Tank Guages...Can They Be Added

[SteveH]

I think we are the third owners of our '01 25' Excella, and some previous owner changed the tanks to ones without the pressure guages. The guages are in the monitor panel, and the wiring is at the tanks, but no guages on the tanks.

Can the guages be added to the existing tanks, or do I need to buy new tanks with guages?

[vswingfield]

I'm in the same boat. My '83 Excella has the indicator lights in the monitor system, but the tanks I got when I bought it have no provision for gauges. I found a cutoff wire in the area, but no connectors for gauges either.

Unfortunately, they have to be built into the tanks. See this page at Vintage Trailer Supply for the complete explanation.

I linked to the 40 lb bottles because that's what I want, I just don't have an extra $269 per bottle burning a hole in my pocket right now. The "good news" is that 30 lb bottles are $40 cheaper each.

[Boondocker]

Are we talking propane or poop?


on edit: asked in reference to a now missing post about holding tanks

[SteveH]

Sorry, my mistake....by posting in the LP Gas, Piping, Tanks & Regulators section, I assumed eveyone would know I was talking about propane tanks.

[vswingfield]

Umm...

I hope "pressure gauges" would be explanatory too.

We may not really want to know.

[SteveH]

Vaughan, Thanks for the link. That explains it all. However, I don't have aluminum tanks, so I wonder what the price of tanks with guages is in steel?

[VIKING]

I got new #30 Worthingtons last year and the sending unit was optional, but the gauges were not. The sending units partially cover the gauges but the needles are still visible. You can use these either way. (I got mine at VTS) But don't tell anybody. SSSHHH!

Rich the Viking

[vswingfield]

Originally Posted by SteveH

Vaughan, Thanks for the link. That explains it all. However, I don't have aluminum tanks, so I wonder what the price of tanks with guages is in steel?

Hi Steve,

I have 40 lb steel tanks myself. always have. I've never seen steel tanks with provisions for gauges, but just because I've never seen them doesn't mean much.

I got my Trade Wind back in the 1980s in San Marcos and located a pair of steel 40 lb bottles at an RV dealership just south of Austin. I lived in Wimberley at the time.

When I got the Excella, it had a pair of aluminum 30 lb bottles, but I like the extra capacity. If they had the gauges I would live with the smaller capacity, but they don't so I am still using my steel 40 lb bottles.

[vswingfield]

Originally Posted by VIKING

I got new #30 Worthingtons last year and the sending unit was optional, but the gauges were not. The sending units partially cover the gauges but the needles are still visible. You can use these either way. (I got mine at VTS) But don't tell anybody. SSSHHH!

Rich the Viking

The gauges are a $70 option, with or without the sending unit. See VTS for 40 lb or 30 lb, both have radio buttons to check for No Gauge, Direct Read Gauge [Add $70.00], and Remote Read Gauge [Add $70.00].

I wish it didn't add the additional $70.00, but given the additional complexity to add another bore and float assembly to the tank, I understand.

[VIKING]

My bad. You are correct,
The sending unit came with the needle gauge, which was why I thought it was a good deal, even for the $70. That was back when I had money.
Tomorrow they may be for sale!

Rich the Viking

[vswingfield]

Originally Posted by VIKING

My bad. You are correct,
The sending unit came with the needle gauge, which was why I thought it was a good deal, even for the $70. That was back when I had money.
Tomorrow they may be for sale!

Rich the Viking

Hi Rich,

I know what you mean. My brother has the remote read gauges on the two 30 lb bottles on his '84 Excella. The indicator lights in the Monitor System don't work, but you can still use the needles. Very nice.

It's not the $70 part as much as the first $199 that gets me. (I also just finished ordering a new SeaLand 510 toilet. A proper throne seems more important than gauges right now, but that's another thread.)

Look at it this way, though. If you do put them up for sale tomorrow, you've already got two people who are interested.