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Less BTU's for propane than gas?


Mano

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How much lower are the BTU's for a propane cook top than gas? We have a large LP tank for our fireplace, have an all electric home and want to replace the electric range with a propane model.

“Watermelon - it’s a good fruit. You eat, you drink, you wash your face.”

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It's odd, because propane actually has more energy, but most ranges are optimized for natural gas. The difference will vary among manufacturers -- some do the conversion well, and some don't seem to care. Personally, I'd invest in a good electric range before running gas lines and buying an underpowered propane stove.

Dave Scantland
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The Term "gas' is a generic term that includes propane. If you are wondering how propane would compare with your electric stove top, I can tell you from experience that the heat is comparable. The amount of heat delivered is more determined by the stove top than anything else. Of course, there are some subtle differences between cooking on an electric stove top and a gas one like the fact that with gas, you can see the flame immediately and adjust it easier. There are some drawbacks too, like having the metal handles or spoons hanging over the edges of the pot on a gas stove getting hotter much faster.

I have no idea how much experience you have with gas, so I hope I haven't wasted your time explaining the obvious to you.

HC

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We have a very good electric range but my wife hates all electric cook tops because it's more difficult to adjust the heat with the precision she wants.

Edited by Mano (log)

“Watermelon - it’s a good fruit. You eat, you drink, you wash your face.”

Italian tenor Enrico Caruso (1873-1921)

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A search for "Propane BTU's vs Natural Gas BTU's" yielded many useful results including the following:

http://www.propane101.com/propanevsnaturalgas.htm

Doing a total kitchen remodel in an older house that was all electric in Tesuque, New Mexico at 7600 feet altitude, I specifically wanted a gas cook top. A six burner Wolf was my choice.

Cook tops are available for propane rather natural gas.

Note that Tesuque is close to Santa Fe but natural gas is not available due to considerations involving crossing Indian land and the electricity can frequently go out during summer thunderstorms.

The higher the altitude the less efficient propane is. That said my propane usage is low and a stock pot of water comes to a rapid boil (for pasta) in ~ 6 minutes.

Hope this helps.

Bob Sherwood

____________

“When the wolf is at the door, one should invite him in and have him for dinner.”

- M.F.K. Fisher

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The higher the altitude the less efficient propane is. That said my propane usage is low and a stock pot of water comes to a rapid boil (for pasta) in ~ 6 minutes.

We too are at higher elevation (6200') and use LPG (propane) for cooking, household heat, hot water, clothes dryer, and heating the greenhouse. This is partly because we are "off-grid", and have to generate all of our own electric and partly by choice. I can't imagine wanting to cook on electric over LPG or natural gas, if the choice is available.

fyfas is right about the efficiencies of gas (any gas) being lower the higher above sea level one is, but this is true with gasoline and diesel engines etc. It has to do with their being less oxygen available for combustion. Conversion kits are readily available to convert between LPG and natural gas as well as for using either at higher elevations. LPG does have higher energy potential but it seems like some manufacturers over-compensate for this fact in their conversions, "dumbing-down' the performance of the equipment. Maybe this is for fuel efficiency reasons or for safety concerns (i.e. the lawyers told them too)- I don't know.

We have a 4-burner-plus-griddle commercial American Range with a full sheetpan-sized convection oven that is great. It came from the distributer converted for both elevation and LPG and worked like a charm from the get-go.

The Big Cheese

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