Propane tank monitor provider shares deployment process

January 20, 2025 By    

Propane retailers’ use of remote tank monitors is growing in popularity.

According to Cargas’ “2025 Top Technology Trends in Fuel Delivery Benchmarking Report,” respondents increased their spending on tank monitors from 69 percent to 71 percent compared to the previous report, with an additional 14 percent maintaining existing tank monitor numbers.

Tank monitor company leaders cite ease of installation in deploying units on tanks. (Photo courtesy of Mopeka)
Tank monitor company leaders cite ease of installation in deploying units on tanks. (Photo courtesy of Mopeka)

So how do propane retailers deploy monitors on hundreds, if not thousands, of tanks? Tank monitor company leaders cite ease of installation and a straightforward process to connect monitors to retailers’ tanks. Companies like Texas-based Mopeka Products prepare their customers from the outset to use the technology.

“We want our customers to understand how the technology works,” explains Kevin Jaffe, co-owner and COO of Mopeka, which provides sonar tank monitoring solutions. “We teach them about sonar, we teach them about how the theory and the algorithms work, so that they can understand what they’re doing and why they’re doing it.”

After the initial training, retailers can begin to deploy monitors on new tanks, retrofitting current customer tanks or a combination of both, Jaffe says.

“We’ll spend a day or two with the field staff – hands-on training and going into the field and working side by side,” he says.

Jaffe relates the training process to learning to ski. Mopeka, which has deployed 1.2 million sensors globally and more than 100,000 in 2024, will demonstrate the process initially, then work with the retailers before having them undertake the process on their own.

“At the end of the day, it’s about self-sufficiency,” Jaffe says. “Very few customers ask us to come out and do the installs for them. We try to discourage that. If you don’t have the expertise or the experience with the equipment, how are you going to support it long term?”

Mopeka will support the customer through resources on its website and mobile app, notes Matt Tredinnick, chief marketing officer at Mopeka. Videos will walk customers step by step through the installation process. In addition, the Mopeka customer support line is always available, as is the expertise through its distributor network.

“Because of the partnership with our distributors, they are providing some of those services as well,” Jaffe says.

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About the Author:

Brian Richesson is the editor in chief of LP Gas Magazine. Contact him at brichesson@northcoastmedia.net or 216-706-3748.

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