Tank monitor question...

[travelingfools]

Being the thrifty (read cheap) person that I am, I was thinking about level monitors for my fresh and waste tanks. Just for the sake of argument, my idea was to acquire some DC pilot size lites and run the positive direct to them. My grnd would be attached to a screw in the bottom of the tank with screws/wires at intervals up the tank each going to a separate light...using the thought that the liquid would conduct the ground. Could be built inexpensively. I was also thinking if it was 12 volt, I could use a seat belt type chime (with an off switch) as a reminder when my waste tank was at 3/4... Comments/concerns ?

[H3Jim]

Probably the least expensive most reliable setup I've seen is to just attach a clear hose or pipe to the top and bottom of your tank.  that way you have a sight glass and can easily see the fluid level.  YOu do have to look once and a while, but I would think thats not a difficult thing to do.  Generally you will be or should be aware of this and many other things about your coach as you use it.

[travelingfools]

My tanks are opaque enough to see the levels..I was thinking of an inexpensive "remote"..

[tekebird]

outside of having a doodad which can fail I don;t see the need.  If you tankage is correct volum wise you will not overflow black or grey without running out of water first.

but I do think it will take you no time at all to know how much you are using, discarding....and you will know after day 4 I need to dump/fill or something like that

[jjrbus]

Any electrical contact put in a blackwater tank will not be dependable. Go in any RV with intank contacts and check the blackwater gauge the majority of them will show full.

[bowmaga]

You can get fairly cheap monitor from Tri State Surplus for $50.  I doubt you could mess around w/ anything for much less than that...and guarantee it work. They are ebay right now.  Item number: 320244968882

[Jeremy]

I bought one of these from a retailer of new goods on UK Ebay. It was very cheap but should do the job fine. It is actually powered by a PP9 9v battery, but should be easy enough to wire up a permanent power supply to it.

It works in exactly the way you describe, and at the price this unit cost it wouldn't be worth trying to make your own.



Jeremy

[belfert]

The monitor from Tri State Surplus won't work at all since it includes no sensors.

The types of sensors used in most trailers and 5th wheels are simply metal bolts or posts sticking into the tank.  They don't work very well and often read inaccurately.  The tape type sensors that stick to the outside of the tank are reported to work well.

I just open the bay door and look at the tanks to see the level.  Even if the fresh and waste tanks are the same size it is nice to know how much water remains so planning can be done.  

Funny story:  A number of years ago the 100 gallon fresh tank in my travel trailer was reading empty for a while.  My friend was warned not to take a shower, but he did anyhow, and he ran out of water with shampoo in his hair.  He wasn't happy, but we told him the tank was empty before he started.

[kyle4501]

You could put a simple fitting in the bottom of the tank & apply low pressure air. The back pressure will tell you how much is in the tank. If you use a gauge marked in inches of water column, the reading on the gauge will be how many inches of liquid above the connection point in the tank.

[Dallas]

The problem with thinking that Input equals output is that not only are you inputing water from the fresh tank, but you are inputing everything you eat and drink. If you and your friends decide to have a kegger, or even a few extra 12 packs of beer or soda or bottled water... there goes your careful schedule of input/output. Everything you eat is also going in that tank, EVERYTHING!

We have a simple method of checking to see how much space is left in the Dark pool.... We shut off the water pump, grab a flashlight and step on the pedal so we can peer down the trout chute. Easy, Sanitary and Cheap, but if the boss ever drops the flashlight, I ain't goin' after it!

[tekebird]

I am not suggesting that fresh tank equals black/grey.

bot it is not that hard to figure out the appropriate tank size so you will never have a problem.

I seem to recall seeing a per person formula some years ago on the volume of waste produced per person....it was on a boat site about building yachts.

Since the tanks are opaque really no need for a sight gauge.  as I said it will only take a few trips of checking daily to figure out your Tankage "range" then you KNOW......no need to trust a gauge.

people's cars run out of fuel trusting gauges, airplanes crash because of people trusting gauges.....don;t trust a tank gauge.........not so bad to run out of water but when your black tank is over full.....not so nice

[PP]

Also, if everything I ate ended up in the tank, I wouldn't weigh as much as I do. That must account for something, huh? LOL 
The water tank sensors work great. the grey, soso. But the blacks never work. I like the flashlight idea. Do you wait until it gets dark? 

[Dallas]

Also, if everything I ate ended up in the tank, I wouldn't weigh as much as I do. That must account for something, huh? LOL 
The water tank sensors work great. the grey, soso. But the blacks never work. I like the flashlight idea. Do you wait until it gets dark? 

No need to wait until it's dark... The trout know what time it is anyway!

[PP]

he he!   

[TomCat]

Also, if everything I ate ended up in the tank, I wouldn't weigh as much as I do. That must account for something, huh? LOL 
The water tank sensors work great. the grey, soso. But the blacks never work. I like the flashlight idea. Do you wait until it gets dark? 

http://www.catconproducts.com/rv.htm

These do. And it is not necessary to mount these sensors in the tank itself...the inlet or outlet plumbing will do.

Jay
87 SaftLiner