Measure Level of Propane in two 120-pound Propane Tanks

Question:

Is there a way to tell how much gas is in the tank. I have two 120’s tied together. Tried a temp laser, no success. Should I get several magnetic strips that change with color? I’d like to be assured they are indeed working In tandem. Had a recent problem that gave me some concern. I watched a video of pouring warm water, I’d prefer something a bit more high tech ??

asked by: Jerry

Expert Reply:

There are several methods to try and determine the amount of liquid propane remaining in a tank. The first is a pressure gauge like the Camco # CAM59023. This reads the pressure of vapor propane which remains steady until mostly empty then the needle moves quickly to empty. However, Camco does not recommend this product for 2-tank systems.

The next method involves measuring the temperature of the tank walls comparing the vapor gas at the top of the bottle which will be nearly room temperature, compared to the bottom of the tank which will be significantly cooler. This is where the magnet strips you mentioned come into play.

Third is to weigh the tanks. This yields very accurate results but is the most time consuming as you have to disconnect the tank to get an accurate weight.

Have you considered using a regulator like the Camco # CAM59005 with a auto change over built in. This way you can use one bottle to empty, then it automatically changes over to the other tank. On that last tank you could install the gauge that would give you an approximate level.

expert reply by: Les D