Propane tank Gauge

[Czars]

What is the best or easiest way to determine the amount of gas in a portable propane tank?

[aceinspp]

I bought a gauge at Lowes that attaches to the tank. Not real accurate but close. Later RJD

[gasman6674]

If you have 20# or 30# cylinders you can upgrade/change the valve to one with a built in float gauge fairly cheaply, or you can buy new tanks with the float already installed.

[D-mo]

Buy a digital luggage scale...weight is the most efficient way of measurement . ..not pressure.
Thats why when you fill your tanks at a good local provider, the tank is weighed, so both sides are happy with the purchase.
Pressure will only give you a heads up when the tank is almost totally depleated...another "sham -wow .

D-mo

[nomad297]

I use the Truma LevelCheck. It is dead-on accurate. Here's a link:

Fill level indicator Truma LevelCheck

Bruce

[5picker]

Originally Posted by gasman6674

If you have 20# or 30# cylinders you can upgrade/change the valve to one with a built in float gauge fairly cheaply, or you can buy new tanks with the float already installed.

Do you by chance have a part # for the valve/gauge for a 30 # tank?
I could not find it on the GEC web site.

[gasman6674]

You will need to purchase thru your local LP dealer as GEC doesn't sell direct to retail.
20# part # is OPD 20 Gauge, 30 is OPD 30 gauge.

[mickrock]

I was just wondering about this, so I got out the spare bathroom scale.

Put a drop of oil on the center stem threads and made sure both tank valves were closed.
Removed the center stem nut and both tank fittings.
Removed door side tank and weighed 37 lbs.
Removed sink side tank and weighed 27 lbs. I'd say +/- a pound or so.
Reinstalled tanks and tightened down center stem bar, making sure tank spacing was right for bar grooves to mesh.
Put valve main tank indicator green to door side tank and opened door side tank.

So, if I open the sink side tank valve, meaning both tank valves are open, and the door side empties from running the furnace at night, will the valve auto switch to the sink side tank?

Obvious I don't use much propane.

[gasman6674]

Yes
Auto change over regs will switch when the supply side drops below 10 psi ish. The manual dial would then be pointing at the "empty" tank and the indicator would be red. Once you manually turn the dial to the full tank you can then remove the "empty" and have it refilled with out interrupting service. On units with the tanks split (not in same compartment) they will install a red 20-30 psi regulator in the line from the farthest tank to keep the lp vapor from condensing back to liquid. At pressures greater than 20 psi vapor at the right ambient can condense causing a regulator to freeze up.
Most people will never see this as it generally happens when its really cold.
If you have the extra regulator make sure it is mounted higher than the tank outlet and there are no dips/doodles in the hose below the opening of the tank in the pigtail feeding it.

Hope this helps

[D-mo]

If you remove a tank from our two tank system you will lose pressure,thus shutting down the regulator/s
Your explaining the old style system...