Propane Stove Top

[fixer1958]

I'm thinking of replacing the electric stovetop with a gas one. It's starting to act up and will need replacing anyway. I have never dealt with anything other than electric the entire almost half century I have been here. Other than the grill. I can feel a power outage coming and my old generator really starts barking when you use a microwave. You get used to cold coffee, but it is not a first choice.
What would some features be to look at (if any really) and how big of a tank would be needed? It will be a major PITA to hook up but is doable. And how far away from the house does the tank need to be?
I have always hated cooking on electric, but you do what you have to do first and complain about the results later. I think cooking on gas would be a real treat.
Does there need to be any ventilation such as a vent like a gas furnace or waterheater? I've never had any dealings with gas at all. I guess subconsciously I would rather be electrocuted versus exploding.

[buffalocreek]

I cook with a 1930s combo wood/gas stove. It needs no ventilation for the gas. Or at least mine doesn't. It has a pilot light for top burners and you have to light the oven with a match. As for tank placement, my tanks are right in back of the house, probably less than 10 ft. from house. Check your state regs on this. If you're only using gas for the stove, a 100 gal. tank would last fairly long, a 250 gal. would probably last several years and you would be more apt to save $$ on the larger tank fill since propane is headed only upward in the future.

[Windy in Kansas]

You don't mention oven so I assume you are strictly speaking of stovetop only as your posts says.

A gas stovetop or range either doesn't need outside venting. The gas burns almost completely so carbon monoxide isn't a real danger, however it still puts out enough that a home shouldn't be heated with it.

I would say the distance from the tank to the house would depend upon just how large of a tank you intend to use. The bottles designated 100# hold about 24 gallons and last a long time. Most generally I have seen these setting up against a house but I don't feel it is a good practice. A tank of 125 gallon size would need to be filled by a bulk supplier but should work for you nicely. The bottles could be taken to the fuel dealer for refilling but would cost more per gallon. As to the location of a 125 gallon or larger tank it should be located where a bulk truck can easily get to it. I'm not sure on the minimum standards or if there are any, but I wouldn't want it closer than 25 to 50 feet if it were mine. Neither of the ends should point toward the house in case of fire and tank failure. I have heard that the ends give way first which would make for a pretty good sized bullet. lol

I would look for a unit that does not require electricity for burner ignition. Piezo electric ignition would be okay. Personally I would prefer a standing pilot light but they do put off quite a bit of heat---if they are even available in this day and age. I would also prefer burner gas valve controls that have little clicks for heat changes rather than just guessing by control position.

Hopefully someone with gas stove experience can add some good information to my very limited supply. Feel free to rebut as well folks.

[Wildwood Flower]

I have no idea how you install one, other than getting the gas to the stove, that's about it.

As a housewife, however, I'll tell you right now I LOVE GAS COOKING!

And a gas range is a breeze to clean up--at least mine is--there are pans under the burners that catch the debris, and you can easily take them out and clean them separately.

And I don't have a hood vent, although it might be nice.

I think the fears of blowing yourself up are over-inflated.

[YuccaFlatsRanch]

I installed my own propane stove top and my oven is electric (I wanted convection). I also use the propane to heat an on demand water heater and sometimes a space heater (wall mounted) to take the chill off of the bathroom on cold windy days like today. If I didn't also have a fill hose to fill BBQ bottles that I use for the grill and to heat the greenhouse one 250 gallon tank (I own it) which they fill to 80% or 200 gallons would easily last me all year. My stove top has electric ignition and since you have electricity already at your stove top location I would recommend an electric ignition for yours too.

I found that I could order my stovetop from a company in California called University Electric and even with transportation it was cheaper than buying locally and paying sales tax - much cheaper.

http://www.universityelectric.com/

See their closeouts and overstock pages of the website and compare prices.

[fixer1958]

It would just be for the stove top.
It's built into the countertop. Finding one that will fit will be another major hurdle. I built the counter top for the stove top. The oven will be the next thing. One thing at a time.


http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f5...8/stovetop.jpg

It's not a very good pic.
We got this when we were trying to finish the house and got it for $100.
It has served us well for 17 years. Can't complain about that too much. Time to move on.
Only to retrofit it somehow. There is a utensil drawer underneath and I don't want to give that up.

So I will think on the lines of a 125 to 250 gallon tank to start with. I'll do some research on it and see what is what.
Thanks for the input.

[YuccaFlatsRanch]

Stove tops are pretty much standard size. Lift your stove top and determine the size of the hole. You will need that when shopping, however your counter top looks like wood so the hole can be altered pretty easily. My gas cook top only is about 6 inches deep so it shouldn't interfere with the storage below.

In Texas I could buy a propane bottle fill hose that is on my bulk tank that allows me to refill BBQ bottles. Its a godsend and allows propane to be gotten out of the tank for use in a SHTF scenario. I don't know if it is legal in Kansas or in your city/county in Kansas. Farms/homesteads around here all have them. I can PM you a picture if desired - will have to charge batteries on the camera.

If you are buying a tank there are many more 250 gallon tanks in use so their price may be better than 125ish tank. Around here expect to pay $1.00 per gallon for the tank used and a used tank even if 25+ years old is still as good as new. If it were me I would have a 500 gallon tank (holds 400 gallons) as part of my SHTF storage.

[tamsam]

When you have elect ignition and the power goes off how do or can you light the burners? We have elect stove here but if elect goes off we can use stove in motor home. Sam

[bluetick]

I have a propane gas stove for cooking. The tank has a 100 pound capacity; is owned by the fuel company; and is scheduled to be refilled twice a year. Since I live alone and often cook so I can reheat leftovers in the microwave, or use a crockpot, my propane useage is minimal.

The tank is behind the house, but next to a wall of the kitchen where the line comes inside. At a camp I once owned, the tank could not be more than 100 feet from where the delivery truck could park for a fill-up.

My stove has electronic ignition, but during power outages I hold a match to a burner and turn it on to light it. I have never tried to light the oven during a power outage, and don't know whether it would work the same.

[Wildwood Flower]

Originally Posted by tamsam

When you have elect ignition and the power goes off how do or can you light the burners? We have elect stove here but if elect goes off we can use stove in motor home. Sam

You can always hand light a gas stove. Keep one of those lighters with the long wand--like you light grills and candles with--near the stove.

Half the time my electric ignition doesn't work right. I had a guy come to "fix" it, but it still doesn't work right.

[mdharris68]

Just my 2 cents here......

One thing to remember, if you decide to use propane for your stovetop, do not undersize your gas supply piping. One thing that is often misunderstood is gas volume versus gas pressure. You can have the same pressure on two different sized lines and the larger size will carry more volume at the same pressure.

More volume equals more or rated btu's at the burner.

If you go with a tank from a company, and you are renting it, they will probably install the line to the house. If you have to get a plumber or someone to run the interior gas line, have it ran in 3/4 black iron pipe. Plan the pipe to be able to take care of your future needs if they should arise. Maybe you will want to install a ventfree wall heater for those power outage situations.

The install goes kinda like this, if you were to hire a plumber or pipefitter.

Pick a place that you can set your tank close enough to the driveway where the bulk truck can string out his hose for filling. You then hire a plumber to run the gas line from the closest location on the side of the house to your stovetop location using the black iron pipe. You should have him put a second stage regulator on your house, that will accept the high pressure line from the tank. (side note: Its best to use two regulators, one on the tank, and one on the house for this reason; You can run a small,(1/2" or 5/8") copper line from the tank to the house, without loosing volume or pressure. Cold weather can effect the incoming pressure on a line that feeds the house with a dual pressure regulator.) Now the plumber puts an air test on the line, to check for leaks and then you get your tank brought in and they usually run the line to the black iron and most propane companies provide the regulators.

Make sure your regulator vent is 36" from any electrical source, and if thats a problem, you can put an adapter into the vent, and vent it with pvc pipe, 3/4" is the normal size of the vent outlet, as i recall.

If you buy a used tank, and you can't verify the age of the regulator, change it. Regulators are supposed to be changed every 15 years, not a law, but a good rule of thumb.

Place the tank on a very secure place. I once had to fix a line on a 1000 gallon tank that rolled over and broke the line, because the ground heaved and the blocks shifted. Talk about scary. If you can get an underground tank , that would even be better. I think there may be some sort of regulation against buried tanks here in Kansas though.

Whatever you choose, make sure it's installed correctly. Poorly installed/sized propane lines can and or will cause problems down the road. Premature failure of your appliance burners is one of the main issues.

This may be more than 2 cents worth but I hate to go work on peoples propane furnaces, and explain all this as to why thier ten year old furnace needs new burners, and they always say "it's worked for this long, that can't be the problem" and I just have to walk away knowing I'll be there again fixing some problem related to poor installation practices.

Good luck.

[YuccaFlatsRanch]

"More volume equals more or rated btu's at the burner."

Interesting concept. The stove top will have its own regulator to provide just the amount of gas needed. I doubt you could undersize the black iron pipe for just the one appliance.

BTW - remember that all stove tops come with 2 sets of orifices. One is for Natural Gas and the other for Propane. Takes about 15 minutes to change them out for whichever is needed.

[mdharris68]

Ya, I should rephrase that to say " The correct volume equals the rated btu's at the burners"

[tamsam]

We bough our 100lb tank and it is used only for our wall heater which is used for back up heat. With the cost of the tank and all the plumbing with the regulator was less than 150 bucks. By owning your tank you can take it where ever you want to to get it filled. When it runs out we hook to a 20lb bbq tank and fill the 100lber, With a pair of hand trucks it is easy to move the tank to the truck to go fill it. Good luck. Sam

[tyusclan]

We have always preferred gas for cooking. It's nice to be able to cook whatever you want in a power outage.

I prefer standing pilots. With electronic ignition, as someone mentioned, you can light the burners with a match, but there is now way to make the oven work without power. Those ovens have a glow plug that has to get hot in order for the oven valve to function. Without power it simply will not work.

[fixer1958]

Thanks for the recomendations everyone.
I never would have thought about the electric pilot if wasn't brought up.
Good call, because the purpose being partly was in case of a power outage.

FIL knows about plumbing for the gas. That's all he has ever used.
I'll pick his brain on that issue.

It's giving me a good start on what to look for.
Thanks!