propane tank full?

Two types of tanks, different instructions.. First mounted tanks in most motor homes have a MECHANICAL gauge on the tank itself. This is fairly accurate, the remote indiactor inside is subject to all sorts of issues but the dial on the tank is usually good.

Also you can use the thunk method and the heat tape method (Actually the tape is an LCD crystal that is sensitive to temperature You apply the tape to the tank (it is either adheasive or magnatic) heat a pot of water on the stove using the Propane and dump it over the tape,, The color change will be clear in most cases.

Portable tanks can be scaled, Thunked or you can use the same LCD tape.

jhilley wrote:
PYou can probably get an idea of how full it is by taping on the tank with a hammer or something, the filled area should sound different than the empty space.

Good advice, I used a rubber mallet and the tank sounded completely hollow so I guess I have a bad gauge and the propane tank is empty..Will take it to the propane dealer Monday and get it filled. Thanks all for your advice.

Quite possibly as said above, air in the line. I as probably most others have to bleed off the air when the propane is first turned on. Mine sometimes takes a few minutes to vent the air. JMO

On some RV's there is an LP shutoff valve that is controlled by the gas detector. Are your batteries turned on? Is there 12V to all appliances?

Is the propane tank on a motor home the side mounted type? If it is would it have the safety shutoff valve? If it doesn't would there be a problem regardless of how fast/slow the valve is opened? Just asking.

Probably air in the line. Try lighting the range top again, it may take a minute or two. You can probably get an idea of how full it is by taping on the tank with a hammer or something, the filled area should sound different than the empty space.

try this close valve , wait ten minutes, open very slow so the high pressure regulater doesn,t trip, then try the stove, it takes a few min to bleed the air out.

2oldman wrote:

Grandpere wrote:
I opened the valve and tried to light the stove and oven but they would not light,

Did you open the valve nice and slowly?

It is not conveniently located, so there us no other way to open the valve but slowly

Grandpere wrote:
I opened the valve and tried to light the stove and oven but they would not light,

Did you open the valve nice and slowly?