Propane Tank Level Indicators

[hedgehopper]

What brand of Propane Tank Level Indicators do you have and how well do they work?

[Cummins12V98]

I always leave my inner tank CLOSED. Outer runs out I simply switch to inner and then within a day or two get the outer filled then close inner and open outer. As time goes on after several times filling I remove the inner tank and place the full tank in the rear. NEVER run out using this method.

[Dutch_12078]

For those having trouble replacing a Mopeka sensor after a cylinder refill, after I had my sensors in the "sweet spot", I outlined them with a permanent marker. Makes replacing them in the right spot really easy.

[wa8yxm]

valhalla360 wrote:

wa8yxm wrote:
There are 4 types of propane tank level indicators.
The most common is some kind of RED/Green indicator.. IT works well but.. GREEN means "Tank not empty" red means "Empty" there is only about 10 seconds of in between.. if the tank is 1% full.. it's not empty

Assuming you run a 2 tank system and fill your empties within a week or so, RED means you are at 50%.

Well true. At home growing up we had a multi tank system one tank was always closed so that if we hit red on both sides.> We opened the spare and still had propane for the water heater and stove.

My sister after a lightening strike "There's a fire in the Oven There's a fire in the Oven" me (As I responded "Isn't that how it works?" Then "Where's the baking soda?

I hit the Gas control Solenoid with a bit of Baking soda.. (The lightening strike ignighted the insulation (outer only) and fire out (Well the cooking fire still responded to control but the electrical fire out) Baking soda is a marvelous fire extingushier.

[toedtoes]

I agree with Lantley for the most part.

I normally check my tank levels as I'm preparing for a trip - along with the fresh and grey water tank levels and battery charges - and fill if either are low.

As I tend to camp away from everything, having to fill a propane tank mid-trip may mean a 1-2 hour drive for no other reason. Why bother if I can simply check a couple gauges before the trip and plan ahead.

I also do not have an auto changer, so if I am suddenly without propane, I just manually switch to the second tank.

I you want an even simpler visual, get a plastic slap bracelet. When one tank goes empty, slap the bracelet on its handle and switch to the second tank. Now you know which one to fill before the next trip.

[fj12ryder]

I figure I should be smart enough to check levels on occasion, and therefore use the auto switch-over. Getting up in the middle of the night to switch tanks, when the auto switch-over will do it for me just seems silly. And it's almost guaranteed that the tank will run out when it's most inconvenient. Some things just work, and the auto change-over is one of them. Never had a problem in over 15 years.

[ktmrfs]

Lantley wrote:
THe whole running out of LP issue is overblown. There is no need to constantly monitor or check your LP level.
Leave one tank on and one tank off. When the on tank runs out simply switch the full tank and refill empty tank.
Worst case scenario is tank runs empty in the middle of the night and you wake up cold! I only use my furnace as supplemental back up heat and heat primarily with space heaters. Its been quite a few years since I have run out of lp in the middle of the night. typically I discover the fridge won't work on gas and switch tanks.
If you allow auto switchover system to work as designed the tanks may switch without you realizing it, potentially leaving you with 2 empty tanks and no lp.
While our usage is different most Rv'ers don't use lots of lp to warrant all the gauges and monitoring.
I typiaclly refill my tanks at some point once a year, with that in mind there is no need for me to monitor tanks weekly or even monthly.Just let the tank run out and manually switch it when necessary.

I guess where and when one camps has an influence on LP tank level checking need. this last week temps were down in the mid 30's at night and we went almost through one 30lb tank in 7 days with the furnace turned on when we got up. Even a month ago it was cold enough at night and early morning that in a 10 day campout we went through one tank before the camp trip ended. We dry camp 90% of the time so propane gets used frequently for the fridge, (not much) water heater and furnace.


I use the auto changeover system on my regulator but it is also an older marshall regulator system that has a remote display in the trailer that flashes when the regulator does a changeover. At least with that I do know when a tank is empty. Between that and the mopeka system everything is covered.

[Tyler0215]

Lantley has it right.

[Lantley]

THe whole running out of LP issue is overblown. There is no need to constantly monitor or check your LP level.
Leave one tank on and one tank off. When the on tank runs out simply switch the full tank and refill empty tank.
Worst case scenario is tank runs empty in the middle of the night and you wake up cold! I only use my furnace as supplemental back up heat and heat primarily with space heaters. Its been quite a few years since I have run out of lp in the middle of the night. typically I discover the fridge won't work on gas and switch tanks.
If you allow auto switchover system to work as designed the tanks may switch without you realizing it, potentially leaving you with 2 empty tanks and no lp.
While our usage is different most Rv'ers don't use lots of lp to warrant all the gauges and monitoring.
I typiaclly refill my tanks at some point once a year, with that in mind there is no need for me to monitor tanks weekly or even monthly.Just let the tank run out and manually switch it when necessary.

[LMHS]

I have this kind. It's simple, cheap and similar to some of my tanks that have the gauge built in. It does two things, it lets me know how much LP is in a tank (when the tank is turned on) and once the line is pressurized with propane, it lets me see if there is a leak in my lines.

[fj12ryder]

I tried the Dometic wand sensor and had little luck getting it to be consistent. I use the Mopeka sensor on one tank and check it every few days, maybe if I think of it. We have the auto switch-over so mostly don't worry about it. When the switch changes to red, I pull the empty tank and fill it, then put it back in place, and turn the handle on the switch so it's green. Repeat as necessary. We travel when it's cool, but rarely when cold, so we don't go through a lot of propane.

FWIW, I sanded the bottom of the tank before installing the Mopeka sensor, and then taped it to the bottom. Our tank supports are just two bars so they don't interfere with the sensor at all. And it showed a drop in tank level the day after the tanks switched, so it works pretty well.

[ktmrfs]

Roger10378 wrote:
wa8yxm didn't include the Mopeka in his list so that makes 5 types.

I have used the Mopeka for several years now. They are way more accurate than most of the others. I have made some modifications that have improved their operation considerably.

1. We don't use much propane so the battery life was less than I would have liked as the battery ran down before the propane needed filling. I modified the sensors with a remote battery holder with 2 AA batteries.

2. I made my own spacers which are bolted to the tank so they don't fall off.

3. I shimmed and added a spot of Velcro to the free end of the sensor so that it maintains good contact with the tank.

I have the mopeka system with the remote dual tank readout. As you mentioned and I also mentioned the system is accurate but not without some issues. Good idea, but takes some care and fussing to get it consistent.

[ktmrfs]

wa8yxm wrote:
There are 4 types of propane tank level indicators.
The most common is some kind of RED/Green indicator.. IT works well but.. GREEN means "Tank not empty" red means "Empty" there is only about 10 seconds of in between.. if the tank is 1% full.. it's not empty

The second type is a magnetic or adheasive strip you apply to the tank, then you use the stove (Propane) to heat a pan of water to boiling and pour it over the strip which contains LCD crystals. the color change indicates the level of liquid in the tank (it is colder) and these are fairly accurate. also work.

Type 3 is a scale.. also accurate

Type 4 is a dial indicator on the tank.... Accuracy is variable bur readings are consistant.. if for example it says 1/4 when you are empty IT WILL always say 1/4 when you are empty.... or the other way around. This type however has to be built into the tank at ye old factory.

Add the mopeka system which I mentioned above and The Dometic "wand" sensor. Both are similar using ultrasonic to determine fill level. The Dometic unit is a "pen" that you run up and down the tank flashes red when your above propane liquid level, green when below propane liquid level.

[Bobbo]

valhalla360 wrote:

wa8yxm wrote:
There are 4 types of propane tank level indicators.
The most common is some kind of RED/Green indicator.. IT works well but.. GREEN means "Tank not empty" red means "Empty" there is only about 10 seconds of in between.. if the tank is 1% full.. it's not empty

Assuming you run a 2 tank system and fill your empties within a week or so, RED means you are at 50%.

This ^^^^^^^^^^^.

When my auto-changeover regulator shows red, it indicates THAT TANK is empty, but since it switched to the other tank, *I* am still at 50% with plenty of time to refill the empty tank.

[Roger10378]

wa8yxm didn't include the Mopeka in his list so that makes 5 types.

I have used the Mopeka for several years now. They are way more accurate than most of the others. I have made some modifications that have improved their operation considerably.

1. We don't use much propane so the battery life was less than I would have liked as the battery ran down before the propane needed filling. I modified the sensors with a remote battery holder with 2 AA batteries.

2. I made my own spacers which are bolted to the tank so they don't fall off.

3. I shimmed and added a spot of Velcro to the free end of the sensor so that it maintains good contact with the tank.