The partnership between Quirky and GE continues to bear fruit following the release of various smart products designed to work in conjunction with the Wink app. Joining the family is Refuel, a smart propane gas gauge designed to ensure your barbeque guests aren't dished up a plate of salad and raw meat after your grill runs out of gas.
The brainchild of Anthony Reddington, the ReFuel consists of a ring base of reinforced plastic and rubber on which a barbeque's propane tank is placed. This ring acts as a scale to measure the weight of the tank and calculate the amount of fuel remaining, which can be displayed by a series of LEDs on a sensor module. This sensor module is connected to the base via a heat-resistant cable and attaches magnetically to the tank or grill.
Gas levels can also be tracked remotely through the Wink app (available for iOS and Android), which also tracks the user's barbequing habits over time to calculate the average tank life in days and the average number of grills per tank. The user can also receive alerts when gas is running low. However, Wink app functions require the ReFuel to be connected to the home Wi-Fi network.
The ReFuel is designed to work with any grills without hanging propane tanks and is powered by four AA batteries. The base measures 9.4 x 9.4 x 2 in (240 x 240 x 52 mm), while the magnetic sensor module measures 3.5 x 3.5 x 1 in (90 x 90 x 25 mm). It is priced at US$49.99.
The unit is introduced in the following video.
Source: Quirky
Why not just buy a standard sub-$20 tank gauge?
This thing costs $49.99. You'd be better off just buying a spare tank at $45 including gas. Then when the one attached empties, swap them and refill at your convenience.
The only novelty here is that it connects to your smartphone which is only useful if it is internet connected and you carry an empty spare in your trunk... Then you could check your fuel level while at the grocery and refill the empty if needed. That would still mean a $99 investment that a full spare could have solved.
But, for about USD$13.00, I can buy a propane gas gauge at any home center. About a dozen companies now sell the gauges and they work like a champ.
No Batteries Required.