(NA) Propane cook top versus natural gas

S

Sundancer

En-Route
Joined
Aug 16, 2015
Messages
3,525
Display Name
Display name:
Sundog
I just downsized and my "new" house is all electric - I cook and the electric oven is OK: But after giving the electric cook top a three week trial it doesn't cut it. The burners cool much slower than gas, I miss the visual clues on the heat settings, it's inconvenient to do things like roast a pepper, or flambe, etc.

So, I think a local plumber can run a propane line in for a gas stove - question: Is propane cooking about the same as natural gas?
 
Sundancer said:
I just downsized and my "new" house is all electric - I cook and the electric oven is OK: But after giving the electric cook top a three week trial it doesn't cut it. The burners cool much slower than gas, I miss the visual clues on the heat settings, it's inconvenient to do things like roast a pepper, or flambe, etc.

So, I think a local plumber can run a propane line in for a gas stove - question: Is propane cooking about the same as natural gas?
Click to expand...

I *think* there’s a difference in gas vs propane burners, something to do with the proper fuel-air mixture. So verify the cooktop fuel requirements.

Other than that, I don’t know if one burns hotter than the other.
 
Sundancer said:
I just downsized and my "new" house is all electric - I cook and the electric oven is OK: But after giving the electric cook top a three week trial it doesn't cut it. The burners cool much slower than gas, I miss the visual clues on the heat settings, it's inconvenient to do things like roast a pepper, or flambe, etc.

So, I think a local plumber can run a propane line in for a gas stove - question: Is propane cooking about the same as natural gas?
Click to expand...
Supposedly propane isn't quite as hot as gas but I don't notice any difference. I've had propane for about 3 years now. Had Gas for 40+ years before that. Something to think about is if you get a leak, propane sinks to the floor and stays there, or so I've heard. I think they make detectors for this.
 
Matthew said:
I *think* there’s a difference in gas vs propane burners, something to do with the proper fuel-air mixture. So verify the cooktop fuel requirements.

Other than that, I don’t know if one burns hotter than the other.
Click to expand...
It's like a jet in a carburetor. Every stove I've bought comes with both gas and propane jets.
 
Propane has more energy pound for pound than Natural gas, so it should be hotter. Other than that it should be similar. Just have it professionally installed, too many people blow up their houses doing it themselves. Another alternative is to go with an induction cooktop. I have one and love it. It will boil a large pot of water very quickly and I think it has more heat than propane, but that's an opinion and may or may not be true.
 
PaulS said:
Propane has more energy pound for pound than Natural gas, so it should be hotter. Other than that it should be similar. Just have it professionally installed, too many people blow up their houses doing it themselves. Another alternative is to go with an induction cooktop. I have one and love it. It will boil a large pot of water very quickly and I think it has more heat than propane, but that's an opinion and may or may not be true.
Click to expand...
Oh yeah, I'll definitely hire a pro. I think I'll need a permit, as well. I have zero experience with induction. I'll do some Google-Youtube Fu on that, thanks.
 
Both type gases will perform the same, you will not notice a difference.
There are more BTUs in a cubic foot of LP gas vapor verses natural gas. So therefor LP gas appliances use smaller orifices that the gas passes through. The pressure is a little different also. 11" WC for propane and closer to 5-6" for natural gas.
Yes like mentioned LP gas(propane) is a heavy gas where is natural gas rises. You buy natural gas in a vapor, LP gas is a liquid when you buy it and you burn the vapor from it.

The biggest problem nowadays is how expensive steel propane tanks costs and how little a stove/oven uses. So some dealers like our selfs can't afford to rent you a tank because you will use so little.
Then you get into small tanks don't have gauges and that makes it tough for the customer to tell how much gas is left in the tank/s.
A 100 pound tank is enough for a stove, need 2 one for a back up but they don't have gauges and are not bulk tanks that get filled on site. So one must be able to wheel a replacement tank to the side of the home. Verses pulling out a fill hose from a bulk truck.
A 420 pound tank is bulk tank and has a gauge to read but are very expensive now. Insurance wants you to have a gauge so you can re order gas before running out. A 420 pound tank will last for years for just a stove. It has been proven that many accidents happen when tanks are left to run out. So for liability we want you to have gauge. Sorry for the rambling.
 
Last edited:
PaulS said:
Propane has more energy pound for pound than Natural gas, so it should be hotter. Other than that it should be similar. Just have it professionally installed, too many people blow up their houses doing it themselves. Another alternative is to go with an induction cooktop. I have one and love it. It will boil a large pot of water very quickly and I think it has more heat than propane, but that's an opinion and may or may not be true.
Click to expand...
does that translate into how hot the flame is? I dunno. I'm thinking that even though a 'unit' be it pound or gallon contains more energy, it doesn't necessarily make the flame hotter.
 
I'd be looking at incentives/rebates on induction ranges.
 
or.... try an induction stove top.

I don't have one (I'm still an EVIL person using natural gas for the stove/oven, dryer, heat, generator) but my understanding is that an induction stove top is cool to the touch.
 
One cubic foot of propane equals 2,516 BTUs, while one cubic foot of natural gas equals 1,030 BTUs.

You will use half as much propane vs. natural gas for the same heat output, but propane is more expensive.

Heat output depends on how the new orifice is sized for a particular appliance.

I am currently running a propane cooktop on an electric oven. Best of both worlds.
 
Last edited:
Induction requires ferromagnetic pans, that is iron or steel. The bottoms can be clad on aluminum or stainless, but induction works by:
a coil mounted under the cooking surface, and a large alternating current is passed through it to create an oscillating magnetic field. When an electrically conductive pot is brought close to the cooking surface, the magnetic field induces an electrical current, called an "eddy current", in the pot. The eddy current, flowing through the electrical resistance, produces heat; the pot gets hot and heats its contents by heat conduction.
Click to expand...

Some stainless-steel will work by induction but not all. Hold a magnetic to the bottom and if it sticks it will cook.
 
ElPaso Pilot said:
One cubic foot of propane equals 2,516 BTUs, while one cubic foot of natural gas equals 1,030 BTUs.
Click to expand...

interesting... I had a standby generator that was 6500 watts with natural gas (iirc) and 7000 watts on propane.
 
Bob Noel said:
interesting... I had a standby generator that was 6500 watts with natural gas (iirc) and 7000 watts on propane.
Click to expand...
Orifice size. The smaller propane orifice reduces the fuel flow.
 
How do you "do things like roast a pepper, or flambe" on an induction burner?

Nauga,
gassed
 
nauga said:
How do you "do things like roast a pepper, or flambe" on an induction burner?

Nauga,
gassed
Click to expand...
Steak_blowtorch_1.jpg


With propane, of course.
 
nauga said:
How do you "do things like roast a pepper, or flambe" on an induction burner?
Click to expand...

(not being a wisenheimer) but how does one do that on an old style electric burner?
 
I know of an apartment complex that was installed with Propane as the fuel, with promises by the gas company to change from Propane to natural gas when the main was installed "in a few years". Surely enough, the contractor installed all the dryers with natural gas orifices installed. Everything worked because a thermal safety on each dryer cut off the propane gas flow before things got too hot. If one of those safeties didnt work, the dryer may have burst into flames!

I notified the contractor by certified letter, putting them (and their insurance company) on notice that the installation was not up to code. They fixed it pronto!

I don't know that there is a thermal safety on a range top. Make sure your installation has the proper orifices for LPG!

-Skip
 
Last edited:
Ditto professional install advice. If you don't get LP right you'll spend a lot of time cleaning soot off of pans.
 
Sundancer said:
So, I think a local plumber can run a propane line in for a gas stove - question: Is propane cooking about the same as natural gas?
Click to expand...

We split our time between locations and have propane in some and natural gas in one. From a cooking perspective, they are identical. Even going back and forth between them for years, you can't notice a difference.

That said, induction is where you want to be in 2023.
 
Back in the day stove have adjustable orifices and not many folks had experience doing the conversions. And you have adjustrable ventures that mixed the air with the gas for clean burn.
Now nothing is adjustable and orifices are swapped out making mistakes less likely.
The gas supplier is responsible to make sure all appliances are setup for one gas or another.
 
W
Gary Ward said:
Both type gases will preform the same, you will not notice a difference.
There are more BTUs in a cubic foot of LP gas vapor verses natural gas. So therefor LP gas appliances use smaller orifices that the gas passes through. The pressure is a little different also. 11" WC for propane and closer to 5-6" for natural gas.
Yes like mentioned LP gas(propane) is a heavy gas where is natural gas rises. You buy natural gas in a vapor, LP gas is a liquid when you buy it and you burn the vapor from it.

The biggest problem nowadays is how expensive steel propane tanks costs and how little a stove/oven uses. So some dealers like our selfs can't afford to rent you a tank because you will use so little.
Then you get into small tanks don't have gauges and that makes it tough for the customer to tell how much gas is left in the tank/s.
A 100 pound tank is enough for a stove, need 2 one for a back up but they don't have gauges and are not bulk tanks that get filled on site. So one must be able to wheel a replacement tank to the side of the home. Verses pulling out a fill hose from a bulk truck.
A 420 pound tank is bulk tank and has a gauge to read but are very expensive now. Insurance wants you to have a gauge so you can re order gas before running out. A 420 pound tank will last for years for just a stove. It has been proven that many accidents happen when tanks are left to run out. So for liability we want you to have gauge. Sorry for the rambling.
Click to expand...
what's WC?
 
We've got a propane fueled on demand water heater at one house. A 100 pound propane tank would last about 5-6 months on it. That's with two adults, a 6 year old and a new baby. Average of two loads of laundry a day, running at least one load in the dishwasher and two 15+ minute hot showers, every day.
 
I have had, and cooked on, all three types mentioned. I prefer, no doubt, a gas cooktop. The only advantage for natural gas was reduced cost for the fuel and not having a truck come to refill the tank. I was on a schedule for periodic fills but sometimes that was overlooked and I ran out. The induction top limited my cookware selection a bit but did have good heat control. I did have electronic issues twice that shut down a burner until repaired.
 
Gary Ward said:
It has been proven that many accidents happen when tanks are left to run out. So for liability we want you to have gauge. Sorry for the rambling.
Click to expand...
Not rambling. imho.
Would you care to elaborate on:
many accidents happen when tanks are left to run out
Click to expand...
I have what I think is a 120 Gallon propane tank that is used to occasionally power a heater in a workshop and I am not knowledgeable on the subject. So I am interested in what you have to say.

Some years back [maybe ten years???], I got tired of the propane company stopping by my house unannounced to add maybe 4 gallons of propane [to the tank which at the time they owned] and charging me an outrageous amount per gallon. So, I bought the tank from them and told them never to return. Still working on that same propane. Clearly I do not use much.
 
Mongoose Aviator said:
Not rambling. imho.
Would you care to elaborate on:

I have what I think is a 120 Gallon propane tank that is used to occasionally power a heater in a workshop and I am not knowledgeable on the subject. So I am interested in what you have to say.

Some years back [maybe ten years???], I got tired of the propane company stopping by my house unannounced to add maybe 4 gallons of propane [to the tank which at the time they owned] and charging me an outrageous amount per gallon. So, I bought the tank from them and told them never to return. Still working on that same propane. Clearly I do not use much.
Click to expand...

Every propane supplier I have used in multiple locations had the option for "fill upon my call", or "fill on their route schedule."

The advantage of an oversized tank and "fill on my call" is I could watch propane prices and fill when they drop.
 
ElPaso Pilot said:
Every propane supplier I have used in multiple locations had the option ...
Click to expand...

My option was to tell them to go **** themselves and their overpriced propane and for me to call any other propane supplier I wanted. At such point as I actually needed propane again.

That route was for me to purchase the tank.
 
11" IS A BOUT A 1/2 POUND PRESSURE AND IS MORE THAN 5-6"
Gas valves are designed to have gas pressure 24/7 against them and can hang up when the pressure goes away. Possibly get stuck open.
Also if someone removed a appliance and didn't cap off the gas line and you bought the home with a empty tank. It could leak into your home when the tank is refilled If the dealer didn't do a pressure test after refilling the tank to detect the open gas line an accident can occur. When pilots lights are re lite flash fires can occur. A pressurized gas system is safer than a empty tank because you know it is not leaking if gas is in the tank. Not many older appliances left that use pilot lights. No new stoves have had a pilot in more than 20 years. Some older stuff is still out there.

a 120 gal tank is a 420 pound tank if it is a DOT tank. Holds 420 pounds which is equal to 100 gals at 80% full like all propane tanks. It would hold 120-125 gals if it was over filled to 100%. There are some AMSE 120 gal tanks out there, upright and horizontal.
 
Last edited:
Three weeks isn't long enough to get good at something. Stick with electric. Gas is terrible for indoor air quality.
 
I’m not terribly smart on this subject, but I am experienced.

I know you must have the correct jetting for whatever gas is in-play.

when installing the cooktop in our renovated kitchen in Mexico, we went with a Viking that was properly jetted for Mexico’s butane.

When Americans bring down ordinary American appliances it’s never great.
 
I must be the only here that prefers electric.
 
The "danger" of gas stoves is increased with tighter homes... that is, little to no exchange of air in the house
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top