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05-08-2014, 05:36 PM
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#1
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Site Team
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: PA
Posts: 5,724
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LP gauges
Does anyone use the aftermarket LP gauges for their tanks?? Are they accurate and worth the investment??
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Mark & Susan
Lehighton, Pennsylvania
EAGLE HT FIFTH WHEEL | 30.5CKTS - '13 Ford F150 SCREW - PullRite Superslide - Roadmaster Active Suspension
Member - "Northeast Adventures RV Rally Group" & "Mason-Dixon Bunch"
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05-08-2014, 05:56 PM
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#2
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Full Time Camper
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Canton, OH
Posts: 937
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I've had good luck with the hot water method.
Simple rule...if you aren't sure, and it is a cold night...the tank will be empty at 1am!
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Eddy & Brenda
Canton, OH
2015 Silverado HD 6.0L
2014 Zinger 32QB
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05-08-2014, 06:27 PM
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#3
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Site Team
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: PA
Posts: 5,724
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No, ... it was 12:15 am.
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Mark & Susan
Lehighton, Pennsylvania
EAGLE HT FIFTH WHEEL | 30.5CKTS - '13 Ford F150 SCREW - PullRite Superslide - Roadmaster Active Suspension
Member - "Northeast Adventures RV Rally Group" & "Mason-Dixon Bunch"
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05-09-2014, 04:45 AM
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#4
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Family Vacation Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Iowa
Posts: 234
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Unless it is really cold my $30 ceramic heater does just fine.
__________________
2014 Z-1 ZT301BH--- Got hail damaged and been replaced.
2016 REZERVE RFZ-31BH
Reese Pro Series 16k hitch
2006 Chevy 2500HD 6.0L ext. Cab 8' bed.
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05-09-2014, 06:17 AM
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#5
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Family Vacation Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: CT
Posts: 226
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I have 2 tank gages that I picked up from Harbor Freight.
They work good enough to let me know when I'm running low. I also use a ceramic heater on those chilly nights. I leave the furnace on about 60* as a backup if it gets real cold during the night.
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John and Cindy
Wolcott, CT
2015 Sunset Trail SF32RL
2012 Ford F250SD CC 4X4 - 6.7 Powerstroke
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05-09-2014, 06:40 AM
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#6
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Site Team
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: WI.
Posts: 9,162
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I guess my question is------Don't you guys have two Lp tanks, and don't they come with and automatic switch over?
I've never found a use for the gauges myself. When a tank runs empty it switches to the other, I take the empty one out and get it refilled.
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05-09-2014, 07:21 AM
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#7
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Full Time Camper
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,012
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Yep, sure do but when it's Fri afternoon on a winter camping trip and one tank goes empty. No place to get it refilled, will the one tank last with the cold weather??? It would have been nice to know one was almost out before leaving.
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Clif and Millie
Ozzie (half a dog tall & 2 dogs long)
Mabank, TX
2009 Ford Lariat F350 SRW CC Diesel
2013 Cruiser CF305SK Patriot Edition
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05-09-2014, 07:31 AM
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#8
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Full Time Camper
Join Date: May 2013
Location: So IL
Posts: 1,811
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mark5w
Does anyone use the aftermarket LP gauges for their tanks?? Are they accurate and worth the investment??
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I have used the one shown a couple times. They are worthless. They work on pressure. Pressure remains fairly constant till you are empty. They do make a tank and gauge that uses a float. I have never used one but hear that they work.
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Tim
13 ST25RB
08 F-250 SC 6.8L XLT 4x4
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05-09-2014, 07:45 AM
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#9
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Family Vacation Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: CT
Posts: 226
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The needle on my gauges do move as the tank is getting empty. I do agree that they are not the most accurate but it does give some warning. I also have the auto switch over but I also adapted one of my tanks to use for my Road Trip grill. I run one tank for the grill and the leave other tank for the hot water, furnace and stove use, so I like to keep track of the level in both tanks.
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John and Cindy
Wolcott, CT
2015 Sunset Trail SF32RL
2012 Ford F250SD CC 4X4 - 6.7 Powerstroke
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05-09-2014, 07:50 AM
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#10
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Site Team
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: WI.
Posts: 9,162
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Quote:
Originally Posted by avvidclif
Yep, sure do but when it's Fri afternoon on a winter camping trip and one tank goes empty. No place to get it refilled, will the one tank last with the cold weather??? It would have been nice to know one was almost out before leaving.
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Cliff, where do you ever camp down there when it's "winter"?
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05-09-2014, 09:30 AM
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#11
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Full Time Camper
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Canton, OH
Posts: 937
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Our old unit had 20lb. cylinders, and we got about 3-4 weekends out of one with the furnace on 70 in the fall.
My practice has always been to leave one on. It has been an inconvenience when it ran out at 1am, but then I know the tank is empty and I am on a full tank. I then have plenty of time to fill the other. I don't like auto switch in that you have to check to know it switched.
Edit: A better idea would be a window in tank cover to see the flag without removing cover!
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Eddy & Brenda
Canton, OH
2015 Silverado HD 6.0L
2014 Zinger 32QB
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05-09-2014, 09:41 AM
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#12
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Site Team
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: WI.
Posts: 9,162
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ahh haa. I forgot about the tank cover.
I just have to open a door.
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05-10-2014, 02:15 PM
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#13
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Full Time Camper
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lloyd
Cliff, where do you ever camp down there when it's "winter"?
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Last fall, A trip to Bonham. When we arrived it was in the 20's, forecast low of low 20's. Highs over the next 3 days of below freezing. Fri nite a tank went empty. No place on Sat to get it refilled, didn't want to buy a 20lb. When the forecast changed to freezing rain/sleet for Sun rather than just cold the DW cancelled her plans for the weekend and we snuck out early Sun morn and dodged it.
How long would the 30lb have lasted??????
And I do know what cold is, spent a nice balmy winter in Korea courtesy of Uncle Sam. Never going to happen again.
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Clif and Millie
Ozzie (half a dog tall & 2 dogs long)
Mabank, TX
2009 Ford Lariat F350 SRW CC Diesel
2013 Cruiser CF305SK Patriot Edition
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05-11-2014, 01:12 PM
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#14
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Weekend Camper
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: SC
Posts: 31
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Look into fork lift propane tanks. They usually have mechanical gauges built in.
Jim Latour
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05-11-2014, 01:50 PM
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#15
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Full Time Camper
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,012
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It was my understanding they have a completely different valve setup. At least the one's I've seen.
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Clif and Millie
Ozzie (half a dog tall & 2 dogs long)
Mabank, TX
2009 Ford Lariat F350 SRW CC Diesel
2013 Cruiser CF305SK Patriot Edition
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05-11-2014, 02:00 PM
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#16
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Family Vacation Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Iowa
Posts: 234
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Fork lift tanks pull liquid instead of gas too.
__________________
2014 Z-1 ZT301BH--- Got hail damaged and been replaced.
2016 REZERVE RFZ-31BH
Reese Pro Series 16k hitch
2006 Chevy 2500HD 6.0L ext. Cab 8' bed.
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05-11-2014, 05:31 PM
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#17
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Weekend Camper
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: SC
Posts: 31
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There was a class A coach a few years ago that used horizontal tanks that were set up for gas discharge.
Some models of Clark fork lifts used gaseous discharge. I've set up quite a few liquid LP RV's and commercial generator sets to use high pressure vapor. They seem to run just as good.
We would switch them over if the primary regulator on the generator kept getting full of distillate oil from the propane. The only difference between liquid and high pressure vapor LP is where the entrained oil drops out of the gas stream.
Jim Latour
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05-12-2014, 12:29 AM
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#18
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Family Vacation Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: michigan
Posts: 103
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In colder weather. We use electric heaters. Then furnace if it gets too cold. We are plugged into 110 A/C. Use their electricity before your propane.
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05-12-2014, 05:10 AM
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#19
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New Camper
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: CT
Posts: 9
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I agree. Pressure gauges look like they work, but don't. The water trick works if the temp difference is great enough (normally when you are using it). Magnets the same thing. There are really two good ways to check the fill: weight and wave. The empty weight of the cylinder is stamped on the side. If you weigh a 30lb tank and subtract the empty weight, you have your fill. That's the way my Weber grill does it. The other way is an ultrasonic wave through the tank. I bought a really cool tool this spring:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I have a 2014 Sunset Trail Reserve 31ss. Using this was a little flakey at first, but so long as you press hard, and square to the tank, it works really well. Thought it didn't work at all because it wasn't detecting any gas in one of the cylinders, until I took it off and weighed it... It was empty! Don't know if the dealer shorted us a fill up when we picked up the RV, or if our first two trips out (which both had snow/sleet/freezing rain) used that much propane. Could be the latter. If so, I've learned to play early/late season camping by ear!
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Laswiz
2014 Sunset Trail Reserve 31SS
2010 Toyota Tundra Crewmax 5.7L
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05-12-2014, 07:22 AM
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#20
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Full Time Camper
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,012
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Thank you, I have one on order.
__________________
Clif and Millie
Ozzie (half a dog tall & 2 dogs long)
Mabank, TX
2009 Ford Lariat F350 SRW CC Diesel
2013 Cruiser CF305SK Patriot Edition
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