LPG tank capacity

[rooster63]

I have an underslung lpg tank on my Timberland Destiny and I think the nominal capacity is 20l. I assume that as a lpg pump stops filling when it gets to 80% full that means the tank actually only holds about 16 l?

Only use the gas for cooking and occasionally for hot water if off grid so assume consumption is quite low.

Filled up the other day and it took just over 13l, even though the Lektron led level indicator still had all the lights on, presumably there was only 2 or 3 litres left. When I bought the van in Dec 2020 the level indicator showed full and I assumed the tank was full but your guess is as good as mine how full it was. Luckily there are 2 garages with lpg not too far from where we live so before any long stays will top up and try and get an idea of how much gas we are using.

I assume there is no easy way to get the gauge recording more accurately.

[mikefitz]

You most likely have a 25 litre tank with a 20 litre fill at the 80% cut off. Euro 4 vans could fit a 30 liter tank , later euro 5 and 6 vans with the redesigned exhaust system only had room for 25 litre tanks.

The level indicator is not very accurate relying on a simple float mechanism and cannot be relied on. Filling the tank when convenient and guestimating use works for me.

 

Mike

[Derek Uzzell]

Rooster63 has said in the past that he owns a 2013 Timberland Destiny (Euro 5?).

 

In this 2012 forum thread about LPG-tank capacity

 

https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/LPG/28106/

 

"machra" mentioned owning a Destiny (apparently a 2011 model) and said

 

I have been looking at this as we were in France last week and ran onto the last green light on the gauge with no LPG stations anywhere near. I have a Timberland Destiny. Timberland quote 30 litres for this tank, which at 80% fill gives 26 litres usable space. However I only got 12 litres in it when I managed to fill it up (still on the last green light). The gauge has 6 lights, 1x red, 4x green and one at the top that has never lit up (even when full so possibly a too full one!!!). Therefore I discount the top one and say there are 5 lights which estimates that there is about 5 litres usable LPG to each of the lights. However we have never run out so cant test the theory of this. I do know that if these figures are correct then we are using a heck of a lot of gas compared to my gaslow system in my old van. That one, a 15kg bottle, I could fill up and it lasted nearly a season camping. I think as a rough guess 15kg is a little over 30 litres. I seem to be always filling the fixed tank on the Timberland.

 

As Mike has advised, if only 16 litres of LPG can be put into rooster63's Destiny, it probably has a 25litre tank with a 80% cut-off around 20 litres.

[ColinM50]

Is there a reliable and accurate contents gauge for gas cylinders? Filled my Gasit one up at start of season and it took 4 litres. Can't believe that's all we used last year.

 

Anyone know?

[Robinhood]

Derek Uzzell - 2022-05-24 12:11 PM

 

[quoting Machra]

 

......I do know that if these figures are correct then we are using a heck of a lot of gas compared to my gaslow system in my old van. That one, a 15kg bottle, I could fill up and it lasted nearly a season camping. I think as a rough guess 15kg is a little over 30 litres. I seem to be always filling the fixed tank on the Timberland.

 

 

AFAIK, the largest bottle/cylinder Gaslow have supplied is 11kg, which conventionally is taken as roughly 21 litres. That might go some way to explaining any anomaly.

[Robinhood]

ColinM50 - 2022-05-24 1:09 PM

 

Is there a reliable and accurate contents gauge for gas cylinders? Filled my Gasit one up at start of season and it took 4 litres. Can't believe that's all we used last year.

 

Anyone know?

 

The float-driven gauges on my Gaslow kit (2x11kg) are fairly good indicatively (though patently not easy to get an exact reading from).

 

My general experience is that they don't read full on filling at he point where the pump trips out, which was initially quite concerning, but leaving and re-reading after a short journey has always resulted in them then showing full.

[david lloyd]

Underslung tanks have to be fitted at the correct angle for the contents gauge to be anywhere near. The first van I had with this arrangement I took to Autogas 2000 in Thirsk to have it sprayed with anti chip paint and they were amazed how far out of line it was especially in a brand new van. Once corrected the gauge wasn’t accurate but much nearer than before. There have been other examples noted on this forum.

 

 

David

[Tracker]

Any guage that measures liquid has a much better chance of being less inaccurate when fitted to a narrow vertical rather than a wide horizontal container!

[BruceM]

Have Gas-it (not Gaslow) bottle capacities changed over the years?

 

I recently ran my twin bottles to zero for the first time (no flame at the hob) and when I filled up the pump cut off at 30.78 litres which at 80% would indicate a total tank capacity of 38.475 litres – or as near as damn it 40 litres, ie 20 litres per bottle. However non of Gas-it’s current range of bottles seem to match this capacity. The bottles are about eight years old.

[weldted]

I have 2 gas it tanks on my Fiat heavy chassis, one is 25 litre the other 30. If I let both run out the refill is near as dam it 55 litres. So as read it is the capacity at 80% so 25 holds 25 30 holds 30. We use the van all season so winter heating eats the gas.

[buddy]

ColinM50 - 2022-05-24 1:09 PM

 

Is there a reliable and accurate contents gauge for gas cylinders? Filled my Gasit one up at start of season and it took 4 litres. Can't believe that's all we used last year.

 

Anyone now?

I have a Mopeka item that fits to the bottom of my Gaslow cylinder with a magnet ,the levels are shown on my Smartphone using a free app. and it is very accurate showing the bottle contents in % readings . lpgshop.co.uk show them on their website.

 

https://www.lpgshop.co.uk/mopeka-tank-check-remote-bluetooth-gas-bottle-level-sender/

 

(Link added - Keithl)

[Derek Uzzell]

The standard way of defining the capacity of the type of user-refillable LPG tank (or bottle) normally fitted to motorhomes is to provide two figures

 

1: The 'water capacity' in litres (eg. 20 litres) that is the maximum amount of liquid that the tank/bottle can hold.

 

2: Such tanks/bottles have a cut-off valve that limits the quantity of LPG that can be put into the tank/bottle to 80% of the water capacity. The 80%-limited capacity is given as a separate figure.

 

The two figures for a selection of LPG tanks are shown in the table on this link.

 

https://carbonzorro.com/en/products/16-litres-motorhome-underslung-gas-tank-o200mm-by-583mm-807.html

 

Gaslow now markets a remote capacity-sensing system for their R67 bottles (that have a pretty accurate mechanical gauge to begin with)

 

https://www.gasproducts.co.uk/gaslow-wave-bluetooth-gas-level-gauge-kit.html?currency=GBP&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7JOkqf359wIVqwsGAB3TPwBuEAQYAiABEgJvXfD_BwE

 

and Truma markets an ultrasonic system for steel NON-REFILLABLE bottles

 

https://www.truma.com/uk/en/products/truma-caravan-rv-gas-fittings/truma-levelcontrol

 

(I'm a mite surprised that the Mopeka system is effective with Gaslow /Gasit cylinders as I was under the impression that ultrasonic gauges would not read correctly with user-refillable bottles due to the presence in the bottle's interior of the 'mechanisms' that control the 80% cut-off valve and operate the bottle's standard gauge.)