I'm not afraid to ask the stupid question so here goes, I fulltime in a fiver and so I have two propane tanks. I keep one closed at all times so that if it runs out in the middles of the night I can go outside, close the one and open the other and I'm back in business. My question is, for those in motorhomes, since they only have one tank, what do you do to make sure you never run out just keep a close eye on it?

Yes, always fill ours when it is down to about 30%. Usually at truck stops when getting gas. Also, our MH has a heat pump and electric water heater so propane consumption less.

Yep.. Keep an eye on consumption

I keep an eye on the inside tank level gauge and fill up as needed, usually at the 25-30% level. We also carry a 30 lb cylinder that can be connected to an Extend-A-Stay hose for longer stays. Right now we're just using the cylinder, leaving the full main tank as the backup since it's easier to load the cylinder in our toad to get it refilled than it is to move the coach since we're staying in this park for a couple of weeks.

Motorhome built-in tanks have a gauge that actually shows how much propane is in the tank (with a float to measure the level), so it's not too hard to avoid running out. This is generally hooked up to the tank level panel inside, or you can peek outside at the pointer and see a much more precise reading than 1/3 - 2/3 - F from the little lights. Most motorhome tanks are also a good bit larger than a cylinder; mine has a usable capacity of around 60 pounds if memory serves.Most RVs with dual cylinders have an automatic switchover regulator that will draw propane from one tank, and when it gets empty automatically swap to the other one, popping up a little flag or other indicator to show when that happens. You generally don't need to open and shut the cylinder valves to use them one at a time; just check the indicator as needed and refill the empty tank and switch a lever on the regulator so it can switch over to the just-refilled one once the other one is empty. It's much nicer than having to go out in the middle of a cold night.

I have an Extend-a-stay and a luggable (20 pound) tank... If the main tank runs out (Rare) I splice in the back up via the extend-a-stay. Works for me

Dumb propane question | Good Sam Community

RJsfishin
Explorer
Feb 02, 2019
In Quartzsite weather, every 15-16 days the black tank is full when the propane is near MT,....time to take a ride.
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Feb 01, 2019
time2roll wrote:
Oh fj, you know 2oldman is full of dry sarcastic humor.
Yeah, I honestly wondered if there wasn't a little tongue-in-cheek there. Sometimes I feel a little like Sheldon: "Sarcasm?".
2oldman
Explorer II
Feb 01, 2019
:)
time2roll
Nomad
Feb 01, 2019
Oh fj, you know 2oldman is full of dry sarcastic humor.
naturist
Nomad
Feb 01, 2019
fj12ryder wrote:
2oldman wrote:
missouri dave wrote:
I keep one closed at all times so that if it runs out in the middles of the night I can go outside, close the one and open the other and I'm back in business.
Yes, we all do that.
We do? I don't.

Me either. Both tanks on, and it switches over by itself. I never wake up cold. Ever.

It must be noted that you must flip the lever over to the full tank before disconnecting the empty tank to refill it lest propane leak out of the disconnected hose.
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Feb 01, 2019
2oldman wrote:
missouri dave wrote:
I keep one closed at all times so that if it runs out in the middles of the night I can go outside, close the one and open the other and I'm back in business.
Yes, we all do that.
We do? I don't.
2oldman
Explorer II
Feb 01, 2019
missouri dave wrote:
I keep one closed at all times so that if it runs out in the middles of the night I can go outside, close the one and open the other and I'm back in business.
Yes, we all do that.
joebedford
Nomad II
Feb 01, 2019
I felt like an idiot the other night. Woke up cold and the furnace wouldn't light. I watch the tanks regularly so I knew I had propane. I forgot to open the valve on the second tank after filling it. DOH!
dougrainer
Nomad
Feb 01, 2019
On a towable dual tank system with the Auto change over valve----When BOTH tanks are ON and the selected tank runs out, the system Auto changes to the 2nd full tank. THEN the indicator on the changeover goes RED, to let you know it has swapped tanks. Doug
whiteeye42
Explorer
Feb 01, 2019
just open both valves that way you don't have to get up it will automaticlly switch to the full tank that way you can get a good nights sleep and then in the morning switch the handle that is on the regulator to the full tank and then you can take the empty tank and get it fill

Forum Discussion

Dumb propane question

About Technical Issues

Related Content

Propane question

Propane Woes Question

Propane question

dumb question about my fridge

Dumb 5th wheel questions of the day