West Union, Illinois | Mod5H - My shop boiler is 150k btu ... house... 60-80k. OK so 230,000 Btu load. Yes, there might be something to be concerned about if it get below 0° F Here's a page with a vaporization chart (https://www.tarantin.com/blog/propane-101/propane-tank-sizing) or just look at the copy below.
At 0° a 500 gallon tank at 20% capacity can vaporize 266,400 Btu. No worry
But at -10° a 500 gallon tank can only vaporize 220,000 Btu.
You might want to consider a separate 500 for the shop. Then you are good down to around 25%.
We can discuss variables and possibilities forever and not get a definite answer. You will probably be OK but to cover yourself it might be a good idea to ask your LP guy to top off the tank.
Oh, and the other charts on the page I linked? I spent a couple days in school on just those line sizing charts when I was a lot younger and still don't claim to fully understand them
If you look for an LP tank you'll find you need to adjust your balance sheet. Yours is worth a whole lot more than you thought. Tanks are just outrageous.
Be VERY CAREFUL when buying a used tank. Some old tanks are rated at 200 PSI instead of 250 ( we used to call them butane tanks). I was just in a discussion on a Facebook group for propane service and delivery folks about that. A question was raised by someone whose company would not fill a 200 PSI rated tank. Yours may not care, but it is a consideration.
If a tank does not have a legible data plate is is not legal to fill it. (see https://www.propane101.com/manufacturersnameplate.htm).
Repairs usually involve machined brass which looks like gold for a very good reason. As an example here is an external relief valve. I've not researched what it fits but I'm guessing a 1000 gallon tank. It's only $429.99.(gasp!) A multivalve with fill, vapor, and service valve could be even more. You can quickly get a lot of money in a cheap tank.
Hope I haven't confused or scared you. There's a lot of misunderstood information out there, like the guy that said an 80% full tank had less vaporization capacity than one at 50% |
? on 500 gal l.p. tank
