How to Read Your Tank Gauge
By: Whitney Blanchard, Delivery Dispatcher at Dead River Company
As a delivery dispatcher at Dead River Company, I frequently give quick tutorials on how to read a heating oil or propane tank gauge.
Because fuel consumption varies based on weather, personal preference, occupancy, and home weatherization, the best and easiest way to determine if you need fuel is by reading your tank gauge.
Propane
- You’ll find the gauge under the black dome on your tank.
- Look at the big, black numbers on the circular dial.
- If a propane tank is at or near 65%, a driver typically will not fill that tank to avoid overfilling.
- Regardless of the size of your propane tank, it’s considered full if the gauge reads 80%. If you’re not on automatic delivery, you’ll want to schedule your next delivery when your tank gauge reads below 25%.
Home Heating Oil
- You’ll find the gauge on top of the fuel tank, a clear cylindrical dome.
- Look for the red horizontal line floating in the dome.
- The amount of fuel left in the tank is indicated by where the red line falls. Once the level is at ¼ of a tank, you should schedule your next delivery if you’re not already on automatic delivery.
In case you’re wondering how many gallons you have in your tank based on the reading, below is a chart showing approximate number of gallons in the tank by gauge level and tank size.
| PROPANE | ||||
| Tank Size | Tank Gauge Reading | |||
| 25% | 50% | 65% | 80% (Full) | |
| 28 gallon tank | 7 | 14 | 18 | 22 |
| 58 gallon tank | 15 | 29 | 38 | 46 |
| 118 gallon tank | 30 | 59 | 77 | 94 |
| 120 gallon tank | 30 | 60 | 78 | 96 |
| 250 gallon tank | 63 | 125 | 163 | 200 |
| 325 gallon tank | 81 | 163 | 211 | 260 |
| 500 gallon tank | 125 | 250 | 325 | 400 |
| 1000 gallon tank | 250 | 500 | 650 | 800 |
| HEATING OIL | ||||
| Tank Size | Tank Gauge Reading | |||
| 1/4 | 1/2 | 3/4 | Full | |
| 275 gallon tank | 60 | 120 | 180 | 240 |
| 330 gallon tank | 75 | 150 | 225 | 300 |
| 550 gallon tank | 120 | 240 | 360 | 480 |
If you ever have questions about reading your tank gauge or any other aspect of your home heating system, you can always call your local Dead River Company office and someone will help you.
