Recently we bought a gauge for our propane tank. I'm tired of guessing, especially during hurricane season, how much propane is left for our barbecue grill, and figured the gauge would soon pay for itself through more accurate fill-ups. (The cost for filling a tank is the same, whether it is empty or almost full.)
Usually the odd or outrageous statements that come with a product these days are found in the Warnings section, but this was in the instructions themselves (emphasis mine):
- If the needle is in the GREEN AREA (GAS) - the fuel supply is sufficient.
- If the needle is in the YELLOW AREA (LOW GAS) - the fuel is running in short supply.
- If the needle is in the RED AREA (REFILL) - the fuel tank should be refilled promptly - usually within 10 minutes of cooking time.
Huh?
I bet it was a copy/paste typo.
Or else you just have to run to the store really fast just before grilling anything!
If it's a liquid propane tank and it expands into gas when it's released into the grill for burning, perhaps the instructions aren't that crazy. Recent use would probably have the effect of cooling the tank, which could be helpful for the refilling process. Why not write the manufacturer?
I'll grant it as a possibility. But (1) if they mean 10 minutes before cooking, the last thing I want to do in the last half hour before dinner is run out to the store, and (2) if they mean 10 minutes after cooking, I'm going to be eating. But I'll admit I'm not curious enough to ask the manufacturer. I'm just going to enjoy knowing how much gas is left in the tank.
Now that we have a new gauge, that is. The first one, as the store clerk put it, "would not pass gas." Its replacement's internal organs are apparently working correctly.
I don't know where your gauge was made, so I don't know if it is a translation issue. Could the "usually within 10 minutes of cooking time" mean that if you start cooking, the gas will last less than 10 minutes?
I agree with the "huh?" though.
Sarah
That's a thought. "You have about 10 minutes of cooking time left."
