Oh Where Oh Where Did My Propane Go?

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by stevebaz

I use the hot water method too but use a magnetic color strip with the hot water.

Propane Tank Gauge

I had one of those and it worked pretty well.
I needed to replace my tank or re-certify. I opted to replace and found a tank with a float type of gauge that indicated level. It's not perfect but it has worked pretty good for the past year and about 3 tank fillings.

[Joe Romas]

Sheri.

Fill in your trailer make, model, length and year so we'll know what you have

The first rule in Propane 101 is NOT to "Exchange" your tanks unless one is over 12 years old so you'll get a newer one.

The reason is exchange tanks will contain 15 pounds of propane. You have 20 pound tanks so your getting one only 3/4th full and paying more
Most U-Haul locations sell propane and only charge for what you get and it's priced by the gallon.
If your tanks are empty expect to pay around $20-$25 plus or minus to fill them both and they will be FULL

If you have a leak if your nose works at all you should smell the rotten egg odor on a calm day.

The tanks Byron mentions with a built in gauge can be had for $29.99 at Sam's Club or U-Haul has them too.

Joe

[Kenny Strong]

I replaced a defective regulator in
B.C. It was leaking. All is well.

[Joe Romas]

Originally Posted by Kenny Strong

I replaced a defective regulator in
B.C. It was leaking. All is well.

Mine was too on our 1999
My new auto switch over regulator included the hoses too

Joe

[Kenny Strong]

thanks. I will look for one of these to add on.

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by Sherritini

My pre owned Casita was said to have two full tanks of propane when I purchased her in August. However, after two days of running the frig and a little hot water, I came home to the frig off, no hot water, no lights working, and no electric jack. I surmise that the propane was used up and the battery kicked in and quit after running the frig for about 4-5 hours. I must admit that when I started this journey, I noticed that I had left my propane tanks open at some point, not sure when, but I thought that would not deplete the gas unless something was turned on. Or does it? So, another new learning experience for this new egg parent. Luckily, I had already researched how to use the manual jack and had a back up cooler and wash facilities close by. I guess my last question is what money I am looking at to fill the two tanks around St. Petersburg, FL.? Any advice is appreciated!

The 17 ft Casita does have a 12V refrigerator setting. But it does not kick on when you run out of propane or if the electric goes off. The 12V has to be pushed on and then it is only 12V and won't revert to any other system. The electric/gas will go automatically from gas to electric when plugged into shore power and onto gas when unplugged but not to 12V. It also has a gas only setting. These buttons are very easy to push and get turned on wrong so I have put a clear cover over them where I can see them at all times. Leaning against or bumping them in the small confines of a Casita will change them. Learned my lesson when my fridge got shut off once also. It could be possible the electronic striker kept striking trying to start the pilot when you ran out of propane since it sounds like you weren't plugged into electric. This could have weakened your battery. If your furnace was on it will deplete propane fast in a Casita since it runs more because of no insulation. Make sure your battery is in good condition and not weak to start with. The fridge needs a good battery for the thermostat to work. These are all scenarios we have run into.

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by Darwin Maring

Tank weights are stamped into the metal collar. May be hard to read if paint and rust on it.
I weigh our tanks when empty and full and mark the weights on the tank with a big black marker. That makes it ease to read.

If your tanks are getting old, trade them at the grocery store for newer tanks.

I would never trade in tanks at a store. Buy new ones. You don't know how safe the tanks traded in are. They might have been abused or laid on their sides and that damages them. The valves could be damaged. Rust means they could start leaking. Sam's Club is only about $30 for a new tank and then you know they are good. It's not worth a few bucks for something as dangerous as propane to trade in a tank. If you are trading in an old tank someone else might have done the same thing for a bad tank.

[Roy in TO]

Originally Posted by Dudley

The cost of filling 2 tanks should be pretty cheap, up here in Canada it is about $15/ tank.

Maybe in Alberta, not Ontario.

Fill stations are getting hard to find here. Finding staff to fill the tanks even harder. I'm starting to like the vending machine for tank exchange at my local walmart. It is on duty 24/7, never a lineup, no waiting for someone to find a key and it never asks me if I want to apply for a Walmart Master Card.

[Dudley]

see if Costco in your area has propane filling, out here they fill by the liter so you only pay for what you need. I filled a 5LB , 10LB half full and a 20lb half full for $9 total. That pays for the membership in itself

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by Dudley

-I would vote for the tanks being almost empty but also for peace of mind, get a 1/2" paint brush and some dish soap/water solution and check for leaks from the tanks, regulator and connections to all the appliances. If there is a leak you will see bubbles. To loose that much propane(if they were full) you would or should smell the propane. That year of Casita should have a propane detector installed from the factory but some people find the too sensitive and disconnect them. The cost of filling 2 tanks should be pretty cheap, up here in Canada it is about $15/ tank.

One thing that may help with your other question is A-Z Casita Manual

When we were in Canada propane was about $2 a gallon or more. If you are filling a tank for $15 it must not be a 20 gallon tank. Even in the US you can't get propane for less than a dollar a gallon. It is about the same price here as Canada.

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by Dudley

see if Costco in your area has propane filling, out here they fill by the liter so you only pay for what you need. I filled a 5LB , 10LB half full and a 20lb half full for $9 total. That pays for the membership in itself

If my memory serves me correct it takes 3.2 liters to make a gallon. So what you are saying is propane is about 50 cents a gallon. Where are you at? I'd love to see propane for less than the dealers buy it for.

[Glenn Baglo]

Here in Vancouver, it generally costs me about $20 - $22 to fill a 20 lb. tank.
Since the tank has a tare weight marked on it in pounds, I don't understand why one would buy or sell propane in gallons, unless it is to confuse consumers.

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

Here in Vancouver, it generally costs me about $20 - $22 to fill a 20 lb. tank.
Since the tank has a tare weight marked on it in pounds, I don't understand why one would buy or sell propane in gallons, unless it is to confuse consumers.

When we were in Canada it seemed like we bought by the liter and I converted that to gallons for propane and gasoline to keep my mileage straight. We purchased propane in 2 or 3 places in Canada as we were there for several weeks traveling all over Vancouver Island, Vancouver, all over BC and Alberta. It was an awesome trip. The guy above said he got about 20 gallons for $9. I can believe your price a lot better. In the US we fill our tanks and pay by the gallon for propane. They always say it took X number gallons and the price is X $.

[Glenn Baglo]

The attendant weighs the tank. Tare weight is about 17.7 lbs. If empty, he fills it to 37.7 lbs. and that 20 lbs. is converted ( I presume ) to liters ( they also fill vehicles and they don't weigh them ). So, the charge is per liter.
Cost hasn't changed much over recent years. Generally $20 for 20 lbs.

[Borrego Dave]

All the times and places I've had tanks filled the pump showed how many gallons were added. Have to ask our northern friends, kind of sounds like you're saying you pay by the tank weight. Probably reading that wrong but that's how it comes across to me .

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Dudley

see if Costco in your area has propane filling, out here they fill by the liter so you only pay for what you need. I filled a 5LB , 10LB half full and a 20lb half full for $9 total. That pays for the membership in itself

That sounds pretty close to I pay just a little over $2.00 per gallon

Doing the calculations on Glenn's 20lbs for $20.00 comes to over $4.00 per gallon.

A gallon of propane weighs 4.2 lbs.

[Glenn Baglo]

Yup. Attendant puts the tank on a scale and sets the weights after reading the tare weight of the tank.
So, tare is about 17.7 for a 20 lb tank. When the scale reads 37.7 lbs, it is full.
I tell the cashier that I've got 20 lbs. or maybe eighteen ( but my tanks are usually empty ) and I get charged by weight at $$ per liter. Conversion from lbs. to liters is done at the till automatically. In the US you are probably paying for pounds converted to gallons, if you are paying for what you actually received.

[Gerry]

In USA I pumped propane in the campground and we also sold to public of the street, We had a set price for 20 pounders or 30 pounders and if somebody wanted a 100 pounder filled we sold it by how many Gal. were sold.
Propane is a liquid in the tanks so selling it by the Gal makes sense.
Of recently those convienient stores that will exchange an MT for a full tank got gready and if you read the post-it-board it says that "These Tanks Are Filled to 15 lb of Gas...."
They didn't raise the price they just gave you less gas.
On our fill station the pump would shut off when the OPD valve gave enough back pressure to do so and for a 20 pounder it was 4.1 and a 30 pounder it was 6.3 if the tanks were MT.
On the 100 pounders we always opend the releif vent and when Liquid came out of this port we would stop filling.
Our own 100 pounders, which we knew were MT we would pump in 23 Gal

Even though the convienient stores are only giving 15 LBS for the same price the owner never went up on the price at the campground.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

Yup. Attendant puts the tank on a scale and sets the weights after reading the tare weight of the tank.
So, tare is about 17.7 for a 20 lb tank. When the scale reads 37.7 lbs, it is full.
I tell the cashier that I've got 20 lbs. or maybe eighteen ( but my tanks are usually empty ) and I get charged by weight at $$ per liter. Conversion from lbs. to liters is done at the till automatically. In the US you are probably paying for pounds converted to gallons, if you are paying for what you actually received.

Most of the places I've purchased propane it's metered the same the gasoline for your vehicle. I've found two places, both in TX, that charge a flat rate, but fill by weight.

[tractors1]

Does Canada still use the Imperial gallon for gasoline? Dunno what is used for propane, maybe that's why the weight method..........