How to Read a Forklift LP or propane Bottle Gauge
There are important safety reasons for forklift drivers to know how to read a propane bottle gauge on a forklift. The operator has to know when the forklift is almost out of gas. Several older forklift models are designed so that the forks lower slowly to the ground and the machinery shuts off automatically when the vehicle runs out of fuel. This is very unsafe and could result in product damage and personal injury. Newer kinds of forklifts are designed differently to prevent this from happening. The driver can operate a handle which stops the forks from falling when the propane runs out.
1 Make certain you know where the propane gauge is situated. Forklift propane gauge looks like an automobile's gas gauge. It is a small round object located either on the forklift dash where the rest of the gauges and controls are situated or on the propane tank's valve.
2 Make sure to always keep the gauge cover clean so that information behind the glass is legible.
3 Situated at the bottom of the gauge is the indicator needle. This needle will show you how much fuel is still in the propane tank.
4 On the gauge: E represents empty and F represents full. When the needle arm points at the letter E, it would mean that the propane tank is totally empty. When the needle arm points at the letter F, it will mean that the propane tank is totally full.
5 Notice the line in the middle of the gauge. When the needle touches the halfway line it will mean the tank is half full of propane.
6 Also there are smaller lines midway between the halfway lines. These lines indicate quarters. When the needle touches the quarter mark closest to the F, it means there is three-fourths of a tank remaining. When the needle touches the quarter mark nearest E, the tank is a quarter full.