Propane cylinder sizes
Height, diameter and weight for each of Manchester Tank's DOT cylinder sizes, from its published sheets.
| Size | Height | Diameter | Empty | Full | Water cap. | LPG cap. | DOT spec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 lb | 12.5 in | 8.06 in | 10 lb | 15 lb | 13 lb | 1.3 gal | 4BA240 |
| 10 lb | 17.3 in | 9 in | 15 lb | 25 lb | 26.1 lb | 2.6 gal | 4BA240 |
| 11 lb | 12.4 in | 12.2 in | 14 lb | 25 lb | 26.1 lb | 2.6 gal | 4BA240 |
| 20 lb | 18 in | 12.2 in | 18 lb | 38 lb | 47.6 lb | 4.7 gal | 4BA240 |
| 30 lb | 23.4 in | 12.2 in | 25 lb | 55 lb | 71.4 lb | 7.1 gal | 4BA240 |
| 40 lb | 29.4 in | 12.2 in | 32 lb | 72 lb | 95.2 lb | 9.5 gal | 4BW240 |
| 50 lb | 28.3 in | 14.9 in | 42 lb | 92 lb | 119 lb | 11.9 gal | 4BW240 |
| 60 lb | 43.1 in | 12.5 in | 46 lb | 106 lb | 143 lb | 14.3 gal | 4BW240 |
| 100 lb | 47.5 in | 14.9 in | 70 lb | 170 lb | 238 lb | 23.8 gal | 4BW240 |
| 200 lb | 41.9 in | 24 in | 152 lb | 352 lb | 476 lb | 45.6 gal | 4BW240 |
| 420 lb | 53.8 in | 30 in | 278 lb | 698 lb | 1,000 lb | 95.9 gal | 4BW240 |
Sources: Manchester Tank, DOT 5 lb. - 100 lb. Catalog 49500 (portable DOT LPG cylinders) (09/2022); Manchester Tank, Steel Tanks & Cylinders for LP Gas Systems, Portable Steel Tanks Catalog 49501 (2020) (200 and 420 lb). Full = empty weight + the rated propane weight, about 42 % of water capacity, the DOT filling limit for propane. Manchester's 2020 catalog lists the 100 lb slightly differently; see its page.
Pounds, not gallons
Portable cylinders are named by the propane they hold when filled to the DOT limit, so a 20 lb cylinder holds 20 lb of propane and weighs about twice that full. Stationary tanks from 120 gallons up are named by water capacity instead.
For those larger horizontal tanks, see the 120, 250, 500 and 1,000 gallon pages, or the propane tank calculator.
FAQ
What sizes do propane cylinders come in?
Manchester Tank's DOT cylinders run 5, 10, 11, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 and 100 lb, plus 200 lb and 420 lb in its larger catalog. The number is the propane they hold, not the weight of the tank.
Why is the 20 lb tank the same width as the 30 and 40 lb?
They share a 12.2 in shell and differ in height: 18, 23.4 and 29.4 in on Manchester's sheet. Check the height before swapping one size for another in a grill cabinet.
Sources and standards
- DOT 5 lb. - 100 lb. Catalog 49500 (09/2022)Manchester Tank & Equipment Co.https://www.mantank.com/upl/downloads/content-blocks/portable-dot-lpg-cylinders-5lb-to-100lb.pdfThe manufacturer's published figures for each cylinder size: LPG capacity in gallons, water capacity in pounds, overall height, diameter, tare weight and DOT specification, and that its 5 to 40 lb cylinders have an overfilling prevention device (OPD). Checked 2026-10-22.
- Steel Tanks & Cylinders for LP Gas Systems, Portable Steel Tanks Catalog 49501 (2020)Manchester Tank & Equipment Co.https://mcwane.com/upl/downloads/library/tanks-cylinders-for-lpg-systems-100lb-to-420lb.pdfThe manufacturer's catalog for 100 lb to 420 lb DOT cylinders and the matching vertical ASME tanks (28.6, 57 and 118 gal). Its 100 lb figures differ slightly from the newer Catalog 49500 (2022). Checked 2026-10-22.
- 49 CFR § 173.304a — Additional requirements for shipment of liquefied compressed gases (filling densities)U.S. Department of Transportation (PHMSA), via the electronic Code of Federal Regulationshttps://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-173/subpart-G/section-173.304aParagraph (d)(1) sets the maximum filling density for liquefied petroleum gas by its specific gravity at 60 °F. For 0.504–0.510, the band propane falls in, it is 42 percent of the cylinder’s water capacity by weight — which is where the 20, 100 and 420 lb ratings come from.
- 49 CFR § 178.51 — Specification 4BA welded or brazed steel cylindersU.S. Department of Transportation (PHMSA), via the electronic Code of Federal Regulationshttps://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-178/subpart-C/section-178.51The construction specification behind the “DOT 4BA240” marking on small propane cylinders. Under § 178.35(f)(1)(i) the specification is followed by the service pressure, here 240 psig.
- 49 CFR § 178.61 — Specification 4BW welded steel cylinders with electric-arc welded seamU.S. Department of Transportation (PHMSA), via the electronic Code of Federal Regulationshttps://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-178/subpart-C/section-178.61The construction specification behind the “DOT 4BW240” marking on Manchester Tank’s 40 lb and larger cylinders.
The manufacturer sheets and 49 CFR sections above were retrieved and checked on 2026-10-22; the other linked sources on 2026-09-02.