Propane Gage questions...

[twinboat]

OK, I'm sorry, glad you patched it up.

I was going by the statement that it hadn't worked for 11 months. Didn't realize it became an emergency now.

[Jim_HiTek]

Originally Posted by twinboat

OK, I'm sorry, glad you patched it up.

I was going by the statement that it hadn't worked for 11 months. Didn't realize it became an emergency now.

More of a simple annoyance than an emergency. I can always just step outside and check the gage.

Originally Posted by Unplanned

Good on you, sometimes we aren't close to a new replacement part, and have to use our head to make it work with what we have! Not that there is anything wrong with new parts if you can get them. I live 15 miles from any services, and would rather spend time fixing a $10.00 part than drive into town and find out they don't have it. Besides, I'm retired and have the time. Enjoy Mexico!!

ps. maybe if you used a tie strap and secured the wires to the fitting it will last longer (no flexing of the wire)

Thanks for the advice, I have the tie strap in my hand ready to install...now if only I could find some place to strap it that doesn't stress the repaired solder junction. I might have one of those stick on tie strap mounts somewhere in my parts bins. Might have just enough slack in the wires to tie strap it to the gage mounting.

Tie strap worked. Holding the wires nice and tight now and there's no strain on the solder joint. Calling this job completed.

[530ktm]

Originally Posted by Jim_HiTek

Thanks! That got me to where I tried to pry it off first with a screw driver...that didn't work so I just tugged on it and it eventually came off.



Good to know...





Twinboat is correct...the wire was broken off nearly flush with some plastic resin it's sealed with...




Why would I want to work on this? Easy. I'm in Mexico, and shipments to here mysteriously disappear all the time at customs for unusual reasons. And I'll be here for months yet. And I would like to be able to tell how much propane I have from inside the RV...since the tank is getting a bit low. Next, I do good work...there won't be any blobs of solder visible.

But the main reason, if you've visited my RV travel and repair blog, you'll probably figure out that I LOVE fixing things. Even when they're silly. Like a couple months ago I fixed my battery operated wall clock that stopped working. They cost $9 practically everywhere, but I chose to fix my broken one. I enjoy that kind of thing.

And for everyone concerned about my safety, THANKS! I did know that I didn't know enough about this little device so came and asked the experts here first...before I tried anything. And that worked out great.

With it off, I could just see a bit of the broken wire poking out of the resin seal. Here's how it looks after I scraped the insulation off the broken wire, soldered the old wire back on and added some heat shrink. I doubt it'll last long before falling off again (though the solder joint is sound), but probably long enough that I will be back in the states by then and can order a replacement.

And the inside display is working now...

Looks good, glad you were able to fix it up.

[nothermark]

Nice job! I'll second putting a tie wrap in there to take the strain off the wires into the sensor. It looks like there is enough mass in the wires and connectors to keep those wires moving at the sensor when you are under way.

[Switchflicke]

I replaced the plastic LP level sender thing just last week on my tank. I went to Lazy Days Parts and they presented three styles to me. Mine was the snap on one. The only thing I needed to do is to put the terminal ends on the new part as they came only with pigtail wires. Cost was around 40 bucks. Oh yea, I'm in Tucson right now.