Maretron Pump Control

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Stridesbrown

Newbie
Joined
Jun 14, 2019
Messages
2
Location
Canada
Hello, we have a maretron system installed, using TLM100 tank level sensors. Is it possible to turn on/off a pump using the tank level (NMEA) data?

ie program a DCR100 relay module to close or open at a specific tank level??? Or something similar, using just the NMEA data.......?
Thank you in advance,
Mike.
 
I don't that Maretron makes anything that would take the detected tank level and use that to trigger a pump. They do make the DCR100 for controlling relays, but that's throwing a lot of money at what's normally handled with a simple float switch.

What kind of tank and pump are you talking about here?
 
I don't that Maretron makes anything that would take the detected tank level and use that to trigger a pump. They do make the DCR100 for controlling relays, but that's throwing a lot of money at what's normally handled with a simple float switch.

What kind of tank and pump are you talking about here?

Hey, thanks for reply.
It’s 4 grey water tanks with separate tlm100 sensors and submersible 120VAC PUMPS. I think they are trying to avoid floats for some reason and just rely on the NMEA data......
 
Submersible AC pumps? Yikes. I mean, I get that stuff like that exists, but it's not my idea of safety depending on everything being 'just right' on a boat, to avoid the electrocution risks. I gather this is a commercial vessel?

What's controlling the operation of the pumps now?
 
I thought you could use N2KView to to trigger a DCR on something like a tank level? But I've never tried, so am not sure.


But even if you could, I would recommend against it.


First, I hate to say it, but the TLMs are terrible with gray or black water. Been their, failed, did something different. And know a number of other people who had similarly poor results. So the first problem is that the TLM is not a reliable level sensor, so definitely not suitable for subsequent pump control. On the other hand, their submersible pressure transducer coupled to a FPM100 works very well for gray and black water.


Second, even with reliable level sensing, I have not yet been able to get comfortable with Maretron for any critical control function on an unattended boat. I've had too many little issues with N2KView, some in Maretron, some in windows, and some in Adobe AIR, that cause hangs and require restarts or reboots. For something providing control, that's generally unacceptable. Now perhaps with gray water you can convince yourself that the tank pumps should only cycle when someone is on the boat because otherwise how would you be producing gray water. But you still have risk of a pump turning on when it shouldn't, and maybe staying on. N2KView has gotten a lot better over the years I've been using it, but I'd still be a bit uncomfortable using it for control vs monitoring.
 
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