Propane Usage Meter

[3RRL]

Is there a meter I can get to determine propane usage?
I'm a routed customer and the tank gets filled periodically. I'd like a way to check the amount of gallons I'm charged for is somewhat close to what I'm using ... if you know what I mean.
Thanks,
Rob-

 

[Cap-n-Cray]

I installed for a client a remote meter that tells how much propane is in the tank or tanks. It shows the amount in percentage of how much is in the tank. Start of the day with 45.1%, ends with 44.8% at the end of the day, .3% used. For amount used you probably need a flow meter with a counter like a water meter or gas meter.

Cary

 

[Scooby074]

There are definitely products out there to measure gas flow, but i dont know of any that would be consider reasonably priced. Heres a link to one company that carries various types of flow meters that would suit your needs, but they aint cheap. Maybe you could find something on ebay? Alot of old process control equipment ends up there. OMEGA Engineering, Inc. - Omega's pH, Flow, and Environmental Table of Contents

What about a load cell? Would that work? But, that wouldnt be all that cheap either

 

[GuglioLS]

Hi Rob,
Don't spend too much time in propane usage contemplation, or your burgers may burn!
Do you suspect a leak? or getting ripped off by the propane delivery gallons charged?
Here is a quick rough chart...
....................... .................Remaining Fuel...................
Gauge reading.........250 Gallon tank........500 gallon tank
80%................................200...........................400
70%................................175...........................350
60%................................150...........................300
50%................................125...........................250
40%................................100...........................200
30%................................. 75...........................150
20%..................................50...........................100
10%..................................25.............................50

The problem getting an accurate reading is because the tank sides are curved, the % meter float in the tank measures linear height of the liquid. The curve of the tank makes the % readings non linear. I could figure this out with the cross sectional dimensions of the tank to calculate a fudge factor to use for the various percent levels. But I'm too lazy and don't really give it that much thought

Larry

PS -
The formula is: percentage on the gauge, times 1.2, equals the number of gallons left in the tank (% X 1.2 = Gallons)
(Roughly)

 

[SnowRidge]

When I had propane, the delivery person always left a card with the gallonage printed on it. It was printed by the meter on the truck. I don't know if those meters are checked by the state, like the gas pumps are, but they might be.

I verified my usage by computing the amount of propane required to meet my furnance's BTU/HR rating. I obtained the hours run from my thermostat, which would log filter hours.

I was able to verify that my supplier was honest and propane was an awfully expensive way to heat a house. I now have a heat pump.

 

[kenmac]

Rob,,,is something like this AC-250 Diaphragm Gas Meter American - IMAC Systems, Inc. what you have in mind ???

 

[3RRL]

Wow, a lot of information. Thanks to all of you.
I don't think I have a leak but really would like to monitor how much propane I use between the house, barn and generator. Reason is I had my tank filled about 2 months ago and then just last week. It took 200 gals to top it off. I thought that was high but then we ran the generator a lot more than usual. We've also been running the furnace so it's not freezing when we arrive at 11pm Tuesday evenings and also for an hour in the mornings before we wake up. I guess that would attribute to the excess usage?
In any event, it's sort of a double check to be sure the propane company is not ripping me off or some thing.
I will research the links and stuff.
Thanks again,
Rob-

 

[john_bud]

A hundred gallons a month for house and shop during the winter with running a gen set and furnace and you complain? I heat with wood and use nearly that much!

jb

 

[charlz]

If they are selling by the meter on the truck, which they are, it has to be a 'Legal for Trade' device. If you can get some type of printout or whatever from the meter it will be pretty accurate.

I used to work for an 'onboard' scale company and 'Legal for Trade' for a scale was something like accurate to 1/10th of 1% over the entire range of the scale. The flow meters I believe are not quite as accurate as the density of material dispensed can vary with temperature (like gas pumps are calibrated to 60 degrees, much warmer than that and you're getting ripped off, much colder and you are getting yours )

 

[ray66v]

A hundred gallons a month for house and shop during the winter with running a gen set and furnace and you complain? I heat with wood and use nearly that much!

jb

Yeah, I'd be singing, and dancing if I could get by on 100 gallons.

 

[3RRL]

Well that shows you what a dip Sh** I am.
I didn't know what to expect for Winter usage. So you think a 100 gals a month is OK then? I guess I was thinking that was a lot but now I know different.

Yes, he does have a metered printed out statement he gives me after filling. It has the number of gallons and price and other stuff on it. So I guess I'll quit worrying about it.
Thanks guys...
Rob-

 

[Skalini]

Rob, I know how you feel. I have a 975 sq ft house. I am on a keep fill with the local Co-op. I had my tank topped off two months back. They just added 216 gallons today. I run a pellet stove 24/7. I just had $8000 worth of energy efficient windows installed early fall. They did have a printed reciept on the truck but I still have a problem believing I used that much LP. I can't imagine that I am getting robbed by these people but I am a checks and balance type of guy and I want to know where all the juice is going. I went online to find a meter and low and behold the first search is Tractorbynet.

 

[CurlyDave]

I am on a keep fill with the local Co-op...

Even with a Co-op I trusted I would not be on a keep fill basis.

In my case, a 250 gallon tank would have been about a $50/year rental, a 500 gallon is only $85.

For the extra $35 per year I get to have it filled in September, when propane is at a summer season prices, and then I can order and add propane 50 or 100 gallons at a time at winter rates until I make it back to summer rates.

A keep fill contract guarantees you are buying most of your propane at the higher winter rates...

I probably save $300-400 per year this way.

 

[Benbovac]

we are heating a large home, approx 6000 sq ft and thankfully we have a geothermal unit that helps out a lot. we have a 250 gallon tank that is buried in the yard. We thankfully only fill it once a year in September. (last fill price was $1.699) We only use gas to cook with and for a pool heater. I would not have purchsed this house if it wasn't for the geo unit...we couldn't afford to heat it.

 

[Financegal]

I have a buried 500 gallon propane tank. Each season I pay for the smart option. It requires delivery of at least 400 gallons a year, be on the budget plan and allow unlimited access to the tank. This year the locked in NTE gas cost is at $2.45/gallon from Oct to April). If gas is less I pay the lesser cost. I pay $100/ month year round. Also get the start/stop meter card showing the number of gallons/cost in my door with each delivery. They deliver based on temps/my home history.

Propane is used for heat and hot water. Because I use little propane in the summer but still pay the $100, by the time November comes and we start using heat, I have built up a pretty good credit with them from the summer. My reconciliation month is each September.

Meant to add: Not sure if I am getting robbed or not but the last 6 years I appear to average about the same per month heating costs ($220- 240/month). I'd guess much of the constantcy is due to the fact that during anticipated long cold snaps I tend to lower the thermostat to save money.

 

[PastTense]

In case some of you don't know there are massive regional differences in propane costs. Right now the average cost in Nebraska is $1.73 a gallon; in New Jersey it is $3.96 a gallon:
Residential Propane Weekly Heating Oil and Propane Prices (October - March)

 

[schmism]

i track my usage via the gauge on the tank... i try to go out every week on the same day and write the number down on the calendar.

i avg about 3% a week for my house. furnace, cook stove and dryer. I also put the numbers into a spread sheet and graph it then trendline out the current best fight line to find what date ill hit 5%... (ie will i make it till spring without having to rebuy durring high winter rate, and if not how do i need to adjust my budget or thermostat to make it work)

 

[Financegal]

In case some of you don't know there are massive regional differences in propane costs. Right now the average cost in Nebraska is $1.73 a gallon; in New Jersey it is $3.96 a gallon:
Residential Propane Weekly Heating Oil and Propane Prices (October - March)

After posting yesteday I went shopping and returned as the propane truck was leaving the driveway. Propane ticket shows I was charged at the max locked in price of $2.45/gallon. Hard to believe there is such a disparity of prices. Here in my areas of VA, the price of regular gasoline keeps tottering just below the $3/gallon mark. Throughout the week it drops/rises between $2.94 and $2.99 per gallon. So far no station wants to be that first one to hit $3.

 

[FrankVigilante]

Is there a meter I can get to determine propane usage?
I'm a routed customer and the tank gets filled periodically. I'd like a way to check the amount of gallons I'm charged for is somewhat close to what I'm using ... if you know what I mean.
Thanks,
Rob-

We are developing a new technology for the measurement of residential propane usage. Check it out on our Facebook Page.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/ProReg/314099732118701?pnref=lhc