As gas installers in Cape Town, we often get the question: “how do I check when my gas cylinder needs refilling?”. We know how frustrating it is to realize your gas is empty when you are about to cook dinner.
Although we do not offer a refilling service, we are able to give comprehensive advice on all things gas, and, based on our years of experience in the industry, we know that there are two easy ways to check how full (or empty) your gas cylinder is.
Checking your gas cylinder levels is easier than it might seem. Below are two simple ways to check when your gas cylinder needs refilling.
The most common method of checking the status of your gas cylinder is to weight it. Those with experience can simply pick it up and give it a bit of shake to determine how much longer they can wait before having it refilled.
However, if you are new to gas, you may need to get a bit more technical. Most gas cylinders have the empty weight stamped on the cylinder somewhere, often on the neck of the cylinder. Pick up your gas bottle and place it on your bathroom scale. If the weight on the scale is the same (or almost the same) as the empty weight, then you know it’s practically empty and needs refilling. If the cylinder weighs a lot more than the empty weight, then you still have some time.
Weighing your gas cylinder on a regular basis, is also a good way to gauge how much gas you use over a period of time. By monitoring this, you will soon get an idea of how long it takes between refills and weighing it on a scale might not be necessary anymore.
This is often the method used by those who don’t have a bathroom scale, or for larger cylinders that are too heavy or too large to weigh on a scale.
Start by filling a bucket or large jug with hot water from the tap (not boiling). Pour the water carefully down the side of the gas cylinder and look for a line of condensation which should appear on the bottle. This condensation line will indicate where the gas level is.
If you are struggling to see the line, wait a few moments before running your hand down the side of the bottle where you poured the water. You will notice a difference in temperature between the empty section of the cylinder and the section that contains gas; the section with gas will be cooler than the empty space.
Although we don’t offer gas refilling services, we do provide expert gas installation services in Cape Town ranging from commercial gas installations and residential gas installations to gas inspections and gas certificates of compliance.
Contact us, or visit our gas services page for more information.
Click here to cancel reply
Nickname (*)
Email (*)
Website (Blog)
Remember my details Notify me of followup comments via e-mail
Get the latest updates in your email box automatically.
Your nickname:
Email address:
Subscribe