettny A 40lb tank wont supply enough propane at 20*. Even a 100lb tank is only about 4days of 16hr days. @10hrs a day a 100lb tank would last about 7 days. If you dont want to get a delivery in the winter I would look at a larger tank. Even two 100lb tanks may not be enough.
If I was going to get delivery service it would be 100 gallon tank minimum. If I was going to haul my self I would get 2 100lb tanks
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Champ7ac
Member
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# Posted: 16 Nov 2020 08:40pm
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We have already experienced some of the things that you are inquiring about.
I have installed a direct vent propane heater that has worked out great for us. I went through the struggles of trying to run it on 30lb tanks, but came to the realization that I needed at least a 100lb tank, when the temps got cold.
I've run into issues about the propane place being open, and staffed.
I have since purchased another 100lb tank, and I take them to a local Hardware store to get them filled once a season. They have the best hours, and the best price on propane. Win-Win!
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 17 Nov 2020 11:20am
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Think if I was going with 100#ers Id want three; ie, one for sure always in reserve. Murphy says things will go wrong/bad when it is the worst possible time.
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 17 Nov 2020 03:07pm
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This is the type of 100lb tank I was talking about. It allows you to pick if you want to get filled from a truck or bring in to get filled. I have one and didnt even realize what the difference was when I bought it. I bring in to get filled so it dosnt matter much to me.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Worthington-Pro-Grade-100-lb-Empty-Steel-Propane-Cylinder -with-Multi-Valve-327701/202936849
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 18 Nov 2020 09:34am
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My wife tells me she say on the news something about a propane shortage coming. Anyone heard such a thing?
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