Yes yes. Unleash the hank hill memes.

The deck has three fireplace units and a gas grille. Running natural to the house is not an option.

Going back and forth getting new tanks is getting old.

Is it possible to just install a large tank and run a line under the deck to all this stuff or is that not how it works?

Appreciate it.

Will that be all you are going to run on LP? What is your consumption? I want to sit on your deck by the way.
Honestly sounds like a no brainer if it's a pita to refill. Flexible copper line would suit you well; hide a tank under your deck...given code.

Sure, call a few propane dealers in your area.

They will have a minimum requirement for a tank size and delivery.

You'd best just rent a tank from them. You could buy one, but be aware their are pro's and con's for rent vs own. As per the agreement they make with you, they will add you to their route and come by and fill the tank.

The big question is, how much propane will you be using? That will be the key issue if you can even get the propane company to deal with you.

quote:

Originally posted by OKCGene:
Sure, call a few propane dealers in your area.

They will have a minimum requirement for a tank size and delivery.

You'd best just rent a tank from them. You could buy one, but be aware their are pro's and con's for rent vs own. As per the agreement they make with you, they will add you to their route and come by and fill the tank.

The big question is, how much propane will you be using? That will be the key issue if you can even get the propane company to deal with you.

THIS^^^

I was in the propane field for 10 yrs. You will be a low usage customer, so just have the Company run the lines and regulators to each. You wont get the best price, but if your on auto fill and use at least 1 tank/yr you wont get a “ rental fee” ( in my neck of the woods anyways). I would suggest a 120 and see what happens after 12 mos or ask their recommendations. IIRC ( a normal cook stove uses about 30 gals/yr). They will know what to set with the BTU ratings of each unit.

Good luck!
sigguy(the 1st).

You'd run the yellow HDPE tube to a manifold.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDPE_pipe

A pipe size chart would tell you what diameter to run. I'm guessing 120,000 BTUs and 80' pipe ... 1.0" tubing is probably a little oversized. That is a guess, as I do not size LP in these parts. It's all NG since the early 1950s, when Pew repurposed their WWII-era pipelines from Texas to carry NG to the Eastern seaboard.

1" for LP

quote:

Originally posted by Excam_Man:
1" for LP

Was I looking at the wrong chart? In the California foothills we buried yellow fusion-welded HDPE for a small ranch house, and it was at least 1" tank-to-manifold. The tank was usually a good 'ways from the house.

The size of the line will be somewhat based on the total planned BTUs of the connected appliances and the length of the run from the tank to the regulator at the house/dwelling, etc.

If you are going to the expense and effort of installing an LP tank and running the line, you may want to also consider the possibility of adding other LP appliances or devices down the road. For example, our house has NG, and our primary furnace is NG, as are the water heater, kitchen range cooktop, and clothes dryer. NG and LP are generally less costly energy sources for generating heat. I'm also in northern OH, so our needs differ somewhat from warmer climates.

Several years ago I extended the 1" black schedule 40 pipe gas line in the basement to run thru the exterior wall toward the garage, and continued on another 20' with a buried 1" HDPE (or similar) to the garage. I connected it to a gas grill on the patio, which is very handy, and intend to install a furnace in the 30' x 40' two story garage/workshop in the near future.

Also, do any neighbors currently use LP? You may want to ask them for references regarding their service provider.

Sounds like a good plan, good luck.

quote:

Originally posted by Woodman:
Was I looking at the wrong chart?

I don’t think so. It really depends on the length of the pipe and the size of the units he is running. Based off a guesstimate of the fireplaces and the grill, and length of pipe, (each unit being 100k-175k BTU and 20’ of pipe) your estimate is spot on.

We ran 1" or maybe 1.25" yellow 80'-100' to a manifold. From the manifold, ⅜" GasTite or similar to the fixtures. Coming from a NG / threaded steel background, a puny ⅜ Slinky gas line seemed both dangerous and unsized. Hate to hit a piece of GasTite in a wall with Sawzall!

But that was the way they did it 17 years ago. I'm seeing more High Density Poly Ethylene ["HDPE"] now, and lots more corrugated SS gas tubing ["CSST"]. The slip-compression fittings on a buried 1.5" HDPE tube get some getting used to. But they work and are Approved.

I disagree with the renting a tank comment. I've lived in my current home for almost 5 years now and I inherited a rented 500 gallon tank from the previous owner. Only the propane company that owns the tank can fill it (Industry standard), and they absolutely jack up the price because you have no options. I was paying $3 a gallon until I got off my ass and purchased my own tank. Now I shop around and recently paid $1.69 a gallon saving $300 the first fill up. That alone will eventually pay for the tank.

Some things that people may consider cons but I don't mind: Checking the gauge/ ordering fills instead of having scheduled fill dates through tank owners company. Paying up front for a fill which could be a lot instead of a monthly payment plan to even out your costs throughout the year.

Also I don't think code would allow a tank to be under a deck for obvious reasons but I could be wrong. I definitely wouldn't want mine under my deck or anywhere close to my house for that matter. Look into a 100 gallon tank if the fireplaces are the only thing you're using propane for. It's obviously considerably smaller than the 500 tank. Burying them is an option as well but would cost quite a bit more to do so.

At our previous home, we had two 120 gallon tanks sitting side by side under our deck (walk out basement ranch house). Any larger quality would have to be placed further away from the house or a buried tank.

Our tanks were rented from the propane supplier and filled on a schedule. We did have the ability to prepurchase propane if prices dropped.

We only used it for our propane fired furnace.

I'm curious about the 3 fireplace units mentioned.... I think we need more info on this.

quote:

Originally posted by Blume9mm:
I'm curious about the 3 fireplace units mentioned.... I think we need more info on this.

They are fire pit tables and one is a picnic type table with the fire pit in the middle surrounded by glass.

From the comments. It’s seems like what I want to do is doable. I am going to contact a propane company in Tallahassee florida tomorrow, unless a forum member knows someone.