Central Florida Winter Propane Usage numbers.

[RobWNY]

As a snowbird, on average, how much propane do you use per month while wintering in Central Florida? I know the amounts will vary a lot depending on temperature but I'm just looking for general numbers of what you've used in past years. I'm trying to figure out a budget for next year. Thank you!

[almcc]

Actually, the calculation is independent of what amount of electricity or propane you use.
The spreadsheet that I use to determine if I should use propane or electricity for heating etc. shows that the "break even" value at electricity at 18 cents/KWH for propane is about $2.40 per gallon. This assumes 100% efficiency for electric and 50% efficiency for propane. If the electricity is more expensive, run propane if it's $2.40 or cheaper. The 50% efficiency number is a guess, any higher then propane wins at a lower value

[RobWNY]

almcc wrote:
Just a comment about electric vs propane. Depending on what the electric cost is at the park you stay at it may be cheaper to use propane for heating etc. Search on-line for comparison calculation methods, I do that each winter as the RV park we stay at changes it's prices for propane and electricity.

I have no idea how many Kilowatt hours my 5th wheel would use in a month either and I've seen rates from .13/kwh to .16/kwh. I'm sure using my fireplace (fancy looking space heater) uses a lot of juice. Most people that have posted their electric usage state their monthly bill is $100 or less. I'm budgeting $100 for electricity for now anyway until I can get a better handle on it.

[almcc]

Just a comment about electric vs propane. Depending on what the electric cost is at the park you stay at it may be cheaper to use propane for heating etc. Search on-line for comparison calculation methods, I do that each winter as the RV park we stay at changes it's prices for propane and electricity.

[RobWNY]

Thank you everyone for the information. Planning our first Snowbird excursion for the winter of 2019/2020 is a lot of work and a lot of fun too! It's nice to know that our Propane usage won't likely be any issue at all.

[Michelle_S]

The only propane we use is for the Gas Grill. Water heater is on electric, baking is in the Convection Oven, and cooking, either electric fry pan, induction cook top, or microwave.

[MPI_Mallard]

The only thing I use propane in my fiver is the stove and I run the water heater on electricity except when we're travelling which I switch it to propane. I have two 40lb tanks that are full when I leave that cost me $60can where I live and that will usually get through the whole year but I have four BBQ propane tanks that I rotate as we use our grill almost daily and in Florida we have one of those nice propane fire-pits that that we use quite a lot that goes through a bit of propane. In Canada I fill them for around $12can and in Florida I fill them at our local TSC Store at around $13usd but I guess I go through about $150+ give or take on the US exchange through the year so I suppose my number is $210+ annually but as we are "full-timers" I don't think it's too much!

Red Green: And to the rest of you, thanks for
watching. On behalf of myself and Harold and
the whole gang up here at Possum Lodge... keep
your stick on the ice.

[JW_of_Opechee_S]

Average electric bill is around $70

[RobWNY]

That's good to know that I won't be using all that much propane. I'm hearing that electricity costs close to $100 per month. We also plan on utilizing solar to some extent so maybe it will be somewhat less than the norm.

[JW_of_Opechee_S]

Less than $100 for the season so not a factor.

[alfredmay]

A word of warning......... many places in FL really sell butane, not propane. The only time you will know the difference is in freezing weather when the butane will not flow and it will take you forever to finally find out what the problem is. Ask me how I know this 🙂

I made sure I only used one bottle to fill with butane and never filled my propane bottle in FL.

[YC_1]

We burn about 10 gallons and that is for the floor heaters. We do not use the propane stove or Hwh on propane. Our electric fireplace is enough heat for most days. There has been only about two weeks of the furnaces needing to run hard over the last 5 years.

[ksbowman]

We have wintered in Florida the last 6 years. We usually stay 6 weeks to 2 months. I make sure the tanks are full when we leave home and have never had to buy propane when we are away. Usually takes 1 tank or less. We have an electric fireplace and a small electric heater and they are usually enough and don't need the furnace except going from Kansas 1 night and 1 night coming home. We run our water heater on electric and have a gas stove and oven.

[RobWNY]

rockhillmanor wrote:
Depends how many people you have showering that would use the propane for the hot water tank.

I use an electric space heater for cold days. I haven't turned on my furnace in over 6 years!

And I do ALL my cooking outside with small bottle propane stove.

Did over 2 snowbird trips on one tank of propane!

It will be just me and my wife. Our hot water tank heats with either propane or with electric so likely the propane will be used for the furnace and the stove/oven on occasion. Many meals will be cooked using our Weber Q.

[rockhillmanor]

Depends how many people you have showering that would use the propane for the hot water tank.

I use an electric space heater for cold days. I haven't turned on my furnace in over 6 years!

And I do ALL my cooking outside with small bottle propane stove.

Did over 2 snowbird trips on one tank of propane!