# Table 53B and Table 54B: what is the difference?

> Explains the difference between ASTM D1250 Table 53B (observed density to density at 15 °C) and Table 54B (volume correction factor from density at 15 °C and temperature), with a worked example.

Canonical: https://dipdensity.watsinfo.com/guides/table-53b-vs-54b/
Last updated: 2026-11-02

**Short answer:** Table 53B turns a hydrometer reading at any temperature into density at 15 °C. Table 54B takes that density at 15 °C and the fuel's temperature and gives the volume correction factor, which turns litres at that temperature into litres at 15 °C. You use 53B first, then 54B.

## Two tables, two questions

| | Table 53B | Table 54B |
|---|---|---|
| Question | What is this fuel's density at 15 °C? | How many litres at 15 °C is this volume? |
| You enter | Hydrometer reading and its temperature | Density at 15 °C and the fuel's temperature |
| You get | Density at 15 °C, kg/m³ | Volume correction factor (VCF) |

## Worked example

A tank holds **12,000 litres** of petrol at **32 °C**. A sample reads **729.8 kg/m³ at 32 °C** on the hydrometer.

1. **Table 53B:** 729.8 at 32 °C gives a density at 15 °C of **745.0 kg/m³**.
2. **Table 54B:** density 745, temperature 32 °C gives a VCF of **0.9793**.
3. **Litres at 15 °C:** 12,000 × 0.9793 = **11,751 litres**.

The 249-litre difference is not lost fuel. It is the same fuel, measured warm. Cool it to 15 °C and it would fill 11,751 litres.

## Why both come from one formula

Both tables are built on the same thermal expansion coefficient, chosen by density at 15 °C. Table 54B is that formula applied to volume. Table 53B is the same formula run backwards, with a small extra term for the glass of the hydrometer, which also expands with heat. That is why our [VCF calculator](https://dipdensity.watsinfo.com/tools/volume-correction-factor-calculator/) and [density calculator](https://dipdensity.watsinfo.com/tools/density-at-15-calculator/) always agree with each other.

## Questions

### Do petrol pumps need Table 54B?

The daily checks in the MDG use Table 53B. Table 54B matters when you want to compare stock or deliveries at a common temperature, as depots and large customers do.

### What about Tables 53A and 54A?

The A tables are for crude oil. Petrol, diesel, kerosene and jet fuel use the B tables.