Tank Liquid Level

[tex4judy]

Hello - many of the experienced people who post here have helped me in the past. For over three years we worked Saturdays to convert a plain white Sprinter into an RV. Our systems include a Nations secondary alternator, Xantrex inverter/converter/load manager, Blue Seas switch/breaker panels, infloor heat, Rixen diesel heat and hot water, etc. The only system that doesn't work well is the LevelGuard tank "tender." After a fair amount of trouble shooting, I suspect that the sensors provided are not enough to "see" the liquid level of polyethylene/polypropylene tanks that are 5/16" to 3/8" thick - especially near the corners. What system do you use and are you happy with it? Thanks in advance.

[avanti]

The Garnet "See Level" family seems to be the best of the non-exotic approaches:

https://www.garnetinstruments.com/rv-shop/products/

In our experience the tank units, which are strips of some kind of capacitive (or some such) sensors that you stick onto the outside of the tanks, are quite reliable. The 7-segment display on ours head unit has always been somewhat flakey, but mostly works as advertised.

[tex4judy]

I was looking at those today. Thank you sir.

[booster]

We also have the SeeLevel and have for quite a while. No issues to this point.


Keep in mind that the unit can't know about odd shaped tank non linear capacity, sitting on a slope, sloshing, etc, so you need to not get overly critical at any given place in time.


We found that making a small chart of actual level vs reading to be very helpful. I just filled the tanks a gallon at a time and noted the reading to make the chart, which is posted next to the display so we know how many gallons to full or empty depending on which tank.

[avanti]

Originally Posted by booster

Keep in mind that the unit can't know about odd shaped tank non linear capacity

The sensor strips can be cut and daisy-chained, and they don't necessarily have to be installed completely vertically, so a sufficiently anal installer could likely spoof the system to adjust for these things to some extent.

I, myself, am not quite that anal.

[avanti]

Btw, there exists an obscure technical services bulletin that provides important installation information that is not present in the See Level installation installation book:

https://www.dyersonline.com/download...tfile_id/2591/

Notably, you are supposed to protect the sensor strips by coating them with rubberized automotive undercoating compound.

[tex4judy]

Avanti; you and Booster have been very helpful through this process. I smile to remember that I asked you how the buss bars work. And you turned me on to Rixen - complicated install with the altitude add-on; but it works like a charm. Thanks again guys.

[rauscs]

I've upgraded to the seelevel system, and it is a lot more accurate than the standard systems. Do follow their advise and tape the sensors into place until you have everything tested and working properly. I didn't do this and had to replace a couple of the sensors (not cheap) because removing them once stuck down can destroy them.