How Long Do Gas Cylinders Last?

Here at innergy, we offer a wide variety of gas cylinders to suit a number of applications from LPG for heating and cooking, barbecuing and camping to bottled gas for powering forklift trucks. However, whether you’re looking for gas for your business or for home, you’re probably wondering how long do gas cylinders last?

So, let’s take a look at how long different gas cylinders can last so you can find the best possible value for money while also getting the right amount of gas for your requirements.

Which Factors Impact On Gas Consumption?

There are several factors that impact how long your gas cylinder will last. These include:

The Burner

When it comes to the question “how long does a gas bottle last?” the burner type you’re using will have a significant impact. So too will the burner size, since larger ones consume the gas more rapidly.  So if compare a 2 burner barbecue versus a 4 burner gas barbecue, the 4 burner bbq will use more lpg.

campingaz 4 burner gas barbecue


High Or Low Heat

If you’re cooking, a higher heat consumes gas more quickly than cooking on a low heat. If you’re cooking for longer, it goes without saying that this, too, will use up more of your bottled gas.


Gas Flow During Welding

When you’re welding, you’ll find that the flow of gas through the welder’s aperture will greatly affect how long your gas lasts. The more you’re using, the more quickly you will run out.


The Application

The application you’re using your gas for will also have an impact. Are you filling balloons with helium gas? Using gas for beer? Welding? Cooking or Heating with LPG? The application determines the amount of gas you’re going to need. Using your leisure gas to barbecue burgers on your patio during the summer is likely to use up less lpg gas than welding for the same duration of time.

large red flogas cylinder for home heating


How Frequently You Use The LPG Gas

It’s obvious that if you use the gas cylinders every day, they won’t last for as long as if you’re only using them occasionally.

How Long Will 18kg And 11kg FLT Cylinders Last?

When it comes to powering forklift trucks, you can choose between our 18kg and 11kg lpg for forklifts. The length of time each will last will, of course, depend on several factors.

Firstly, the forklift truck’s size is a key element to take into account when selecting the correct forklift truck gas. If it has a bigger engine, it will use more gas than a FLT truck that has a smaller engine. Also, the way in which the forklift truck is driven will also impact usage consumption. If the driver is constantly accelerating and braking, more of the forklift gas will be used than if the FLT is being driven at a steady speed.

One further consideration to bear in mind is that if the appliance is switched off whenever it is stationary, less gas will be used than if it is left turned on when standing still. Gas consumption continues as long as the engine remains on, so turning it off when not in use is the best way to maximise the length of time your GAS cylinders will last.

lpg forklift truck loading a lorry

How Long Will 19kg And 47kg Cylinders Last For Cooking And Heating?

Our 19kg propane gas cylinders and 47kg propane gas cylinders are ideal for mobile cooking and heating applications, whether this is cooking and heating for your home or commercial premises. Just as with our FLT gas cylinders, the frequency of use will determine the length of time your cylinder will last. However, you will still find that if you leave the gas bottle switched on when the appliances are not in use your gas consumption will be higher.

Another key factor to take into account is the time of year and the outdoor temperature. During the winter months between November and February, gas cylinders may need to be replaced more frequently – perhaps every 3 to 4 weeks -since you will need to use them more often in cold weather.

This also applies to bottles of butane gas. Our 7kg and 13kg gas bottles are excellent choices for use with portable gas heaters, but you can expect to replace them more frequently during the winter months as you are more likely to use them more often. It is also important to remember that bottled gas is still consumed if the appliance remains switched on while not in use, just the same as with our propane cylinders. Therefore, you should make sure to turn off your appliances when you are not using them to maximise the length of time your gas cylinders last.

innergyn driving holding yellow flogas butane gas bottle

Estimates Of How Long Gas Cylinders Last

Of course, all appliances are different, so it’s impossible to know precisely how long any given gas cylinder can last, whether you are using it as a fuel for forklift trucks, for heating or cooking. It is obvious that more frequent use will lead to faster usage, but there are also many different factors that come into play too. As well as the application, you need to take into account the heat setting, the size of the appliance, and whether or not the appliance is turned off when not in use when considering the length of time your gas bottles will last.

If you are looking for a more precise way of working out how long a cylinder can last on your specific appliance, there is a calculation that you can use:

First, you will need to work out your cylinder’s heat energy. Each kilo of gas in the cylinder produces 14 kw of heat, so you need to multiply the size of your cylinder by 14kw.

Next, you need to take the figure you have calculated to represent heat energy and divide it by your appliance’s heat setting in kw/h.

The final total will be an estimate but will help you get some idea of how long the cylinder could last so that you can plan for how frequently your gas bottles will need to be replaced.

If you are looking for a more precise answer to the question “how long does a gas bottle last” don’t hesitate to get in touch with the innergy team today. We’re here to respond to your queries and offer you all the information and advice from the gas and equipment experts.