Mainship 390 Black Water Tank

[Walkweb]

We're the proud new owners of a 2000 Mainship 390 rescued from Fort Myers and the aftermath of Ian. Currently trying to work out some of the oddities of its systems - like the black water tank. With no gage to show me the level, can anyone give any hints as to how I know when it's full? And has anyone found a system to monitor the tank level? Crappy subject, I know. Many thanks.

 

[HeadMistress]

Install a tank level monitor. SCAD monitors Scad Tank Monitors are top rated and reasonably priced...available even from Amazon.


And I'm always glad to answer your questions on this "crappy" subject.



--Peggie

 

[Comodave]

We just installed a Scad system in our boat. Pretty simple install but the directions that are in the box are a bit vague. But they have better directions on their website.

 

[tiz]

Not seeing it on Amazon at all. Defender has them but prices seem swapped based on 1 or 2 tank models.

—Kevin

Ps - apparently the two tank one at defender is only the meter, no sending units (sold separate).

 

[Comodave]

I got mine from Defender. They had the best price at the time.

 

[HeadMistress]

...apparently the two tank one at defender is only the meter, no sending units (sold separate).


That's likely to be true at all retailers...and there's a good reason for it: The 2 tank SCAD system can monitor both a water tank and a holding tank. Although almost all holdiing tanks are plastic or fiberglass, water tanks are often metal--and there are still a few metal waste tanks-- on which an external sensor won't work. For metal tanks SCAD offers an internal sensor that's enclosed in a PVC tube hat protects it from the tank contents (if you've ever seen the slime that can build up on the walls of a water tank, it can build up on a tank sensor you'll understand why). So it makes no sense to automatically just include 2 external sensors in every 2 tank system. If you haven't spent any time prowling SCAD's website, I suggest you do so...there's some good info on it.



--Peggie

 

[Comodave]

Not seeing it on Amazon at all. Defender has them but prices seem swapped based on 1 or 2 tank models.

—Kevin

Ps - apparently the two tank one at defender is only the meter, no sending units (sold separate).

The reason the prices seem swapped is that the TM1 comes with a sensor and the TM2 doesn’t. We have a TM1 for our holding tank.

 

[keith c]

If the tank is plastic a bright flashlight on the top of the tank will give you an idea of the level

 

[ranger58sb]

We're the proud new owners of a 2000 Mainship 390 rescued from Fort Myers and the aftermath of Ian. Currently trying to work out some of the oddities of its systems - like the black water tank. With no gage to show me the level, can anyone give any hints as to how I know when it's full? And has anyone found a system to monitor the tank level? Crappy subject, I know. Many thanks.

I'm surprised there's no sensor/gauge there already.

At least one other of the Luhrs Group makers used WEMA (now KUS) in-tank sensor systems... and the newer versions that are available now work OK.

Ditto their similar sensors for freshwater systems, and for fuel tanks...

-Chris

 

[Comodave]

The problem with in the tank sensors is they get dirty and stop working. Then you have to clean them, yuk. Our boat had them and didn’t work so I just took them out of service and went with the Scad system.

 

[ranger58sb]

The problem with in the tank sensors is they get dirty and stop working. Then you have to clean them, yuk.

There is that. OTOH, I didn't find it too horrible. Pump out and rinse the tank first, of course.

Remove the sensor and drop it in a bucket of cleaning stuff (muriatic acid, whatever). Replace the sensor immediately with another kept for spare.

Eventually rinse the newly-cleaned sensor and stow it for next time. In our case, access was easy, so the whole "remove and swap" drill only took about 10 minutes from start to finish.

-Chris

 

[Comodave]

There is that. OTOH, I didn't find it too horrible. Pump out and rinse the tank first, of course.

Remove the sensor and drop it in a bucket of cleaning stuff (muriatic acid, whatever). Replace the sensor immediately with another kept for spare.

Eventually rinse the newly-cleaned sensor and stow it for next time. In our case, access was easy, so the whole "remove and swap" drill only took about 10 minutes from start to finish.

-Chris

Better you than me.

 

[ranger58sb]

Better you than me.

-Chris