Propane Level Indicator

Giota

I only have one propane tank, so I would prefer a propane level indicator. Does anyone have a suggestion?

qhumberd

Lots of folks get the Mopeka sensor with Bluetooth. I have struggled to get mine to work right. Spent more time fiddling with it than just weighing the durn bottle periodically . Their customer service has been very nice though.

XenanMe

I love my Mopeka sensor.  It has worked flawlessly for 2 years now.   But a lot of other people have had problems with them.  So best to purchase from somewhere with free returns.

Sharon_is_SAM

We use the Mopeka Tank Check, too.  No problems and good customer service.

BrianZ

We've been using this one for a couple years..
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076P64ML9
It works well enough for us, but we don't need a very accurate level, just to know whether it's starting to get down to maybe a quarter of a tank, so we can plan to bring our full spare tank with us.

The Y connector gives us the option of attaching an extra hose to run our little Weber Q grill, in case we should run out of the small 1-lb cylinders.  We also keep another adapter handy for when the main tank is getting very low, that would allow us to easily connect a 1-lb cylinder in case it runs out in the middle of the night when we still need the Alde for heat.  That way, I wouldn't have to deal with switching out the 20-lb tank in the middle of the night.  Keeping a spare 5-gal tank on hand also allows me to refill some spare refillable 1-lb cylinders.

PS:  We also have a "grill gauge", which is a hand operated spring scale, in case we should have any doubts or need better accuracy, as weighing is the most accurate method.  The only drawback to using it is that the tank needs to be removed.

Marceline

Honestly I think that the cheapest and most accurate method is to buy a tank with a built-in float gauge (NOT a pressure gauge).

DougH

[UPDATED] I had tried using a Truma tank checker last week.  At first it did not seem very effective.  So today I took off the plastic outer wrappers off the two 20lb propane tanks, and cleaned one side for more testing.

On the tank with 22.7 lbs of propane (a bit full), the sensor displayed green at 3.5" above the horizontal seam (stock tank). On a different UHaul tank with float display that had 19.0 lbs remaining, the Truma showed green right at the center horizontal seam.

So I guess if it only shows green on the bottom inch of the side of the tank, that must be 10-15% left.  Easier than lifting it out and putting it on the scale and subtracting off the tank weight I guess, as long as I remember to clean the tank first.

ChrisFix

Marceline said:

Honestly I think that the cheapest and most accurate method is to buy a tank with a built-in float gauge (NOT a pressure gauge).

That's what I did. Picked one up at Costco ($20ish) and replaced the NuCamp provided tank after it was empty the first time. You can tell if you have a float gauge by turning an empty tank upside down. The needle will move to full...

JeffroNC

U-Haul also sells the float gauge tanks. It's also a good place to fill up.

ScottG

A few weeks back, I enthusiastically set out to purchase a second such tank from U-Haul only to find they were no longer available. I ended up ordering one from Cabela's--it was a pricy $50 and when it arrived I noticed the tank was already almost three years past the manufacturing date.

The tanks are made by Worthington, and they are not shown on the Worthington web site. Perhaps that means Worthington has stopped manufacturing them. I did find another brand with a similar product, but they were even more expensive.

@ChrisFix, if you have access to Costco and were able to get a tank with a float gauge for $20, you scored big!

If anyone knows of another reasonable source for these tanks, please report here.

Marceline

ScottG said:

A few weeks back, I enthusiastically set out to purchase a second such tank from U-Haul only to find they were no longer available. I ended up ordering one from Cabela's--it was a pricy $50 and when it arrived I noticed the tank was already almost three years past the manufacturing date.

The tanks are made by Worthington, and they are not shown on the Worthington web site. Perhaps that means Worthington has stopped manufacturing them. I did find another brand with a similar product, but they were even more expensive.

@ChrisFix, if you have access to Costco and were able to get a tank with a float gauge for $20, you scored big!

If anyone knows of another reasonable source for these tanks, please report here.

They are a seasonal item at Costco. They appear in warehouses every spring. 

ChrisFix

Marceline said:

They are a seasonal item at Costco. They appear in warehouses every spring. 

Exactly - all my propane tanks are from there, with float gauges. Plus their propane tank refill prices are the lowest you'll find anywhere.

ScottG

Alas, Costco isn't really practical for me, but for those of you who have access, take note and check it out. Those float gauges are real handy, and if you have a scale you can even do a rough calibration of the dial so you know how many pounds of propane remain in your tank.

N7SHG_Ham

Is uhaul out permanently or just temporarily. My uhaul place earlier in year was out of stock more than once, but I did score one once and locally selling price included a full tank of propane, a good deal indeed.

They are still showing them on web.

https://www.uhaul.com/MovingSupplies/Propane-Tanks-Heaters/20Lb-Propane-Tank-With-Gas-Gauge/?id=13318

ScottG

Well dang, it's back! When I checked it said "no longer available" or some such wording that strongly implied it was not just temporarily out of stock. Even my local store is showing two on hand.

Guess I should have been more patient. Maybe I'll just go buy another one out of spite!  :-)

TNOutback

A travel luggage scale is the cheapest solution for weighing/measuring your tank volume.

ScottG

TNOutback said:

A travel luggage scale is the cheapest solution for weighing/measuring your tank volume.

No argument there. In fact, I weigh my tanks regularly with a scale when I want to confirm exact amounts. However, I'm kinda' lazy and prefer to remove/replace/lift/lug those tanks as little as possible!  :-)

YanniLazarus

Another very happy mopeka user...

ADRawli

YanniLazarus said:

Another very happy mopeka user...

+1 on the Mopeka.  Has worked well for almost 2 years, giving surprisingly accurate readings directly to my iPhone. 

NCNative

I also use the Mopeka tank check and it has worked great for me the past two years. 

AirBoss

Pour hot water over the tank. If in doubt, pick it up and shake it a bit.. Done. 

ScottG

The Mopeka looks like a good solution--accurate and portable. Are there any concerns with it staying in place? I have an open-bottomed tub and anything stuck to the bottom of the propane tank stands a good chance of going AWOL on a bumpy. For my application, I think I would have to fashion some sort of retention device, but that is certainly doable.

Also, any impressions of its overall durability and longevity? Anyone have one longer than two years? 

Sharon_is_SAM

We have had ours since June 2017.  John secures it with 2 pieces of heavy duct tape.  The customer service has been great.  We required a replacement as Amazon sent us a previously used one😐. Appears to be reasonably accurate as John has tested it against tank weight.  Key is waiting for a period of time to let the tank liquid be still before attempting a reading.  I think it is worth a try.

qhumberd

I will add that I too got a Mopeka from Amazon last year following the recc of this forum. Mine has worked intermittently and now reads only zero when I just filled tank. The magnet is very secure and we have used dielectric grease to improve contact but still no luck and battery in it is fine. Perhaps with pandemic customer service has been slow to respond but the one time I spoke with them they were helpful. I will see if they can replace if they get back with me.

Sharon_is_SAM

I read an Amazon review from an owner attempting to use it in very cold weather without success.  Not sure if it was an issue with the little lithium battery or what.  If you are using an Apple device, be aware that one of the Apple updates summer of 2020 wiped out the interface between the phone and the Mopeka.  We deleted the app and reinstalled.  In addition, the Mopeka had reset to read a larger tank, so everything it measured was wrong.  Customer service helped us reset the Mopeka.  

PNWtabber

I am looking on Costco website today (6/09/2022), they have a propane tank with a gauge, but they describe it as a 5 pound tank.  Doesn't provide dimensions.  That isn't the right size, is it?
https://www.costco.com/5-lbs.-steel-propane-cylinder-with-opd-valve-&-built-in-gauge.product.100734956.html

Grumpy_G

Correct this is a much smaller tank, not the size used for the T@b.

VictoriaP

@PNWtabber A 5 lb tank like the one pictured is best for camping grills and portable propane firepits. If you want to replace the one on your Tab, you need a 20 lb tank, which is the standard size for general use.

YanniLazarus

Another Mopeka fan.   The magnet is absolutely secure.   No need for added attachments or worry.  Sometimes I have to remove and reattach the mopeka to get it to read properly - but it is always clear when I get a false reading... either 100% or empty- and if you keep track at all it is easy to identify the occasional mis-read.  I do always clean off the bottom of my tank prior to attaching and I do use dielectric grease. 

YanniLazarus

qhumberd

I really wanted the Mopeka to work, but after several calls to service and limited responses I decided to give it up as I really only use about one tank per camping season anyway. Hopefully they will have updated the tech by now as the concept is great and quite convenient.