5#, 11# or 20# Tank for Buddy Heater

I have usually used my grill’s 20Lb Propane tank for my buddy heater. Has anyone used anything smaller.
I’m tossing around the idea of getting a 5# or 11# tank, Any advice?

I went with the 5Lb for the weight issue. The empty tank weight is almost the same for both the 11 lb’er and the 20lb’er. Yet the 5 lb’er tank is 12 lbs empty and 17 lbs full. This is less than the empty weight of a 20#tank.

The 5lb’er will last me usually two weekends if not a bit more between refills.

I use 1lbs I I usally just bring two with me last for about 6-8 hours, then I fill them when i get home.

5# here same as Huntindave

Charles wrote:

I use 1lbs I I usally just bring two with me last for about 6-8 hours, then I fill them when i get home.

X2. Big tanks and hoses are a pain.

I have 2 11lb pancake tanks and love them, low profile and fit perfectly in a milk crate

I also opt for the five. Both the heater and tank fit in a plastic milk(?) crate. When there’s thick snow tho I do go w the greenie for less weight, I am starting to feel my years catching up w me.

I have a 5 pounder and I like it. My only issue is getting it filled away from home. Not many pump jockeys are familiar with them and I’ve had it filled short a number of times. I tend to just go with refilled 1 pounders any keep the 5 pounder topped off as an emergency backup for my big tanks.

I’m a big fan of the clear 11 pound composite tanks. They’re not cheap, but they are light and hold enough gas for a long weekend in bigger shantys. You always know exactly how much gas is left and if filled correctly (full) – I’ve gotten questionably full tanks in the past too.

Never mentioned a heater, the tank fits nice and snug

I take either 2-1lbers. or a 5lb. tank & a 1 lber. for a spare. As light as possible for an old timer. I also use to take a half dozen rods but now only 2.

How does the 1 lb propane tank filler work? Is it fairly easy? Looking at getting one to not have to pay 4-5 dollars for a pound of propane

1lb tanks are all I use. I refuse to sit over a hole where I’m not currently marking fish, so mobility is key. The last thing I want to deal with in a 1 man flip over is a heavy tank and a hose that holds days worth of fuel when I only need enough for 5-6 hours at a time.

Just switched to an 11# and I love it! A lot easier when walking out. Also it last multiple trips.

I like the 5lb. Just more easier to handle

I love my 11 pounder. Doesn’t take up as much room in the otter as a 20 pounder and can still last a couple of long weekends of fishing, running my big buddy on low or medium most of the day.

Where does a guy find these smaller tanks without paying an arm and a leg for one?

Bought a new Otter 1200 XT lodge last season. I purchased a 11 pound tank. I liked it but need to find a way to secure the 11 bound tank for shifting all over in the otter.

This last week end went out just using the 1 lbs. I barley used 1 all day. It has made me rethink why I need an 11 lb tank. Also when using the 11 lb it takes a while to fill the hose just to get it ignited

So…where does a guy get his hands on one of these 5 or 11lb tanks?

Craigslist you see them from time to time, fork lift tanks work well also those are 11lbs I think.

I picked my 5lber up watching the Cabelas Bargain Cave. Set up a wish list on Cabelas site and check it once a week, easy way to watch things that go on sale in the cave. Menards sell them but I don’t remember prices.

Charles, does that propane adaptor for filling 1lb tanks from a 20lb tank work pretty good? Thinking on doing this also but wondering is there a time or sound when you know it’s full and not get hurt doing it?

Reverend,you may have to go on line to get an 11 pound pancake tank, I don’t see that style in many stores, usually there the tall narrow ones,you won’t be disappointed with one. The low profile is great, obviously if your pulling a shack by hand you might want to go smaller, there’s no way a 11 lber weighs as much as a 20 lol

King Dinger wrote:

Charles, does that propane adapter for filling 1lb tanks from a 20lb tank work pretty good? Thinking on doing this also but wondering is there a time or sound when you know it’s full and not get hurt doing it?

You can over fill the 1lb, then you can get too much liquid in them. But I usually just warm up my 20lb and keep my little ones frozen and then when I am ready I screw on the little guys and flip the 20lb over and wait 1 1/2 to 2 minutes at max. Then I am done, your going to get 70-80% usually filled up.

Outdraft wrote:

The low profile is great, obviously if your pulling a shack by hand you might want to go smaller, there’s no way a 11 lber weighs as much as a 20 lol

Well, I look at it this way; (tank weight will vary between different manufactures)

An empty 11-lber weighs 14lbs an empty 20-lber weighs 17 lbs.
A FULL 5-lber weighs 15 lbs.

These weights are all within 3 lbs of each other. Yet for two of these ,,,,,,, It’s ALL dead weight.
If I am going to be humping out 15 lbs of weight, I guess I rather be humping out 5-lbs of LP gas rather than all dead weight.