Pop quiz

[Laura & Charles]

Upfront: I readily admit I’m being lazy and could get the first part of this answered with a little research.
We recently got a propane fire ring rated at 58,000 btu when on highest setting.
How many pounds/gallons will I burn per hour?
Is the propane btu a available per pound/gallon constant across any elevation? In my mind, I can reason it would not be constant due to available O2... but on the other hand... Anyway, let’s just say, I can talk myself in circles on this.

 

[Gizmo100]

You said Pop quiz...I thought you meant Soda Pop...
My answer was going to be Mt. Dew..

But back to your question... I think your looking at about .75 GPH
The O2 part of your question is above my pay grade...
But as a guess....
I thinking you would get a smaller flame

 

[Laura & Charles]

Thanks Gizmo.. appreciate the reply.

 

[Jaycomlok]

1 Gallon of propane

91,502 BTU

 

[phil-t]

91,547 btu / gallon of LP gas. Your 58,000 btu fire pit would divide into 91,547 and give you 1.578396551724138 hrs of fire. Don't see any reference to altitude. This would depend on your fire ring rating being accurate.

 

[Laura & Charles]

Thx!

 

[Ex-Calif]

Just noodling it propane density changes under temperature - filling propane tanks is (in theory) adjusted to a standard day of 60* - so the gauge will read a bit different as ambient temps go up and down. But, for example, 9 gallons of propane should be 9 gallons. In a tank some will be liquid and some will be in a gaseous state.

The gas ring will moderate the propane by gas volume - i.e. the "fixed orifice" valve will allow about a 1/2 gallon (per hour) of propane through. The flame will change based on available O2. i.e. it will get leaner at higher altitudes until it won't have the right mixture and will flame out, probably. I don't think the gas consumption would change.

 

[X-Roughneck Strike 3]

You people are way too smart for me. I would be the guy out there hoping my gauges on the tank were correct, and prolly find out they were not by Flaming Out and find myself sitting in the dark.

Charles, What Fire Ring did you purchase and where did you get it?

I put a CAMCO T on my Propane Tank to allow me to hook a aux tank outside and a Fire Ring or external Stove or something. I have not used it yet.

JD

 

[Laura & Charles]

It’s an Outland Firebowl 870 and we’re well pleased with it. We set it up with quick release fitting and a 25 foot hose. We put a Y on the coach end and another 25 foot hose and a quick release on a propane grill. (If either fire ring or grill need to be more than 25 feet away, the two hoses can quick release together)

Coach was originally designed to heat with three propane furnaces. It evolved to Aquahot for heat and hot water so the only thing left using propane was the two burner range. The 165 lb (39 gallon) propane tank stayed in the design.. figured we should take advantage

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

There is no value in attempting much precision - the burner btu rating is under some lab-specific condition and the btus/gallon of LPG will have caveats too, e.g. a particular LP blend and a laboratory grade burner. Further, you don't have to run the fire ring at max either.

Based on my experience with a slightly smaller LP fire ring, 1.5 hours/gallon at max output sounds a bit optimistic. I'd be expecting closer to 1 hr/gallon. We used to get about 4 hours from a 20# bottle but could stretch it to 5-6 if we adjusted the burner down a bit. YMMV.

 

[X-Roughneck Strike 3]

Charles,

I looked at that ring on Amazon, Very nice, 19". Another couple follow ups.

When staying in a No Wood, Fire Burn area will RV parks allow you to use that open / controlled flame? I hear alot while at the front desk checking in...

"No Open Wood Fires but you can cook dinner on a Propane "Controlled Valve" stove". Probably just my locale I select for camping, but for us anyway seems to be a NO BURN area almost always. To me Camping I need to be sitting by a Fire! Have one stick with a marshmallow on it ready grab and hold over flame while park ranger approaches. "Yes officer we are having Marshmallows and Beer for dinner sir." This propane with valve seems like you may have found a NO burn Loop Hole?

I saw Gary's reply. I think I would take my 5 Gal Bubble tank along and just burn off it initially. I am not a fan of using my small onboard propane tank, as it is a Pain in the posterior just getting it filled up. Maybe it is the old man in me but, fueling up the propane seems like a lengthy painful ordeal to me. I Am I wrong to expect NASCAR speed when fueling the tanks? A hour, really, LOL? I definitely do not have the 169 LB , 39 Gal tank on my class C either (My Aspect 30J- 18 Gallon Onboard tank).

My Propane use for me seems to be limited to my Norcold absorption Refridge rolling down the highway. I did camp in 20 F weather in Rushmore Area and found out my Heat pump in Elec heat mode automatically kicks in at 36F or under to augment automatically with propane the heat for the living area. My little tank, that means 1/4 tank per night when the Heat Pump needs a boost.

I am sure the lava rocks provide that radiating warmth and are probably necessary for that full Radiating warmth. How do you tend to those Rocks each time throw them in a burlap bag, plastic container? Kind of a dumb follow up but just wondering if they are crumbling and dusty a bit after the extreme heat?

Might be a good option for us also as we like sitting around the camp fire, when we are allowed, and have a ice cold beer in the evening. Clean up next day is hassle with wood/ash as I usually wet down the fire pit before we return to the RV for bed.

JD

 

[Laura & Charles]

Thx for the info. Makes sense about altitude impacting btu output but not gas flow.

Charles,

I looked at that ring on Amazon, Very nice, 19". Another couple follow ups.

When staying in a No Wood, Fire Burn area will RV parks allow you to use that open / controlled flame? I hear alot while at the front desk checking in...

"No Open Wood Fires but you can cook dinner on a Propane "Controlled Valve" stove". Probably just my locale I select for camping, but for us anyway seems to be a NO BURN area almost always. To me Camping I need to be sitting by a Fire! Have one stick with a marshmallow on it ready grab and hold over flame while park ranger approaches. "Yes officer we are having Marshmallows and Beer for dinner sir." This propane with valve seems like you may have found a NO burn Loop Hole?

I saw Gary's reply. I think I would take my 5 Gal Bubble tank along and just burn off it initially. I am not a fan of using my small onboard propane tank, as it is a Pain in the posterior just getting it filled up. Maybe it is the old man in me but, fueling up the propane seems like a lengthy painful ordeal to me. I Am I wrong to expect NASCAR speed when fueling the tanks? A hour, really, LOL? I definitely do not have the 169 LB , 39 Gal tank on my class C either (My Aspect 30J- 18 Gallon Onboard tank).

My Propane use for me seems to be limited to my Norcold absorption Refridge rolling down the highway. I did camp in 20 F weather in Rushmore Area and found out my Heat pump in Elec heat mode automatically kicks in at 36F or under to augment automatically with propane the heat for the living area. My little tank, that means 1/4 tank per night when the Heat Pump needs a boost.

I am sure the lava rocks provide that radiating warmth and are probably necessary for that full Radiating warmth. How do you tend to those Rocks each time throw them in a burlap bag, plastic container? Kind of a dumb follow up but just wondering if they are crumbling and dusty a bit after the extreme heat?

Might be a good option for us also as we like sitting around the camp fire and having a ice cold beer in the evening, and clean up next day is hassle with ash as I usually wet down the fire pit before we return to the RV for bed.

JD

We found most parks in the east have fire rings and rarely have a ‘no burn’ order in place. Here in the west, a site with a fire circle is more rare and lots of parks say no open fires at all, it the propane fire ring has always been allowed.the lava rock hasn’t turned into dust yet. This model has a lid and carrying strap. To move, we just put the lid and straps on and stick it in a garbage bag (in case the rocks DO make some dust). Yes, filling propane isn’t much fun...we totally lucked out on our propane capacity and the coach only using it for two-burner range.. so even with this fire ring, we don’t have to deal with it often.

 

[Old_Crow]

Usually the only restriction on propane fire rings in National Forest campgrounds are not to place it in the actual fire ring when you're using it.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

We used a propane fire pit for years and it was always allowed anywhere unless there was a "no burn anything" rule in effect. If a gas grill was allowed, a gas fire ring was too. It makes sense - no rising sparks, no remaining embers, it's well-contained, and it can be shut down in an instant if needed. No post-fire clean-up either.

 

[8Muddypaws]

My experience is less scientific and more seat of the pants. They don't put out much heat and use more fuel than seems reasonable. At full blast ours will use a full tank in two evenings. We have a "Firebowl" sold by Costco.

 

[Old_Crow]

There were a group of friends staying at the same RV park I'm at in Quartzsite. Each evening, they all gathered around a propane fire pit. When it was windy, they moved their fire pit into one of the guy's covered trailer and gathered around it in there. They had rope lights strung from the ceiling and a mini fridge in the corner for cold beverages.
Didn't look especially safe to me, but they were here for 3 weeks and didn't burn down.

 

[Ex-Calif]

As usual I think Gary has it right.

Individually we "all" make the right decisions about fire safety. Collectively we are idiots and someone doesn't get the memo about dry conditions, fire season and open fires.

So we make rules for the lowest common denominator. It's pretty common in "group" rules to screw things down pretty tight.

I lived in an apartment that (smartly) disallowed BBQ-ing on the balconies. Wood, charcoal or propane. You could have an "electric" grill and that's what I had - it was like a hibachi actually and could fit 2 streaks. Presumably the rule was in place because someone thought it a good idea to have a charcoal weber on their balcony and tipped one over - LOL...

I was at a party where the host (casual acquaintance) moved his giant charcoal grill into his garage due to a rain situation. It's up to you to decide if that's smart or not. I have my opinion - LOL...