Propane Tank Questions

sabel

I have a fuel pressure gauge on my propane Tank but still not sure when to refill. Gauge shows in the green when it's warm or sunny on the tank. But when the sun goes away gauge indicates in the yellow ( about time to refill ). Does anyone have experience with this type of gauge? It's  never been in the red, I assume when it stays in the red it's time to refill. Is that your experience?
Also, do they have to  empty the remaining gas to refill? Don't want to wast fuel either.
Thanks

Nomad

Yep - Have one and it's just a rough gauge. Since it's temp related, from my experience, refill when yellow. When it hits red, you're done in a real hurry - depending on the temp.
Since I travel full-time, I carry a spare - seems when it goes it's always 3:00am - and do the trade in vs refill as I've been places where there's been nothing else. If I was refilling, I'd just do it as soon as it hit yellow.

sabel

A couple of weeks ago while in Yellowstone, the temp. got down into the low 30's. Gauge got down into the yellow. By mid-morning, sunny and 60's, gauge was back into the green. Makes it difficult to judge.

Nomad

Yep - Not real accurate - just an indicator. Better than nothing but not by much :-)

Kats

Try this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6U_e7FrC2Y

Nomad

Technique works for grill, a little harder to do with a tank in the holder on the T@B. If you take it out, you might as well just go get it filled :-)

Nomad

You can get a stick on strip that senses temp somewhat similar to the hot water treatment in the vid. I tried one and didn't find it any more accurate that the pressure valve. Since I do trade-ins, it wasn't practical and it was hard to see wile in the propane tank holder.

Nomad

With the strip I had, you didn't need to do the hot water routine.

jdargis

Why not just spend the $50 and buy a tank with an actual float in the tank w/gauge.  Camping World sells them, gives true readings.  Spending $16000 to $20000, on our T&B's, I think this is a small investment, if you want to keep track of your propane amount.

jdargis

Just downloaded the Alde app, and they don't recommend composite lp tank for winter camping, they recommend steel or aluminum.  It has something to do with the vaporization of lp at 0 centigrade.  I don't think it really applies to many of us, just an interesting fact.

lykopis33

Trade ins are difficult given most are 15lb tanks and I want to keep my 20lb.  Does anyone know if a 30lb tank would fit?

Ratkity

Trade-ins are 15#? There's a safety float inside that won't let new tanks overfill past 18#, but take the weight of the empty tank into consideration, they call it 20#. However, I've never heard trade-ins are normally 15.

EWizard

Not sure what the weight is, but the tank that is in my 2005 is the same exact size as the ones you get in the exchange bin at the stores.

lykopis33

The ones at Home Depot and lowes are all 15lb tanks or 5 gallons which only let you burn about 3.5 gallons.  20 lb tanks are 7.5 gallons and let you burn it lower

lykopis33

the safety in the tank is to not let it get completely empty or it would need to be vented and restored in order to refill.  I have 2 15 lb tanks I use at home with space heaters and go to filling station enough that they suggested I get a 20lb

Nomad

I don't know about that 15 thing but do know that if you get out off the beaten trail, you'll get down on your knees and bow to the exchang cage no matter what it contains.
Edit-Add: Hear warnings about exchanges all the time - my personal experience is one bad tank in 17 months.

Verna

I have filled up either my primary tank or my spare tank 4 times since the first of the year. Each time has been 4.5 gallons. The price, all in AZ, has been $9.71, $11.29, $15.00 and $14.65.  Least expensive was out in the boonies south of Tucson, the most expensive was an RV park in Ajo that was the only dealer in town because the Shell gas station was out of propane. 

Dave28

I agree that bringing along a full spare tank is ideal. 

KyBawpaw

Is there an adapter made for the purpose of connecting one of those smaller (usually green colored)  propane stove type tanks in place of the large 15lb tanks? If it is possible to do, it would be easy to store a couple of those so to have in an emergency.  

Mercator

I use a 1 lb propane tank adapter like this.  Works like a charm. A 1 lb tank of propane has about 21,548 BTUs.

jkjenn

"Steak Saver" - http://amzn.to/21xN5nH

leenscottfl

Bought a refill adapter at Harbor Freight yesterday. $16.95.

mickietucs

Can't a tank also be accurately "measured" by weighing it? I was just looking this up and there seems to be good info about what a full 20lb tank will weigh (taking into consideration the tare weight). There are some hand-held type scales that one could use - correct?

Nomad

In some parts, they don't fill by that little flow meter, they put the tank on a scale and charge by the pound - Diff between start and finish. They stop filling at close to 20 lbs.

EWizard

I think weight would be about the only way to accurately gauge propane.

Mercator

This is another advantage of the composite propane tank, like the Viking that I have.  It is translucent and you can see the level of propane remaining.

EWizard

@Mercator , I like the idea of that Viking tank.
Do you have the 31# or the 22# one?

Mercator

EWizard said:

@Mercator , I like the idea of that Viking tank.
Do you have the 31# or the 22# one?

I have the 17 lb tank, but If I was buying again I would get at least the 22 lb as i think it would easily fit into the propane locker on the T@B. I would even go with the 31 lb if the height would allow it to fit into the propane locker.  Good weight savings and lots of propane.

Nomad

boo - yep, inaccurate but when you see yellow during the heat of the day, you'll probably run out that night so better than nothing :-)

driftless

Another way to tell tank level is pour a glass of hot water down the side of the tank.  The tank will be warm above the gas level and cold below.

Nomad

ST_Bob - Generally agree but it's doing something - If the pressure remains the same, why would the gauge change at all? It does depending on the outside temp and it does give me a lot more than a 30 second heads up. More like 3-4 hours. Yellow in afternoon, it's going out that night.