Does Cold Affect the Level Gauge on a Propane Tank?
Similar to nearly all other types of materials, propane is affected by cold temperatures. As the temperature declines, the propane gas contracts. That reduced level of gas inside the tank is reflected by the gauge that reflects the level on the propane tank. Usually, this comes into play whenever a homeowner checks the gauge in cold conditions and sees the amount of the tank level before and after delivery. Depending upon the climate, the level on the tank might not go up as much as expected.
Propane Tank Level Gauge
The gauge on the propane tank would show what portion of the gas tank is still full. Tanks are usually not filled more than 80% full since this would allow for the gas to expand during warmer days. For instance, a 500 gallon tank, at a reading of 80 percent at normal temperatures reflects about 400 gallons of propane in the tank. This is around how much can be stored.
Normal Temperatures
The propane industry manages the popular web site Propane 101, that considers the propane baseline point to be an exterior temperature of 60 degrees. Like for instance, if the gauge reads 50% of capacity on a day when the temperature is close to 60 degrees, then a 500 gallon tank will have roughly 250 gallons of propane. If the temperature that day is a lot lower than 60 degrees, the gauge will read lower. In the same way, if the temperature is a lot higher than 60 degrees, the gauge would actually read higher because the gas expanded.
Effect of Expansion and Contraction
According to the information given by the propane industry web site, the amount of energy contained in the tank does not really change as the gas contracts or expands. The amount of propane itself has not changed, but only the density of the gas has changed.
Cold-Weather Delivery
If a homeowner orders 100 gallons of propane to be delivered, they will be given 424 lbs. of propane. If the homeowner has a 1000 gallon propane tank, they can expect the gauge to go up by 10% with the delivery of 100 gallons. These numbers would be accurate if the temperatures were close to 60 degrees at the time of delivery. If the delivery took place during colder weather conditions, these chillier temperatures will cause a smaller increase reading on the propane gauge.