Propane tank level

vcrt · 12-11-2008, 07:53 PM

Is there a "quick & easy" method for checking your propane tank level? Here's what I'd consider ideal; With the tank cover in place, you walk past the tanks and notice one is down to about 1/4 filled, so you make a mental note that you'll soon have to get that one filled.
Am I dreaming?
Thanks,
Rich

dkasten39828 · 12-12-2008, 06:38 AM

Boy, that would be nice...

I've never seen such a solution, but that would be nice!

But they DO have these nifty things. Just not a 30# tank... yet.

http://litecylinder.com/index.html

Pretty neat, huh?

GhettoMedic · 12-12-2008, 07:05 AM

I have used these with various tanks for years, I now have a set on my 30 LB tanks on the camper and they are convenient. If you turn the tanks, they will fit under the cover.

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping...as-meter/34166

vcrt · 12-14-2008, 02:41 PM

I read the reviews on the tank guage and the first one, from someone who says he works in the propane industry indicated that these guages would show a pressure drop only when they are almost empty. That's good as long as you catch it at that time. My guess is that I'd probably miss it and run out. How about the srips that attach to the side of the tank?
So much for convenience

Thanks,
Rich

larry818 · 12-14-2008, 05:53 PM

I thought the same thing, as long as there's liquid in the tank, the pressure will be constant. Those in-line gauges will only register the pressure dropping from when the last bit of liquid turns to gas. I'd guess less than 1% of the operable life.

Those stick on strips work well, but only when the propane is in use. They show the line where the temp changes and it changes a lot when the liquid is boiling off. If it's not in use, it'll probably all be the same color most of the time.

Honda03842 · 12-14-2008, 06:11 PM

We have only one tank so it's a little more crticial that we have enough gas. I simply disconnect the valve and lift the tank. It's easy to tell if it's near 20 pounds (empty) compared to 40 pounds. If it's really important I put it on the bathroom scale.

Norm Milliard

DF5.4 · 12-14-2008, 08:30 PM

My wife drinks tea so she boils water for it. I take the tea pot and pour the hot water on the side of the tank that's in use. I can feel where the level is. The tank will cool faster where there is liquid in it. Yes, I have to take the cover off but it is cheap and easy.

Honda03842 · 12-14-2008, 08:51 PM

I like the tea solution.

Norm

**JohnB** · 12-15-2008, 07:28 PM

I have the tank gauge and use it all the time on my remote 5 lb gas bottle for the outside stove/grill. I actually use it more as a leak detector then an actual fill gauge. To check for a leak, hook up all hoses, open up gas, watch gage go to full, then turn gas off at tank. Come back later. If there is a leak the gage will drop to zero or close to it.

For an actual fill gage, on my 5 tank, yes it does register full most of the time until the tank get’s down to about ¼ - 1/8 full. Then it starts to drop and fairly quick. What it does let me know is if I’m in the middle of a big cooking job I have an empty tank coming soon and better get the back up to finish dinner.

For a 30lb tank, it would act similar. When you get to about ¼ full it would start to drop. In my case it is very hard to get in under the gas cover and make the pigtail kink even that much worse, so I do not use it there other then when looking for a gas leak with the cover off.

pwb01 · 12-16-2008, 09:20 AM

The best method I found is a $35.00 fix. I use an automatic changeover requlator. It draws from one tank at a time and all you have to do with two full bottles is keep a watch when you think you might be getting low. When one empties, it switches to the other and shows a red indicator that it switched. Now you know you have one full and one empth and can change the empty any time. When the second empties, it switches back to the first which hopefully you filled. You always pretty much know how you stand.

Torskdoc423 · 03-07-2020, 07:22 AM

I had my tanks hydro'ed 2 years ago. They replaced the OPD valves with one's that have level gauges on the side of the valve. Red/Yellow/Green scale with needle. Work pretty well (imagine they are connected some way to the float inside, or are just pressure gauges). But I also have an inline gauge. And use the hot water check, which the store that sold my parents their 1st gas grill in the 70's taught dad. Worked good then, still relevent.

Larry

mainah · 03-07-2020, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DF5.4

My wife drinks tea so she boils water for it. I take the tea pot and pour the hot water on the side of the tank that's in use. I can feel where the level is. The tank will cool faster where there is liquid in it. Yes, I have to take the cover off but it is cheap and easy.

Yes that is a very accurate measure it is the level of the boiling liquid propane.