Propane tanks- full or empty - Montana Owners Club

Montana_1197 · 03-22-2005, 12:49 PM

I get some different answers and a lot of "I think that's right" when I ask. So I'll ask you more experienced RVer's.

1. What is the empty and full weight of a 30lb propane bottle?

While I'm at it. I'm just a part-timer and weekend camp maybe 6-8 times during the season. I always empty the fresh water tank, lines, etc after each camp so not to leave water in the lines for an extended period. I also drain the HW heater. Since I do that all the time, is it really necessary to replace the anode rod each year? Couldn't I just use a plug. I've never really liked all the white crud from the anode rod I have to clean out of it every year.

Ishler · 03-22-2005, 01:08 PM

If you look on the collar of the tank you will see the empty weight followed by "TW" the tare weight. I would only replace the anode when it is nearly desolved.

BigBlue · 03-22-2005, 01:12 PM

On the anode rod, you only need to replace it after it has corroded down to a thin rod. You'll see when it's necessary as it looks like it will break. Don't go the route to put a plug in. The anode rod protects the rest of the system by giving itself. If you don't put one in the corrosion occurs in your water system.

On the weight, there should be a weight stamp on the bottle. I've always used this to determine how much gas I've got left.

carlson · 03-22-2005, 02:31 PM

When you are able to lift the tank easily once you have taken the strap off and it is not heavy, or your red indication is showing on the tank that is selected.
What I do is always try and do is work off the same tank, say the enterance door side.
When it is low or out, I select the other tank and get it refilled, put back in and re-select it again.
i kind of use the other one as a reserve tank, then everyonce in a while I disconntect them both and take the both to great refilled.

Montana_1197 · 03-22-2005, 03:15 PM

I guess that I'll just keep replacing the anode rod each year. It's sort of a ritual anyway. Each year before our group (The Yes Dear Campers) have the season opener I go get the truck and trailer inspected and tagged, buy a new water filter cartridge, get a new State park pass and a new shiny anode rod. It's enough to bring a smile on any dealers face.

On the propane tanks, The tare weight or TW is stamped on the collar, thus the 30# bottle, but what does it weight if it's full? That way all I need to do is weight it on the bathroom scale to roughly determine if its 3/4 or 1/4 full. Since they charge a flat rate to fill a bottle, I'd like to get as much as I pay for. After all, with the difference I could buy a slushy.

stiles watson · 03-22-2005, 03:29 PM

You don't necessarily need to replace the anode every year by the calendar. Check it everytime you drain it. Just wipe it down. When there is about half (or less) of it left, replace it. Since it isn't an expensive item, there is no harm in replacing it every year if you are more comfortable with that protocol.

BillyRay · 03-22-2005, 11:36 PM

I wouldn't skip the anoid rod it does play an important roll. as stated above it doesn't need to be replaced every year...depends on it's condition.

faeb and genb · 03-22-2005, 11:59 PM

dI would also check another propane dealer. Not all will charge a flat rate. There are several that will charge for what they put in.
Gene

Glenn and Lorraine · 03-23-2005, 12:42 AM

It's pouring as I type this so sorry but I'm not going out there.

Couple ways of doing this....

Take a full cylinder and deduct 30# and you have the empty (tare) weight.
Take an empty cylinder and add 30# and you have the full weight.

Montana_1197 · 03-23-2005, 04:18 AM

Ok, I finally got the answer I was after. I called a propane distributor and after listening to his answer I feel rather silly. Basically look on the bottle collar for the TW or tare weight (the empty weight of the bottle), then if it's a 30# bottle it holds 30# of propane. So my tw is 25.5# and add 30# of propane in the 30# bottle makes a full bottle weighing 55.5#. So on my bathroom scale the weight was 41#, the bottle is about 2/3 full. It's seems like such a simple answer, feel like a newbie.

Montana_2230 · 03-23-2005, 12:04 PM

I found a handy dandy tool at radio shack that has multi uses for my Monty. It is a hand held infra ray heat sensor. I use it to check my tires and wheel hubs tempertures, and gas propane tanks status. Just point it and click. It gives tempertures in a digital window. Finding the fill line of gas in the propane tanks is easy, just hold and slide sensor beam up or down the tank, see a big temperture drop or rise you got the amount of gas in the tank. But usually I run of of gas and just look at the red/green tank indicator...

patodonn · 03-23-2005, 02:36 PM

Ray:

Thanks for that one!! I have one of those IR thermometers for the tire checks at fuel/necessity stops.

Appreciate the idea..

Best

faeb and genb · 03-23-2005, 04:27 PM

I forgot to tell you in the earlier post, if you pour hot water on your tank it will frost up to the gas level in your tank. I don't think they are allowed to put a full 30 lbs in the tank. By law they have to leave some room for expanison or some thing like that.
Gene

Montana_2785 · 03-23-2005, 10:11 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by faeb and genb

I forgot to tell you in the earlier post, if you pour hot water on your tank it will frost up to the gas level in your tank. I don't think they are allowed to put a full 30 lbs in the tank. By law they have to leave some room for expanison or some thing like that.
Gene

The tank can be no more than 80% (I think) full by VOLUME. Filling to the 80% mark will give you 30lbs. If you overfill a tank, you would have more than 30lbs but it might force its way out the pressure overflow on a hot day...not good.

Eric

Montana_2785 · 03-23-2005, 10:15 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Floridanomads

I found a handy dandy tool at radio shack that has multi uses for my Monty. It is a hand held infra ray heat sensor. I use it to check my tires and wheel hubs tempertures, [...]

The reading you get from the tire itself is not accurate. I have a friend who races and he had originally gotten an infrared thermometer to check his tire temperatures. But he wasn't getting the readings he was expecting. He found out later that the infrared thermometers are no good for tires. You need a special tire temperature gadget that sticks a probe below the surface of the tire wall before you get an accurate reading.

Great for hub temps! (I have one too)

Eric

Montana_2230 · 03-24-2005, 02:24 AM

Eric, I just use it to get a relative reading between tires, If i see a big difference I can go from there....

HamRad · 03-30-2005, 08:02 PM

I do the same thing Floridanomads does..... just use the device to get relative temps. If I see a big difference then I start looking real close! Been very good so far for my peace of mind. I find the temp device to be very helpful. Had not thought about using it to see level of propane..... Will check and see what that shows me. Love the ideas that get exchanged here on the Montana Club.

HamRad

Jeff Heiser · 03-31-2005, 05:08 AM

Floridanomads,
That sounds like a cool device you have. I need to go to Radio Shack and get one.

Babymakes3,
I usually just feel the tank for where it gets colder and during heavy use it is easy to tell by the frost line. I have been using this method to tell how much propane I have since our first gas grill many years ago.

Jeff Heiser
Merritt Island Florida

H. John Kohl · 03-31-2005, 09:05 PM

Floridanomads,
I have the RS "toy" for my tires and axles but did not think about reading the tank. Thanks for the suggestion. I can not see my red/green gage that well.

sreigle · 04-08-2005, 01:19 PM

Don and Janey, we used to fill the water tank and heater at the beginning of the season and empty them at the end. Rarely did I empty them during the season. Now that we're fulltiming we drain and refill the water tank about every four to six months. The water seems to stay just fine. We don't use much from the tank, just when on the road.

Be glad you have the anode rod. That crud it collects would otherwise be shortening the life of the tank.

As for the IR devices, I do the same as the others. Relative temps. Also check hubs for evidence of heating bearings or brakes not equally adjusted.

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