How To Check Grill Propane Tank Level

Written on: March 24, 2025

No Gauge? No Problem! How to Avoid an Empty Grill Tank

Whether you’re having your crew over for the big game and some BBQ, or you’re just grilling something for family dinner, you don’t want to run out of propane. While most portable tanks don’t come with a gauge, a good rule of thumb is that a standard 20-pound portable propane tank should get you through about 25 grilling sessions, or about 18 to 20 hours of grilling time. But who keeps track of how often and for how long they use their grill?

The good news is that there are easier ways to make sure you don’t run out of propane than marking it down on a calendar every time you grill.

Time for a Refill?

Nobody wants to pull out a stopwatch every time they fire up the grill to keep track of propane use. But most of the portable cylinders that you’d hook up to your grill don’t have a gauge, so how do you know if your tank is running low?

Here’s three ways to make sure you never run out:

1. Water Trick: Fill a small bucket with hot tap water and pour it down the side of the cylinder. Then run your hand down the side of the tank and find the point where it turns cool. That’s the level of the gas. (The liquid propane inside the tank absorbs heat from the water, which makes the metal wall of the tank cool to the touch.)
2. Weight Check: A 20-pound tank usually weighs about 17 pounds when empty (the “tare weight”). To calculate how much propane is in the tank, place the cylinder on a scale (a basic bathroom scale will work) and subtract the tare weight from the amount shown on the scale. So, if your 20-pound cylinder weighs 27 pounds, you have 10 pounds of propane or about half a tank. Or, pick up a digital propane tank scale at your local hardware store. Most come with a digital app to let you know when it’s time for a fill-up. Have a different size tank? Check the cylinder for markings that let you know the “tare weight” or TW.
3. Add a Gauge: You can buy a gauge to install between the gas line from the grill and the cut-off valve on the tank. It will measure the pressure and show you how full the tank is.

Refill or Exchange?

The easiest way to make sure you always have enough propane on hand to fire up the grill is to keep an extra tank on hand. Pico makes it easy to always have the propane you need for your grill with our convenient cylinder refill or exchange services.

Some people appreciate the swap-and-go convenience of a cylinder exchange. But savvy customers love the ease and the savings they get by refilling. When you own your propane grill tank and refill it, you can save money in a few ways.

First, you’ll save on the price of the propane. The difference can be up to $1.75 per gallon!

You also save because you’ll pay only for the propane you use. When you choose to refill your propane tank, you’re only buying the propane to fill the rest of your cylinder.

With propane grill tank exchange, you’re charged for all the propane in the cylinder—including the propane left in the tank when you take it to be exchanged. Because think about it: When you see your propane cylinder is starting to run low, your instinct is to take it in to exchange before you run out. So unless you run them until they’re completely empty, you could be wasting half a tank or more over the span of a few tanks.

Ready to Grill?

Whether you need a cylinder refill or exchange, or you want to pick up an extra propane grill tank so you always have a spare, the Pico team is ready to assist you. Contact us for more information today.