I've got gas........ (1 Viewer)

[WildeCamping]

........but I've taken a couple of Rennies so I should be ok in a while!

Seriously, a quick question and I'm not sure if this is the right section (if not, feel free to move me) - Is there a gauge I can buy to tell me how much gas I have left in my standard butane and propane bottles? The (un)helpful guy in the local shop told me that you know when it's gone when the gas runs out (!).... which isn't very useful if I'm in the middle of nowhere. I've seen that some cylinders have a mini-gauge on them but am I right in saying that not all have them (most here in Ireland don't). I have also seen that some people weigh theirs and use that to work out what's left but am trying to avoid scales, unhooking, different bottles etc. Am I missing something? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[aba]

there is no reliable way of telling whats in the bottles other than weighing them.
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these are about the best way but need both propane and butane if using both gasses as they are different pressures and you have to keep an eye on them as they can change very quickly.

the bottles with gauges built on only work when the bottle is less than half full and drop quickly it is best to carry a spare bottle and change it over when it runs out.

 

[Snowbird]

There are all-sorts of gizmos available but am afraid they all tell lies. None are very accurate. My LPG gauge has said empty for the whole of the last trip, but gas is still coming out of the cooker.

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[hilldweller]

If you want the posh solution I've see an ultrasonic gauge that looks through the metal. Try a Google on ultrasonic gas gauge.

 

[WildeCamping]

Thanks for that. I'll have to resort to weighing them I think. Had a look at the ultrasonic gauge Brian and think the bathroom scales will have to do instead.....I'm not that posh! Anyway, bottle almost empty now I think so will weigh it when empty, note it down and then weigh the new full bottle to give me the range.
Is it possible to have the bottle permanently on the scales in the locker I wonder so you could see at a glance rather than having to take off the harness, lug out onto the ground etc. or would the motion of the van mess up the 'zero' setting on the scales and have to be re-calibrated anyway?

 

[scotjimland]

Provided you have two bottles there is no real need to know..

When one runs out you change over and buy another as soon as possible.. Why I have never used an auto changeover valve..

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[aba]

we full time in ours and i find that at this time of year with heating and cooking 13kg propane lasts around 14-18 days thank goodness for the 11kg refillable that does between 10 and 14 days and is £10 per refill cheaper than the calor.

obviously as it gets warmer our consumption gets much less and can last up to 60 days on the 11kg.

 

[TheDogMan]

I have a 55 litre tank and they fitted a led display with 4 green lights and a red, after 2 weekends its down to one green and when its gets to red I start getting concerned, the first time this happened I fill up and got 18 litres in it, so I leave it on red longer now but still never got more than 32 litres in, the moral is its all guess work2

 

[pappajohn]

auto changeover valves are great...as long as you check regularly.

it wont warn you its changed if you dont look so could run out in both bottles. oh:

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[Ed Excel]

Gas

Thanks for that. I'll have to resort to weighing them I think. Had a look at the ultrasonic gauge Brian and think the bathroom scales will have to do instead.....I'm not that posh! Anyway, bottle almost empty now I think so will weigh it when empty, note it down and then weigh the new full bottle to give me the range.
Is it possible to have the bottle permanently on the scales in the locker I wonder so you could see at a glance rather than having to take off the harness, lug out onto the ground etc. or would the motion of the van mess up the 'zero' setting on the scales and have to be re-calibrated anyway?

Get some luggage scales and, if your gas locker is tall enough, fix them to the soffit. You could hang a bottle, without taking it out.

I like to know how much is in my second bottle, because you can't buy Calor abroad.

To calculate gas content. The tare weight should be marked on each bottle. It obviously varies between bottles. Change the marked imperial measure to metric and deduct it from the weighed metric reading. What's left is gas.

 

[mitzimad]

I have a 55 litre tank and they fitted a led display with 4 green lights and a red, after 2 weekends its down to one green and when its gets to red I start getting concerned, the first time this happened I fill up and got 18 litres in it, so I leave it on red longer now but still never got more than 32 litres in, the moral is its all guess work2

guess work and gas must go hand in hand .Many years ago i was fitting boilers at gasometer sites around london as part of a multi million pound upgrade to all these sites. Most of the money had gone on a wonderful new computerised system so they could see from the main depot how much gas was in each gasometer
when they came to commission this wonderful new system the commissioning enginer had to know what was in the gasometer so he could calibrate the system after many phone calls they realized the only person willing to estimate was the oldest guy on the site and he calculated it by how many rivets were showing on the top section , this marvelous new system , which is probably still in use ,was calibrated on the old rule of thumb method , in other words guess work

 

[Terry]

I have the gauge in Aba's first post :thumb: it gives plenty of warning but does not take long once it reaches yellow and very shortly red
On the plus side it also works as a leak detector :thumb: turn gas on then off and check if it's gone red after 20 mins or so :thumb: if still white everything is good if red you have a leak
Terry

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