How To Measure the Gas Level In Your Grill’s Propane Tank
The summer is upon us and that means it’s time to break out the gas grill and start cooking up some burgers.
While millions of people will enjoy hot dogs, chicken, steak, and other goodies straight from the grill this summer, there are also a handful of people who will have their barbecue plans ruined by an unexpected empty propane tank.
Unfortunately, most propane tanks don’t tell us how much gas is left for grilling.
Sure you could keep an extra tank on hand, but that seems like an extra expense we would rather avoid and a bit of a storage pain.
In a video posted on Youtube by America’s Test Kitchen, a more simple way to measure the gas level in your grill’s propane tank has been revealed.
How It Works?
Begin the process by bringing a pot of water to a boil.
Once the water has boiled, pour it over the propane tank. If the metal on the outside of the gas canister feels warm, there is no gas left in the tank and it’s time for a refill.
If the tank feels cool on all sides, there is still gas inside the tank.
It’s important that you cover the tank in water and feel along the top and sides of the canister. Any cool spots mean you should be good for your next cookout.
Here’s a video that shows how incredibly simple this process is.
This trick was brought to us by America’s Test Kitchen, a 2,500 square foot facility which employs more than three dozen full-time cooks and product testers. If this test is good enough for them, we are going to give it our approval.
If you grill a lot we would recommend purchasing a propane tank gauge for your canister. They can be picked up at most local retail locations that feature an outdoor area, such as Target, Wal-Mart, and Home Depot, among others.
Buy A Gauge
The propane tank gas gauge easily connects between the tank and the gas hose. It measures for gas pressure and tells you in real-time when you need to refill your tank.
There is some good for people who only rarely grill. A full propane tank will typically be good for up to 12 years and a recertified (refilled) tank will last for 5 years. If you keep an eye on your occasional grilling, you will be good for many years to come.
Get Your Tank Filled In Cooler Temperatures
Here’s one final tip. You should always have your propane tank filled on cooler days or in the early morning hours when it’s not as hot outside. When it’s hot, the tank will read as full when there is still more room left inside the canister. A 20lb tank will appear to be full when a few more pounds could be added in cooler temperatures.
Check for gas before every barbecue and don’t forget to invite us over when you’ll be grilling steak.
