89 Lazy Daze, 10 gallon propane, how long does it last?

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89 Lazy Daze, 10 gallon propane, how long does it last?

August 15, 2019, 12:19:51 pm

I only use my propane for the water heater when I take a shower. If you take one hot shower a day how long will the tank last? I have a 10 gallon tank.

Re: 89 Lazy Daze, 10 gallon propane, how long does it last?

Reply #1 – August 15, 2019, 12:31:58 pm

I assume you always have shorepower, so the fridge is not an issue. Your 10g tank is actually only about 8g full. If you have a pilot light and take a shower once a day, you may be able to turn to pilot only after initial warm-up, and it will be ready on day 2 for the next one. That won't work for successive showers. If you have no pilot and turn on just for showers, heating just until warm enough will save propane. If you turn it on and leave it on, you will use considerably more propane. So, lots of variables, so suggest you do your own tests reflecting the way YOU use the water heater.

Steve

Re: 89 Lazy Daze, 10 gallon propane, how long does it last?

Reply #2 – August 15, 2019, 12:36:35 pm

Jacob, this is not answerable because the unknown is how long the water heater will actually run to heat water to your specs.

You don't use your stove or run your refrigerator on propane? Neither of these uses much propane; even if the burner on the refrigerator is running constantly (and it doesn't; the burner only comes on when the refrigerator "calls" for cold!), the refrigerator uses about a pound of LPG in about 14 hours.

By far, the biggest "sucker" of LPG and 12V battery power is the furnace.

Re: 89 Lazy Daze, 10 gallon propane, how long does it last?

Reply #3 – August 15, 2019, 01:22:48 pm

My 96 has 10 gallon tank.
I use propane for everything, propane usually lasts about 28 days, a little more or less
depending on conditions. I am frugal with my water heater and hardly use the furnace at all if possible.
When refilling, I usually get about 7.5 gallons.

Re: 89 Lazy Daze, 10 gallon propane, how long does it last?

Reply #4 – August 15, 2019, 02:04:41 pm

"I only use my propane for the water heater when I take a shower. If you take one hot shower a day how long will the tank last? I have a 10 gallon tank."

How long any given quantity of any given commodity will last any given person is . . . well, not really discernible. I really cannot tell you how long even our own tank lasts because I've never found it useful to keep track. Whatever amount of propane was needed at any given time seemed to coincide sufficiently with the opportunity to replenish the tank, so apart from broad monitoring, we just used the propane as we wished.

Propane is so ubiquitously available that the need to closely monitor and ration the use of it just didn't seem to provide any improvement over just using what we required at the time, and getting more when the monitor light told us we were in need.

We have had a variety of capacities on our RV propane tanks - from a two-gallon unit on our Sportsmobile, two different Lazy Daze tanks (10 and 17), to a ~35-gallon unit on our 40-foot DP fulltimer's rig. It all amounted to the same thing. When we were close to being out, we just pulled in to a gas station that sells propane, or a designated propane sales place. It was not unusual to have propane available at a campground, and we frequently found mobile delivery units that were super handy! They would charge an extra couple of bucks, but using fuel to get to a propane place of business and back also incurred an expense, so it was not really a factor in the cost of the propane itself.

There are multiple ways these days to find a place to purchase propane by using any number of apps on a hand-held device, or asking the ubiquitous Google for the answer. Check out "mobile delivery" for a nice treat if you don't feel like moving, or an appropriate place is not handy.

The calculating of just how much any given tank of propane would last seemed to be disproportionately onerous as opposed to just getting the value of the commodity when needed and refilling as needed. The cost of refilling can be significant if prices are really high, and thus conservation methods might be in order, but as it stands now, it appears that propane is about $2.50 a gallon. Surprisingly, this is about the same price I recall paying in the mid-00's when we were fulltiming.

History buffs may get a chuckle out of this chart.

https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/hist/LeafHandler.ashx?n=PET&s=W_EPLLPA_PRS_NUS_DPG&f=W

Virtual hugs,

Judie

Re: 89 Lazy Daze, 10 gallon propane, how long does it last?

Reply #5 – August 15, 2019, 06:11:01 pm

Quote from: Jota - August 15, 2019, 01:22:48 pm

My 96 has 10 gallon tank.
I use propane for everything, propane usually lasts about 28 days, a little more or less

Filling up a few weeks ago, the LD took seven gallons, after four weeks of continuous use.
A good starting figure is two gallons a week, in the warm season, for the refrigerator, cooking, water heating and some space heating, with the furnace or catalytic heater. Add a gallon or more a week for cold weather. Usage can quadruple in very cold conditions, a good reason to find electrical hookups or head south.
Some folks get by on a lot less, other a lot more, depends on how space heating and hot water is desired.

Larry

Re: 89 Lazy Daze, 10 gallon propane, how long does it last?

Reply #6 – August 15, 2019, 10:50:56 pm

Quote from: jacobjm - August 15, 2019, 12:19:51 pm

I only use my propane for the water heater when I take a shower. If you take one hot shower a day how long will the tank last? I have a 10 gallon tank.

Why don't you just monitor your propane gauges, both interior and exterior, and when they get low, fill your tank and you will then have your answer. Propane usage is very personal to the user as others have said.

Chris

Re: 89 Lazy Daze, 10 gallon propane, how long does it last?

Reply #7 – August 18, 2019, 12:30:57 am

Jacob, you got a lot of it depends answers, cause it does depend on how you use it.
To give a ballpark, we seem to use more propane when we do a cooking sessions (we do batch cooking), then to heat the hot water (we heat it then turn it back off).
It takes more propane (and time) to heat in the winter (water starts colder), then summer (water starts warmer).
We typically run our fridge, water heater, and cooktop (one batch cooking session, 2-3 smaller cooking session) on propane.
We get between 4-8 weeks use out of it, mostly depending how much we cook and what time of year it is.

We don't have a tank with a float in it that tells how much is left (when it was replaced, the previous owner choose the cheaper tank with no float). So to tell how much propane is left, we use:
Mopeka Propane-Indicator
Our tank (same size as yours, removable from the LD) has a very rounded bottom.
We got some funky readings and were told do not duct tape it on (can affect how it sits) AND
make sure you put some dialtectic grease on it (comes with the Mopeka) - a pea size drop, lean towards too much, not too little as our first try was about 1/2 a pea size and after one tank fill we got off readings. Tech support offered to replace the gauge and gave us the tips which fixed the problem.
You can also get funky readings if not level, traveling (sloshing liquid), or when it gets below 10% full.
Get the Mopeka ring for the removable tank - it works much better than the tabs (which fall off). While we likely just barely fit without any support to lift the tank a touch, we have better clearance and are for sure not putting pressure on the gauge with the ring.

We tried this Dometic LP Gas checker pen out for about 6 months. But the readings are spotty, so you have to try a few times and take the answer that showed the most .

And of course the best method is to take the tank out and weight it (when you know the empty and full weights), that way was to much bother for us.

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Re: 89 Lazy Daze, 10 gallon propane, how long does it last?

Reply #8 – August 18, 2019, 03:06:22 pm

Jacob

Yesterday (Saturday) we returned from four days of off grid camping in the High Sierra! We left town with 48% of a tank of propane.

During our stay we did a small amount of cooking on the stove, ran the water heater for twenty minutes only in the morning, ran the furnace through one cycle in the a.m. to take the chill off and powered the fridge the entire time.

We returned home and the gauge now reads 25%, an expenditure of 23%! I don't worry much about running dry, there's usually a source not far away.

You might want to consider a 3-way connection at the output of the LP tank where you can connect a portable LP bottle should you main tank get low!

Re: 89 Lazy Daze, 10 gallon propane, how long does it last?

Reply #9 – August 18, 2019, 06:47:14 pm

Dad also forgot we use propane to grill 2 nights on our recent trip. 🌭🍔

Re: 89 Lazy Daze, 10 gallon propane, how long does it last?

Reply #10 – August 18, 2019, 06:52:05 pm

Propane grills only in the Stanislaus NF, right? No charcoal?

Re: 89 Lazy Daze, 10 gallon propane, how long does it last?

Reply #11 – August 18, 2019, 07:28:04 pm

"Propane grills only..."

There are fire rings where you can burn firewood, and that can be purchased from the C.G. Host.
There are also elevated grills in which you can use charcoal.
Or if you are sick, lame or lazy (like us) you can also use an LP fueled grill, stove or lantern.

Re: 89 Lazy Daze, 10 gallon propane, how long does it last?

Reply #12 – August 18, 2019, 07:42:52 pm

I'd rather cook on charcoal. But after so many years of dealing with fire restrictions where I like to be, switched over to propane for grilling. Took me awhile to get used to the difference, but I'm used to it now. I carry a 1 gallon tank just for the grill, it lasts quite a long time.

Re: 89 Lazy Daze, 10 gallon propane, how long does it last?

Reply #13 – August 18, 2019, 08:07:54 pm

I do the same and carry the 1 gallon bottle, it'll last most all summer when used with my gas grill.

Re: 89 Lazy Daze, 10 gallon propane, how long does it last?

Reply #14 – August 18, 2019, 08:53:30 pm

Lazy bones should mentioned that he has a17 gallon tank, good for about 13.6 usable gallons. A 10 gallon tank will give you 8 gallons of usable propane. Your year of TK should have a 10 gallon ASME tank. The 80% limit is to help prevent explosions of the tank. The 20% space is to provide room for the liquid to expand into when the tank is hot. RonB

Re: 89 Lazy Daze, 10 gallon propane, how long does it last?

Reply #15 – August 19, 2019, 11:48:39 am

Quote from: Jota - August 18, 2019, 07:42:52 pm

I'd rather cook on charcoal. But after so many years of dealing with fire restrictions where I like to be, switched over to propane for grilling. Took me awhile to get used to the difference, but I'm used to it now. I carry a 1 gallon tank just for the grill, it lasts quite a long time.

Charcoal BBQs are messy and use too much storage for longer trip, propane BBQs are more practical. We still cook our Thanksgiving turkey on a Weber kettle, usually at the beach, it's our once a year use of charcoal.

With so many areas restricting camp fires, and for health reasons, we switched to a propane fire pit several years ago.
The propane pit has eliminated most of the smoke and is easy to set up and put away, no more playing Smokey, making sure the fire is dead out with a bucket of water. Propane is a lot cheaper than buying fire wood.
We carry a 20-lb propane bottle, stored on the floor in front of the toad's passenger seat. With an Extend-A-Stay, the propane bottle can also be connected to the LD's propane system, if needed.

Larry

Re: 89 Lazy Daze, 10 gallon propane, how long does it last?

Reply #16 – August 19, 2019, 01:16:19 pm

Back in the days of tent and back-of-the-pickup camping, I always cooked over a campfire; I went to a little charcoal grill, a fold-up Pyromid, about 30 years ago. The little 12" Pyromid, no longer manufactured, is still my favorite, and its 8" version has also been used several times over the years. The draw of the Pyromid is its size, versatility, convenience, and ease of cleaning; it folds down into a flat package and takes almost no space.

Since I travel solo most of the time, firing up my propane grill, a Pro-Iroda (the smaller version with the 165 square inch grill, also no longer manufactured, as far as I know), is overkill for one person unless I want 2-3 days' worth of leftovers. The Pro-Iroda is an excellent grill, well made and even-heating. The grill surface is cast iron, so it's heavy, but its clamshell shape and folding legs allow it to fit into the low (9" opening) compartment of the TK.

I also have a Weber 1000; it's a good grill (and I do prefer its two-section grill surface to the single grill surface of the Pro-Iroda) but it's now relegated to home use because it was very awkward to remove the lid and stow it separately from the body in another compartment, and drag the grill (its legs don't fold) in and out of the low compartment. All of the compartments in a TK are low.

I went to the propane grill because there are so many places in the west where charcoal grills (understandably) are not permitted, and the days of cooking over a campfire (or having a campfire at all) are long gone.

As ever, YMMV.

Re: 89 Lazy Daze, 10 gallon propane, how long does it last?

Reply #17 – August 19, 2019, 06:34:08 pm

I just went and filled with propane today, it's probably been a month and a half since I last filled. 3.8 gallons, little to no furnace, stove every morning for coffee and the water heater as needed, frig 100% while we are out. I would assume we have a 10 gallon tank. Our usage is occasional but a couple days weekly on average.

Jon

Re: 89 Lazy Daze, 10 gallon propane, how long does it last?

Reply #18 – August 20, 2019, 12:04:04 pm

Two people, minamal furnace during the summer, 100% fridge, multiple rounds of cooking and coffee daily, brief showers every 2-3 days. Fill once a month max. Have run a week on the red tank light on and have never ever run out. Heating up the rig on Ice cold mornings, with a furnace set at 50 at night, we still get more than 2 weeks.

Electricity has always been our limiting factor...

Pete

Re: 89 Lazy Daze, 10 gallon propane, how long does it last?

Reply #19 – August 20, 2019, 02:14:20 pm

Yesterday I went to my bulk propane dealer and filled the tank on my 30'IB. I checked the gauges, inside and out, just prior to the refill, they said 'Empty'. The service guy pumped 11.1 gal. of LP. The post refill gauge reading was 100%.

Started with 100% early this summer before my girls took the rig to S. Dakota and back and that includes the week just ended in the Sierra. So, the entire summer with typical usage before a need to refill. Can't get much better than that!

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