Thoughts on a 20lb bottle vs having a bunch of small ones?

markstaco

markstaco

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I have space to bring a 20lb propane bottle vs having a bunch of Coleman disposable bottles? Any pros or cons to share?
 
I do both depending on what I'm doing. Just for heat ill take some 1lb bottles to save weight. If I plan on heat and cooking or constant heat for more than a few days I use the 20lb.
You can get a fill kit to refill those 1lb tanks using a 20lb tank so it doesn't have to be wasteful.
 
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Get the big bottle, we use a 2.5 gallon bottle and it is enough to keep us showered and warm for a week, unless the temps are dancing around in the teens then it's enough for 4-5 nights. There is something about claiming to live by the "leave no trace" ethics and using those disposable bottles that seems hypocritical to me. But hey, there's a lot of things I do that might seem hypocritical to others. However, those bottles do seem like such a waste of space and material.
 
I prefer multiple small bottles so that I can use them in different areas around camp, for example one for the stove, one for a BBQ, and one for a lantern. I also find I'm less likely to accidentally run out of propane this way. That said, I don't like the disposable green bottles and instead have a set of refillable ones that I can exchange for free at any local Sports Basement store.

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Depends what you are using propane for and how long you are out. I use a five pound tank and also have some refillable 1lb bottles that I use if just going out for a long weekend. It cost me about $3 to fill the 5lb tank - very economical and portable. I never carry a 20lb tank.
 
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I use a 5lb refillable bottle as well. It enough to cook on for about a week for me. I also keep a couple of green disposable canisters on hand as a backup, just in case.

The only time I take the big 20lb tank is when we're using a propane fire pit due to fire safety concerns.

I bought the 5lb tank because space is at a premium in my rig, and I really don't need the 20lb tank 99% of the time.
 
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Same as everyone else. I keep a couple of 1 pounders in my vehicle due to space and have a 10 pound I can put on the front of my trailer. Don't use enough to warrant a 30 pounder yet but, with the campfire restrictions I may have to start bringing a propane fire pit.
 
Im still using the 1lb bottle as of now. My single burner stove uses the bottle as a stand
 
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Ran a 5lb der (1.2gal) for a year, will run a fireplace for 6 hrs on full (all on my instagram Ruff_me-and_jeep_cherokee) . Carry a splitter to run a Buddy heater (bulk whip) and the fireplace. Using a butane single burner so no propane there. If I bring my Skottle I use a small bottle but can also run it from the bulk adapter. Just mounted a 11lb. tank (2.7gal) same size as a 5lb but taller. That being said always bring a small bottle as I bring a torch tip....
The bulk tank towers work great for a lantern/stove combo.
The Bulk Refill adapter I had did not work with the small fat bottles as they hit the side of the tank, and only fill the small long narrow tank half at best.
Always good to have a small bottle, torch tip and soldier is nice to have.

Amazon,
5lb- $50
11lb- $47 (yeah cheaper)
bulk whip $18
Towers, $25-30?
Bulk filler $18, not availible in Calif.

Made my own tank carry mount, just put in the Kitchen Thread
 
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Bezel, I have green ones, a 13# the 5gal and a 28#. If I want to preheat a tent the lantern on a green bottle is great. The 13# and the 5gL are great for trips the 28# mostly for prepping.
 
I use both depending on where I am going. A mountain trip out here in SoCal means my propane firepit goes so I take the 20lb. Desert trip is just cooking or lantern so my 1lb bottles go. I can refill the 1lb bottles with an adapter.
 
for you guys that do run the 20Gal bottles, where do you put them when they aren't being used? I'd love to see what your storage solution is.
 
We carry two 1 lb bottles - one to use, one spare. When the "in use' bottle runs out, we buy another one (haven't been able to find anyone who will refill these). This gives us more than enough supply - we used 3 bottles in 145 nights' camping on our last trip (and the third wasn't empty at the end of the trip). Really wouldn't want to carry the weight or size of a big bottle.

To be fair, we cook on an open fire whenever we can, and some campsites have shared cooking stoves.
 
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1lb vs 20lb seems all feast all famine to me. There are a lot of tanks in between these sizes. I use a cylindrical shaped 6lb tank that works for the size and footprint I was aiming for. Coleman makes an adapter to for using larger tank fittings to supply fuel to your smaller devices intended for the 1lb tank.
 
I've switched to a 4.5lb bottle from the 1lb refillables... it's just cooking for me so I suspect I'll be able to get a few trips out of a fill and I'll carry one of the 1lb bottles because two is one.

If you prefer more glamping style with heaters and the like, you probably want to go with a 10lb at least.
 
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I purchased a five-pound tank which is ideal for my Subaru Outback. I also have two one-pounders and a refill adapter for them which, I can do from my five pound tank. Gives me a ton of options. They also make an 11 pound tank. A 20 pound would be a deadly projectile in my little Subaru.
 
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