alansh Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 On my home BBQ gas bottle I have a very useful indicator which shows how full it is. On my motorhome, there's nothing. So how does one tell how full (or empty) the gas bottle is? cheers Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinM50 Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 Yes, pretty rubbish isn't it? I asked the same Q of a Gasit dealer at a recent m/h show and was told the best way is to wait till your gas runs out, switch to the spare bottle, then refill the empty one. I'm told there's no reliable/accurate gauge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceM Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 ColinM50 - 2021-06-21 4:54 PM Yes, pretty rubbish isn't it? I asked the same Q of a Gasit dealer at a recent m/h show and was told the best way is to wait till your gas runs out, switch to the spare bottle, then refill the empty one. I'm told there's no reliable/accurate gauge That’s exactly what we have always done and it’s a good system to operate and has never let us down. Having refillable bottles, when one bottle runs out we just stop at the next Autogas station and fill up again. As is often the case, the simple none technological systems are the most reliable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alansh Posted June 21, 2021 Author Share Posted June 21, 2021 That's all very well, but I only have one bottle and am told that new bottles are not available - only refills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 Alan, I know of three ways to check your gas level... First, take the cylinder out of the locker and weigh it. But not very practical! Second, get one of the magnetic colour change 'stickers' and pray! https://www.amazon.co.uk/THD-Magnetic-Gas-Level-Indicator/dp/B0030EU7KQ Third, get a Truma or Dometic 'Gas level checker' pen... https://www.truma.com/uk/en/products/truma-caravan-rv-gas-fittings/truma-levelcheck https://shop.caravanclub.co.uk/product/1990058/truma-gas-level-check https://www.dometic.com/en-gb/uk/products/power-and-control/energy-and-lighting/accessories/dometic-gaschecker-gc-100-_-30582 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dometic-GasChecker-100-Gas-Level/dp/B00CTLVU0M But do be warned, the third option DO NOT work on user refillables such as Gasit or Gaslow as they have floats inside which mess up the ultrasonic signal. Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 alansh - 2021-06-21 5:42 PM That's all very well, but I only have one bottle and am told that new bottles are not available - only refills. Alan, Check your local newspaper and ad sites like Gumtree for people 'selling' unwanted cylinders. Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceM Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 alansh - 2021-06-21 5:42 PM That's all very well, but I only have one bottle and am told that new bottles are not available - only refills. I was under the impression that the Kontikki could be fitted with 2x 13Kg bottles?? If so I’d suggest you fit a second bottle or ideally a fully refillable system such as Gasit/Gaslow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 BruceM - 2021-06-21 5:53 PM I was under the impression that the Kontikki could be fitted with 2x 13Kg bottles?? If so I’d suggest you fit a second bottle or ideally a fully refillable system such as Gasit/Gaslow. Bruce, The issue Alan has is that there are no cylinders available for 'NEW' rentals, Calor and all its agents are only offering refills where you already have a cylinder. There is a nationwide shortage of cylinders! Hence my suggestion to scour the small ads! Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alansh Posted June 21, 2021 Author Share Posted June 21, 2021 Thanks Keith, I'll try some of the suggestions you've made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickt Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 Have a look on Ebay ,a few bottles on there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slowdriver Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 I purchased a Mopeka LPG tank check. Comes with a simple smart phone app https://www.campingworld.com/lpg-tank-check-single-sensor-90404.html? from the US and it works - kind of. It has a magnetic fitting and sits on the centre of the bottom of the cylinder. Comes with some grease to ensure a good signal, which you apply to the sensor and bottom of the cylinder before installing. the app is clear enough. It is sensitive to positioning on the cylinder base and the signal strength is not really as good as advertised. Usually walking to the back of the van or standing outside near the gas locker gets a clear and apparently (so far) accurate reading. OK for £25 ..ish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 slowdriver - 2021-06-21 7:56 PM I purchased a Mopeka LPG tank check. Comes with a simple smart phone app https://www.campingworld.com/lpg-tank-check-single-sensor-90404.html? from the US... OK for £25 ..ish And only £60 in the UK... https://www.lpgshop.co.uk/mopeka-tank-check-remote-bluetooth-gas-bottle-level-sender/ Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thai Bry Posted June 22, 2021 Share Posted June 22, 2021 alansh - 2021-06-21 4:51 PM On my home BBQ gas bottle I have a very useful indicator which shows how full it is. On my motorhome, there's nothing. So how does one tell how full (or empty) the gas bottle is? cheers Alan We use 1 of these on our propane bottles. https://tinyurl.com/hs2ex26w Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted June 22, 2021 Share Posted June 22, 2021 Various types of gas bottle contents-measuring devices are shown here https://tinyurl.com/yj4bumw5 https://www.caravanguard.co.uk/news/how-do-i-check-how-much-gas-is-left-in-my-gas-bottle-22576/ Basic/cheaper user-refillable gas bottles have used a magnetically-operated ‘clip-on’ gauge that covered a limited percentage of gas contents with limited accuracy, whereas more expensive bottles (ag. Gaslow’s R67 canisters) have a mechanically-operated gauge that accurately measures the contents from (pretty much) full to empty. There are also electronic systems that will provide a readout to a remote gauge or to a smartphone. (Gaslow examples here) https://www.gaslowdirect.com/product-category/gaslow-refillable-components/gaslow-contents-gauges/ For ordinary ‘exhange-only’ bottles (eg. Calor) there are systems that use a sonar/ultrasound-type contents-measuring method (example here) https://www.truma.com/uk/en/products/truma-inet-system/truma-levelcontrol-set or there are handheld devices of the type Keith provided links to above. Years ago I bought one of these https://www.gaslock.de/en/product/gaslevel-classic/ that worked after a fashion, but obtaining a reading wasn’t easy. ‘Pressure sensing’ gauges (Calor propane example here) https://tinyurl.com/n7de2w8m are useful for leak-testing (as the advert says) but - in my experience, and I’ve used butane and propane versions in the past - are of nil value if intermediate contents-level checking is wanted. Essentially, as the bottle nears empty the pressure gauge will reveal this (maybe!) but it won’t show when the bottle is 70% or 50% or 30% full. This was discussed here back in 2007 https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Gas-Bottle-Contents/8233/ Alternatively, there are composite-construction Flogas “Gaslight’ exchange bottles and the “Safefill” user-refillable bottles that are sufficiently translucent for their gas contents to be confirmed visually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conrad Posted June 25, 2021 Share Posted June 25, 2021 I've got a Mopeka device, fitted to bottom of refillable Gasit bottle, linked to app on my mobile. It seemed a great idea at first, but started to give false readings. First time I panicked, thought there must be a leak as it suddenly showed the bottle is empty. Battery lasted about a year, and it was a pain to replace it as it meant removing the gas filling port to lift the (heavy) bottle out. I now rely on the gauge on the top of the bottle, cleverly put there by the makers. Will delete the app when present battery gives up, can't recommend the gadget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alansh Posted June 25, 2021 Author Share Posted June 25, 2021 Thanks all for the information. I picked up a second gas bottle today. So, if I can now exchange it for a full one (once I woudl out how much may be in it), at least I can stop worrying about running out and not having a replacement. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyishuk Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 I have Gaslow pressure gauges on my bottles. Whilst they are not that accurate they do give quite a reasonable warning that gas pressure is starting to wain. Downside is having to worry when the gas will finally run out ! With a automatic change over regulator, there is some degree of control over the situation. Better to be told, there will be no hot food until the bottle is changed, rather than find out the gas has failed when heating goes on ( or is it off?) after a frosty night. Rgds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted June 30, 2021 Share Posted June 30, 2021 Derek Uzzell - 2021-06-22 7:35 AM ‘Pressure sensing’ gauges (Calor propane example here) https://tinyurl.com/n7de2w8m are useful for leak-testing (as the advert says) but - in my experience, and I’ve used butane and propane versions in the past - are of nil value if intermediate contents-level checking is wanted. Essentially, as the bottle nears empty the pressure gauge will reveal this (maybe!) but it won’t show when the bottle is 70% or 50% or 30% full.. I agree. I added a "gaslow" gauge to a previous van and, yes good for leak testing, but as a "contents gauge" ours wasn't much (any!) cop.. It'd happily sit at mid-gauge (or higher) for seemingly ages, only for the cylinder to plummet to empty during the boiling of a kettle.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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