Reliable/accurate tank level sensors/gauges?

Rando

Explorer
We have only had our new FWC Fleet flatbed for a little over a month, and I can already see that the the lack of detail on the factory gauge panel is going to be an issue. We have already added a Victron BMV-700 battery monitor to get a better idea of available battery capacity. Now I am looking at the water level gauge. Based on the factory gauge, it is hard to tell the difference between 7 gallons left (stay out for 2 more nights) or 1 gallons left (head for town ASAP). Has anyone installed a higher precision gauge in their camper?

In my brainstorming I have considered adding a sight glass:
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/lk.htm

It looks like it would be pretty easy to T into the tank drain line and run a line out to the front of a cabinet for a glass like. This solution seems like it would be very reliable, but maybe a little old school.

I am also looking at electronic options like these:
https://www.garnetinstruments.com/products/709es-sender/
But I can't find a single tank display that would work with this sensor.


Any other ideas or solutions people have had good luck with?
 
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Rando

Explorer
Yeah, but sight glasses are also kind of retro steam punk, like using a Svea 123R to boil water for your pour over.

Ultrasonic level sensors seem to be a a little on the spendy side.
 
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IdaSHO

IDACAMPER
I really considered some of the ultrasonic tank monitors.

But at the end of the day, simplicity in design won out.

Instead of having to worry about something else to wire, install, and eventually fail...

I simply designed our prototype camper to allow tank monitoring by opening a cabinet door or two

Both fresh water and grey water are easily seen this way.


Fanciest thing I did was measure the tanks prior to install, and use Sharpie to mark volume indicators right on the tanks.
 

XJINTX

Explorer
Subscribing!

Has anyone had an issue with inaccuracy? I fill mine with an inline flow meter on hose as per gallon. It seems to measure pretty accurate as to full or when I fill 10 gal to half full. I wonder what FWC says about this and what is actually used for the sending unit ? I guess we are lucky, either we don't use as much or don't stay off grid as long? I am always sure to fill when possible at where ever possible. We carry drinking water separate so that helps I guess?
 

Joe917

Explorer
These look like a good (and inexpensive) solution that would give me better than 1 gallon resolution. However it doesn't look like there is enough space between the top of my tank and the cabinet above it to fit the sensor head.

I just measured the sensor head on my gauge, 3/4" above tank.
These are more accurate with high narrow tanks than shallow wide tanks.(We have 2 tanks 22"high 350 liters each). I do notice when filling the gauge lags behind.
 

Rando

Explorer
I just measured the sensor head on my gauge, 3/4" above tank.
These are more accurate with high narrow tanks than shallow wide tanks.(We have 2 tanks 22"high 350 liters each). I do notice when filling the gauge lags behind.

I measured, and it appears that FWC built the cabinet around the tank so there is essentially no clearance, except on one end. Given that limitation, I think this may be my best option:
http://www.newprovidencemarine.com/product_sensor.html#foil
It sticks to the outside of the tank and produces an analog voltage proportional to tank level. Any one have experience with these?
 

Captm

Adventurer
We are old school and use a dip stick with notches. We poured in a gallon at a time and notched the 3/8 dowel rod at each level. We have a access port in the top of the tank to take the measurements.

Cheers
 

grizzlyj

Tea pot tester
Hiya
.
Ive been told ultra sonic ones aren't very accurate?
.
Victron do sensors to fit in with their all in one display unit but its silly money.
.
These were recommended, the monitor can cover four different tanks and it seems cheaper than other similar set ups.
.
http://www.philippi-online.de/index.php5?url=produkte.php5&m1id=2&sprache=en&kat1_nr=3&kat2_nr=2
.
That top down fitting also means no holes in the side of our tanks.
.
Our last set up had I think four sensors glued in the side of the tank, we measured how much water we put in before each one lit up, but they ended up getting calcified from hard water creating inaccuracy and were a bugger to get back at.
 

Iain_U1250

Explorer
The ones I have in my water tanks has "ISC" on them, they were supplied by Atlas Tanks, who made the custom water tanks for us. It is a simple float on a rod, and the gauge moves to only five positions, E-1/4 - 1/2 - 3/4 - F. When it is on the E mark, we have about 20 litres left, and when they move to F, I can still put in about 10 litres before the water comes out the breather holes. This is due to the fixed length of the sensor pipe, They were only $30 each with the gauge, but good enough for us.

The sensors are top mounted, and have been good for a year now despite being on some of the roughest roads in Australia with no leaks and have been pretty consistent. We carry about 90litres in each tank, and 20litres in the calorifier. We try and fill up as soon as we get one tank to the empty mark.

I saw some people with bigger water tanks have a flow type, something like this. [URL="http://www.watermeters.com.au/products/GSD8%252d45-Single%252dJet-15mm-or-1%7B47%7D2%22-Cold-Water-Meter-with-45-degree-reading.html"]http://www.watermeters.com.au/products/GSD8%252d45-Single%252dJet-15mm-or-1%7B47%7D2%22-Cold-Water-Meter-with-45-degree-reading.html [/URL] Plumbed properly, you can monitor your exact water usage, then when you feed water in, have it plumbed so the feed runs backwards through the meter to take it back to zero each time.
 

Semi-Hex

Enfant Terrible
A sightglass is so oldschool, No legitimate 'ExpoGuy should consider that !
Ultrasonic tanklevel monitoring is common in industry. But dunno how well it can work on a mobile tank.

btw, those above links are buggered...

So I'm old school but I think the sight glass works just fine for me. Not one of those fancy beer making units, just clear plastic tubing with felt pen marks.
 

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