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For homeowners who are new to propane, one of the most common questions is about propane storage. How will they know when to refill their tanks? How will they know how much propane they have left? Is there a possibility it could run out?
Remote tank monitoring offers a convenient and safe solution to these questions to help put homeowners’ minds at ease. As a builder, it’s important to educate clients about the security, safety, efficiency, and convenience that remote tank monitors offer.
What are Remote Tank Monitoring (RTM) Systems?
Remote tank monitoring systems allow a propane provider to remotely monitor the amount of propane in a tank, scheduling fills when needed. Telemetry (the process of recording and transmitting the readings of an instrument) equipment automatically accesses, records, and transmits data from propane storage tanks using wireless hardware and sensors linked to a database via wi-fi, cellular, or satellite networks. The information is available to the homeowner and propane supplier from any connected device.
Homeowners, Suppliers, and Builders Benefit
Homeowners
Remote tank monitoring is convenient for homeowners and can be integrated into their personal cell phone or device. It can boost cost savings, improve efficiency, and enhance safety by detecting unusual activity, indicating leaks or abnormal usage changes, and by ensuring the homeowner does not run out of propane. Remote tank monitoring can also integrate with smart home platforms, which allows the homeowner to control and monitor usage through a centralized smart home app.
Propane Suppliers
For suppliers, tank monitoring improves delivery route efficiencies because only need-based deliveries are required. Many propane suppliers set a threshold on their tank monitoring systems. When a customer’s tank reaches a predetermined level, the software will automatically schedule that customer for a refill. Providers and their customers can better prepare for severe weather events, ensuring that homeowners and business owners are well supplied prior to an incident. This solution also shows anomalies in consumption and will alert the company if there is a spike that could indicate leakage or that products such as pool heaters or backup generators are running. Propane marketers can also utilize remote tank monitoring as a point of differentiation.
Builders
For the construction professional, remote tank monitoring systems sell confidence. You can build the home your customer wants with desirable gas amenities, and remote tank monitoring provides additional assurance that everything will operate as expected.
Educating Homeowners About Remote Tank Monitoring
Builders should know how to explain RTM to homeowners, including how it differs from traditional tank monitoring, which requires visual inspection, and how to work with propane providers to help choose the right remote tank monitoring system based on tank size and configuration, network coverage, and budget. Traditionally, the homeowner or propane supplier had to manually inspect the tank’s propane level using an analog propane gauge or float gauge that displayed the remaining percentage or volume of propane. Today, most home tanks are equipped with remote ready float gauges that work with many RTMs.
Today’s wireless tank level monitors also include ultrasonic sensors, pressure sensors, and magnetostrictive sensors. Ultrasonic sensors use sound waves to measure the distance between the propane surface and the sensor, measuring the fuel level with high accuracy and reliability. Pressure sensors measure the pressure at the bottom of the tank to determine the level – they are very accurate but require a professional to install the gauge on the tank’s interior. Magnetostrictive sensors use magnetic technology to provide high-resolution data regarding the propane level in the tank. They may also require professional installation and are the more expensive option.
Communication methods include wi-fi, cellular network, low-power wide-area networks (LPWANs), and satellite communications, which are ideal for remote properties. Wi-fi enabled monitors connect to the homeowner’s wireless network and are perfect for homes with a reliable internet connection. That said, network outages can interrupt monitoring and wi-fi signals may not reach remote tanks. If a property has spotty wi-fi coverage but reliable cellular networks, monitors that transmit data to a cell phone via text or a mobile app may be ideal. For those properties in very remote locations, or for tanks located far from the home, LPWAN offers a communication solution that can cover large distances and penetrate obstacles well.
Power sources include battery-powered monitors that will need to be periodically checked and replaced, and solar-powered monitors, which are great for outdoor tanks with good sun exposure. When choosing a monitoring option, the tank size and location are key because larger or underground tanks may require a specific system.
Reassurance and Reliability
By educating your customers on the convenience and sophistication of remote tank monitoring systems, you can ease any client anxieties about having an empty tank on a cold winter night, the occurrence of natural disasters or power outages, or a grill that won’t fire up. The ideal propane monitoring solution will depend on their tank size, location, and budget, but any remote tank monitoring system will boost safety, efficiency, and convenience.
