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04-14-2013, 07:33 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: michigan
Posts: 155
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Monitoring Propane Tank Levels
How do you monitor how much propane is left in your tanks before running out? I hate to rely on the "Oops! I think I'm out of propane method". I do have two tanks that allows me to change to the full tank....Just trying to avoid running out of gas by surprise, or in the middle of the night  Thanks in advance...
TravelTracer
__________________
2014 F150, Supercrew, 3.5L Eco-Boost, 3.73, Max Tow
2012 Prime Time Tracer 2670 BHS
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04-14-2013, 07:36 PM
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#2
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 4,327
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You can check by pouring hot water down the side of the tank. The empty space in the tank will allow the tank to warm...the propane in the tank will keep the tank surface cool. You can easily tell where the propane level is.
Dave
__________________
Nights camped in 2013 - 55, 2014 - 105, 2015 - 63
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04-14-2013, 07:37 PM
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#3
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Phat Phrog Stunt Team
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Iowa
Posts: 34,507
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TravelTracer
How do you monitor how much propane is left in your tanks before running out? I hate to rely on the "Oops! I think I'm out of propane method". I do have two tanks that allows me to change to the full tank....Just trying to avoid running out of gas by surprise, or in the middle of the night Thanks in advance...
TravelTracer |
When one tank is empty the auto valve switches over then I fill empty tank till auto valve switches back then I fill that thank.
You never run out that way.
Rinse and repeat! Lol
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04-14-2013, 07:59 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Virginia
Posts: 9,925
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Quote:
Originally Posted by f1100turbo
When one tank is empty the auto valve switches over then I fill empty tank till auto valve switches back then I fill that thank.
You never run out that way.
Rinse and repeat! Lol
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X2 
__________________
2005 Dodge 3500 Cummins
2017 Wildwood Lodge 4092 BFL
1966 Mustang GT
1986 Mustang SVO
Lillie Spoiled Rotten Boxer Mix
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04-14-2013, 08:18 PM
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#5
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Site Team - Lou
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,269
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Think you have every toy ever made for RVing?
Well hold on to your Sombrero cowboy...
Truma, LevelCheck, Measuring device
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Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
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04-15-2013, 08:19 AM
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#6
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Central Ohio
Posts: 61
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I need one!!! But....there are sooooo many things wrong with the little camping video on their web site!
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2012 F350 Lariat Supercab DRW LWB Diesel
Reese Elite 18K - Trailair Triglide
2014 Sanibel 3500 - everything but the generator!
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04-15-2013, 08:27 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Calgary
Posts: 375
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I use this scale to weigh my tank:
Chestnut Tools® Portable Electronic Scale - Lee Valley Tools
Yes, it does take a couple of minute to remove and replace the tank- but I also know exactly how many pounds of propane I have left. It is also funny to see the reaction on the face of the guy at Co-op when I go to fill and tell him exactly how much it needs. I will take the tank and lift it up and down a couple of times to make it look like I am weighing it with my arm, and say "It just needs to be topped up; feels like it needs 8 pounds."
__________________
Wolf Pup T16P owner
"The trouble with quotes on the Internet is that it is nearly impossible to discern if they are genuine." - Abraham Lincoln
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04-15-2013, 08:35 AM
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#8
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Always Learning
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Four Corners, FL
Posts: 21,891
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Quote:
Originally Posted by f1100turbo
When one tank is empty the auto valve switches over then I fill empty tank till auto valve switches back then I fill that thank.
You never run out that way.
Rinse and repeat! Lol
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Ditto, but I had to learn to read the gauge as I let myself run out of propane entirely TWICE before a comment by the mobile RV tech made me understand.
So here's what I learned:
Understanding my Automatic Propane Changeover
__________________
Officially a SOB with a 2022 Jayco Precept 36C
Checkout my site for RVing tips, tricks, and info | Was a Fulltime Family for 5 years, now we're part-timing on long trips
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04-15-2013, 08:40 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Komoka Ontario
Posts: 2,680
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Quote:
Originally Posted by herk7769
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This is on the add.
"Not for plastic cylinders, butane cylinders, gas tanks or refillable gas tanks."
I thought our tanks were considered "refillable gas tanks"
__________________
"Well that didn't go as expected"
2015 Chev 2500HD Highcountry Duramax
Cedar Creek Silverback 33IK
Donald&Casey cairn terrier
Rest in Peace Mary my darling wife.
Scottish by birth Canadian by time.
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04-15-2013, 08:44 AM
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#10
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Always Learning
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Four Corners, FL
Posts: 21,891
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DDC
This is on the add.
"Not for plastic cylinders, butane cylinders, gas tanks or refillable gas tanks."
I thought our tanks were considered "refillable gas tanks"
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I think there are semantics between a cylinder and a tank. I think we use cylinders, even though we call them tanks.
Or something.
__________________
Officially a SOB with a 2022 Jayco Precept 36C
Checkout my site for RVing tips, tricks, and info | Was a Fulltime Family for 5 years, now we're part-timing on long trips
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04-15-2013, 08:57 AM
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#11
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Site Team
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Northeast Louisiana
Posts: 33,952
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave_Monica
You can check by pouring hot water down the side of the tank. The empty space in the tank will allow the tank to warm...the propane in the tank will keep the tank surface cool. You can easily tell where the propane level is.
Dave
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I kind of do a combination of methods. I do get my empty filled after switching over to the full, but it may be later on in life before I get around to it. I always weigh, my second tank, when pulling the empty to make sure how much propane it has......then may end up getting both filled at the same time depending on this.
Dave, You got me to wondering though if a thermal gun would do the same thing. I could use it to check the temps on the bottle. I do carry one of those and check wheels/bearings/tires when stopped on trips.
I may go home around lunch and try it all out.
__________________
 2011 Flagstaff 831 RLBSS
A 72 hour hold in a psych unit is beginning to intrigue me as a potential vacation opportunity.
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04-15-2013, 09:03 AM
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#12
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Phat Phrog Stunt Team
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Iowa
Posts: 34,507
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wmtire
I kind of do a combination of methods. I do get my empty filled after switching over to the full, but it may be later on in life before I get around to it. I always weigh, my second tank, when pulling the empty to make sure how much propane it has......then may end up getting both filled at the same time depending on this.
Dave, You got me to wondering though if a thermal gun would do the same thing. I could use it to check the temps on the bottle. I do carry one of those and check wheels/bearings/tires when stopped on trips.
I may go home around lunch and try it all out.
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Definitely report back
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04-15-2013, 09:19 AM
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#13
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Site Team
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Northeast Louisiana
Posts: 33,952
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Quote:
Originally Posted by f1100turbo
Definitely report back
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Will do. I have to get several 20# tanks filled anyway for a big camping/cookout we are having this weekend. I plan to weigh the tanks to find out how much propane they actually do have left in them, and should be able to guesstimate pretty well where the liquid propane levels should be in the tank, after subtracting the 20% expansion/vapor space, which we discussed before in the forum below:
http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ane-33342.html
I'll do before-filling and after-filling temp checks.
__________________
2011 Flagstaff 831 RLBSS
A 72 hour hold in a psych unit is beginning to intrigue me as a potential vacation opportunity.
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04-15-2013, 09:23 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: X
Posts: 2,781
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I use Dave's method (hot water) with the temp gun. Works great.
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04-15-2013, 09:30 AM
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#15
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Windsor, Ontario
Posts: 185
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wmtire
Will do. I have to get several 20# tanks filled anyway for a big camping/cookout we are having this weekend. I plan to weigh the tanks to find out how much propane they actually do have left in them, and should be able to guesstimate pretty well where the liquid propane levels should be in the tank, after subtracting the 20% expansion/vapor space, which we discussed before in the forum below:
http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ane-33342.html
I'll do before-filling and after-filling temp checks. |
Looking forward to here how this turns out...
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04-15-2013, 10:28 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Broken Arrow, OK
Posts: 354
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We bought a fish weighing scale weighed a new full tank marked on scale had an empty tank weighed and marked it on scale this works great for us. Scale was 6$
__________________
Pam & Don
2003 Ford Expedition EB
2011 Rockwood 2304s
108 days camped 2013
74 days camped 2014 so far 
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04-15-2013, 10:54 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Gruene, TX.
Posts: 343
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave_Monica
You can check by pouring hot water down the side of the tank. The empty space in the tank will allow the tank to warm...the propane in the tank will keep the tank surface cool. You can easily tell where the propane level is.
Dave
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Dang!! I learn something new every day here...
__________________
Scratch sends... 
'12 nights camped: 12
'13 nights camped: 24
'14 nights camped:
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04-15-2013, 06:45 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 125
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Quote:
Originally Posted by herk7769
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Dang it Herk, something else I need to go "shopping" for.
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04-15-2013, 08:30 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 126
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Hey Herk...are you going to pay $100 for one of those?
__________________
2009 Rockwood 2701SS
2008 Tundra Crewmax 5.7
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04-15-2013, 08:43 PM
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#20
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Phat Phrog Stunt Team
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Iowa
Posts: 34,507
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Quote:
Originally Posted by herk7769
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So whats the price or did I miss it ? 
Someone threw out a hundy but is that phor real ?
I think I will just do as I do its free and easy
Tank one emtpy switch over to tank two , fill tank one and wait for tank two to go empty .
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