Converting from natural gas to propane, LPG or something else?

[Raizinman]

We put in solar and got rid of all our gas appliances except the gas stove top burner and garage gas heater. The wife wants her gas stove top burner back but doesn’t want a monthly gas bill every month. Is there some way to connect a propane or LP tank to the current gas line of our house and have gas when we need it? I realize that I will need to get different orifices for these devices. What gas is easiest to convert to and where can I purchase the fittings to go from a propane tank to my house gas fitting? If necessary we can buy a new LP or Propane gas stove top. No, we don't want a camping stove top with small propane tank, the wife wants it to look good. You know, happy wife, happy life.

 

[boomerang]

If the goal is to save money your wife may be unhappy when she finds what the cost is of using propane over natural gas.

If the goal is to "stick it to the man", a new man will take the place of the previous man.

 

[herm0016]

so instead of having a small bill on auto pay from the gas company, you want to haul a tank to someplace where you pay them more than the gas costs to refill it, or you pay a delivery fee to switch out the tank or come and fill it? Propane is a bit of a different beast from gas. if you are only using it for your stove, i would not have the rest of the dead lines in your house connected to the propane. I would hire someone qualified to hook up the tank as well with the proper pressure regulators and valve.

its a liquid at pressure in your tank, and the outside temperature makes the pressure vary quite a lot on a large tank. if it is too cold your vaporization rate depends on the surface area of the liquid in the tank. My parents have had that problem if they arnt near half full in Jan when it hits 20 or 30 below zero on their 1000 gal tank.

you must live somewhere warm.

 

[Greenman]

I'd find out what an installed LPG tank costs, what it costs to fill it, the cost of appliance conversion, and compare that to a gas bill over the next twenty years.
My WAG is that the LPG tank is going to be far more money than natural gas.

 

[K1052]

Have you considered induction instead? I never thought I'd like an electric more than gas but it did the trick. Only downside is the pan material requirement.

 

[snoopy7548]

Anything other than a buried propane tank will look like crap. I have a 500lb underground tank that is used for heating, clothes dryer, water heater, and stove/oven, and I get it filled 1.5x per year on average - I live in the Northeast. During the summer, usage is basically nothing. If I only used it for cooking, I'd probably only get a fill every few years, if that.

The alternative is to have something like a 100lb propane tank installed outside, but those aren't buried and stick out like a sore thumb. You'd still need to schedule delivery, and I'm sure there will be a delivery charge considering how little you would need a fill, plus you wouldn't get volume-pricing.

Around my area, propane prices have fluctuated around $1.6-2.5/gallon, though my entire neighborhood uses the same company so we get a group discount. It has been around $1.65/gallon recently. If you had a 100lb tank filled once per year, you might expect a charge of $250-300, or around $25/month on average. There's also the one-time charge of buying the tank and having it installed.

How much would the natural gas bill be each month? I would just keep natural gas. Far less of a headache.

 

[BoomerD]

If natural gas wasn't an option, then propane would be a viable choice if you (she) wants a gas range...but since it is, with the added costs of plumbing in a dedicated line to an LPG tank, changing the various burner orifices in the range, etc, (check your owner's manual to see if it's even possible for that particular stove) and the cost of propane, delivery, and tank rental/purchase, I'd stick with natural gas.

 

[Micrornd]

In my area we have metered propane available. The LPG gas company provides the tank and meter, I pay for only what I use each month, nothing else.
This might be available in your area?
They fill the tank and read the meter once a month (the tank also sends out a signal if it drops to 30% before it is refilled and a truck rolls out)
I had a choice of above ground or underground, I went with above and just landscaped around the 500gal. tank (I have a whole house genset, you wouldn't need a tank anywhere near that size)
With the LPG gas company supplying the tank, they remain responsible for it, it's inspections and maintenance.
Many months I pay the just minimum charge (basically administrative fees)
As others mentioned, you would have to convert to LPG (change orifices)