Liquid level senders - waste and diesel

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Boo2

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Hi,

I have some new tankage - waste and diesel - and I was thinking of installing some level instrumentation other than the mk1 visual and olefactory equipment that came supplied as standard. Ideally it would have NMEA2K outputs so I can pipe it to the MFD (got no spare NMEA183 ports left on that).

I don't want to spend an arm and a leg, even 'normal' (non NMEA) senders seem pricy to me. I also don't want to drill any extra holes in my tanks so some of the new sonar-based types would be ideal.

Anyone been down this road recently and have any suggestions ?

Thanks,

Boo2
 
Is it really more useful to have your holding tank level displayed on the plotter than on a dedicated gauge somewhere in the cabin (for example, the heads compartment)? The fuel level at least is "operational" data rather than domestic, but the plotter still doesn't seem like the right place for it on a sailing boat. This technology exists because motorboat people need to monitor the fuel state, flow rate, etc under way far more than we do who fill up every few weeks at most, and to use it just because it's there seems like a classic piece of tech-first, rather than user-centred, design to me.

By way of example, I wired Ariam's fuel gauge to come on with the engine, but I find myself constantly having to turn on the ignition (including opening up the binnacle cover, if fitted) to answer questions like "will we have to go via the fuel berth tomorrow morning?". I'm thinking of re-wiring it to the domestic supply, via a pushbutton next to the gauge that you press when you want to read it. I certainly don't want to have to go on deck and turn on the plotter as well.

Pete
 
My fuel tank sender failed after 30 years, I replaced it with an Osculati one. The old one had a cranked arm whereas the new has a simple float around a vertical tube. I was advised that the yard uses them for all types of fluids and have found them to be very reliable. Not very expensive, they come in a range of lengths to suit the tank.
 
Have a look at the Maretron TLM100 (non invasive) and the offerings from Offshore systems UK (invasive) I have fitted a few from each supplier, both are N2K certified, fairly easy to calibrate and tank label. I have had no call backs on any of them and none gave any frustration during fitting..
 
vyv_cox said:
How much?? £190 plus the drop cable and backbone T, so well over £200. My float-type sender was about €40 I think.
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Yours won't show up on the OP's fighter-pilot Multi Functional Display though :p. Contents of the turd tank is vital navigational information so obviously it needs to be connected into the instrument data bus :D

(Credit to David for actually answering the OP's question though, I would have if I could. But I do wonder whether Boo2 has really thought about how he will use this stuff day to day, and about what is actually an appropriate design. For usability, simple dedicated displays often win over pure tech.)

Pete
 
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vyv_cox said:
How much?? £190 plus the drop cable and backbone T, so well over £200. My float-type sender was about €40 I think.
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Yer pays yer money yer takes yer choice, on a little boat probably overkill but on a larger boat especially newer ones with an existing backbone and multi site displays they become more appropriate. Also some people just like to have stuff like this where others are happy with a stick to check level or wait untill nothing comes out of the taps or stuff comes out of the breather, it's not always about money.
 
Taking on board what people have said, and also the prices of this stuff, I have more or less decided on this sender from Tek Tanks : http://tektankslimited.com/self-adhesive-non-invasive-sender-9003-1626-p.asp It doesn't have any way to externally connect it to NMEA2K but I suppose really you want the display near the tank for a waste tank as people have said.

Anyone here used it and have any comments ?

Thanks,

Boo2
 
Those are quite good, especially on black water tanks, but not a lot cheaper as you are still into over £400 including the monitors, more than a pair of N2K senders read from the MFD.
 
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