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propane bottle size suggestions

updated sun 22 jul 01

 

John Post on mon 16 jul 01


Hi jt,

I have a 40# tank that I use for raku. The T.W. (tare weight) of the tank is 29#. So when it is
filled it weighs a total of 69#.

The tank doesn't freeze up with constant use in warm weather. It will freeze up if I am firing
outdoors in temps less than 30 degrees F.

Decide how much weight you would like to lift in and out of your vehicle and then choose your tank
based on that. You can always gang two or more of them together.

Or if you really plan on doing a lot of raku work, look for a supplier who will deliver a 100# tank.
They roll easily enough....watch the guy who delivers it to see how bigger tanks are rolled along
the edge of their bottom ring.

Cheers,
John Post

> I want a propane bottle I can move without too much trouble but not so
> small I will have freezing problems or drained too quickly. Any
> suggestions? It is for a small raku kiln (7 cu ft), venturi burner, 2"
> of 6# fiber walls.
> Thanks,
> jt
>
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Jim Tabor on thu 19 jul 01


I want a propane bottle I can move without too much trouble but not so
small I will have freezing problems or drained too quickly. Any
suggestions? It is for a small raku kiln (7 cu ft), venturi burner, 2"
of 6# fiber walls.
Thanks,
jt

Anita M. Swan on thu 19 jul 01


I use a 20lb tank that I place in a tub of water. Having a hose dripping on it
will also prevent freeze up. I get about 8 firings from a tank, using a venturi,
about 20 minutes per firing, but it is a very small kiln - old test kiln with a
collar. I have extra tanks because anything larger is too much for me to handle
and I need them to be portable. 'Nita

Jim Tabor wrote:

> I want a propane bottle I can move without too much trouble but not so
> small I will have freezing problems or drained too quickly. Any
> suggestions? It is for a small raku kiln (7 cu ft), venturi burner, 2"
> of 6# fiber walls.
> Thanks,
> jt
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.

Marcia Selsor on thu 19 jul 01


Jim,
I had Marc Ward make a triple (3 x 25 lbs.) connection with two burner
hookups. For smaller raku kilns I only use one burner. For my bigger
raku kiln 18 cubic foot kiln, I use two burners. I can fire kilns
numerous times for three or more days on 1-2 lbs. pressure and no
freezing. The small bottles are easy enough (old wimp) for me to lift
and take on the road.
Just fired two days at a workshop in Red Lodge. Worked great.
Marcia

Jim Tabor wrote:
>
> I want a propane bottle I can move without too much trouble but not so
> small I will have freezing problems or drained too quickly. Any
> suggestions? It is for a small raku kiln (7 cu ft), venturi burner, 2"
> of 6# fiber walls.
> Thanks,
> jt
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.

--
Marcia Selsor
selsor@imt.net
http://www.imt.net/~mjbmls
http://www.imt.net/~mjbmls/May2001.html
http://www.imt.net/~mjbmls/Tuscany2001.html
http://www.imt.net/~mjbmls/Gallery.html

Mike Gordon on thu 19 jul 01


Hi,
I use /have two 11gal. tanks that I use. I get about 3 firings per tank,
with the other always full and ready to switch to if the other starts to
freeze up. Mike Gordon

Dave Evans on thu 19 jul 01


Jim,

For a kiln this size and a desire for portability of the propane tank =
while still not freezing, I would suggest ganging two or more of the =
standard 20 lb / 5 gal. variety together. This will give more surface =
area to draw gas off the liquid propane. In a lot of upright propane =
tanks I've seen, the tanks just get taller, not wider as the capacity =
increases. Plus, you can usually get the more standard size for less =
than half the cost of one twice as big. Check at RV stores or Ward =
Burners for a two source regulator or connector. Then use a water bath =
for the tanks.

Hope it works out well,

John Evans in San Diego

WardBurner@AOL.COM on thu 19 jul 01


In a message dated 7/19/01 5:14:39 PM, drfaswan@OLG.COM writes:

<< Jim Tabor wrote:

> I want a propane bottle I can move without too much trouble but not so
> small I will have freezing problems or drained too quickly. Any
> suggestions? It is for a small raku kiln (7 cu ft), venturi burner, 2"
> of 6# fiber walls.
> Thanks, >>

With a Raku kiln, the issue of freeze up is related to these variables;

the size of the kiln, the material it is made from, the size of the LP tank,
the speed you want to fire at, the type of burner, the pressure you are
operating at, and the size of the orifice. If just one of the variables is
outa' whack from the others, you've got problems...(that's why so many have
problems). Most folks just "throw darts" at the problem (like bathing a
pressurized, potentially explosive, rustable object in water!! YIKES!!!).
With the proper burner/orifice/pressure, you should expect, with this kiln,
10 firings of around 15-20 minute duration from a standard 20lb Bar-B-Que
tank. If that's not the case, one of your variables is off from the others....

Feel free to give us a call.....

Marc Ward
Ward Burner Systems
PO Box 1086
Dandridge, TN 37725
865.397-2914 Voice
865.397-1253 Fax
wardburner@aol.com Email
wardburner.com Online Catalog

Bruce Girrell on fri 20 jul 01


> I want a propane bottle I can move without too much trouble but not so
> small I will have freezing problems or drained too quickly.

We use two 100 lb tanks yoked together. The 100 lb tanks are relatively easy
to move with a hand dolly and using two (or more) together minimizes the
freeze-up problem.

Freeze-up becomes worse as the bottle empties since there is less liquid
from which to draw the heat of vaporization. When we are having freezing
problems and the bottles are light enough to be lifted, I put them water
buckets. The water does not have to be hot. It really only needs to remain
liquid to supply the necessary heat for the propane. Other methods, such as
soaker hoses work well, too.

Bruce Girrell

william schran on sat 21 jul 01


jt - I can get almost 4 class (3 hours each class) raku firings out
of 30# propane bottle. Weighs about 70lb full.
Bill