There is only one way to know the amount of gas left in a cylinder precisely, by weighing it. The steps in this guide will help you calculate the remaining amount of gas in a cylinder. You can use the result obtained to optimize the time available to you,
Steps
Step 1. On the external side of the cylinder, find the indication of the 'empty weight', that is the weight of the cylinder only, identified with the letters 'TW' followed by a number
For example, let's assume that the empty weight of a 19 kg gas cylinder is indicated by the abbreviation 'TW 8'. This means that the weight of the empty cylinder in our example is 8 kg (normally the weight unit is also expressed).
Step 2. Use a scale to weigh the cylinder
Let's assume that the current weight of the cylinder is 11 kg.
Step 3. Subtracting the weight of the cylinder from the total weight we will obtain the weight of the residual gas
So we will have 11 kg - 8 kg = 3 kg.
Step 4. Each kilogram of gas contains 48000 BTU (British Thermal Unit)
Multiply the number of BTUs by the number of kilograms of residual gas in the cylinder. We will then get 3 x 48000 = 144000 BTU.
Step 5. Identify the number of BTUs consumed by the appliance connected to the tank
Normally this data can be found directly on the manufacturer's website. In our example, let's assume your barbecue burns around 12000 BTUs every hour. To calculate the hours at your disposal, before the gas in the cylinder runs out, you will need to perform the following calculation: 144000/12000 = 12 hours.
Step 6. For a quick reference to calculating the residual gas life, divide 12 hours by 3 kg and calculate how much remaining time is guaranteed by one kilogram of gas (4 hours)
In this way it will be sufficient to weigh the residual gas to know how much time you have available for cooking before the gas runs out.
