How Much Methanol Do I Need And Why

November 7 2017,

How Much Methanol Do I Need And Why

Written by Marty Hammersley

Horizontal Tank with the symbol for Methanol in front of it.

With the cold weather approaching, one common question often asked is how much methanol do I need to add to the tank in the winter? When the sun is out during the day it will warm up the regulators. Then, around 4:00 or 5:00 pm the sun starts going down and it gets colder. Many times condensations will occur in the regulator and have a tendency to freeze. Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol, can be used to reduce the moisture in the gas which will reduce the chance of freezing. Below is a chart on how much to add to different cylinders.

Tank Size	Methanol to Add
200#	1/8 pint
420#	1/2 pint
500 gal	1-1/2 pints
1000 gal	3 pints

Methanol injector.

Keep in mind that methanol is very flammable. Also, the vapors are toxic and can be absorbed through the skin. Safety should be taken when adding Methanol. Wear protective gloves that are rated for methanol, eyewear, and an apron in case of splashbacks.

There are several methods to inject the methanol into a propane cylinder. The most common is with the use of a methanol injector. It's a piston style hand pump that can inject 1 pint of methanol at a time. You can inject thru the service valve (POL) or you can adapt the injector to go thru the AMCE.

Make sure you test each load that comes into your plant to make sure that there is no water present. This will help reduce the amount of freeze-up at your location. Each service truck should be equipped with a Methanol injector with an approved methanol container.

Sign up for our Newsletter to receive updates affecting the propane industry and information on promotions we're running.

Inside sales rep Marty Hammersley.