The Gas Works News Blog

With so many gas cylinder sizes available, you may be finding it tricky to know which one is the right size for you.

This confusion may be tempting you to take the easy way out and to just choose whichever gas cylinder tickles your fancy the most.

However, choosing the right gas cylinder size is a little more technical than it may seem.

In this article, we talk about different gas cylinder sizes and which ones will be best to use for your gas installation or gas appliance.

Gas Cylinder Sizes – Choosing the Right One for Your Needs

By now we know that using gas as a form of energy in your household can save you a lot of money, while reducing your environmental impact – who wouldn’t want to use it?

However, as a flammable substance which is stored under pressure, gas cylinders need to be treated with care.

There are various gas safety guidelines which you need to follow when installing a gas appliance in your home, whether it’s a portable space heater, an oven or an outdoor gas braai.

Choosing the right size cylinder for your needs is an important part of gas safety. Here are some tips and basic guidelines to help you choose the right gas cylinder:

Volume

Different companies make different size cylinders. Each company is reputable and certified, so it really just depends on the size you need.

Gas cylinder sizes include:

·         3kg

·         5kg

·         5kg

·         7kg

·         9kg

·         19kg

·         48kg

Time Frame

Technically speaking, gas doesn’t have a shelf life. However, the cylinders in which gas is kept are not designed or built to last forever.

Part of gas safety is to make sure that your gas cylinder and all its moving parts, including the safety valve is well-maintained.

This can be achieved by making sure you don’t buy a gas cylinder that is too big for your needs. For example, a 48kg gas cylinder is not necessary if you’re only going to use 9kg a year.

Consumption

When thinking of consumption, think about how often you use your gas cylinder. Is it only once a month when you go on your camping weekend? Is it every day to cook food on your gas stove? Is it only every winter to heat the room?

If you need it for camping, you will want a cylinder that is easy to carry and will last long, so a 3kg, 4.5kg or 5kg cylinder will serve you well. Just make sure to always check if your camping cylinder needs refilling before you go away!

Also remember cylinders also need to be serviced just as your motor vehicle so dont forget about that. Safety is of course the most important aspect when handling LPG.

As different size cylinders give off different quantities of gas vapour we need to first look at the demand from your appliance.

Demand is also broken down to short term demand or continuance demand.

For a hob cooking the demand is low so one or two 9kg bottles on a change over should do for this. But when we get to higher demand appliances like fireplaces and gas water heaters we need to look at the bigger cylinders like 19kg and 48kg.

Bear in mind we are limited to 100kg of LPG per ERF unless you have planning permission from council and fire department. This choosing the correct appliance is also crucial, but we will cover that another time

The Gas Works – Registered Gas Installers in Cape Town

These are basic guidelines to help you choose the right cylinder for your needs, whatever they may be.

It’s important to familiarise yourself with all the relevant gas safety regulations to ensure the safe use of natural gas no matter where you are.

Gas is a safe, economical and environmentally friendly source of energy which is extremely efficient in providing heat, but it must always be handled with care.

If you would like some advice for choosing the right gas cylinder, or to find out about our comprehensive gas installation services in Cape Town, please contact us.