Zodi Extreme Propane Question

[adventureduo]

I searched but didn't find anything regarding this particular question.

How badly does it eat up those little propane tanks?

I have a hard line i can use with our big propane tank, but i don't feel like lugging it back and forth between the trailer and the shower everyday.

I was just thinking of packing 2 small propane tanks for a 4 day trip.. enough?

thanks guys!

 

[Andrew Walcker]

Just to be clear the Zodi Extreme is the bug sprayer type with the detachable heater at the bottom. I use the Coleman propane canisters and haven't noticed any huge demand on them. I also carry an extra canister in the trailer so don't really keep track of how many heating sessions I get from a single canister. I'd say that a single will easily get you through 4 heating sessions (with more like 10-12 heating sessions as a norm) with the second canister for peace of mind.

 

[kcowyo]

I was just thinking of packing 2 small propane tanks for a 4 day trip.. enough?

That should be plenty. Two cans should be able to heat more water than most people (not you Dave) can carry.

I haven't done any scientific or timed experiments but I always have 2 or 3 of those small Coleman canisters on hand in case my main propane tank fails and for using with the Zodi.

 

[TheRoadie]

Propane contains about 22,000 BTUs of energy in a pound. The Zodi Extreme uses a 10,000 BTU/hour burner, so it should run 2.2 hours per cylinder.

One BTU is the amount of energy needed to raise a pound of water one degree F. So if all the energy on a cylinder went to heating water, you could raise 44 gallons of water (366 pounds divided by 8.3 pounds per gallon.) about 60 degrees. (Assume 40 degrees input temperature and 100 degrees output temperature.)

But the efficiency of the burner and heat exchanger is probably only 30% at best in the Zodi. Good home gas hot water heaters barely break 50% efficiency.

So the 44 gallons of theoretical hot water in a 1 pound propane cylinder is down to 13 gallons I predict in real life. That's 6-7 2-gallon showers or 4 3-gallon showers.

I also hope everybody is refilling these things in as safe a way as possible. Discarding the bottles after only one use is so wasteful, no matter what they say about refillability. Non-refillable 1 pound propane bottles should be banned IMHO.

 

[kcowyo]

Geeky info Bill, thanks.

So a safe bet may be 5 showers per canister. Good to know.


:REExeSquatsHL1:

 

[adventureduo]

Priceless info Bill! That should be a sticky!

Thanks everyone for the responses, i will pick up 2 for the next trip.

 

[tdesanto]

Propane contains about 22,000 BTUs of energy in a pound. The Zodi Extreme uses a 10,000 BTU/hour burner, so it should run 2.2 hours per cylinder.

One BTU is the amount of energy needed to raise a pound of water one degree F. So if all the energy on a cylinder went to heating water, you could raise 44 gallons of water (366 pounds divided by 8.3 pounds per gallon.) about 60 degrees. (Assume 40 degrees input temperature and 100 degrees output temperature.)

But the efficiency of the burner and heat exchanger is probably only 30% at best in the Zodi. Good home gas hot water heaters barely break 50% efficiency.

So the 44 gallons of theoretical hot water in a 1 pound propane cylinder is down to 13 gallons I predict in real life. That's 6-7 2-gallon showers or 4 3-gallon showers.

I also hope everybody is refilling these things in as safe a way as possible. Discarding the bottles after only one use is so wasteful, no matter what they say about refillability. Non-refillable 1 pound propane bottles should be banned IMHO.

It's insightful and thoughtful posts like this that make me really dig this community. I'm still impressed by the wealth of knowledge that we all have access to through this medium. The Portal is greater than the sum of it's members, or something like that, comes to mind.

 

[Gregny]

Propane contains about 22,000 BTUs of energy in a pound. The Zodi Extreme uses a 10,000 BTU/hour burner, so it should run 2.2 hours per cylinder.

One BTU is the amount of energy needed to raise a pound of water one degree F. So if all the energy on a cylinder went to heating water, you could raise 44 gallons of water (366 pounds divided by 8.3 pounds per gallon.) about 60 degrees. (Assume 40 degrees input temperature and 100 degrees output temperature.)

But the efficiency of the burner and heat exchanger is probably only 30% at best in the Zodi. Good home gas hot water heaters barely break 50% efficiency.

So the 44 gallons of theoretical hot water in a 1 pound propane cylinder is down to 13 gallons I predict in real life. That's 6-7 2-gallon showers or 4 3-gallon showers.

:clapsmile