Let Blue Flame keep your barbecue going with clean, efficient propane.
A considerable majority of American grill owners choose propane to keep their cookout sizzling. If you fired up the barbecue as soon as it warmed up in Toms River, Long Branch, Doylestown and other towns in the Blue Flame service area, then your portable propane tank might already be running low.
The Blue Flame team is here to keep your grill’s burners hot. Our Lil’ Hanks tank exchanges can be found all over our service footprint in New Jersey, Maryland and Pennsylvania.
Here are some tips that will take the guesswork out of getting fuel for your propane grill.
Determine if you’re nearly out of fuel.
Many of today’s propane grills have gauges and scales that can tell you how much fuel is left in your cylinder. If your grill doesn’t have this feature, there are three easy ways to figure out how much fuel is in the tank.
- Weight it. Look at the neck of your cylinder. There is a marking that says TW (Tare Weight) and a number. This is the unfilled weight of your cylinder. There’s also a marking on the neck saying WC (Water Capacity). The number next to WC is how many pounds of propane it can hold. Weigh the cylinder on a regular scale and deduct the TW. Divide the resulting number by the WC to figure out the percent fill of the tank.
- Use hot water. Propane absorbs heat, so if you pour hot water over the cylinder, the fill line is where the metal turns cool to the touch.
- Buy an external tank gauge. These attach to your cylinder’s valve. They come in digital and analog formats and can tell you your percentage left and even your remaining cook time.
Remove and re-attach your cylinder correctly.
When it’s time to switch out your grill’s propane cylinder, you should first ensure that the grill is fully turned off and that the cylinder’s valve is closed.
Once you’ve confirmed that, you can unscrew your grill’s pressure regulator by turning it to the left. Some grills have a bolt that holds the cylinder in place. If yours has this restraining bolt, loosen it to remove the tank.
When it’s time to connect a full cylinder, you do these steps in reverse. Place the restraining bolt on the cylinder (if the grill has a bolt), then tighten the pressure regulator on the cylinder valve.
You should also confirm that your tank is tightly attached and has no leaks. To do this, you can do a leak test by spraying it with soapy water and opening the valve. If you see bubbles, there could be a leak. Tighten all connections and check again. If the bubbling continues after you tighten your connections, you might need to replace the hoses or tank.
Transport cylinders safely.
Propane cylinders are easy to carry and transport. But you need to take care to follow safety precautions when handling a portable propane tank:
- Never leave a full propane cylinder in your car for any length of time. When driving with full propane cylinders, leave windows open for ventilation.
- Transport cylinders —regardless of whether or not they’re full — in a secure and upright position.
- Keep propane cylinders in an open-air environment and away from flames and flame-producing equipment.
Need a full cylinder of top-quality propane? Contact us to learn where you can find the nearest Lil’ Hanks exchange.