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

Jared Scott jared@jaredscott.com
Thu Feb 19 14:10:32 EST 2015


http://www.tankutility.com/

On Thu, Feb 19, 2015 at 1:58 PM, Miles D. Oliver via Novalug <
novalug@firemountain.net> wrote:

> 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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> >> >> >
> >> >> >
> >> >>
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> >> >
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