propane tank question - Montana Owners Club

snowbunny · 09-06-2005, 02:42 PM

It seems that we have been using propane from both tanks due to a lack of communication. .

Now I have no idea how much I have in either tank.

How much do the tanks weight full? Empty? I don't feel like disconnecting both and driving 20 miles to the propane dealer if they are both 3/4 full.

Thanks.

owenwetzel · 09-06-2005, 03:24 PM

Jim, if your lp regulator is working properly you don't have to worry. Turn both tanks on and your indicator will show green as mine does. When the tank that is being discharged emties the indicator should show orange. The regulator will automatically start using from full tank. When indicator shows orange switch the slide switch to the right or left to change to full tank and indicator should change to green. When this is done close valve on emty tank remove it and get it filled. Reinstall and open valve.

If you have a Flying J around apply for free reward card and you get .05 cents a gallon off lp costs around $12.00 to fill 30lb tank.

HamRad · 09-06-2005, 08:36 PM

Snowbunny,
What I do is open the propane compartment and release the tank hold down strap. I then reach in and lift the tank.... or try to lift the tank. If it hard to lift it it is probably nearly full. If I can lift it with relative ease then it is near empty. That tells me a little bit about the amount in the tank. Then I can take whatever action necessary.

Another method is the touch test. Open the compartment and start at top of tank with hand. Come down the tank slowly. If conditions are right you usually can feel where the propane level is. The part that has fuel still in it should be a little cooler than the empty part of the tank.

I prefer the lift method since it gives me a much better idea of the status of the tank.

Good luck.

HamRad

T and J · 09-06-2005, 09:34 PM

The gross weight of a 30# propane tank is about 70#s (30# propane + 40# tank = 70# gross) As owenwetzel said your regulator should be using from one tank at a time and should only change over when the first tank is empty!
By the way, if you are going to Pla-Mor for the rally fill it there, they have a good price on propane.
Terry

Chester · 09-07-2005, 06:19 AM

I just filled one of our 30# tanks last week. Empty the tank weighed 24# and full was 54#. This was according to the propane stations scales.

Trailer Trash 2 · 09-07-2005, 05:08 PM

Your tank weighs 23 lbs empty and when full less 10% weighs 53.4 lbs. How do I know??? Because I weighed them empty, and wrote it on the tank, and when I filled it that number went there next to that number.

Hope that helped you.

TT2

Chester I used my wifes B room scale and I'm not going to tell her she is a pound heavier than she thought, that would be sewerside.

VanMan · 09-08-2005, 06:42 AM

Or you can get a propane level indicator like (or similar to) this. It's magnetic and works on the temperature. When the valve is open, the strip will show where the temp changes from cool to warm - the level of fuel.

http://www.campingworld.com/browse/s...fm?skunum=4317

sreigle · 09-08-2005, 07:20 AM

I do the same as HamRad, the lift test although I'll usually just tip mine. If not sure, the feel test also works in the right conditions. In the 'wrong' conditions, you can bring a pan of water to a near boil then pour it down the side of the tank. Quickly run your hand down the hot part and you'll feel where it turns colder. That's the level of the propane. Remember it will be 'empty' before you're totally out of propane.

Montana_139 · 09-08-2005, 06:29 PM

Snowbunny,

You asked about the weight of your tanks. If you look at the collar around the top of the tank you will see a marking (TW=...). On mine it is TW=25.4. That is the empty or tare weight of the tank. If it is a 30 pound tank like mine the full weight is 55.4 pounds. I am trained to fill propane tanks and this is how I set the scales.

Glenn

thook · 09-09-2005, 01:08 PM

Glenn's got it right. The Tare weight is stamped on the handle of the bottle. One of mine is 25.3 lbs. At 4.3 lbs/gallon, a full thirty pound tank will hold 7 gallons. 7 x 4.3 = 30.1 lbs. plus tare weight of 25.3 lbs equals totat weight of 55.4. Weighing the bottle on a bathroom scale will give you a pretty accurate accounting of the propane level. I think the 30 lbs of propane is equal to 80% of what the bottle can actually hold but is the fill level for safety reasons. Glenn can probably let us kinow if this is correct or not.

Trailer Trash 2 · 09-09-2005, 02:42 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by VanMan

Or you can get a propane level indicator like (or similar to) this. It's magnetic and works on the temperature. When the valve is open, the strip will show where the temp changes from cool to warm - the level of fuel.

http://www.campingworld.com/browse/s...fm?skunum=4317

I had them and I has told the only way you will be able to see where the level is on those strips is the stove or a high use appliance has to be on and useing fuel for it to register anything.

I solved that problem and bought a new tank with a gage on it and put that on the cirb side of the Monty and I use the tank on the other side first the red flag on the regulator will show when it is empty then I can read the new tanks gage and decide when to call the propane man to do a fill.

sreigle · 09-11-2005, 08:26 AM

Don, I had one of those gauges once but mine said in the instructions that it's really reading the pressure. And the pressure varies with temperature. So if there's 3 gallons of propane in the tank the gauge will read differently when the tank is warm than when the tank is cold. Is this how yours works or is there a better gauge available now?

I'd sure be interested in gauges. However, I have a monitor inside the Montana that blinks when that red flag goes up. So I don't need to check outside any more. I bought it at Campers Choice (online) for about $35 and it works great. However, Camping World bought out Campers Choice and CW doesn't carry it. Nor has CW answered my email asking if they plan to carry it.

Trailer Trash 2 · 09-11-2005, 12:36 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by sreigle

Don, I had one of those gauges once but mine said in the instructions that it's really reading the pressure. And the pressure varies with temperature. So if there's 3 gallons of propane in the tank the gauge will read differently when the tank is warm than when the tank is cold. Is this how yours works or is there a better gauge available now?

I'd sure be interested in gauges. However, I have a monitor inside the Montana that blinks when that red flag goes up. So I don't need to check outside any more. I bought it at Campers Choice (online) for about $35 and it works great. However, Camping World bought out Campers Choice and CW doesn't carry it. Nor has CW answered my email asking if they plan to carry it.

No! It's a true gage, and that reads the anount of liqued in the tank, it has a float thing inside just like a car gas tank sending unit, If I did a lot of dry camping the third tank is nice to have they can be rotated with ease. but we arn't gone that long so I keep it in the shop and when I get back from the trip, I then swap it out and put it back into storage. then I'll fill the tank removed at my leasure.

Don

Montana_1892 · 09-11-2005, 03:54 PM

hi, my weights are in line with Chester and Trailer Trash ... and i use a fish scale to weight the tanks by just removing them from the Monty and weighing. works alot better than those stick on magnetic things. the scale is very small and fits in my tools box.

drhowell · 09-12-2005, 03:59 AM

My old Class A had a gauge on the tank. The tank was permanetly attached to the frame and you had to get down on the ground to look under at the gauge. Never ran out of propane, I just had it refilled when it got down to 1/4.

I have the magnet scale thingy and it only works if you are using lots of propane and the temp of the tank changes. Kinda like the old hand test. It was free so I took one. Haven't seen it work yet. Weighing or tiping the tank is still the best way unless you go out and replace your tank with the new gauge type. I don't use lots of propane, maybe one tank a year so I just check them every other month or so.

sreigle · 09-12-2005, 07:49 AM

Thanks, Don and Don. TT2, remind me to look at this at the rally. I'm interested in seeing this gauge. If I understand this is not a retrofit but requires purchasing a new tank, right?

Trailer Trash 2 · 09-12-2005, 05:48 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by sreigle

Thanks, Don and Don. TT2, remind me to look at this at the rally. I'm interested in seeing this gauge. If I understand this is not a retrofit but requires purchasing a new tank, right?

Yes brand new. and if I ever had to do it again I would. the cost was around 70 or 80 dollars.

sreigle · 09-14-2005, 06:55 AM

Will you have this tank with you at the rally? If so, would you mind showing it during the show and tell? If you'd rather not, that's fine.

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