Checking gas levels
Truma do a LevelCheck 63140 device to check the actual gas level in one’s bottle – and Dometic do a similar item – Gas Checker GC100.
They look to be quite useful, but are not particularly cheap.
I am wondering if any one has experience of using either of these please?? The typical gauge on a Calorlite bottle is alwys very pessimistic - plenty of gas lleft when it indicate empty, so wondering if one of these is better.
Comments
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I tend to weigh the bottle once every season to see how much is left as our use is so low. Same bathroom scales as for noseweight!!
On a cold winters night at home put it in the garden, in the morning there will be a condensate covering illustrating the level of gas left in the bottle.
Did have a fancy Truma level device with the caravan as a show offer, but can't recall where it went
Just as easy to weigh the bottle pnce
it's uncoupled.0 -
Or if you don't mind taking the bottle out for a couple of minutes, weigh it... this will give you an accurate measure of how much you have left.... assuming you know what the cylinder weighs when empty (which should be on the collar of the cylinder.
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I'd save your money if I were you. I've bought a couple - can't remember the make but the last one was about £30 - one of those ultrasound thingys. About as accurate as picking the bottle up and shaking it. I just carry two bottles, and when one runs out,
swap it over and then buy another refill. I only buy about 1 or 2 refills a year so it's not a big issue for me.2 -
This time of year I'm looking at the layer of frost not condensate. If you have two bottles then you should consider an autochange over valve. I bought one when our trauma regulator failed and I wasn't prepared to buy another one. It's magic it just works.
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I'm with Pippah. I only carry one light weight Safefill bottle and I can see exactly how much gas is in it.
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We use a Truma level check and it is very accurate and well worth the £60 it costs. Cheaper ones are not so accurate, that is why they are cheaper.
Ideal for a late Christmas present idea from somebody close, and will save the rows when the gas runs out in the middle of the night.
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For many, many years I've ( because of cost ) carried a 13'r and a 6'r, only put the 6'r on whilst changing the 13'r.
Recently had to use only 2 x 6's as Coachman won't take the larger ones. But that will change this weekend as we go back to a Hymer.
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Spend the money towards getting a Gaslight Propane 10kg and look at the level, or the smaller 5kg. I do know the cheaper gas level indicators are not accurate as I tried two sorts on my previous heavy red propanes.
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We have 2 6 kg Calor Lite propane cylinders. When one is empty we switch to the second one and then replace the empty one.
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I have always found the level indicator fitted to Galow's manual change over system very accurate.
peedee
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I use an LPG change over system valve that you connect both cylinders, in my case 2x6kg and turn both cylinders on, it auto change over when the cylinder is empty and displays a red indicator. To find out the exact amount of liquid in a cylinder you weigh the cylinder and deduct the tareweight marked on the cylinder guard or collar
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I weigh the new bottle using one of those suitcase weighing gadgets and right it on the bottle using a permanent marker.
I can then weigh it again later, if I want to know how much gas has been used from it.
I always put the new cylinder on the right-hand side and have the change-over valve drawing initially from the left-hand cylinder. That way I know the reserve cylinder stays full and gives me plenty of time to replace the used one.
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My method is even more crude!
We keep 2 bottles of calor lite - the one is connected to the caravan, the other is 'freestanding' which we use for the cadac. The cadac cylinder always runs out first. When a cylinder runs out we get another one straight away - the full one always gets connected to the van and the 'half empty one' gets used for the cadac. While we have one cylinder empty, the other cylinder is used either on the van or on the cadac according to where it's needed. We never return a gas bottle with any gas in at all.We always use EHU for heating and fridge - and fortunately we have on electric ring on the cooker, which we find really useful.
The worst situation was just before we went into Europe for 7 weeks last summer. According to the weight of the cylinders one was just under half full and the other was between had and three quarters full. I decided to risk it. The cadac cylinder was almost empty on our return, but no problem with the other one, so we managed it.
We use the gauge on the calor lite as a rough guide only. When it registers as empty, there is is still some left in!
David
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if a filling station sell lpg and the pump is on the same side as the fuel (left, nearside) and its been 'a while' since i last topped up, ill fill with lpg as well as diesel...
its nice to be able to add a partial fill of lpg when convenien....and never give any back
...here or abroad...0
That's halfway to a refillable and years of cheap gas! 
