How much does an empty or full gas bottle weigh?
Start with the tare marking on your own cylinder, not a generic weight for its size.
Empty weight = the cylinder’s tare. Full weight = tare + rated gas charge. A bottle labelled “6 kg” holds a nominal 6 kg of gas; the complete bottle weighs more. Use the Gas Bottle Calculator once you know its tare and current weight.
Find and read the tare weight
Calor describes a metal tare disc around the valve on its conventional bottles, with pounds on the left and ounces on the right. Its Cube bottles show kilograms. Other suppliers can use different markings: ask the supplier if a number or unit is unclear. Do not substitute the bottle’s gas rating for its empty weight. See Calor’s tare-weight guidance.
Two cylinders sold with the same gas capacity can have different tare weights. A supplier’s maximum tare table is useful background, but does not tell you the exact empty weight of your particular cylinder.
Three weights, three different meanings
| Figure | Meaning | Illustrative example |
|---|---|---|
| Tare | Empty cylinder weight | 7.5 kg |
| Rated gas charge | Nominal gas content when supplied full | 6 kg |
| Current gross weight | Cylinder plus contents on the scales | 10.5 kg |
For that example, a full bottle would weigh 7.5 + 6 = 13.5 kg. At 10.5 kg now, it contains approximately 10.5 − 7.5 = 3 kg: half its nominal gas charge. The 7.5 kg tare is an invented example for the arithmetic, not a specification for every 6 kg bottle.
Convert pounds and ounces correctly
Use kg = (whole pounds + ounces ÷ 16) × 0.45359237. For example, 16 lb 8 oz is 16.5 lb, or about 7.48 kg. It is not 16.8 lb. The calculator accepts each weight separately in kg or lb/oz, so you can keep a tare marking in imperial units and a scale reading in metric.
Common bottle sizes are gas capacities
Calor’s caravan range includes 6 kg and 13 kg propane, while its caravanning guidance also describes 7 kg and 15 kg butane bottles. These labels identify gas charge, not gross weight. For any of them, add the charge to the actual tare to estimate a full bottle’s weight. Confirm current sizes and suitability with the cylinder supplier.
Make the weighing comparison consistent
Use a suitable scale and exclude removable accessories from the measured total. Do not disturb a connected cylinder just to weigh it; follow the supplier’s handling and disconnection instructions and seek help if unsure. If the reading is below tare or above tare plus rated charge, check units, accessories and scale accuracy before trusting the result.
“Empty by weight” does not mean gas-free or safe to dismantle. This calculation is for estimating contents, never for deciding a refill quantity. Follow the supplier’s exchange and return process.
Plan your gas supply
- Gas Bottle Calculator: check gas remaining by weight
- How long will a gas bottle last?
- Propane or butane for caravans and camping?
Reviewed 6 October 2026. Examples are calculations, not measurements of your equipment.