Holding Tank Level

[Ken Coit]

Does anyone have a pleasant and inexpensive way of checking the level of the holding tank?

Ken
S/V Parfait
Raleigh, NC



parfait@nc.rr.com

[John R.]

Does anyone have a pleasant and inexpensive way of checking the level of the holding tank?

Ken
S/V Parfait
Raleigh, NC

Sure Ken,

You can make a simple very inexpensive "full" level sensor out of a standard access port, two stainless bolts, a couple of flat washers and a indicator lamp, switch and wire.

Just install the access port in the top of a tank or use the existing one. Cut the heads off two machine bolts, then install each one in a hole drilled through the access port cap with a washer on the bottom and another one on the top, caulk under each washer, install a hex nut on the bottom side of the cap and on the top side of the cap. adjust the position of the bolt shank until the majority of it's length is on the bottom side of the cap and only enough thread is on the top side of the cap so you can have a flat washer, a lock washer, hex nut and another hex nut or cap nut. Do the same for both bolt shanks.

What you wind up with is a cap with two probes sticking out of the bottom at whatever length you want. You can use threaded rod if you want long probes. On the top of the cap you wind up with two short posts that you connect a ground wire to. One lead of the ground from the 12V power source goes to one post and another ground lead runs from the second post to the ground leg of an indicator light. You just use a switch in the circuit to the indicator light, don't forget to fuse the circuit.

You can grind the tips of the bolts to a point if you like so water or fluids will not collect. This is a simple level indicator that requires no new holes in the tank and warns you in plenty of time before over filling the tank and it's dirt cheap. No moving parts to fail. You can make it in about 30 minutes. I'll send you a pic of the one I made if you are interested.

[John MacArthur]

Does anyone have a pleasant and inexpensive way of checking the level of the holding tank?

Ken
S/V Parfait
Raleigh, NC

I just hold a powerful flashlight directly on the top of the tank, pointed down, and look at the side -- it's quite easy to see the level. This, of course, wouldn't work if the tank has been replaced with an opaque one.



jmac@laplaza.org

[Ken Coit]

John,

Thanks for the ideas; if you can email me a photo that would be great, but I have the concept, so don't burn a stamp and hard copy. How conductive are the contents? Can I expect lower resistance with more contact or is a little contact all it takes? Did you experiment with different wattage bulbs? What did you use? I'm thinking that an LED tower might be nice (1/4, 1/2, 3/4, Full) to help predict disaster given sporadic usage, but I don't want five probes. Anything would be better than nothing, even the flashlight.

Thanks again,

Ken

Does anyone have a pleasant and inexpensive way of checking the level of the holding tank?

Ken
S/V Parfait
Raleigh, NC

Sure Ken,

You can make a simple very inexpensive "full" level sensor out of a standard access port, two stainless bolts, a couple of flat washers and a indicator lamp, switch and wire.

Just install the access port in the top of a tank or use the existing one. Cut the heads off two machine bolts, then install each one in a hole drilled through the access port cap with a washer on the bottom and another one on the top, caulk under each washer, install a hex nut on the bottom side of the cap and on the top side of the cap. adjust the position of the bolt shank until the majority of it's length is on the bottom side of the cap and only enough thread is on the top side of the cap so you can have a flat washer, a lock washer, hex nut and another hex nut or cap nut. Do the same for both bolt shanks.

What you wind up with is a cap with two probes sticking out of the bottom at whatever length you want. You can use threaded rod if you want long probes. On the top of the cap you wind up with two short posts that you connect a ground wire to. One lead of the ground from the 12V power source goes to one post and another ground lead runs from the second post to the ground leg of an indicator light. You just use a switch in the circuit to the indicator light, don't forget to fuse the circuit.

You can grind the tips of the bolts to a point if you like so water or fluids will not collect. This is a simple level indicator that requires no new holes in the tank and warns you in plenty of time before over filling the tank and it's dirt cheap. No moving parts to fail. You can make it in about 30 minutes. I'll send you a pic of the one I made if you are interested.

parfait@nc.rr.com

[Ken Coit]

Sounds pleasant, simple and cheap. I have been avoiding this, but it must be done.....There may not be time for more complicated means.

Thanks,

Ken

Does anyone have a pleasant and inexpensive way of checking the level of the holding tank?

Ken
S/V Parfait
Raleigh, NC

I just hold a powerful flashlight directly on the top of the tank, pointed down, and look at the side -- it's quite easy to see the level. This, of course, wouldn't work if the tank has been replaced with an opaque one.

parfait@nc.rr.com

[Dennis Truett]

I have a white plastic holding tank. I place my flashlight on the top of the tank which puts enough light inside the tank to look on the side of the tank to see the level. Hows that for inexpensive?

Good luck
Dennis Truett
CD26D

Does anyone have a pleasant and inexpensive way of checking the level of the holding tank?

Ken
S/V Parfait
Raleigh, NC

[Al Levesque]

I have a white plastic holding tank. I place my flashlight on the top of the tank which puts enough light inside the tank to look on the side of the tank to see the level. Hows that for inexpensive?

We replaced the white plastic access cover with a clear one to allow more light to enter the tank. The clear also sometimes allows viewing down in side, though condensation makes it better to rely on the flashlight.

Al



albertlevesque@cove.com

[John R.]

Ken,
I'll e-mail you a pic of the unit. Real simple and super basic design. Because you are talking about a holding tank I recommend the thing be as simple as possible. In my book as long as it warns me before it is completely full I'm happy. You could use a small alarm as well as or in place of a indicator light if that is more appealing. The stainless bolts conduct ample current. You could always use bronze if you are inclined but you will then be faced with corrosion problems and more maintenance.

The setup I made takes very little contact to conduct sufficient ground to illuminate the small indicator lamp that fits in a 5/16" hole. I don't recall the wattage of the small lamp but it is very low with very low current consumption. You could use an LED or an array of LED's with a resistor but why complicate matters.

I would say if you want to do the complex multiple level indicator you would be better off purchasing a unit from Headhunters or similar.

John,

Thanks for the ideas; if you can email me a photo that would be great, but I have the concept, so don't burn a stamp and hard copy. How conductive are the contents? Can I expect lower resistance with more contact or is a little contact all it takes? Did you experiment with different wattage bulbs? What did you use? I'm thinking that an LED tower might be nice (1/4, 1/2, 3/4, Full) to help predict disaster given sporadic usage, but I don't want five probes. Anything would be better than nothing, even the flashlight.

Thanks again,

Ken

Does anyone have a pleasant and inexpensive way of checking the level of the holding tank?

Ken
S/V Parfait
Raleigh, NC

Sure Ken,

You can make a simple very inexpensive "full" level sensor out of a standard access port, two stainless bolts, a couple of flat washers and a indicator lamp, switch and wire.

Just install the access port in the top of a tank or use the existing one. Cut the heads off two machine bolts, then install each one in a hole drilled through the access port cap with a washer on the bottom and another one on the top, caulk under each washer, install a hex nut on the bottom side of the cap and on the top side of the cap. adjust the position of the bolt shank until the majority of it's length is on the bottom side of the cap and only enough thread is on the top side of the cap so you can have a flat washer, a lock washer, hex nut and another hex nut or cap nut. Do the same for both bolt shanks.

What you wind up with is a cap with two probes sticking out of the bottom at whatever length you want. You can use threaded rod if you want long probes. On the top of the cap you wind up with two short posts that you connect a ground wire to. One lead of the ground from the 12V power source goes to one post and another ground lead runs from the second post to the ground leg of an indicator light. You just use a switch in the circuit to the indicator light, don't forget to fuse the circuit.

You can grind the tips of the bolts to a point if you like so water or fluids will not collect. This is a simple level indicator that requires no new holes in the tank and warns you in plenty of time before over filling the tank and it's dirt cheap. No moving parts to fail. You can make it in about 30 minutes. I'll send you a pic of the one I made if you are interested.

[matt Cawthorne]

Ken,
Here is a old post of walts. It seems like the least intrusive way to get a good sense of the level in a less than full tank if you have a tank that you can not see through.


http://www.toolworks.com/cgi-bin/tw/wwboard.cgi?cd&9962

Matt



mcawthor@bellatlantic.net

[Ken Coit]

Matt,

Thanks, I'll check that out.

Ken

Ken,
Here is a old post of walts. It seems like the least intrusive way to get a good sense of the level in a less than full tank if you have a tank that you can not see through.


http://www.toolworks.com/cgi-bin/tw/wwboard.cgi?cd&9962

Matt

parfait@nc.rr.com