Propane gauge

[dennisl]

Is this any such thing as a reliable gauge to put on your propane tank to tell how much gas is in it? I'm NOT talking about the kind where you pour hot water over it or any such gimmick as that - I mean a real gauge. My Mountaineer has two tanks on it - I just bought it last August and yesterday ran out of gas. The trailer is parked in my yard and I haven't used much gas since I got it. There is no way it could have emptied two full tanks of propane no more than I have used it. Guess I should have checked behind the dealer - he was supposed to have filled both tanks when I bought it. I am going to take it back for warranty work later this month, and he is going to hear about it for sure. Just glad I wasn't camping in it somewhere far away. Like Reagan said - "trust but verify"! Any info on gauges appreciated.

[Jim Jarvis]

Dennis, are you sure you are out of propane? The problem you had yesterday is also related to air temperature. The colder it is the more difficult it becomes to get all the propane out of your tank. I found I was "running out" of propane with still a third of a tank. I could run the fridge or hot water and things would keep going but when the furnace and/or genset came on the flow would stop. If I then switched to a full tank I'd be ok again but I still had a third of a tank of propane I couldn't get at.

[deerrahn]

New tanks have to be purged. I know very little about this sort of thing. Best to take it to a dealer that knows something about it. Let them explain how they operate. Have a Good Day

[VanMan]

I bought one of those gauges with a dial - put in on my BBQ grill to try it out - doesn't work all the time and sometimes seems to restrict the flow!! It's in the pile of other junk on my workbench - stuff to look at when I retire!!

[MacDR50]

Propane tanks need to be purged, then filled to 80%. They have an excess flow check valve that will restrict flow from them or even shut it off if the tank is opened quickly to a system that isn't charged. To reset the valve simply shut off the tank and open it slowly. There is also a remote possibility that there is water vapour left in a poorly purged tank that freezes up instantly it leaves the valve. When the propane turns into a vapour it actually goes below the freezing point of water. It works like the refrigerant in an air conditioner, refrigerator etc. Ever see the frost form on a propane tank on a humid day when BBQ'ing. The point where the frost starts is the level of the liquid propane. The space above it is where the propane has changed due to the lower pressure in this space when the valve is open. There are propane gauges out there. I have one on my MH built in tank that connects to my inside status board. In my experience the most accurate measure of how much propane is left in a tank is to weigh it. I used to have a chart that gave the % of propane remaining based upon weight but finding it may be a challenge but I will look.

[sreigle]

Years ago I had one of those dial gauges. But it was also subject to temperature. On a chilly morning it read much less than it did in the afternoon sun. I finally tossed it.

In really cold weather, like in hard freeze territory, when propane is being used, like by the furnace, there will be frost on the tank where there is propane. I've had the same problem as you with low pressure in very cold weather.

You should see the red flag on the regulator when the active tank goes empty, or very low. Some of us use a remote propane out indicator we mount inside the rig. It blinks when that red flag goes up. Unfortunately, the low pressures in cold temperatures that cause the flag to go red also cause the light to blink.

A one word answer to your question is "no." You either have to watch for the flag or light. And check frequenly in high usage weather.

[scductman]

Dennis you might also ck for leaks from tank to tank. Mine had a pretty bad one on the entry side. It was on the joint at the end of the crossover pipe. mix dawn and water and spray all jts. I had to take mine apart and repair the jt. mine would run out quick also. bobby

[JimF]

August to now on 2 tanks doesn't seem extreme to me at all, of course we full time and 3 1/2 to 4 days a tank in this weather is acceptable. Have you thought of the possibility that you really did use that much? Doesn't seem out of the realm of reason.

[dennisl]

quote:Originally posted by JimF

August to now on 2 tanks doesn't seem extreme to me at all, of course we full time and 3 1/2 to 4 days a tank in this weather is acceptable. Have you thought of the possibility that you really did use that much? Doesn't seem out of the realm of reason.

If I had been using propane I would agree with you, but we haven't been on a trip since November. I took one of the tanks to have it refilled today, and it was completely empty. He purged air out of it, so I don't think it was ever filled to begin with. I guess the dealer just filled up one tank and that is the one I was using all this time. Anyway, thanks for all your responses. I do intend to check all the connections as y'all have suggested to make sure there are no leaks.

[sreigle]

Dennis, your dealer may claim innocence but his responsibility is to provide two full tanks of propane. They are not shipped with the rig from the factory. It might be worth your time to show him your purge receipt and see if you can't get reimbursed for that and the refill.