Stupid Question: Propane

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by Iraqvet05

I believe all the Flight series TTs are equipped with an auto change over regulator. If memory serves me correctly, our service tech told me to keep both bottles open if one was running low and it would draw from the other tank when the pressure from the primary tank was too low. There is a pressure indicator on the regulator but it really can't be used to tell how much propane is in the tank...Red indicating no pressure and green indicating pressure is present at the regulator. Only weighing the tank will tell you approximately how much propane is left in the tank.

In the two season we have had out TT (probably used it 30 nights total so far) I've only had to refill one 30 lb bottle once...and I also used it from my propane smoker at home. Using the CGs electric for the water heater and a small space heater on cold nights really helped conserve propane.

+1 on all this.

I will open the secondary tank when I know the primary is getting low. When the regulator senses no pressure from the primary tank, the barber pole turns red and starts drawing off the secondary tank. That's your indication that the primary tank is empty and needs to be filled.

Go out, turn the knob on your regulator so it points to the secondary tank, thereby making it the primary tank, the barber poll will turn green. Then go refill your primary tank and reinstall it, thereby making it your secondary tank. When the barber poll turns red again, rinse and repeat.

We just refilled our first 30 lb cylinder a couple weeks ago and we bought our trailer in October of 2013.

[labracorn]

You may get a 2 propane gauges for your tanks works great.check with RV stores.

[Jmooney]

The problem with propane gauges is that they tend to read full, then quickly drop to empty

Propane sits as liquid at the bottom of the tank with partial gas above the liquid, keeping the guage satisfied

Once the last of the liquid becomes gas, there is little left in the tank

Even the side mount strips tend to be inaccurate , but are actually more accurate than inline pressure gauges , as they read the temperature of the side wall of the tank. The liquid propane is colder that the gas above it and so it tracks the level of liquid in the tank as it drops

[norty1]

Those after market propane gauges are not accurate. Get a bathroom scale if you want accuracy.

Best indicator is when the flame goes out, it is empty. Just don't forget to fill it as soon as you transfer.

[Jmooney]

Norty is actually dead right. Weight is the most accurate way to determine volume of liquid propane

[Paintinfool3]

yup true a 30 lb tank weighs that empty add 24 for an 80 percent fill and that equals 54 lbs at 80 percent full ... I think that's all they fill them ..? somebody

[Paintinfool3]

The furnace uses more than anything and we have gotten a full season out of 1 30 lb tank using the stove, oven refridge to initially cool it down , and the water heater to do the initial warm on it ... furnace run some the last trip so they last a while

[wags999]

You have two tanks, with an auto switchover.. Get in the habit of once a week looking at the red/green gauge between the tanks. When one is empty it will switch to the other tank. At that point you have time, until the second tank empties. You can add all kinds of gauges, strips ect, but, you still have to check them. You have everything you need, just need to check it once a week.

Once one runs empty you will have a good idea how long they will last. But just check once a week and your all good.

[wags999]

Yes tanks are filled 80% to leave room for expansion. Now days the filing "pumps" automatically shut down when it achieves the proper level, so no more do we have to weigh them to tell how full. Once you get use to them you can pick one up and tell pretty close how much is inside. I had guest's bring them saying I think I'm almost empty, and I could guess within a few 1/10s of how much they actually needed.

A 30 lb tank will last quite a while even when using it for hot water, cooking and heat. If only heat and some cooking probably a month depending on temperatures.

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by wags999

You have two tanks, with an auto switchover.. Get in the habit of once a week looking at the red/green gauge between the tanks. When one is empty it will switch to the other tank. At that point you have time, until the second tank empties. You can add all kinds of gauges, strips ect, but, you still have to check them. You have everything you need, just need to check it once a week.

Once one runs empty you will have a good idea how long they will last. But just check once a week and your all good.

+1 No need to complicate things with gadgets that don't really work all that well. If you're running dual tanks, this is perfect.

[Bassdogs]

Originally Posted by wags999

X2 After a while you will know about how long you can go between fill ups. You don't have to wait until a tank is completely empty, you can fill it at any point, you only pay for the amount of fuel you actually put in the tank. Much like your car gas tank. A full tank should last weeks even using it in cool weather, the furnace being the largest user of fuel. It' not difficult to look at the green or red button once in a while.

Not true at least where I travel. If you exchange you pay for a replacement tank regardless of anything left in your old tank. If you fill the old tank, they charge you for a fixed amount for a 20 or 30 lb bottle.

Like I said before, no need to run out at nite. Switch to your back up tank at bed time and then back to the primary the next am so you can use up the rest of that tank for cooking and running the water heater. The red green indicators are not reliable and have a tendency to change due to temp and show red when the tank is not empty.

[oldmanAZ]

Originally Posted by Bassdogs

Not true at least where I travel. If you exchange you pay for a replacement tank regardless of anything left in your old tank. If you fill the old tank, they charge you for a fixed amount for a 20 or 30 lb bottle.
...snip...

Partly true where I live:
If you exchange you pay for a replacement tank full of propane regardless of anything left in your old tank.

Here, they fill your tank and measure the liquid propane they add and charge you only for what they add... just like your car.

[dougfir1]

I don't want to drive this topic further into the ground, but there is a simple way to know how much gas you have in the tank...On the collar of the tank is a number marked TW which stands for tare weight which is the empty weight of the tank. If you weigh the tank on bathroom scales and subtract the TW, then you divide that number by 4.25 lbs which is the weight of one gal of propane that gives you the gallons you have left.

[spoon059]

Originally Posted by norty1

BTW, There are no stupid questions as they say!

Yea... people that say that are wrong. This is a legitimate question, but I have heard a LOT of stupid questions...

[norty1]

Originally Posted by spoon059

Yea... people that say that are wrong. This is a legitimate question, but I have heard a LOT of stupid questions...

In my day people asked questions to learn something. Are you saying that now days, they ask questions to demonstrate how much they don't know?
One purpose here IMO is to educate and communicate with each other.
If we don't want to do that, then why bother?

[spoon059]

norty1, I NEVER said this was a stupid question. This was a valid question and it has been answered. I was just replying, somewhat tongue in cheek, that there are stupid questions.


I'm sorry if you feel that I was attacking you or the OP, that wasn't my intention. I have heard LOTS of stupid questions over the years. For example, when I was dating my wife I would often go out with her and get a pizza. We would bring it back to her parents house and her mother would ask, "What did you get good...?". Is a pizza box misleading or often confused with anything else??? To top that off, after my wife told her it was a pizza she would ask where we got it. Most pizza places around us have their name written on the box.


That is 2 STUPID questions within 15 seconds. Questions like that are not meant to educate.


My father used to say, "A wise man speaks because he has something to say. A fool speaks because he has to say something." I find that to be a very spot on statement.


Again, my response was meant to be humorous. I apologize if it was taken the wrong way.

[Paintinfool3]

well spoon I can see what your saying but to some people a question that might not seem to make sense to you does to them. I think this forum has been pretty good about trying to answer all folks questions and concerns and if it is something they are concerned enough about to ask I will always be glad to try to help them answer it if it is within my realm of knowledge and experience... it is interesting to me that people have so many different experiences to bring to the table here provoking thought and ideas that I might not have thought of

[norty1]

Originally Posted by spoon059

norty1, I NEVER said this was a stupid question. This was a valid question and it has been answered. I was just replying, somewhat tongue in cheek, that there are stupid questions.


I'm sorry if you feel that I was attacking you or the OP, that wasn't my intention. I have heard LOTS of stupid questions over the years. For example, when I was dating my wife I would often go out with her and get a pizza. We would bring it back to her parents house and her mother would ask, "What did you get good...?". Is a pizza box misleading or often confused with anything else??? To top that off, after my wife told her it was a pizza she would ask where we got it. Most pizza places around us have their name written on the box.


That is 2 STUPID questions within 15 seconds. Questions like that are not meant to educate.


My father used to say, "A wise man speaks because he has something to say. A fool speaks because he has to say something." I find that to be a very spot on statement.


Again, my response was meant to be humorous. I apologize if it was taken the wrong way.

Well I will be the big boy and say I took your response the wrong way. Tongue in cheek humor is good. I have a lot of knowledge about rving and like to share it or I would not be here. On any forum like this and I am a regular on a couple, there are always people who have typical newbie questions. We can't run them away. I was one at one time and remember people I did not know leading me thru my first "crisis" with a brake controller.

Now, I can't help you with your mother in law, how was that for humor?

[spoon059]

Originally Posted by Paintinfool3

well spoon I can see what your saying but to some people a question that might not seem to make sense to you does to them.

Wow... I regret making my initial statement. It was meant to be a joke. The OP's question that started this thread was a very valid question. I didn't mean to insult him or his question. There are many different variations to propane tanks in regards to switchover.

I was reading the thread because it was a very good question and relevant to me as I switch from a 17 year old Nash rv to a new Jayco that likely has a different propane crossover system than I am used to using.

I made my comment just to be funny... there are plenty of stupid questions. This was NOT a stupid question. Can we let this dead horse have its funeral now?

[spoon059]

Originally Posted by norty1

Well I will be the big boy and say I took your response the wrong way. Tongue in cheek humor is good.

I appreciate it. Obviously the way I wrote it didn't make sense to more than just you. It was meant to be funny...

When I get my new Jayco in a couple weeks, you can anticipate more questions from me.