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how accurate are the sensors and propane sensor for levels

luberhill
Explorer
Explorer
I see my Winnebago 26he has all outside sensors...the propane even after running the fridge for a day on propane still says 2/3 full...are these accurate ?
The sensor is right over the gage so I cant read it
2013 Winnebago Sunstar 26HE
16 REPLIES 16

DrewE
Explorer
Explorer
Maybe the filling was measured in pounds rather than gallons. 30 pounds is somewhere in the vicinity of 7.5 to 8 gallons.

luberhill
Explorer
Explorer
Ok I can see the needle around the sensor, it was a little over 1/2 full...lights said 2/3
I had it filled it took just under 5 gallons...now the needle is on full and the lights say full
I cant believe the propane is only 18 gallons, the guy filling it said 30
2013 Winnebago Sunstar 26HE

wa8yxm
Explorer III
Explorer III
THe old saying is the least accurate gauge made is a fuel gauge..

Seriously on Propane the "It reads full till it's empty" applies to inline pressure gauges used for luggable tanks. If you have a motor home you have a float type gauge and the dial on the outside is very accurate. Well. Very "repeatable" let's put it that way.. you may have more, or less than you think but when it says for example Half full.. Well you have x gallons. and the next time it says half full you have exactly x gallons, not one pint more or less.

The Fridge SIPS gas. and I mean SIPS .. Not like the stove which eats the gas or the Water heater or furnace with GOBBLE IT IN MASSIVE AMOUNTS.. The Fridge just sips.
Home was where I park it. but alas the.
2005 Damon Intruder 377 Alas declared a total loss
after a semi "nicked" it. Still have the radios
Kenwood TS-2000, ICOM ID-5100, ID-51A+2, ID-880 REF030C most times

Old-Biscuit
Explorer
Explorer
How big is your propane tank....gallons?
What fridge brand/model?

Gallon of propane has 91,500btu
A very large RV fridge has a 2200btu/hr burner
Furnace....20,000 --42,000btu/hr
Water heater....10,000-12,000btu/hr
Stove top burners.....5,000--9,000 btu/hr
Oven......1200--1500btu/hr

Look up your RV propane appliance btu/hr ratings....add them up
That is how much propane would be burned if ALL where in operation for a FULL Hour

Do some research on your items so you can get an idea on requirements
THen over time you will see just how much is used/needed for YOUR usage



Just a quick check a 2013 Vista 26 has an 18 gal capacity tank
80% is 14.4 gal
Is it time for your medication or mine?


2007 DODGE 3500 QC SRW 5.9L CTD In-Bed 'quiet gen'
2007 HitchHiker II 32.5 UKTG 2000W Xantex Inverter
US NAVY------USS Decatur DDG31

Big_Katuna
Explorer II
Explorer II
My RV has a built in lp tank with gauge. When it goes from 1/4 to E, it is half full.

I donโ€™t even bother with the other gauges.
My Kharma ran over my Dogma.

DrewE
Explorer
Explorer
It sounds as though you do have a permanent built-in tank with the usual sender mounted on the dial gauge. You should be able to see the pointer on the gauge despite the sender being on top of it if you look closely enough.

The three light gauges (often they do have four lights, but the bottom light is always on so there are only three that do anything) are accurate for propane but not at all precise. In other words, the points where it changes from full to 2/3 to 1/3 to empty are pretty repeatable and usually reasonably calibrated, but there's a lot of room between each step. The readings for the black tank, on the other hand, are often both inaccurate and imprecise.

The fridge uses not much propane at all, maybe a pound a day as a very rough rule of thumb (and probably a bit less than that). A year ago I took an extended trip to Alaska, 2 and a half months, and went through about two tanks of propane (with a built-in tank, not cylinders) for the entire trip.

Lwiddis
Explorer
Explorer
Fill both of your tanks...hopefully you have two. When one runs out switch to the other tank, drive into town and fill the empty one. As said fridges are not a big user of propane.
Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, WindyNation 300 watt solar-Lossigy 200 AH Lithium battery. Prefer boondocking, USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state camps. Bicyclist. 14 yr. Army -11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad

jplante4
Explorer
Explorer
If you're using bottles, get one of these. Uses sound to detect the difference in density of the liquid and gas. Any of those stick-on detectors require a temp difference and you only get that when the gas is flowing.

If you have a large built-in tank, the level gauge is probably a float type and should be accurate to within a 1/4 tank. Remember that a full propane tank reads 3/4.
Jerry & Jeanne
1996 Safari Sahara 3530 - 'White Tiger'
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T18skyguy
Explorer
Explorer
I can go a whole season on one tank of propane if I don't use the furnace. Cooking does not use much, but we don't use the oven at all. When they fill the propane, they don't fill to 100%, there's a safety factor built in.
Retired Anesthetist. LTP. Pilot with mechanic/inspection ratings. Between rigs right now.. Wife and daughter. Four cats which we must obey.

Dutch_12078
Explorer
Explorer
One problem with those "Empty,1/3,2/3,Full" sensor systems is that you don't know if the level is actually 2/3, or is it just barely below the full sensor. Is it really "Empty" or is it just a tick below the 1/3 sensor. There are more accurate sensor systems that read out in percentages using external sensors that don't gum up, but few RV manufacturers install them since they cost a few dollars more.
Dutch
2001 GBM Landau 34' Class A
F53 chassis, Triton V10, TST TPMS
Bigfoot Automatic Leveling System
2011 Toyota RAV4 4WD/Remco pump
ReadyBrute Elite tow bar/Blue Ox baseplate

Fizz
Explorer
Explorer
Nothing beats the old fashion way.
Poor boiling water on the tank.
Run your finger from bottom to top on the side of the tank.
When it's to hot to touch that's your level.
Do it once a day and you'll get a feel for how much is used in a day.

Lynnmor
Explorer
Explorer
Propane bottles keep a constant pressure inside till they are almost empty, so a pressure gauge is a joke. Google propane level check for a variety of ways to check level, but realize that the only correct reading is by measuring weight. I have two bottles and keep one closed for two reasons; one, the auto change over regulators can fail; and two, I want to know when a tank empties without constantly looking at a rather inaccessible flag.

A 30 lb. bottle lasts me about a month with some cooking and some electrical hookups. YMMV

D_E_Bishop
Explorer
Explorer
Some one suggested that you fill your water tank and use it for a week end and then check your consumption, well do the same thing with the propane.

In general, most fridges of the same year and model will use the same amount of propane per hour, do you have the same kind I have and is the temp setting the same? If so we filled up with propane, camped for six weeks, came home, set for awhile, went back out for four days, now back home, we have propane left, you should too.
"I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to go". R. L. Stevenson

David Bishop
2002 Winnebago Adventurer 32V
2009 GMC Canyon
Roadmaster 5000
BrakeBuddy Classic II

midnightsadie
Explorer II
Explorer II
just the frig ,can run for weeks ,its use is very little and dose not burn constantly. other gauges are not trust worthy .in our poo tank we put in couple caps full of dawn dish soap ,helps keep things a little cleaner.