Comments on: The Original Grill Gauge: Determine Remaining Gas By Weight

By: Terry McGuire

Terry McGuire — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 10:59:39 +0000

I bought the Grill Gauge for my husband last month and he said it was the “best grill device” I’ve ever bought him and he is a serious griller. He says it has been very effective and he can take it to the U-haul place where he refills propane to verify his next fill-up…it works for us!

By: Dan Zabelny

Dan Zabelny — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 12:15:12 +0000

I’ve had the Grill Gauge for about 3 months now and for something so simple it works perfect for me! I paid less than $15 for it and I even take it to the Home Depot when I get another propane tank just to verify I am getting all the propane I’m paying for. Works fine with my LP tank connected. Best little BBQ gadget I’ve seen since the propane tank itself!

By: Will Tophinger

Will Tophinger — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 19:26:32 +0000

I was so impressed with this Grill Gauge, I bought another for my brother. The fact that it is “weight-calibrated” is the best way to measure propane. I think they do allow for a reasonable margin of error as tare weight can vary slightly from tank to tank.

By: PutnamEco

PutnamEco — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 23:43:49 +0000

If you want to go over the top, get yourself a gas cylinder scale.
They work with welding and refrigerant tanks too.

http://www.acsensor.com/download.asp?BigClassName=Scales

By: Rick Reimundez

Rick Reimundez — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 20:15:09 +0000

Correction: The $54 is for the tank AND the gauge. Still not cheap, and it means if you want multiple tanks, it adds up quick. And right now they’ve got free shipping, but it’s usually $10 more for that, plus 6% tax if you’re in PA.

By: Rick Reimundez

Rick Reimundez — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 20:08:53 +0000

Good point Nate..
Although these guys claim that their gauge DOES measure the amount of liquid and not just whether there’s pressure.
http://www.thetankonline.com

Bad news: It’s $54 and it only works on one tank at a time.

By: Nate Bezanson

Nate Bezanson — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 19:33:43 +0000

A pressure gauge will only show you when there’s no liquid at all left in the tank, since until that point, the pressure is set by temperature and first-year physics. (I think; I never took physics.) Weighing the tank is reliable, but why not just park a cheap bathroom scale in the base of the grill and be done with it?

By: Rick Reimundez

Rick Reimundez — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 17:23:59 +0000

Benjamen,
You don’t have to disconnect the tank. You do have to be able to lift it off the floor, but you can leave the gas line still attached. This is easier/possible on some grills than others.

By: Benjamen Johnson

Benjamen Johnson — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 17:19:32 +0000

If I have to disconnect my tank, I’d rather just use the bathroom scale. It’s cheaper and I always know where it is. I have seen grills with built in scales. I also have seen inline pressure gauges which show you when your tank is low. My next grill will have one of these features built in.

By: Rick Reimundez

Rick Reimundez — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 16:42:30 +0000

Michael,
Thanks for the great info. Sounds like they are pretty consistent, with at most a 1/4 tank variation (5 lb range for TW - out of 20lbs of gas in a full tank).

If I was measuring something else, I’d be more concerned, but for gas to grill with, a 1/4 tank margin of error is acceptable to me. Usually if I have anything less than 1/4 tank I’m prepared to swap it out if I run out.

Would you know how and by whom the TW is set for these tanks? Is there some regulatory body that determines the tare weight?

By: Michael

Michael — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 16:32:11 +0000

First rule: Have a 2nd tank. They are fairly inexpensive and a save money in the long run by not having you fill a partial tank “just in case”. I had a propane business and we filled many a half full tank –we would tell them how much gas they still had in the tank but most would insist to fill it.

Having said that, when your friends borrow your 2nd tank and you back to one and worrying, I use a bathroom scale. New ones are pretty accurate.
An empty tank will weigh between 17 and 22 lbs–look on the collar for the TW followed by a number. It may be hard to find but it is there. The TW stands for Tare Weight which is essentially the empty weight of the tank. The standard grill tank is a 20# tank, so if the TW was 19 and the weight on the scale was 29# the tank would be half full.

By: Evan N.

Evan N. — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 16:05:59 +0000

I like that it’s calibrated. I’ve used a scale to weigh the tank to just make sure there some left in there, but knowing roughly how much would be nice. I assume the tare weights on all the propane tanks are the same to within a half a pound or so? I’ll have to pick one of these up.