Does Cold Temperature Affect a Propane Tank Level Gauge?
Similar to nearly all other kinds of materials, propane is affected by cold temperatures. When the temperature goes down, the propane gas contracts. That reduced level of gas in the tank is reflected by the gauge which reflects the level on the tank. Often, this comes into play whenever a homeowner checks the gauge during cold weather and sees the amount of the tank level before and after delivery. Depending on the conditions, the level on the tank might not rise as much as expected.
Propane Tank Level Gauge
The gauge on the propane tank will show what fraction of the gas tank is still full. Tanks are typically not filled over 80% full since this would allow for the gas to expand during hotter days. Like for instance, a 500 gallon tank, at a reading of 80% at normal temperatures reflects approximately 400 gallons of propane in the tank. This is roughly the amount that could be stored.
Normal Temperatures
The propane industry operates the popular website Propane 101, that considers the propane reference point to be an exterior temperature of 60 degrees. Like for example, if the gauge reads 50% of capacity on a day when the temperature is close to 60 degrees, then a 500 gallon tank would contain around 250 gallons of propane. If the temperature that day is much lower than 60 degrees, the gauge will read lower. Also, if the temperature is much higher than 60 degrees, the gauge would actually read higher since the gas expanded.
Effect of Expansion and Contraction
The amount of energy contained or energy contained in a tank would not change when the gas either contracts or expands, according to the propane industry web site. The amount of propane itself has not changed, but just the density of the gas has changed.
Cold-Weather Delivery
The homeowner who orders 100 gallons of propane would receive approximately 424 lbs. of propane. With the delivery of 100 gallons, the homeowner with a 1000 gallon propane tank can expect the guage to go up by 10%. 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, these chillier temperatures would result in a smaller increase reading on the propane gauge.