How to Read a Forklift LP or propane Bottle Gauge
There are important safety reasons for forklift drivers to know how to read a forklift propane bottle gauge. The driver needs to know when the forklift is almost out of gas. Several kinds of forklifts that are older 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 really unsafe and could lead to personal injury and product damage. Newer models are designed differently to avoid this from happening. The driver could operate a handle that stops the forks from falling when the propane runs out.
1 Make sure you know where the propane gauge is located. Forklift propane gauge are a lot like a car's gas gauge. It is a small round object situated either on the valve on the propane tank or on the forklift dash where the rest of the gauges and controls are located.
2 Make sure to keep the gauge cover clean so that information behind the glass is legible.
3 Locate the indicator needle at the bottom of the gauge. This needle shows you how much fuel is still inside the propane tank.
4 On the gauge: E represents empty and F represents full. When the needle arm arrives at the letter E, it means that the propane tank is completely empty. When the needle arm points at the letter F, it means that the propane tank is completely full.
5 Notice the line in the middle of the gauge. When the needle points at the halfway line it means that the tank is half full of propane.
6 Normally, there are smaller lines midway between the halfway lines. These lines indicate quarters. When the needle arrives at the quarter mark nearest the F, it will mean that there is three-fourths of a tank remaining. When the needle points at the quarter mark nearest E, the tank is a quarter full.