# "Shelf" life of propane?



## Linedog (Jun 29, 2015)

When SHTF my gasoline is only gonna be good for a year or two at the most. I can convert most gas engines to run on propane. Any idea how long propane can sit in a good quality tank and still be useful?


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## Salt-N-Pepper (Aug 18, 2014)

Linedog said:


> When SHTF my gasoline is only gonna be good for a year or two at the most. I can convert most gas engines to run on propane. Any idea how long propane can sit in a good quality tank and still be useful?


Indefinitely. As long as you keep the tanks in good shape (aka not rusting) it will last as long as you do.


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

There is zero "shelf" life IMHO,the shat is too heavy and will end up on the ground


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

LPG has a small, unavoidable amount of sulfur in it. Even if you gold plated the outside of the tank, eventually it will rust from the inside out. I have no idea how long that would take.


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## Slippy2 (Mar 19, 2016)

Liquefied Petroleum Gas should last you somewhere between Next Week and when your Gold Plated LP Storage Tank rusts out.


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

sideKahr said:


> LPG has a small, unavoidable amount of sulfur in it. Even if you gold plated the outside of the tank, eventually it will rust from the inside out. I have no idea how long that would take.


Sulfur is avoidable, just don't add it to the LPG. Simple and easy and cheaper. Then it's odorless and kills silently.


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## Oddcaliber (Feb 17, 2014)

If properly stored indefinitely. It has the shelf life of a Twinkie!


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

AquaHull said:


> Sulfur is avoidable, just don't add it to the LPG. Simple and easy and cheaper. Then it's odorless and kills silently.


The mercaptan added for odor is not corrosive. Naturally occurring hydrogen sulfide is the culprit. They scrub it, but can't get it all.

Sulfur Information | Pipe Ranger


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## NotTooProudToHide (Nov 3, 2013)

Getting a generator that runs on propane wouldn't be a bad little investment especially since you can get those huge tanks to store stuff in. Good thread, its good food for thought.


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## Kron1 (Nov 18, 2015)

I've got a propane generator, & it's great for short-term outages (a few hours to a few weeks, if run intermittantly). But definitely not the answer for long-term. My 1,000 gal tank would provide fuel for warm weather water heating and cooking for several years, but would quickly be wasted if used for running a generator. For long-term situations I would not plan to use it to provide electric power, other than emergency .


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Here is a "Wood Gas Generator". It "bakes" wood with a fire and the gas from the 
baking is used as fuel for engines. Just search for wood gas generator.
http://soilandhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/0302hsted/fema.woodgas.pdf

I've had LPG sit for over 5 years with no problems. I've also had LPG with a greasy 
substance that clogged up a regulator, necessitating it tear down and cleaning. 
Supposedly the LPG contains some "oils" that can congeal in cold weather. 
*Supposedly* propane, LPG is piped into giant salt dome caves and stored 
for years before we might get into out tanks.


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## Linedog (Jun 29, 2015)

Thinking just for cooking and heating, very occasionally running a generator or auto.


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## Montana Rancher (Mar 4, 2013)

I have the correct answer..


Ahem....

Your propane tank and fuel will last as long as they both do.

Seriously.


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

NotTooProudToHide said:


> Getting a generator that runs on propane wouldn't be a bad little investment especially since you can get those huge tanks to store stuff in. Good thread, its good food for thought.


I just purchased a dual fuel generator exactly for this purpose. I store regular gas for the vehicles but LPG will store forever. I did quit a bit of research on this before buying and yes, there is Hydrogen Sulfide left in the gas, as SideKahr noted, that will eventually rust from within but I figure I will be long dead by the time it rusts the tank through. I will be adding a couple 100 Gal. tanks to the 4 or 5 small tanks I already have as soon as I have space cleared in back of the garage. May add another duel generator as well.


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## Kauboy (May 12, 2014)

I'm pretty sure it was in the ground for a few millennium before it ended up in your tank. It stayed good for that long. It will be good long after you're gone.
I hope that's comforting. :mrgreen:


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## Operator6 (Oct 29, 2015)

I had an old push mower with a bad carburetor so I converted it to run on propane. Throw a 1lb bottle on her and she runs great. 

Sent the wife to grab a bottle of propane and the hardware guy told her that lawn mowers run on gas not propane.......she said " I thought propane is gas ". He learned something that day.....

Lol !!!!!


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## Targetshooter (Dec 4, 2015)

How about if you a natural gas line to your house , would that work after SHTF ?


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

Targetshooter said:


> How about if you a natural gas line to your house , would that work after SHTF ?


Assuming your SHTF includes failure of the grid. Transmission systems with electrically powered compressors will go down. Some systems have natgas fed turbine generators; they will keep pressurized longer. How long? Who knows.


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