A Better Propane Gauge for Your RV

[@MattNEuem]

Nice job Ron. Yesterday I discovered your channel as I went down the KZbin Winnebago wormhole. Waiting for my 2013 24v to be delivered here to Utah from Florida. I've been in the RV industry for 18 plus years and I've learned a ton from you. You are spot on and appreciate your hard work and the hours of research you've done. Your videos are very engaging and just easy to watch.

[@ontheroadwithron2432]

Glad to help. Keeps me out of trouble

[@kiss196161]

Confucious says...A man with one watch always knows what time it is, a man with two watches is never really sure! Great info thank you

[@ontheroadwithron2432]

Yes. I only use my new watch. On last trip I let the gage go down to the “E” mark and added 8.1 gallons. I know from prior experience that I can get around 10 more days of use when it hits the E. But it’s time to add more.

[@carlelliott6318]

Nice Video Ron. Should be very helpful for anyone trying this mod. The schematics for BOTH the older (2006-2007) and the newer (2008+) rigs are on the groups io forum in the mods area. Search for a "LP fuel gauge upgrade" discussion. I did this mod around 6 years ago and it's very nice to know, to within a gallon or less, of how much propane is left in the tank. Even the physical on tank gauge is inaccurate by up to 1/4 of a tank, on mine anyway. Couple of things to watch for... The gauge draws up to 100ma when active so it's wise to put in an activate switch as Ron has suggested. Also if you see inconsistent reading you may have corrosion on the connector at the tank.

[@ontheroadwithron2432]

Thanks for your help and showing me your install. Nothing like seeing it in person.

[@lemdavis8033]

I have a Winnebago Trend with a similar One Place monitor panel. The accuracy of the LP gauge has always been a sore point. Thanks for this tip as we will finally know when the tank needs to be refilled.

[@vitof2177]

Ron is the best. Watch so many of your videos, hope youre doing well Ron!

[@ontheroadwithron2432]

Thanks. Planning another trip for next month.

[@jimmarshall1708]

Thanks for the update. I presently have a gauge on order. As I am not much of an electrician when it come’s to 12v I appreciate your clarification on the install.

[@josephquadros5290]

Dear Ron. We have been watching your videos and they are VERY informative and entertaining, thank you. We just purchased our new 2020 Navion 24D, picking it up in a week. We took delivery of our TESLA model Y performance and have solar on our roof here in San Diego. Would love to trade stories. Thanks again!

[@nmartin5551]

Hi Ron! Thank you so much for posting this! I have a horizontal LP tank I’m going to put on my van build. The “how to” part isn’t included with any of the LP stuff one buys. I’m going to subscribe. You pop up in my youtube feed a fair amount.

[@ontheroadwithron2432]

Good luck. Most of these projects are doable as long as you don’t rush it.

[@fordracer1415]

Good to see you again. My tank gauge isn’t even very accurate. I’m looking forward to the slide motor video haven’t had any problems with mine yet but I’m sure it will later if I can ever get back out on the road again. Thanks stay safe

[@ontheroadwithron2432]

I did get a replacement, but it was the wrong model. Hopefully it will not take too long to get it exchanged

[@sb971]

@@ontheroadwithron2432 Ron, where did you order the slide motor? Id like to carry along a replacement motor for the big slide on our D floorpan. Also where did you purchase the LP gauge? you are correct that the one place is inacurate. I have gone for a fill up with it reading 1/2 and put less than 2 gallons in

[@geolev1097]

Nice mod Ron. I have been thinking about this and like how you added the switch to conserve power. Thanks for sharing.

[@donmartinez6163]

Ron, thanks for sharing. I have the same problem and same motor home

[@donmiller2060]

Ron - Summit Racing sells a 2 & 1/16th diameter digital gauge which reads 0 to 99% in 1% increments. SUM-G2982-1G for $34.99 which would make an excellent readout for your propane gauge. It's calibrated for 90 ohm senders

[@ramzy1013]

Awesome job Ron

[@ramzy1013]

Our slide motor began to act up as well 17 navion view g. We had it under used purchase 30 day warranty from the dealer. They butchered the harness and said all was well. Got on the road and it completely failed.i removed both motors in order to open and close our slide we continued our vacation. Thank God I purchased an extended warranty. They replaced the hacked harness and both motors in Las Vegas camping world. I still coughed up 450 bucks for harness and deductible.

[@ontheroadwithron2432]

I also had a slide problem. Bad connection.

[@petertoth2350]

nice, . since you like additions to your RV, i have the same RV almost like yours, 2018 Prism Coahman , and guess wshat, I installed a second Diesel tank, 28 gallon , so now my range went from 250 miles to 600 miles. What a diffrence

[@ed91401]

Great video again !

[@StevenDay]

Hey Ron! Love all the mods, all the insights, and all the fun video editing! :) I really enjoy your vids. I am a fellow engineer (software) and will be purchasing a new Navion/View sometime over the next 3-6 months. I've been going through your vids and am already preparing to add the Hellwig swaybar, and I was going to get the SUMO springs too, but in later videos you seem to indicate you took them off. So yea or nay on the SUMO springs?

[@ontheroadwithron2432]

Steven Day right now I would say no. I get the fox shocks instead they seem to be a better solution

[@nwlady1844]

thankyou.... wish your lived close and I could pay you to do this for my camper van! LOL

[@hunterbuckman4385]

Hi Ron, after completing the LP gauge install in my 2017 Navion 24G the gauge would read slightly lower just like yours did. I accidentally discovered that if you have the OnePlace set on TANK, and you press and hold the MOMENTARY button for the gauge while simultaneously pressing and holding the the OnePlace BATTERY button, the new gauge will show an exact reading. Try it and let me know if it indeed works for you, and thanks for all your invaluable help!

[@keithv4452]

My 1975 GMC has a propane gauge from the factory. Apparently, things have not improved in 40 years

[@ontheroadwithron2432]

A lot of the new devices each have their own drawbacks.

[@larrydalien1337]

Hi Ron, I sure enjoy your videos. I am attempting this modification but I'm having some issues. I hooked it all up but it doesn't work. I am not good at reading schematics but I can follow directions. Looking at the back of the ON ON Switch, there are 6 pins. I assume the leads from the LP Sensor go to the middle two pins. Then on one side of the switch, the wires from those 2 pins would go back to the wires leading to the One Place. Wires from the pins on the other side would go to wires one to the momentary switch and then to the new gauge and the wire from the other pin goes to the other connector on the new gauge. Then a new wire goes from the ground on the new gauge to the ground wires found on the back of the One Place. Did you do anything with the leads for the light? Thanks

[@acaglumac]

Can you elaborate on the schematic? Where is the battery? Where is the sending unit?

[@ontheroadwithron2432]

The sending unit is in the propane tank. I’m using the same one that is already built into the tank. The power and ground come from wires behind the one place panel. The sending unit is just a variable resistor with a float arm. Same as in a gas tank. All the wires are already there. Just patched into them.

[@jimmyg.495]

Hello! I really enjoy your rv videos. I have about the same unit you have. I have a 2016 24v. My question is about fuel gage, I get the two wires from tank sending unit and the white spliced wire from the other plug. That makes three wires to the back of gage (fuel gage is exact same as yours. Where does the power come from? Please help, I've worked on it for days and can't seem to get it to work. Need help please. Thanks, Jimmy

[@ontheroadwithron2432]

I had a bit of a problem doing mine also. I got the 12v power from the back of the Zamp controller. Added another ring terminal to the battery connection. Don’t forget the separate ground line from the pin 5 on power connector to the ground on the gauge. Good luck.

[@jimmyg.495]

Thanks, please correct me if I'm wrong. I will have 1 wire for ground, which I saw on your video and the two wires from the LP side and another wire for the positive+ from another 12 volt power source, ( I don't have solar) yet! Thanks, please bear with me.

[@jimmyg.495]

I have tried the connection you described. I have the negative. from the other side that has the two wires spliced together, the two wires from LP sending unit to the + side with yellow wire and white wire to the bottom connection , now the forth wire from power source to the + side of gage (very quickly pegs out gage, so I disconnect it. I know my tank is 1/2 or less . Thanks for any help whatsoever 😢 Jimmy

[@StevenDay]

Hey Ron! Got another question for you. We are in the market for a 2020 Navion/View and one of our concerns is that the A/C won't run unless we are connected to power or the generator is running. Do you have any thoughts about upgrading the solar enough to power the A/C or maybe even replacing it with a mini-split option? We live in Texas and plan on boon-docking a lot in the south in the summer and we are concerned about being forced to use the generator all the time. Thanks Ron!

[@ontheroadwithron2432]

Steven Day Yes that’s true. While the engine is running you can use the cabi air conditioner but once you’re stopped you need a lot electricity for the coach air conditioner.

[@jimbrown6422]

Ron, does the gauge take into account the tank is round and the amount of propane is non-linear across the range (up and down) of the float?

[@ontheroadwithron2432]

I’m not sure if the exact formula, but seem pretty good.

[@eddiesmith3051]

I am installing an lp solenoid. How do you empty the lp that is in the tank so you can install the solenoid?

[@ontheroadwithron2432]

You can just burn it off on the stove or run the furnace. When the flame goes out the tank is empty.

[@gregprince2523]

Ron have you ever pulled a small enclosed trailer behind your view?

[@ontheroadwithron2432]

no, we drive almost every day when travelling, but a lot of people have pulled stuff. Diesel has plenty of power for that.

[@tommygriggs2193]

Would this work on travel trailer propane tanks

[@ontheroadwithron2432]

Not sure. Your tank would need a float sensor. If you have a small round gage on the tank then it should read it.

[@jcsjourney9937]

Thanks for detailing this change. Since I have an LP generator, it is critical that I know when I'm getting close to empty. I took screen shots of your schematics. Any chance you have the schematics/drawings scanned into files that I could download? Opps, just saw the schematic at the beginning of the clinic when I repeated the viewing. :-/

[@ontheroadwithron2432]

The original ones came from Darol Hinton. I believe he posted better copies on the Facebook View/Navion page.

[@jcsjourney9937]

Thanks Ron. Lookin forward to your vid on replacing the slide motor. I’d like to find some info somewhere on how one could close a slide if it failed while deployed, my biggest fear with the slide.

[@sb971]

@@jcsjourney9937 Following this. Perhaps Ron can show how to close the slide with a failed motor as part of the replacement video

[@jfisher8307]

I enjoy your videos. This is off topic but I wanted your opinion and couldn't figure out how to contact you. My wife and I have a 2014 Itasca Navion IQ on a 3500 diesel Sprinter with about 25k miles. We are considering taking it to Crested Butte Colo this summer from North Texas. How does the Sprinter diesel perform in the mountains. Would be hauling 4 adults but no trailer.

[@ontheroadwithron2432]

no problem. We frequently drive over the Rockies from CA to visit my daughter in Golden. Will pull 50 mph up the steepest grades. Engine braking going down is great also. My rule of 10 when gong down is grade% plus gear selection = 10. For example, on a 5% grade, I stay in 5th gear. on 6% grade, drop down to 4th gear etc.

[@jfisher8307]

@@ontheroadwithron2432 Thanks!

[@METALMAN4Wii]

Winnebago should be handling out these $10 propane gauges it would be stupid for a billion dollar company to lose customers over that? PR guy needs better training they could get the customer names and addresses use Amazon to send them it.

[@stevefischbein6154]

Can you provide a wiring diagram for how you set this up?

[@ontheroadwithron2432]

There is a rough one in the video. That’s all I have.

[@jasonafiegle1495]

How did you locate the right wires for you gauge

[@ontheroadwithron2432]

Yes, works great now. Just had to add a ground to the meter.

[@jasonafiegle1495]

@@ontheroadwithron2432 i get that but how did you find the right wires to tap into . I have a 2013 fleet wood class a

[@ontheroadwithron2432]

I used the schematic. Then tested the wires with a volt meter. If you have a different manufacturer then you will need their schematic to find the right sensor leads and power/ground.

[@jasonafiegle1495]

Thanks Ron for the info