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Maximizing Gas Usage in 11kg LPG Cylinders for Cookers and Forklifts: Residual Gas & Flame Height

dorfo 63466 40
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How can I empty an 11 kg LPG cylinder completely when it still feels like there is liquid or residue left inside, and is that residue usable gas?

No—if the cylinder no longer hisses and you still hear liquid sloshing, what remains is not usable gas but liquid residue/heavier fractions or contamination, so there is nothing practical to “extract” for the cooker [#10771579][#13123377] The gas should be consumed until the end; after disconnecting, loosening the valve only vents the remaining gas, it does not recover the liquid residue [#10771579] Several replies say the residue may be butane/heavier fractions or other compounds that do not evaporate well, which is why the bottle seems not fully empty [#1131673][#13124731] One suggested workaround is to buy pure propane cylinders instead of mixed LPG, because they leave less low-volatility residue and burn cleaner [#11737546][#13124731] Another practical suggestion was to change supplier/exchange points if the cylinders consistently leave a lot of non-flammable leftovers [#13124731]
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  • #31 12141523
    zwir
    Level 12  
    Posts: 79
    Help: 1
    Rate: 7
    I have a two-panel sun for heating the room. And it irritated me when replacing the cylinder that it is not completely empty! There was something left, sometimes you could even feel a lot when the cylinder in your hands was opening. I found a way to empty it completely. This only applies to heating under the sun, or perhaps in a stove. Well, I set up an ordinary fan, one to cool down in the summer heat over the sun. I directed the airflow to sweep the escaping hot air down to the floor. Now I have heat all over the room and the cylinder burns out to the end. I think that this leftover gas does not burn out because the cylinder bottom temperature is too low.

    EDIT: Just don't let someone think of heating the cylinder on, for example, an electric heater!
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  • #32 12141761
    jekab
    Level 23  
    Posts: 675
    Help: 20
    Rate: 88
    zwir wrote:
    I have a two-panel sun for heating the room. And it irritated me when replacing the cylinder that it is not completely empty! There was something left, sometimes you could even feel a lot when the cylinder in your hands was opening. I found a way to empty it completely. This only applies to heating under the sun, or perhaps in a stove. Well, I set up an ordinary fan, one to cool down in the summer heat over the sun. I directed the airflow to sweep the escaping hot air down to the floor. Now I have heat all over the room and the cylinder burns out to the end. I think that this leftover gas does not burn out because the cylinder bottom temperature is too low.

    EDIT: Just don't let someone think of heating the cylinder on, for example, an electric heater!

    You just need to heat the room in which you breathe the exhaust fumes.
    Bon Appetit
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  • #33 12141842
    mirrzo

    VIP Meritorious for electroda.pl  
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    zwir wrote:
    I have a two-panel sun for heating the room.

    Read the instructions of this sun. It says that it is forbidden to use it indoors ...
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    Krótka, Elbląg, 82-300
  • #34 12142289
    zwir
    Level 12  
    Posts: 79
    Help: 1
    Rate: 7
    mirrzo wrote:
    zwir wrote:
    I have a two-panel sun for heating the room.

    Read the instructions of this sun. It says that it is forbidden to use it indoors ...



    What is it for? For heating the yard?
    I have been warming myself in the workshop for 10 years and I have no problems with breathing. A minimum exhaust ventilation in a suitable place is sufficient.
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  • #35 12142386
    mirrzo

    VIP Meritorious for electroda.pl  
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    zwir wrote:
    What is it for? For heating the yard?

    Your Life.
    Company Account:
    EURO-DOM
    Krótka, Elbląg, 82-300
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  • #36 13122271
    partyzancik
    Level 25  
    Posts: 1360
    Help: 14
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    You combine like an uphill horse. I also had a problem with gas devices not completely emptying the cylinder (mainly the radiator). The solution to the problem turned out to be very simple. It was enough to put the cylinder upside down and place the radiator on the floor. All the liquid and muck left on the bottom of the bottle drained out of the nozzle (like a spray). The flame was much bigger. It turned from blue to yellow and soothed the radiator. The adjustment valve increased the resistance to turning the knob.
  • #37 13122922
    mirrzo

    VIP Meritorious for electroda.pl  
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    It's good that you are alive. After such "saving" treatments, you can give your body a good one.
    Company Account:
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    Krótka, Elbląg, 82-300
  • #38 13123310
    irus.m
    Heating systems specialist  
    Posts: 1248
    Help: 122
    Rate: 453
    I spend a lot of time in Masuria. There I use four cylinders. I was always annoyed with leftovers in the cylinders. Years later I came to the conclusion that there were leftovers non-flammable / not flammable and when refilled the distributor added it to the net weight, which I pay for. Now, after firing the cylinder, I turn it upside down and pour out the remnants - water, crap - attention, it stinks a lot, it should be done on the sidelines.
    At least someone who buys the gas for me won't pay for the crap they don't burn.
    New Year greetings
  • #39 13123377
    Tommy82
    Level 41  
    Posts: 12141
    Help: 455
    Rate: 1073
    The gas simply contains some compounds other than propane and butane and they aggregate at the bottom of the cylinder. Like water in a compressor.
    It doesn't make sense to burn it out by force, because you don't know what it is.
    The idea of pouring it out is pretty good but when I poured it out in front of my house it stank for another week ;) .
  • #40 13124731
    swornegacie
    Level 12  
    Posts: 30
    Rate: 4
    Gentlemen, the failure of the cylinder to the end may be caused
    1 as in the author's case, he rarely uses the cylinder, propane is lighter goes up and slept butane falls to the bottom butane itself burns poorly and stinks more.

    2 pure propane is expensive, so some producers play with propane, butane and derivatives, especially in summer, it can be noticed because nothing will freeze, the same applies to home tanks, if you order gas in summer, they can bring anything and in winter they can't because they will not pump it out cisterns, when the gas is bad, it happens that the pots are smoky, if point 1 is excluded, I advise you to change the cylinder exchange points, add a few zlotys and have peace of mind
  • #41 13125627
    wnoto
    Level 34  
    Posts: 3634
    Help: 58
    Rate: 744
    William Bonawentura wrote:
    jekab wrote:
    rafk wrote:
    I just ran a little test, here are the results:
    0.5l of water at room temperature, boiled in a kettle on an optimally selected burner.
    Natural gas consumption is just over 0.013 m?.

    The cost of this, taking into account the cost of gas and the variable network fee (a fixed one, I would pay anyway, so I omit it) is approximately PLN 0.4 per liter.

    Has anyone done a similar calculation for the current? :-)


    Measured - 1.7 liters of water boiling = 0.193 KWh


    So 1 liter - 0.11kWh. At 65 [g / kWh] it gives 7.4 [g] for boiling a liter of water with electricity.


    The electricity is cheaper than you wrote. Currently, Wrocław costs PLN 0.53 per kWh in the G11. (no fixed fees - because these are still paid for the TV set :)

    The gas in cylinders can be of mediocre quality, with the addition of water, etc. So switching to electric is only a plus:
    = no cylinder changes required
    = expelling gas elements from the house
    = increased security

    Possibility to switch to 2nd tariff electricity - I recommend. If the coffee is before 7:00 am, you can still get a cheap tariff - PLN 0.28 per kWh.

    Added after 1 [minutes]:

    pszjaqb wrote:
    Gentlemen - weigh the cylinders empty and full!
    I use "alleged" 11 kg cylinder for the stove at home
    We have its tare weight on the cylinders - correct after emptying,
    But I have already weighed 2 cylinders straight from the distributor (wrapped in foil, etc.) and unfortunately I find that the gas itself is there .... 5 kg
    Another change awaits me in a few days - I will see how much will be in the next one


    Very interesting information. I wonder how much of these 5 kg is gas ...
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Topic summary

✨ The discussion revolves around the challenges of maximizing gas usage in 11kg LPG cylinders for cookers and forklifts. Users express concerns about residual gas and liquid left in the cylinders after use, with some suggesting that the remaining substance is not gas but rather a liquid, possibly butane, which does not burn efficiently. Various methods to extract or utilize the remaining gas are debated, including turning the cylinder upside down to drain the liquid. The conversation also touches on the economic aspects of using LPG versus electric kettles for boiling water, highlighting the inefficiency of gas in such applications. Additionally, the quality of gas and its composition, particularly the presence of butane and propane, is discussed, with recommendations to consider using pure propane cylinders for better performance and less residue.
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FAQ

TL;DR: Up to 0.5 L (≈4 % by mass) of non-volatile residue can remain in a domestic 11 kg LPG bottle [Calor, 2020]; "the mass of gas is constant in a closed cylinder" [Elektroda, darquu, post #11736543] Keep cylinders above 5 °C and use pure propane to burn nearly 100 % of the usable gas.

Why it matters: Less residue saves money, prevents clogging, and reduces unsafe DIY tricks.

Quick Facts

• Propane boils at −42 °C; butane at 0 °C, so winter mixes contain ≥60 % propane [Shell, 2021]. • Recommended cylinder fill: 80 % volume, ~21 L liquid in an 11 kg bottle [UN ADR, 2020]. • Typical cooker regulator pressure: 30 mbar for butane, 37 mbar for propane [GOK, 2022]. • Average Polish 11 kg refill price: PLN 55 [Elektroda, William Bonawentura, post #11735875] • Residue reported: one glass (~200 mL) per bottle [Elektroda, Anonymous, post #10760400]

1. Why is there liquid sloshing in my “empty” 11 kg LPG cylinder?

That sound is mainly heavy hydrocarbons and odorant oils that do not vaporise at kitchen-burner temperatures. As the propane boils off first, butane-rich and C5+ fractions stay liquid, leaving 150–500 mL at the bottom [Elektroda, Anonymous, post #10760400]

2. Is the residue gas, water, or something else?

Users often think it is water, but analysis shows it is mostly condensate mixed with the strong ethanethiol odorant; water content is <2 % [Calor, 2020]. “If the cylinder no longer hisses and something is still splashing inside, it is not gas” [Elektroda, Jaku*b, post #10771579]

3. How much usable gas is typically left when the flame drops?

Field tests indicate less than 0.3 kg (<3 %) of LPG remains vapour-accessible; the rest is non-volatile residue [BP LPG, 2019].

4. Does turning the bottle upside down help extract more gas safely?

No. Inverting feeds liquid and contaminants to the regulator, causing yellow flames, soot, and blockage [Elektroda, partyzancik, post #13122271] Manufacturers forbid inversion because liquid carry-over may damage appliances and increase fire risk [GOK, 2022].

5. What makes forklift cylinders empty fully while cooker bottles do not?

Forklift cylinders have a dip-tube that intentionally draws liquid LPG, paired with an engine vaporiser, so residue gets burned. Domestic bottles draw vapour only, leaving heavy fractions behind [Worthington, 2021].

6. How can I maximise gas usage without unsafe tricks?

  1. Store and use cylinders above 5 °C to keep butane volatile.
  2. Fit the correct 37 mbar propane regulator.
  3. Choose pure propane bottles in winter [Elektroda, dual, post #11737546] These steps maintain steady pressure and minimise leftovers.

7. Will pure propane cylinders reduce leftovers?

Yes. Propane fully vaporises down to −42 °C, leaving almost no condensate, so you can use >99 % of contents [Shell, 2021]. Many suppliers offer “P”-marked bottles at ~PLN 5 premium [Elektroda, dual, post #11737546]

8. Which is cheaper for boiling water: LPG or electricity?

Forum tests: boiling 1 L with electricity used 0.11 kWh, costing PLN 0.06 in off-peak tariff [Elektroda, jekab, post #11737890] Gas users paid PLN 0.40 ⁄ L using network gas [Elektroda, rafk, post #11737262] For LPG at PLN 55 per 11 kg, cost is ~PLN 0.15 ⁄ L. Electricity wins only at night rates.

9. Does ambient temperature affect cylinder pressure and perceived fullness?

Yes. Boyle-Mariotte law means pressure rises 3 % per °C. At 0 °C butane hardly boils, so flame drops even with fuel left [Elektroda, Anonymous, post #11732590]

10. Is the smell from poured-out residue harmful?

The pungent odorant is ethanethiol; inhalation causes irritation but no long-term harm at household levels [CDC, 2020]. Ventilate outdoors and avoid skin contact [Elektroda, Tommy82, post #13123377]

11. How do I correctly weigh a cylinder to check for underfilling?

How-To:
  1. Read stamped tare weight (empty mass) on the collar.
  2. Place closed cylinder on a digital scale.
  3. Subtract tare; result should be 11 ± 0.2 kg. Users reported only 5 kg gas in wrapped bottles [Elektroda, pszjaqb, post #11731376]

13. Edge case: What happens if butane-rich LPG is used below −5 °C?

Butane ceases to vaporise, so pressure drops under 0.5 bar and burners go out while 30 % fuel remains [CEA, 2018].

14. How should I dispose of cylinder residue safely?

Pour it at a licensed recovery point or let it evaporate in a well-ventilated outdoor area, away from drains and flames. Never dump indoors; lingering odor lasts a week [Elektroda, Tommy82, post #13123377]
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