[Novalug] Home monitoring for propane tank - after last nights emergency fill I need a solution

Miles D. Oliver miles.d.oliver@gmail.com
Thu Feb 19 13:58:57 EST 2015


I could over think this entire process.   I'm on the 'autofill' plan with
my supplier and apparently they don't take into consideration weather
changes along with my usage when deciding I may need a fill.    My life is
busy enough without having to remind me to check the tank every week so I
want to have a way to check it for me.

I've contacted the manufacturer of the gauge with the hall effect sensor
and am awaiting a reply on what companies call sell it to me.

On Thu, Feb 19, 2015 at 1:27 PM, jerry w <jerrywone@gmail.com> wrote:

> Redundency like Secondary heat such as fireplace, electrical, solar, pipe
> warmers, generator from diesel, gasoline, etc
>
> Calculating based on outdoor temp, indoor temp, r values, capacity (
> guests, door openings, etc), yearly averages, cooking patterns, driver
> availability, etc to double check false indications.
>
> Maybe a three tank system with another spare?
>
> Reminds me of oxyfuel, and argon/co2 tanks at school, find a leak/ value
> left overnight and not much welding until tanks arrive.   All welding of
> those types stop...
>
> Not bad for spring break, but less than ideal with practical finals...
>
> ~~~~~~
> Techies Unite:
> Open Source and Hardware
> Typos likely with canned devices and vocab lists, not to mention me
> bastardized use o' language
> On Feb 19, 2015 7:29 AM, "Miles D. Oliver via Novalug" <
> novalug@firemountain.net> wrote:
>
>> Greg,
>>
>> There will be one once I get it all figured out and working.
>>
>> On Thu, Feb 19, 2015 at 7:27 AM, greg pryzby <greg@pryzby.org> wrote:
>>
>> > Can't wait for the talk!!
>> >
>> > greg pryzby
>> > mobile response
>> > On Feb 19, 2015 7:14 AM, "Miles D. Oliver via Novalug" <
>> > novalug@firemountain.net> wrote:
>> >
>> >> Monitoring My propane is going to be a bit easier than I thought.
>> >>
>> >> The remote ready gauges that are usually applied to a propane tank work
>> >> with either a reed switch or a hall effect sensor.
>> >>
>> >> What I need is gauge with a  'hall effect sensor' built in.  There is
>> >> already a bunch of info and code for the Raspberry Pi  with hall effect
>> >> sensor and using the GPIO pins.
>> >>
>> >> http://www.mcb.com.tr/img/uploads/20111025101427.pdf
>> >>
>> >> I can buy a 'retrofit' Rochester Gauge with Hall effect sensor to screw
>> >> into the top of my tank and get a piece of cat 5 cable back into
>> >> the house so I can use 3 wires for the sensor.  Doing it with a wired
>> >> setup
>> >> instead of wireless will be much less of a headache to setup
>> >> and the Pi can be in the house, protected from the elements.
>> >>
>> >> Should be able to have a cron job run, send voltage to the sensor and
>> get
>> >> the readings and then send email based on results.
>> >>
>> >> Now to find where I can buy the gauge with sensor to do this. So far
>> I'm
>> >> only finding reed switch stuff online and while I can also do this
>> >> with a reed switch it will be much more complicated.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> On Tue, Feb 17, 2015 at 10:50 AM, Roger Broseus <RogerB@bronord.com>
>> >> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> > Miles,
>> >> >
>> >> > Sorry to hear you were left out in the cold!
>> >> >
>> >> > If you can go work out wireless, think about a small solar panel for
>> >> > power. Small ones are fairly inexpensive and sealed Pb/acid batteries
>> >> are
>> >> > affordable. I replace the ones on my verizon fios box for ~$40. They
>> >> last
>> >> > about the years or so
>> >> > --
>> >> > Roger Broseus
>> >> > www.bronord.com
>> >> > (This email was composed on a tablet PC. Pease excuse predictive-text
>> >> > induced tiepos.)
>> >> >
>> >> > On February 17, 2015 7:33:02 AM EST, "Miles D. Oliver via Novalug" <
>> >> > novalug@firemountain.net> wrote:
>> >> > >Well last night during the snowstorm we used up all our propane in
>> the
>> >> > >house and had to call for an emergency delivery.
>> >> > >The driver was a total jerk and tried to wiggle out of helping us
>> and
>> >> > >chastised us for making him come out in weather like this..
>> >> > >A call to the supplier will be made today for someones 'attitude;..
>> As
>> >> > >a
>> >> > >paying customer I found the response less than helpful.
>> >> > >
>> >> > >We are scheduled for 'auto fill' from the local company but they are
>> >> > >doing
>> >> > >a poor job of calculating and monitoring our usage to
>> >> > >schedule a routine delivery. This is the 2nd time in 3 years this
>> has
>> >> > >happened.  Don't know, maybe the colder temps have caused our usage
>> >> > >to increase but not to the point that we should have run out between
>> >> > >auto
>> >> > >fillups.
>> >> > >
>> >> > >So I have to find a solution to doing our own monitoring so WE can
>> call
>> >> > >when the tank is at 25% and not rely on their calcs and usage
>> >> > >monitoring.   I have found I can get a 'remote ready' gauge to
>> easily
>> >> > >replace the current gauge without loss of propane and a 2 screw
>> change.
>> >> > >I can then attach a remote cable and run it underground back to the
>> >> > >house
>> >> > >to a small panel that i'd have to press to check
>> >> > >
>> >> > >
>> >> >
>> >>
>> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HS8CZOG/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
>> >> > >
>> >> > >but I'd rather see if I can find a way to use a home PC, in my case
>> one
>> >> > >of
>> >> > >my Raspberry P's to do a daily check, read the level and send email
>> if
>> >> > >the
>> >> > >level drops
>> >> > >below my self imposed 25% level.
>> >> > >
>> >> > >The sensor and cabling are easy, I'll just have to wait for warmer
>> >> > >weather
>> >> > >to bury a cable and conduit to the tank. Its about 50 feet from the
>> >> > >house
>> >> > >and I can run off the conduit
>> >> > >we ran for the dog fence so I'll only have to work with about 25
>> feet
>> >> > >or
>> >> > >less to the tank.  My biggest problem is going to be able to find a
>> way
>> >> > >to
>> >> > >measure
>> >> > >and send the email.   Maybe I can use the GPIO pins from the PI or
>> will
>> >> > >have to come up with another solution.
>> >> > >
>> >> > >I've thought about wireless but from what I can find online they are
>> >> > >either
>> >> > >commercial applications with cell callout but the home wifi
>> solutions
>> >> > >are
>> >> > >also way too
>> >> > >unreliable and and not flexible and use Windows for the interface..
>> not
>> >> > >happening here.
>> >> > >
>> >> > >So anybody on the list into home automation that could offer any
>> tips?
>> >> > >I've got to get this done because I can't have another night like
>> the
>> >> > >last
>> >> > >one
>> >> > >being 'out' and having a driver with an attitude.
>> >> >
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