propane usage

dana89 · Feb 2, 2014

With all the talk on here about propane lately, thought I would get your guys opinions. I live in northern Illinois, and just had my house propane tank filled. Driver says I used 50% more propane than last month, does this not sound right to anyone?? I was not home for most of the month and t-stat was set at 60, just like in December. Driver also wrote down wrong percentages from what the gauge actually read, different in starting by 8% and ending at 75 but charging me for the whole thing. Amount of gallons matches HIS gauge readings, not actual. Has anyone else had problems like this? Thanks

PJH · Feb 2, 2014

I can't speak for your situation, but the percentage gauge on my tank doesn't tell you much. Our delivery guy meters everything that comes out of his truck, and bills us based on his meter readings. He does seem to watch the percentage gauge, but doesn't put a lot of faith in it. His truck meter is computerized - he prints out a sheet before he leaves and hands it to us, or sticks it in the door if not home. I don't think there's any way for him to shyste someone, with the setup he uses, short of venting it into the air and billing you for it, but why??? Our situation is a little different than most - small community - driver went to school with my sons, and lives in the neighborhood - company with a good reputation. They just don't bill on the percentage gauge - too inaccurate.

Royse · Feb 2, 2014

I burned a lot more in January than I did in December.
It was simply colder here in central Michigan.
How many gallons is 50% more? Might not be that much.

Don't trust that gauge on the tank.
The tank on my shop ran out and still read 15%.

Frank A · Feb 2, 2014

I know in Missouri the meter has to be checked every year and has a seal put on it. Propane is temperature compensated to 60 degrees.

Geo-TH,In · Feb 2, 2014

It all comes down to trust. It seems you don't either trust the guage or the man filling your tank.

Why not put an hour meter on your furnace? Use the BTU input for your furnace and calculate how much gas you burn.

Everyone I've talked too have had a record high heating bill. Guess it might have something to do with a record setting temps.

onefarmer · Feb 2, 2014

You should be paying by the gallon on his meter not percentages on yours. If his meter says he put 100 gal in your tank that's what you get billed. And yes this year is a lot colder then last year and this month is colder than last.

JDemaris · Feb 2, 2014

I'm working on my in-law's huge house in northern Michigan. Been here since late October. Propane heat and domestic hot water. Use has been near the same every month even though this past month saw 25 below zero F. January used 222.4 gallons corrected to 60 degrees F, started at 36% and ended at 80% fill. Price was 2.199 per gallon.

RMinVa · Feb 2, 2014

I have a good friend in West Kentucky, farms and has 4 large chicken houses. He uses propane in the winter like most. Was talking to him several years ago that it seemed my propane was lasting as long as it had in years past and that was a mild winter here. He told me that his supplier had told him there are 2 grades of propane and his supplier made sure he got the better grade. Does any of you know if there's 2 grades?

dana89 · Feb 2, 2014

At the end of December they put 228 gallons in, end of January they say they put 350 gallons in. I agree there needs to be a trust between supplier and consumer. Reason I am asking for others thoughts are last time they filled my shop tank, driver wrote down tank gauge percentages and numbers delivered on ticket which would match what gauge said and then crossed them off and put different readings on the ticket. I am not sure if they are doing the same thing to my house tank now or not, just without writing the right readings down. Tank gauge showed 18% little before driver showed up but he wrote 10% on ticket for gauge reading and when he left he put 80% but gauge showed 75. Has this ever happened to anyone else, or that much more propane sound reasonable. I want to pay for the amount of fuel that I use but would not like to pay extra. Thanks for all your help

WGM · Feb 2, 2014

Percentages don't mean anything. Propane is sold by gallons not by percentages. How many gallons were put in your tank? Around here meters on the truck are calibrated and then tested by the county weights and measures department yearly. And you should be getting a printed out ticket showing how many gallons were delivered.

Eric in IL · Feb 2, 2014

I use anhydrous ammonia for nitrogen fertilizer on corn acres. The nurse tanks I drag behind the applicator are nearly the same, if not identical. I record the guage readings when the tanks arrive and when they leave the farm. My supplier weighs the tanks to determine my usage. My guage readings differ very little compared to the weights stamped on the tickets. I'm talking a difference of maybe 15 gallons and this is a 1000 gallon tank or sometimes a 1250 gallon tank. My tanks are mobile, so more error can occur for me depending on how level the tank is sitting when I read the guage.

I'm not saying your guage doesn't have a problem. I just have yet to see it on the NH3 tanks. Of course they do get much more "exersize" from bouncing through the fields.

If I suspected foul play, I would observe the meter on the delivery truck during your next fill-up.

Mike M · Feb 2, 2014

I had trouble with drivers leaving the bleed screw loose.
I always double check it. Not hard to make a slow leak thru one.

ss55 · Feb 2, 2014

Many programable thermostates record hours of use. It's handy for replacing filters.

504 · Feb 2, 2014

He may have put down 10% because he is not allowed to deliver to any one who has more than 10% in their tank. This way he will not be back this week and you did not run out.

hd6gtom · Feb 2, 2014

driver probably did nothing wrong, when you read the gauge did you take your pliers and tap on the side of the gauge or did you look at it and think it was ok. Likly the driver did and got a different reading from yours. I speak from experience, 99.9 % of those tank gauges are NOT accurate. L P gas expands and contracts with outside temp variations, that is one of several reasons the tanks can only be filled to 80%. you should have been given a metered ticket after the driver filled the tank. These meters are ridgely controlled by the state department of weights and measures, just like the gas pumps at the filling stations.

Geo-TH,In · Feb 2, 2014

That shouldn"t be too difficult to change number of hours to gallons used. All you need is the size of furnace, input BTU"s.

Greg_Ky · Feb 2, 2014

Most delivery trucks now a days are GPS enabled, they have to be within so many feet of the tank that matches the customer number and address or the pump on the truck will not even enable to pump the propane. The pumps on the trucks are calibrated and temperature compensated to 60*F / 20*C. I know on my tank if I raise the lid and drop it back down the gauge will change anywhere from 2% to 8% (this gives the closest to the gallons pumped) also if your tank is not PERFECTLY LEVEL your percentage will be farther off than the dip tube that your driver uses to fill the tank.

PJH · Feb 2, 2014

Also - I vaguely remember fooling with the percentage gauge on our old church tank. It was loose - not attached to the tank - must have had a magnetic operation of some sort? I always wondered how they worked.

showcrop · Feb 2, 2014

Isn't 60 degrees kind of high for nobody home?

Alan K · Feb 2, 2014

I have mine set at 60 degrees...and Im a nobody

(just had to throw that in lol)

shaun wallace · Feb 2, 2014

The "gauge" gives a relative indaction of how much liquid is in tank. It is a float on arm. Most go thru a set of bevel gears with a magnet to move what we see as a gauge. The bezel part we see is easliey replaced by removing 2 or 4 small screws with no lose of liquid or vapor.

schrade · Feb 2, 2014

work for propane co we never go by the tank gauge only printed meter ticket if your delivery comp dose not print a ticket with gallons I would change companys it says right on your gauge not to be used for filling gauges are guesses dip tube are to be used gauge may say 75% and still be full

Bob · Feb 2, 2014

Look up the "heating degree days" for your area for the two time periods and compare them.

propane usage

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Similar threads