What should I do when a propane tank monitor stops reporting?
What should I do when a propane tank monitor stops reporting?
A silent monitor leaves you without current tank data. Check the time of the last real reading and the tank ID. Assign someone to review the delivery need while the supplier checks the fault. Start with those two tasks. The last displayed percent is not proof of today’s level.
A silent monitor leaves you without current tank data. Check the time of the last real reading and the tank ID. Assign someone to review the delivery need while the supplier checks the fault. Start with those two tasks. The last displayed percent is not proof of today’s level.
- A silent monitor leaves you without current tank data.
- TankSpotter is the field-records app your crew carries; it has no sensors on the tank.
What is a stale tank reading?
A stale reading is an old measurement still on the screen after a new report was expected. The screen may look normal. Check the supplier’s report schedule to decide if a reading is late. There is no single timeout for all equipment.
Keep measurement time separate from the time someone opened the screen. Refreshing the page does not prove the sensor took a new reading. Train staff to find the time that matters.
What can we verify before sending someone?
Check the tank ID, the reading’s age and who owns the follow-up. PERC describes tank data moving from sensors through a data link to a database. A fault on that path can leave the office without a new report. The article does not set a universal missed-report deadline.
Ask the supplier to check its device and connection. Meanwhile, have dispatch review the account through your fallback process. A radio fault and a delivery decision need separate attention.
What should our missed-report workflow contain?
Give each task an owner and a clear closeout check. We suggest these office steps:
1. Match the tank ID and last real measurement time.
2. Check that time against the supplier’s report schedule.
3. Assign the supplier fault report and the delivery review.
4. Arrange a current field reading by qualified staff if needed.
5. Close the gap only with a fresh report or a documented fallback result.
This is a desk workflow. It is not a hardware repair guide or an emergency procedure.
What should we keep after the issue is resolved?
Keep the old report, the time gap, the new field reading and the action taken. We suggest that record so the next dispatcher can follow the decision. A fresh report should not erase the history of the gap.
If anyone reports a gas odor or active hazard, stop the routine support process. Follow emergency guidance and your trained company response. Do not wait for a radio fix. Do not use this page to alter tank equipment.
What sources support this answer?
- PERC: data, monitoring and control — Telemetry architecture; does not specify a universal heartbeat timeout.
- PERC: if you smell gas — Emergency sequence; an odor report must not wait for telemetry support.
What is the next step?
Next, assign the delivery review and the supplier fault report to named people.
Related reading: A visit can be recorded with the offline field app. Review delivery alert settings separately from missed-report settings. Browse all operator answers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does no report mean the tank is empty?
No. It means the expected current report did not arrive. That alone proves neither an empty nor a full tank. Review the account through your fallback process. Have qualified staff get a current field reading when that review calls for one.
How many hours without a report is too long?
Use the supplier’s schedule and your account response policy. The sources here do not set one timeout for all devices. Decide who sees the late notice, when they review it and what proof they need to close it. Set that process before a report goes missing.
Can we keep using the last displayed percentage?
Keep it as history with the time it was measured. Do not call it current or use it alone to prove a fill can wait. Dispatch needs to address the data gap while the supplier checks the fault. Record what supported the delivery decision.
Can TankSpotter repair a tank transmitter?
No transmitter repair or integration claim is made here. Follow the supplier’s support instructions. TankSpotter records work people do in the field. Use that record to show the visit and follow-up. Do not imply the app repaired a radio or restored the monitor link.
What if the customer smells gas during the outage?
Treat a gas-odor report as an emergency and stop routine monitor support. Have a trained person follow your company’s emergency response. Use the linked PERC gas-odor guidance for what you tell the customer. Do not wait for a radio repair or a new tank report. This page does not give leak-response steps.
Reviewed: 2026-10-17. By the TankSpotter team. Office guidance, not legal advice or field training. Check the rules for your work with your regulator and qualified trainer.