How to Read a Forklift LP or propane Bottle Gauge
Forklift operators should know certain safety considerations when figuring out how to read a forklift propane bottle gauge. Operators should know when the forklift is low on propane or fuel. Some older forklift models are designed so that the forks lower to the ground slowly and the machinery automatically shuts off when it runs out of fuel. This is very unsafe and could lead to product damage and personal injury. Newer models are designed differently to prevent this from occurring. The driver can operate a handle which stops the forks from falling when the propane runs out.
1 Make sure you know where the propane gauge is situated. Forklift propane gauge looks like a car's gas gauge. It is a small round object located either on the valve on the propane tank or on the dash of the forklift where the rest of the gauges and controls are located.
2 Always keep the gauge cover clean so that the letters and lines behind the glass are readable.
3 Located at the bottom of the gauge is the indicator needle. This needle would show you how much fuel is still inside the propane tank.
4 There are two letters found on the gauge: F for full and E for empty. When the needle arm points at the letter E, it would mean that the propane tank is completely empty. When the needle arm touches the letter F, it means that the propane tank is completely full.
5 In the middle of the gauge, there is a line. When the needle points at the halfway line it would mean the tank is half full of propane.
6 Also there are smaller lines midway between the halfway lines. These lines mean quarters. When the needle arrives at the quarter mark closest to the F, it means there is three-fourths of a tank remaining. When the needle arrives at the quarter mark closest to E, the tank is one-fourth full.