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Calcimator

RV Propane Duration Calculator

Estimate how long your RV propane tank will last based on furnace, water heater, and cooking usage at a given outside temperature.

Inputs

gal
BTU/hr
BTU/hr
hrs
°F

Results

Tank Runtime

3.1 days

Daily BTU Consumption207,000 BTU
Gallons Per Day2.26 gal
Cost Per Day$7.92
Refill Every2 days
How to Use This Calculator
  1. Enter your propane tank size (gallons or lbs).
  2. Set BTU ratings for furnace, water heater, and cooking from your appliance nameplates.
  3. Enter cooking hours per day and outside temperature (colder = more furnace runtime).
  4. Review daily propane usage (lbs) and estimated tank duration (days).
  5. Plan propane refills so you never run below 20% -- running out can cause appliance relighting issues.

How the result changes with Propane Tank Size

Propane Tank SizeTank Runtime
4.92.2 days
156.6 days
2611.5 days
3615.9 days

What each input means

Propane Tank Size
Propane tank capacity in gallons. Standard RV tanks: 7 gal (30 lb) or 14 gal (2x 30 lb).
Furnace BTU Rating
Your furnace's BTU output per hour. Check the data plate on your furnace. Typical: 20,000-40,000.
Water Heater BTU Rating
Water heater BTU rating. Standard 6-gallon RV water heaters are ~10,000 BTU.
Cooking Hours Per Day
Average daily time spent using the propane stove or oven.
Outside Temperature
Average outside temperature. Colder temps mean the furnace runs more often.

What each result means

Tank Runtime
Estimated days before the propane tank is empty.
Daily BTU Consumption
Total BTU consumed per day from all propane appliances.
Gallons Per Day
Propane consumed per day in gallons.
Cost Per Day
Estimated daily propane cost at ~$3.50/gallon.
Refill Every
Recommended refill schedule with a 10% reserve.

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

  1. Identify Input Parameters
    4 parameters
    Propane Tank Size = 7, Furnace BTU Rating = 30000, Water Heater BTU Rating = 10000, Cooking Hours Per Day = 1 = 5 input(s) provided
  2. Calculate Tank Runtime
    Tank Runtime
    3.1 = 3.1
  3. Calculate Daily BTU Consumption
    Daily BTU Consumption
    207000 = 207000
  4. Calculate Gallons Per Day
    Gallons Per Day
    2.26 = 2.26

Engine last updated . Checked against 2 independently-derived tests — how we verify calculators.

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