LP TANK HELP - R-pod Owners Forum

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mountain mist View Drop Down

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Joined: 25 May 2010
Location: Gatlinburg Tenn
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Posts: 426

Topic: LP TANK HELP
Posted: 08 Aug 2010 at 8:35am

OK. IS there a reliable way to tell how much LP you have left in the tank.

I went camping, left the Pod for a few nights, the husband said to turn the LP off and cart the food home and return with it. OF course it takes at the very least 12 hours to cool down again. BUT I would hate to have food spoil if I ran out. What to do? Find out if there is a way to gage what you have left.

My brother in law says the "gages" you buy at Camping World don't really work.

I have heard something about pouring? water over the tank and where it condenses tells you how much you have left??

But even it you know that, I need to know just about how long a tank lasts if you are cooling down the frig. and doing just a little cooking on the burners. If the weather is not really bad I cook outside on my tent camping grill and stove, since I have them and don't find it unpleasant at all.

I guess the refrigrator is the most important thing.

But there must be some kind of way to tell since there is so much use of these tanks on so many trailers.

We don't even use the tanks for grilling at home since we have natural gas for that. Just no experience with them.

Thank you for any information.

Hope lots of you are out Podding. Sure are eye catching little suckers. Did not realize that when I got one.

Escape Pod

'11 Forest River r.pod 171
'10 Ford Edge
ESCAPE POD
Trudi and Austin mini-schnauzers
change here, Trudi has gone, Austin now has a small black schnauzer buddy, Bentley

TerryM

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Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Location: Saint Augustine
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1950

Posted: 08 Aug 2010 at 8:45am

You didn't mention the type of camping you were doing so I'll assume it was without hookups. There really is no way of saying how long the tank will last because it depends on how much it is used and for what. The water thing will show how much gas you have and the gauges don't work well as you were told. Not much help I know but that is about it.

Terry

RP-175 W/Lift Kit 2011 Ford F-150 4X4
Saint Augustine, FL: The first permanent European settlement in the USA: 1565

Outbound

podders Helping podders - pHp

Joined: 19 Nov 2009
Location: Oshawa, Ontario
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Posts: 767

Posted: 08 Aug 2010 at 1:37pm

The most reliable way to tell how much LP is left in a tank is to weight it. Obviously, thats very inconvenient.

Sureflame tanks have an integrated gauge that does work, but it requires buying a special tank. I've got one and can verify that it does work.

Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150

techntrek

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Joined: 29 Jul 2009
Location: MD
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Posts: 9059

Posted: 08 Aug 2010 at 10:39pm

I always use the water method you mentioned. Pour a cup of hot water slowly down the side of the tank, from the shoulder near the top. Wait a few seconds and then move your fingers down the side from the top. The steel will still be warm above the fuel liquid level, but will be cool below it. Perfect level every time.

The add-on pressure gauges never work, because the gas pressure above the liquid fuel remains steady until the very end when the liquid is almost gone. The gauge will show a difference then, but by then your fuel is basically gone. Some tanks have a float inside, which will be as accurate as the water method above, but they are rare.

The flame on the fridge uses very little gas, you can go weeks on one tank of gas.

Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

rpodcamper.com View Drop Down

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Joined: 26 Nov 2009
Location: Reading, Pa
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Posts: 3990

Posted: 09 Aug 2010 at 9:58am

I use the hot water way also to tell how much I have left. The other think is that we have 2 tanks on the front of our camper. While they are both hooked up it does not have an auto switch so If we run out I need to switch it myself. During the winter and using the heater is when this comes in handy. I have run the referigerator on gas for about 3 1/2 weeks and there still was propane left. (I forgot to turn it off from one trip)(Bang head against wall) I do get my tanks refilled at the hardware store to get a full 20LBS as I noticed the trade in units around here are only filled about 15LBS but still charging the higher cost (Blue Rhino)

mountain mist View Drop Down

Senior Member

Joined: 25 May 2010
Location: Gatlinburg Tenn
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 426

Posted: 09 Aug 2010 at 6:16pm

I plan to get out and use the water method that I had heard of, now I know it probably will be the most reliable one to try. Some of you had mentioned it, thanks for giving the instructions once again.

Some carry an extra tank along, but that is one more unhook and hook-up I have to learn, still learning the chock to chock. Did it, but I think the husband was pretty nervous before I showed up home with the Pod intact AND the dog! Feel more confident, but not quite cocky yet.

Interesting reading, all the comments back and forth. A lot can be learned from them

'11 Forest River r.pod 171
'10 Ford Edge
ESCAPE POD
Trudi and Austin mini-schnauzers
change here, Trudi has gone, Austin now has a small black schnauzer buddy, Bentley

Runebane

Newbie

Joined: 25 Apr 2010
Location: Visalia, CA
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 39

Posted: 28 Aug 2010 at 9:42am

I bought a gauge for my BBQ tank at home, they work but the gas has to be running before it measures correctly. For example, if the gas is turned off, it shows empty, once I first turn it on it shows full, but after a minute it goes down to the half way mark. I take a cup of hot water poor it down the side and sure enough there's a little less than half a tank of gas left in the tank.

It doesn't help me know BEFORE I start the BBQ to see if I have enough gas to cook my steaks, but as long as I remember to look at it before I shut it down it helps to know if it'll need filling soon.

I've not tried it with the 'pod tanks yet, and I don't think it would help, the gas has to be in use, not just the valve open on the tank. So, the heater would have to be going or I'd have to be cooking on the stove and run out to check the level.

RP-177

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mountain mist Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 25 May 2010 Location: Gatlinburg Tenn Online Status: Offline Posts: 426	Topic: LP TANK HELP Posted: 08 Aug 2010 at 8:35am
	OK. IS there a reliable way to tell how much LP you have left in the tank. I went camping, left the Pod for a few nights, the husband said to turn the LP off and cart the food home and return with it. OF course it takes at the very least 12 hours to cool down again. BUT I would hate to have food spoil if I ran out. What to do? Find out if there is a way to gage what you have left. My brother in law says the "gages" you buy at Camping World don't really work. I have heard something about pouring? water over the tank and where it condenses tells you how much you have left?? But even it you know that, I need to know just about how long a tank lasts if you are cooling down the frig. and doing just a little cooking on the burners. If the weather is not really bad I cook outside on my tent camping grill and stove, since I have them and don't find it unpleasant at all. I guess the refrigrator is the most important thing. But there must be some kind of way to tell since there is so much use of these tanks on so many trailers. We don't even use the tanks for grilling at home since we have natural gas for that. Just no experience with them. Thank you for any information. Hope lots of you are out Podding. Sure are eye catching little suckers. Did not realize that when I got one. Escape Pod
	'11 Forest River r.pod 171 '10 Ford Edge ESCAPE POD Trudi and Austin mini-schnauzers change here, Trudi has gone, Austin now has a small black schnauzer buddy, Bentley

TerryM Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 16 Nov 2009 Location: Saint Augustine Online Status: Offline Posts: 1950	Posted: 08 Aug 2010 at 8:45am
	You didn't mention the type of camping you were doing so I'll assume it was without hookups. There really is no way of saying how long the tank will last because it depends on how much it is used and for what. The water thing will show how much gas you have and the gauges don't work well as you were told. Not much help I know but that is about it. Terry
	RP-175 W/Lift Kit 2011 Ford F-150 4X4 Saint Augustine, FL: The first permanent European settlement in the USA: 1565

Outbound Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 19 Nov 2009 Location: Oshawa, Ontario Online Status: Offline Posts: 767	Posted: 08 Aug 2010 at 1:37pm
	The most reliable way to tell how much LP is left in a tank is to weight it. Obviously, thats very inconvenient. Sureflame tanks have an integrated gauge that does work, but it requires buying a special tank. I've got one and can verify that it does work.
	Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150

techntrek Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059	Posted: 08 Aug 2010 at 10:39pm
	I always use the water method you mentioned. Pour a cup of hot water slowly down the side of the tank, from the shoulder near the top. Wait a few seconds and then move your fingers down the side from the top. The steel will still be warm above the fuel liquid level, but will be cool below it. Perfect level every time. The add-on pressure gauges never work, because the gas pressure above the liquid fuel remains steady until the very end when the liquid is almost gone. The gauge will show a difference then, but by then your fuel is basically gone. Some tanks have a float inside, which will be as accurate as the water method above, but they are rare. The flame on the fridge uses very little gas, you can go weeks on one tank of gas.
	Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

rpodcamper.com Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 26 Nov 2009 Location: Reading, Pa Online Status: Offline Posts: 3990	Posted: 09 Aug 2010 at 9:58am
	I use the hot water way also to tell how much I have left. The other think is that we have 2 tanks on the front of our camper. While they are both hooked up it does not have an auto switch so If we run out I need to switch it myself. During the winter and using the heater is when this comes in handy. I have run the referigerator on gas for about 3 1/2 weeks and there still was propane left. (I forgot to turn it off from one trip)(Bang head against wall) I do get my tanks refilled at the hardware store to get a full 20LBS as I noticed the trade in units around here are only filled about 15LBS but still charging the higher cost (Blue Rhino)

mountain mist Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 25 May 2010 Location: Gatlinburg Tenn Online Status: Offline Posts: 426	Posted: 09 Aug 2010 at 6:16pm
	I plan to get out and use the water method that I had heard of, now I know it probably will be the most reliable one to try. Some of you had mentioned it, thanks for giving the instructions once again. Some carry an extra tank along, but that is one more unhook and hook-up I have to learn, still learning the chock to chock. Did it, but I think the husband was pretty nervous before I showed up home with the Pod intact AND the dog! Feel more confident, but not quite cocky yet. Interesting reading, all the comments back and forth. A lot can be learned from them
	'11 Forest River r.pod 171 '10 Ford Edge ESCAPE POD Trudi and Austin mini-schnauzers change here, Trudi has gone, Austin now has a small black schnauzer buddy, Bentley

Runebane Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 25 Apr 2010 Location: Visalia, CA Online Status: Offline Posts: 39	Posted: 28 Aug 2010 at 9:42am
	I bought a gauge for my BBQ tank at home, they work but the gas has to be running before it measures correctly. For example, if the gas is turned off, it shows empty, once I first turn it on it shows full, but after a minute it goes down to the half way mark. I take a cup of hot water poor it down the side and sure enough there's a little less than half a tank of gas left in the tank. It doesn't help me know BEFORE I start the BBQ to see if I have enough gas to cook my steaks, but as long as I remember to look at it before I shut it down it helps to know if it'll need filling soon. I've not tried it with the 'pod tanks yet, and I don't think it would help, the gas has to be in use, not just the valve open on the tank. So, the heater would have to be going or I'd have to be cooking on the stove and run out to check the level.
	RP-177