Holding tank level backup

Discovered an easy way to verify our holding tank level. We have cameras in the ER with IR. Without lights on in the ER you can easily see the level in the holding tank. If you go down and look at the tank you can not see level. With a bright flashlite against the tank you can find the level with a little persistence. If you don't trust the level floats, this is a good backup.

Looks like you are about due for a pump out. Unfortunately my tank is below the deck and not visible.

I made my own tank out of fiberglass, Nytex and epoxy. For years I was able to shine a strong flashlight on the side and see the level. NOt so much anymore as staining has blurred the image. The tank is not in quite as easily accessed an area either which likely has an effect.
I do clean the tank but the stain seems to be set.

Maybe the poly will be less prone to staining for you, hope so.

C lectric said:

I made my own tank out of fiberglass, Nytex and epoxy. For years I was able to shine a strong flashlight on the side and see the level. NOt so much anymore as staining has blurred the image. The tank is not in quite as easily accessed an area either which likely has an effect.
I do clean the tank but the stain seems to be set.

Maybe the poly will be less prone to staining for you, hope so.

Click to expand...

I pulled the tank and cleaned it during my fuel lank replacement. It soaked in detergent for a few weeks. Most of the scale came off the sides. I don't think it matters how crusty the tank is. The IR lights on the camera show the fluid level. That picture was taken in a pitch black ER, no lights.

Why have a system you can't trust...which unfortunately is true of all tank level monitors that use internal senders because the senders become clogged with the animal fats in waste (the same animal fats that build up on your tank walls)...requiring removal and cleaning manually with a strong solution of deteregent and water and a scrub brush.

Replace your system with one that uses external senders. The SCAD Scad Tank Monitors system was top rated by Practical Sailor...if your current system is a Dometic/SeaLand TankWatch, you can use the same wiring.

There'd have to be years of buildup on the tank walls to interfere with the senders. A power washer and strong detergent will clean the tank walls.


--Peggie

"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't completely understand it yourself." --Albert Einstein

I finally followed Peggie’s advice that did that this fall. It was cheap and easy enough that even I was able to do it.

A scan of the side of the tank with a cheap thermal gun from Harbor Freight will also detect the demarcation between fluid and air in the tank.

So every time you want to know how much is in the tank, you only have to find the gun, then crawl into the space where the holding tank is and take a reading. That's SO much easier than just touching a button on a display panel in the head!


--Peggie

Rufus said:

A scan of the side of the tank with a cheap thermal gun from Harbor Freight will also detect the demarcation between fluid and air in the tank.

Click to expand...

I'd forgotten about this suggestion. I will try it when we recommission next spring and start using the boat. I have the meter, just didn't think about this use.


My tank is sealed. I would have to cut it open to access the interior so untill a greater need presses me I won''t do that. I will do it if need be and I have thought about it, when building it, if ever a serious need arises. Closing the hole will not be a big deal for me, just a lot of work to get at it.

Maybe I should try the camera also or instead of.

But I will shoot the tank.
Thank You for the idea.

Greetings,
Mr. f. Interesting bonus. On the other hand every time I read the title of this thread, I get this strange feeling. I really don't think the words "holding tank" and "backup" should be used in the same sentence AND most certainly NOT in polite company... It just seems wrong, somehow.

My tank is sealed. I would have to cut it open to access the interior so untill a greater need presses me I won''t do that. I will do it if need be and I have thought about it, when building it, if ever a serious need arises. Closing the hole will not be a big deal for me, just a lot of work to get at it.

Why would you need to access the interior of a tank to install senders on the outside of the tank????


--Peggie

C lectric said:

I made my own tank out of fiberglass, Nytex and epoxy. For years I was able to shine a strong flashlight on the side and see the level. NOt so much anymore as staining has blurred the image. The tank is not in quite as easily accessed an area either which likely has an effect.
I do clean the tank but the stain seems to be set.

Maybe the poly will be less prone to staining for you, hope so.

Click to expand...

An external sensor, such as Peggie mentioned, would allow you to read the level in the tank without cutting any holes in the tank.

And if you don't happen to have a plastic tank with the sides exposed, this is an interesting option: https://sterling-power.com/products/pneumatic-tank-guage

Expensive, but seemingly foolproof and not that much more expensive than some in tank systems.

I actually have installed the external sensor type. Have not yet gotten it to work.
It's on my list to talk to Dennis Fariello [ not spelled correctly I'm sure} and get one of his units. Just too many other things taking my time.

I have been using the “Gobius” external tank measuring system. I use it on my aluminum fresh water tank. I was very skeptical at first but I have been using it for two years and it has been spot on.

HeadMistress said:

So every time you want to know how much is in the tank, you only have to find the gun, then crawl into the space where the holding tank is and take a reading. That's SO much easier than just touching a button on a display panel in the head!


--Peggie

Click to expand...

The subject is in regard to a backup. In any case, my tank is easily accessible and I know exactly where the gun is located. I suspect the external system you're "advocating" is thermal sensor based as is the video imager mentioned by the OP....wonder how the cost of a video camera like that stacks up against the cost of the external tank sensor. Depending on the location of the tank, the former obviously performs several functions.

Rufus said:

The subject is in regard to a backup. In any case, my tank is easily accessible and I know exactly where the gun is located. I suspect the external system you're "advocating" is thermal sensor based as is the video imager mentioned by the OP....wonder how the cost of a video camera like that stacks up against the cost of the external tank sensor. Depending on the location of the tank, the former obviously performs several functions.

Click to expand...

The camera was $59. You can get them for $39. It is Wifi and controlled by my phone. I took the picture in Maryland when the boats in Florida. Funny how these threads morp. I just wanted to share something I discovered. My tank floats work pretty well. External sensors are probably better.

Rufus said:

I suspect the external system you're "advocating" is thermal sensor based as is the video imager mentioned by the OP....wonder how the cost of a video camera like that stacks up against the cost of the external tank sensor. Depending on the location of the tank, the former obviously performs several functions.

Click to expand...

If you'd bothered to click on the link I provided you'd know you suspect incorrectly.


--Peggie
"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't completely understand it yourself." --Albert Einstein

fryedaze said:

The camera was $59. You can get them for $39. It is Wifi and controlled by my phone. I took the picture in Maryland when the boats in Florida. Funny how these threads morp. I just wanted to share something I discovered. My tank floats work pretty well. External sensors are probably better.

Click to expand...

At $39, an IR camera makes a whole lot more sense then any of the tank mounted systems. Beats chopping yet another hole for a panel in the woodwork and stringing more wires. Thanks for the photo...and price info.

link

Okay FryeDaze give us a link to the camera

Capitaine R said:

Okay FryeDaze give us a link to the camera

Click to expand...

https://www.amazon.com/Foscam-FI982... fi+camera&dpPl=1&dpID=41GTdk7AeqL&ref=plSrch

https://www.amazon.com/Amcrest-HDSe...ifi+camera&dpPl=1&dpID=41Q5bxKqinL&ref=plSrch

Amazon has a butt load of Wifi wireless cameras. They are always changing.

There has been a lot of discussion about power washing the tank to clean it. Dometic make a great product that I put down the heads when laying the boat up or if I leave for a while that cleans the tank. This really does work as I had a problem with the black water pump and the tank didn't get pumped out during a very hot summer in France for 3 months. I'll leave you to think about the description. Three sachets of this stuff left the stuff easy to pump out and when I inspected the inside of the tank to see if the fixed pump had worked it was pristine.

here's the link

https://www.dometic.com/en-gb/uk/products/hygiene-and-sanitation/cleaning/chemicals-and-consumables

Not a bad idea. Practical solution to high tech. I have a backup sensor to my Maretron. It was a lot more expensive than your common sense solution.
Cheers!

Wifi camera for engine room/holding tank

try www.Wyze.com
i now have six of these for my office, home and boat..
they sell for around 25 bucks apiece. no monthly fee,
track motion, sound, IR in the dark,
pretty sweet deal

I have no financial interest.

bruce adornato
san francisco

Immensely useful thread: thanks to the OP for starting, and everyone's contribution.

We have a fiberglass tank, Gel coated. No way to see the level. Live aboard 10 years since boat was new. We had a float type system for 3 years, but it was always faulty. Went with the Raritan external tank monitor it worked very well for 3 years and then stopped reading below half a tank. I replaced the external copper strips but it still only works down to half tank. I suspect it has scale on the tank walls? Peggy??? Is there some other external tank monitor which might be less affected by scale?

We have learned over 10 years that we add 4 gallons of effluent and flush water every day. The 50 gallon tank can go about 12 days. 14 if we are careful. So we have found we can time the need for a pump out quite precisely. Still I'd like to have a reliable gauge So today I tried the infra red temp gun. The temp in the bottom 4-5 inches of the tank is 64.3. the temperature in the top 5-6 inches is 64.7 so yes there is a small difference and i can pin point the level of the fluid as being somewhere between 4 and 12 inches above the bottom. On a 20" tall tank, that is not a very high degree of accuracy. But I'll check it every day till pump out in 3 days to see if I can monitor the rise.

Where can the IR camera's be purchased?

tadhana,

Just some thoughts... Let’s say our holding tank is half full. The bottom has effluent and the top half has air. If our boat sits for a considerable amount of time and the temperature is allowed to equalize, the the effluent and air temperature should be the same, or close to it, as in your measurements.

It seems like we should check the IR temperature difference about an hour after a cruise (warm engine room). At that point I would expect the air temperature above the effluent to be warmer. This would give us a more accurate line, or level, between the effluent and air above.

Thoughts?

Isabella, asked and answered on the previous page; there are many options, it seems.

Dave: How'd you wire in the power supply? It looks like it needs 5 vdc. I recently used a dc/dc converter so I could eliminate a 120 VAC adaptor on a satellite radio with good success. Now you have me thinking.

https://www.amazon.com/SMAKN-Conver..._rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=7D1WEZAZMW3DVC3EGCM6