water meters - anyone use them onboard

[Conachair]

I never know how much water is in the tank apart from when it's just been filled. Steel hull with tank built into hull so no easy way to measure level (acually none as bolts are siezed). Has anyone fitted something like this to find out how much has been used since last refill - http://www.pipestock.com/MDPE_Pipes_Fittings_Valves_245/Water_Meters_545/
and if so does it work? Or a (cheaper) alternative?
TIA

 

[William_H]

Wow you see some interesting gear on some of the links here.
The meter could be quite usefull if you have no other way of telling how much is left. There is no indication of how accurate the meter is but perhaps that doesn't matter so much.
I presume you regularly fill the tank to overlow so you know it is full. I must say if it was me I would simply stow away a few plastic containers of water for emergency drinking and let the crew waste water blindly. Containers of water would be usefull in abndon ship kit anyway. good luck olewill

 

[cliffordpope]

Tell-tale clear plastic pipe fitted to the outlet, like on heating oil tanks?

 

[Robin]

Our Jeanneau built back in 1988 is fitted as standard with something very similar and it works very well indeed and I think I have seen them in French chandleries called 'debimetres'. We have 3 separate water tanks with valves to link them all or keep them separate. In practice we keep the starboard tanks linked and run from these as if one tank, with the port tank shut off and kept full. The watermeter is linked in our case electrically to a mechanical counter in the main switch panel and this records in litres of water used, with a push button reset when we fill up. We know exactly how many litres we can use before we risk sucking air and how many to fully empty, like when winterising and the figures have proven very repeatable.

However on our last boat, a Westerly 33 with a large bow tank, we fitted a simple plastic hose sight guage in a locker adjacent to the tank and ran this on into the vent hose. The hose was kept vertical against a bulkhead and marked to show full and empty, in our case the usage was pretty linear and there was no need for more calibration because we could estimate pretty well between the marks.

 

[rogerthebodger]

Have a look at BES www.bes.co.uk

here are products for level indicator shown for oil but can be used for water

 

[Conachair]

Thanks for the links. trouble with sight gauges is that the tanks is built into the keel so no way of getting to anywhere apart from the top. But there's a meter in the link for 15 quid so maybe I'll just go with that.
Cheers

 

[DavidMcMullan]

I fitted a gauge on the outlet line from the water tank, which is made by Mid Service Centre Ltd. Unfortunately I can't find a website for them, but tel no is UK 01213545552. Suitable for tanks 35-150mm depth. It is basically a pressure transducer mounted on a plastic T-piece, so easy to fit. Cable runs from T-piece to gauge with a 0-100% readout. Instructions given for calibration to suit individual tank.
Rgds, David.

 

[david_bagshaw]

used similar with our first boat, very successful, slight pressure drop, but it worked,just had to read when full.

we had a 125 gall tank and could happily go the week between fills.never ran out either.

 

[narooma]

We have one on each fuel tank and one on the water tank. Saves having to go into the engine room to read the dials on the tanks. Easy to install and maintenance free. Very useful.

 

[steve123]

I have flexible water tanks and fitted a water meter so I know what's left in them. The meter was second hand and bought on ebay for about £10 and it works well.