Measuring gas levels
Submitted: Sunday, Oct 31, 2004 at 19:17
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Member - Gary W (NSW)
What's the most effective way to measure the remaining gas in a gas cylinder?
Gary.
Reply By: Penguin (NSW) - Sunday, Oct 31, 2004 at 19:26
Sunday, Oct 31, 2004 at 19:26
Gary,
There are lots of accessories like gauges and thermal strips but the most accurate way to measure it is by weighing the cylinder. The tare (empty) weight is stamped on the cylinder and I think capacity. You can work it out from there.
AnswerID:
82408
Follow Up By: Davoe - Sunday, Oct 31, 2004 at 19:32
Sunday, Oct 31, 2004 at 19:32
yep
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341499
Follow Up By: Member - Gary W (NSW) - Sunday, Oct 31, 2004 at 19:34
Sunday, Oct 31, 2004 at 19:34
Penguin, thanks....I knew that was the best way, but when the cylinder is in a camper trailer, fully connected and strapped down, it's a bit of a pain to disconnect everything just to pull it out to weigh. I was after some other method. I had heard of strips but couldn't find any .
Gary.
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Reply By: Member - John C (QLD) - Sunday, Oct 31, 2004 at 19:57
Sunday, Oct 31, 2004 at 19:57
Pour some hot
water over the cylinder and you'll see the gas level line showing where the
water reacts to the cylinder differently. Don't know the science.
Pretty accurate I thought.
AnswerID:
82416
Follow Up By: nickoff - Sunday, Oct 31, 2004 at 20:40
Sunday, Oct 31, 2004 at 20:40
The way using hot
water works by the liquid gas in the bottle abzorbing the heat form the metal surface on the bottle up the the level of the liquid gas inside. The metal surface of the bottle that is only in contact with the gas doesn't transfer its heat as rapidly to the contents, thus, pour hot
water over bottle, heat bottle, feel with fingers or hand from bottom of bottle upwards. When it goes from cool to hot, thats the level of liqiud gas in the bottle.
Cheers
Nick
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341503
Reply By: Rick Blaine - Sunday, Oct 31, 2004 at 20:43
Sunday, Oct 31, 2004 at 20:43
the hot
water or weighing trick seem to be the best... the gauges don't let you know you are out of gas till you are out of gas because the pressure remains more or less constant untill the press of liquification is lowered as the last drop of liquid can change to gas....
AnswerID:
82425
Reply By: Member - Camper (SA) - Sunday, Oct 31, 2004 at 20:46
Sunday, Oct 31, 2004 at 20:46
To avoid the problem and because in
Adelaide servo's now charge full price for complete or partial fill, I fitted a second cylinder. Means I can empty one completely and couple to the other and fill up the first when convenient.
Camper
AnswerID:
82426
Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Monday, Nov 01, 2004 at 19:49
Monday, Nov 01, 2004 at 19:49
Yup. That's what I do. Of course I don't have a camper, but I have a 2L and a 1L bottle. Just always take both and make sure one is full. That way you can empty the bugger all the way and get your dosh worth when filling up.
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Reply By: motherhen - Monday, Nov 01, 2004 at 00:11
Monday, Nov 01, 2004 at 00:11
Strips that measure by temperature are advertised in some of the abundance of mail order catelogues that fill our letter boxes. Never tried them - for small bottles i weigh them, larger household bottles, wobble them and get a fair idea.
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82462
Reply By: Moose - Monday, Nov 01, 2004 at 14:31
Monday, Nov 01, 2004 at 14:31
Go to a
camping store - they'll have a strip you can stick to the bottle. I doubt you'll be wanting to pour hot
water all over the floor of the camper and as you say it's a pain to remove just to weigh it. I reckon the strips will be the best bet for you. No comment on their accuracy from me since I don't use any but I've seen them in the
camping shops heaps of times.
AnswerID:
82546
Reply By: Bob of KAOS - Tuesday, Nov 02, 2004 at 07:08
Tuesday, Nov 02, 2004 at 07:08
You don't have to remove or disconnect it to weigh it - just loosen the mount and use a spring scale (from the fishing gear store). But carrying a reserve cyl is the way to go.
AnswerID:
82686