DIYbanter - View Single Post - How can you tell how much propane is left in a tank?

Jon Danniken[_4_]

wrote:

The ONLY accurate and simple way to know how much propane is in a
tank is to use a scale and weigh it.

I've seen a setup on older BBQs that employed a sprung carriage to hold the
tank. The carriage has a hinge on one end, and a compression spring on the
other.

When the tank is full, it compresses the spring, and the indicator needle on
the carriage points to the "Full" line. As the tank gets lighter, the
spring lifts up the indicator needle, and it starts heading up towards the
"Empty" line, letting you know it is emptying.

I'm usually too lazy to bend over and look at the indicator, so I just keep
a one pound bottle of propane handy should I run out of gas in the middle of
a cook. I can usually avoid that, however, by noting that when the tank is
on it's last legs, the pressure appears to actually increase, giving a much
more aggressive flame pattern.

That's what usually lets me know it's time to go get the tank filled.

Jon