Water Tank and Diesel Tank Guages/Sensores

[Wes]

Hi All, 

 

Looking for some reccomendations on a Sensor/Guage for our fresh and diesel tanks. The boat didnt come with any so looking to install for better clarity on whats going on in the depths of the tanks. 

 

Thanks...

[Quattrodave]

I used 'Kus' magnetic sensors and guages.   Pretty good quality, work perfectly and very keenly priced...

 

I'll find a link and post....

 

https://www.asap-supplies.com/products/kus-water-level-gauge-with-stainless-bezel-white-euro-resistance-ky11100

 

https://www.asap-supplies.com/products/kus-fuel-and-water-dip-level-sender-200mm-euro-resistance-js60057

Edited September 20, 2022 by Quattrodave

[Jen-in-Wellies]

8 hours ago, Wes said:

Hi All, 

 

Looking for some reccomendations on a Sensor/Guage for our fresh and diesel tanks. The boat didnt come with any so looking to install for better clarity on whats going on in the depths of the tanks. 

 

Thanks...

What sort of boat do you have? Are the diesel and fresh water tanks built in to and part of the hull, or separate? What are the tanks made of? The sender and gauge that @Quattrodave linked to will only work where you have easy access to the top of the tank, but that top isn't external to the boat and walked on, for example.

There are various options people use, but without the above info, we can't make useful recommendations.

Jen

For example, I've got a narrowboat with a diesel tank built in to the stern. For that, I use a dip stick in to the top of the tank, via the filler, which I made and calibrated myself, based on how the level went up when a known quantity of diesel was added.

My water tank is a stainless steel one, separate from the hull, but with too narrow a gap between the top and the underside of the deck to fit a sender. I have a home made water tank gauge that measures the amount of water I use.

 

 

Edited September 21, 2022 by Jen-in-Wellies

[nicknorman]

I would strongly recommend the MCS water gauge, which is connected to the tank outlet and works on pressure. Very simple to install and very effective. 
 

https://www.mcsboatproducts.co.uk/our-products/freshwater

 

They do a diesel one as well, which goes in from the top of the tank. This is not quite as good because it does tend to loose pressure over time and needs repressurising occasionally (months or years) and if a bit temperature sensitive, but is perfectly adequate.

Edited September 21, 2022 by nicknorman

[Bee]

I used an old fashioned fuel tank sender unit, the swinging arm type from e bay, works fine but you do need to be able to get the assembly into the tank, simply bend the arm with the float to get an accurate 'empty' as that's the bit that matters.

[koukouvagia]

https://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?/topic/97350-water-tank-level-gauge-best-thing-ever/&do=findComment&comment=2173699

 I think the cost may have gone up since 2018, but it's still a very simple and effective method of measuring water consumption.

[PeterF]

8 hours ago, nicknorman said:

I would strongly recommend the MCS water gauge, which is connected to the tank outlet and works on pressure. Very simple to install and very effective. 
 

https://www.mcsboatproducts.co.uk/our-products/freshwater

 

They do a diesel one as well, which goes in from the top of the tank. This is not quite as good because it does tend to loose pressure over time and needs repressurising occasionally (months or years) and if a bit temperature sensitive, but is perfectly adequate.

MCS now do a diesel unit that fits on the fuel offtake if that is at the bottom of the tank like the fresh water one. This does not need to be pressurised. I had one on previous boat and one on current boat, both work well. It should also work if you have a top outlet with dip pipe in the tank but I have never used it in that situation.

[jonathanA]

I've never felt the need to have to have a water or diesel gauge. The Mk I eyeball being good enough.

 

But on the black water tank that would be a god send. (MCS do those too)

Edited September 21, 2022 by jonathanA
Clarify

[Chris John]

I’ve got MCS on both fuel and water and they have been fine and appear to be as accurate as is needed 

[nicknorman]

40 minutes ago, PeterF said:

MCS now do a diesel unit that fits on the fuel offtake if that is at the bottom of the tank like the fresh water one. This does not need to be pressurised. I had one on previous boat and one on current boat, both work well. It should also work if you have a top outlet with dip pipe in the tank but I have never used it in that situation.

Sounds good. Unfortunately our fuel tank is on the base plate and the feed is from a pipe coming out of the top, which never goes below the top.

[cuthound]

1 hour ago, jonathanA said:

I've never felt the need to have to have a water or diesel gauge. The Mk I eyeball being good enough.

 

But on the black water tank that would be a god send. (MCS do those too)

 

Indeed, I fitted an MCS gauge to my waste tank because I was worried in case the bulb in the red "full" indicator failed.

 

An unexpected benefit was that it showed that the "full" light came on with the tank only 50% full, so halved my pump out costs.

[Peugeot 106]

I have a Topargee for the water which i’m very pleased with. It’s like the garden hose type but has a remote readout in litres. Before I get incoming again from all the paupers re it’s cost it’s around £100 so let’s say if you are super rich like me and can afford£100 I think you will be pleased with it and the remote readout is very handy if your pipe work is hidden. It’s easy enough to fit. For the fuel I can dip my tank from the top and use calibrated stick to the nearest 20 litres

[ditchcrawler]

1 hour ago, Peugeot 106 said:

I have a Topargee for the water which i’m very pleased with. It’s like the garden hose type but has a remote readout in litres. Before I get incoming again from all the paupers re it’s cost it’s around £100 so let’s say if you are super rich like me and can afford£100 I think you will be pleased with it and the remote readout is very handy if your pipe work is hidden. It’s easy enough to fit. For the fuel I can dip my tank from the top and use calibrated stick to the nearest 20 litres

Likewise, I can easily dip the diesel tank but not the watertank as the filler is bit of a swan neck so have the MSC pressure sender gauge.