RV Propane Usage Calculator
Estimate daily propane use for your furnace, water heater, stove and fridge, and how many days your tanks last.
Estimate daily propane use for your furnace, water heater, stove and fridge, and how many days your tanks last. Free, private, and it shows its working.
How to use this tool
Enter the BTU rating of each propane appliance and how many hours its burner actually runs per day. The calculator converts the total to gallons and pounds and divides your supply by daily use.
Furnace hours change most with temperature, wind and insulation, so try a cold-night scenario too. Remember that cylinders are filled to about 80 percent of capacity.
Worked example
Here is what the RV Propane Usage Calculator returns with its starting values. Replace them with your own numbers for a real plan.
| Input | Example value |
|---|---|
| Furnace rating | 30000 BTU/h |
| Furnace burner hours per day | 5 h |
| Water heater rating | 10000 BTU/h |
| Water heater burner hours per day | 1 h |
| Stove and oven combined | 9000 BTU/h |
| Cooking hours per day | 0.5 h |
| Fridge on propane | 1200 BTU/h |
| Fridge on propane, hours per day | 0 h |
| Total propane on board | 14 gal |
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Propane per day | 1.8 gal |
| Pounds per day | 7.6 lb |
| Days per fill | 7.8 days |
| Energy per day | 164,500 BTU |
How the calculation works
- Daily BTU = furnace 150,000 + water heater 10,000 + cooking 4,500 + fridge 0 = 164,500 BTU.
- Gallons = BTU / about 91,500 BTU per gallon of propane = 1.8 gal (about 4.2 lb per gallon).
- Days = 14 gal on board / 1.8 gal per day.
When this tool helps most
Use it before cold-weather camping and long boondocking stays to plan refills.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Entering thermostat hours instead of burner-on hours.
- Assuming a cylinder holds its full rated volume.
- Forgetting that cold snaps can multiply furnace use.
Related guides
This tool is for planning and education only. It does not store your entries. Read our disclaimer.
Understanding your results
- Daily use: propane burned by furnace, water heater, stove and fridge.
- Days per tank: how long your supply lasts at that rate.
- Biggest user: the furnace dominates in cold weather.
Two quick scenarios
Cold nights
Furnace use rises sharply below freezing, so winter campers refill far more often.
Summer camping
Cooking and hot water use little propane, so tanks last much longer in warm weather.
Before you rely on the numbers
- Test the propane leak detector.
- Turn propane off while refueling.
- Keep tanks upright and secured.
- Know where to refill along your route.
Keep planning with RV water heater repair and RV Generator Size Calculator.
Official references
Frequently asked questions
It depends on what you run. A 30 lb cylinder holds about 7 gallons. Enter your appliances’ BTU ratings and burner hours to estimate days for your setup. About 91,500 BTU, which is the figure the calculator uses. A gallon weighs about 4.2 pounds.How long does a 30 lb propane tank last in an RV?
How many BTUs are in a gallon of propane?