How to Check a Grill Propane Tank Level

Written on: July 3, 2023

Boehlke Bottled Gas helps you always have propane for your next cookout!

Propane gas grills are the most commonly owned type of grill in the United States, accounting for 60% of all grills. The reason for this is that they are easy to use and faster than charcoal grills.

Whether you’re making a fast dinner of grilled chicken or fish during the week or hosting a big weekend cookout for family and friends, a propane grill makes grilling easy and fun. But if you run out of propane while grilling, that puts an end to the fun.

Fortunately, Boehlke Bottled Gas makes grill tank refill a snap with our grill tank exchange, located at retail stores all around out Southeastern Wisconsin service area. Our tank exchange can be found at grocery stores, convenience stores, gas stations, garden stores, home improvement stores, and more!
Getting a full grill tank is as easy as 1-2-3.

1. Leave your empty grill tank by the tank storage cage outside the store, then go in and ask the clerk to do a cylinder exchange.
2. Once the transaction is done, the clerk will come out and unlock the storage cage and give you a new, full tank.
3. You go home with your tank and fire up the grill!

When bringing propane cylinders for refill, make sure to keep them upright. Even if you think a cylinder is empty, there could still be enough gas inside that may leak if the cylinder is on its side. To prevent any issues, we recommend that you avoid leaving a cylinder in your car for extended periods, especially in warm weather. It would be best to first visit our exchange or refill station and then go straight home. If you have multiple errands to run, we suggest making us your last stop before heading home.

How do I know when I need a full grill tank?

This is critical to know when you have a propane grill. There are multiple ways to do this.

It’s recommended that you buy an external propane cylinder gauge to check the amount of propane left in your tank. You can find these gauges easily at your nearby home improvement store or order them online, and they are not very expensive.

There are three kinds of external gauges: 

Inline pressure gauges are installed between the gas line from the grill and the cut-off valve on the tank, measuring pressures to determine how full the tank is.

Analog propane scales look like luggage scales and are pre-set to take your tank’s tare weight (TW), which is the weight of the tank when it is empty, into account. 

Digital propane tank scales provide a digital readout of remaining cook time and gas fill percentage. Some even come with smart phone apps. 

If your grill tank doesn’t have an external gauge, you can easily check its propane level using water. Follow these steps: Fill a small bucket with warm to hot tap water, then pour the water down one side of the tank. Run your hand along the same side until you feel a cool spot; the top of that spot indicates the fill level. This occurs because the liquid propane takes in heat from the water, causing that spot to become cooler.

Need a full grill tank fast? Come to your nearest Boehlke Bottled Gas tank exchange location!