Dumb propane question

[missouri_dave]

I'm not afraid to ask the stupid question so here goes, I fulltime in a fiver and so I have two propane tanks. I keep one closed at all times so that if it runs out in the middles of the night I can go outside, close the one and open the other and I'm back in business. My question is, for those in motorhomes, since they only have one tank, what do you do to make sure you never run out just keep a close eye on it?

[RJsfishin]

In Quartzsite weather, every 15-16 days the black tank is full when the propane is near MT,....time to take a ride.

[fj12ryder]

time2roll wrote:
Oh fj, you know 2oldman is full of dry sarcastic humor.

Yeah, I honestly wondered if there wasn't a little tongue-in-cheek there. Sometimes I feel a little like Sheldon: "Sarcasm?".

[2oldman]

🙂

[time2roll]

Oh fj, you know 2oldman is full of dry sarcastic humor.

[naturist]

fj12ryder wrote:

2oldman wrote:

missouri dave wrote:
I keep one closed at all times so that if it runs out in the middles of the night I can go outside, close the one and open the other and I'm back in business.

Yes, we all do that.

We do? I don't.

Me either. Both tanks on, and it switches over by itself. I never wake up cold. Ever.

It must be noted that you must flip the lever over to the full tank before disconnecting the empty tank to refill it lest propane leak out of the disconnected hose.

[fj12ryder]

2oldman wrote:

missouri dave wrote:
I keep one closed at all times so that if it runs out in the middles of the night I can go outside, close the one and open the other and I'm back in business.

Yes, we all do that.

We do? I don't.

[2oldman]

missouri dave wrote:
I keep one closed at all times so that if it runs out in the middles of the night I can go outside, close the one and open the other and I'm back in business.

Yes, we all do that.

[joebedford]

I felt like an idiot the other night. Woke up cold and the furnace wouldn't light. I watch the tanks regularly so I knew I had propane. I forgot to open the valve on the second tank after filling it. DOH!

[dougrainer]

On a towable dual tank system with the Auto change over valve----When BOTH tanks are ON and the selected tank runs out, the system Auto changes to the 2nd full tank. THEN the indicator on the changeover goes RED, to let you know it has swapped tanks. Doug

[whiteeye42]

just open both valves that way you don't have to get up it will automaticlly switch to the full tank that way you can get a good nights sleep and then in the morning switch the handle that is on the regulator to the full tank and then you can take the empty tank and get it fill

[time2roll]

The motorhome tank operates like your tow vehicle fuel gauge. You just have to look at the indicator.

If you observe your regulator it will also indicate when a cylinder needs to be refilled without running out in the middle of the night.

[rhagfo]

RoyF wrote:
You did not ask about what to do with your two tank system, but BLF13 has given good advice. If you install an auto swith-over and develop the habit of checking its indicator once a day, then you will be able to sleep at night without worring about propane.

Depending on expected usage, we have RV Comfort Systems "Cheap Heat" electric add on unit on our 5er. Use propane only for quick Hot water recovery, and cooking. I check the tanks about once every 3 to 5 days.

We were on a 30 amp service which cuts down on the amount of heat from the "Cheap Heat" system can put out 1,800 watts compared to 5,000 watts on 50 amp. It would hold heat down to the mid 30's out side, but struggled to raise the temp. So we would switch to gas to raise then back to electric, to maintain. Really still didn't use that much gas.

[RoyF]

You did not ask about what to do with your two tank system, but BLF13 has given good advice. If you install an auto swith-over and develop the habit of checking its indicator once a day, then you will be able to sleep at night without worring about propane.

[BFL13]

Why have the first tank run out at 3 am, and have to go out in the rain in your PJs to open the other tank????

The auto switch-over will do that if you leave both tanks open. That's what it is for. Had that in the 5er we had.

In the morning, doing your "morning rounds" of the RV, one day, you will see the indicator is red. That means go get the first tank refilled. DO NOT switch the lever over yet!!!! Leave it pointing at the empty tank.

(Or else it will go green and you will think next look that all is well--until it goes red and now both tanks are empty. Oops!)

Once the refill is done, open that tank too and now switch over to the tank in use, and it goes green.
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Our C has an "extra" light-set in the "monitor" over the stove to indicate how full the propane tank is. There is another hard to see gauge on the tank itself. Routine is to notice when low on propane, go get some more.

Around here there is a shortage of places that do MH tanks, so if near one, and getting down, I fill up whether need it or not, in case I don't get back near a place that does tanks. (Lots of places do cylinders, but that is no use) It is like you need "local knowledge" where to get propane for the C. I pity any tourists! 😞