tank monitoring gauge

[martinek.john]

I'm hoping someone can help me out.  I have a Catalina 34 mkii 1997.  I want to install a tank monitoring system but I am 6 hours away from the boat and I need to know how tall the aft fresh tank and the black water tank are?  If any one can help or suggest a tank monitoring system, It would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

[waughoo]

I just did this on my mk1.5 with KUS reed switch senders and a n2k module that exports the data to my raymarine network where I view it on an i70.  I used the tank depths shown on the replacement tanks available on the Catalina direct site.  The tanks should all be ronco with a model number cast.  You could also look yours up that way.

[BJeansson]

Alex, I like the set up you have done but I don't understand the KUS etc.. I also have a i70 Raymarine display so sounds like I could do the same.

My fuel gauge is very unreliable, it showed only 1/2 tank but I could only fill 4 gallons.

I would like to know more about your set-up.

[waughoo]

I am on my phone now but will see what I can do to explain it better when I am on the computer.

[waughoo]

So here is a bit of additional information.  I have some photos but it takes me a bit longer to do the resize and post.

The sender's I used were from KUS.  I bought a SHS-10.5 for the holding tank.  This has a shroud that surrounds the float to avoid holding tank debris from fouling the float.  Additionally, they make this one with a plate that gets attached to the tank then the sender screws into it.  This allows one to remove the sender, slip off the shroud and clear any debris if the float gets fouled.

Here is the link to the holding tank sender:
https://kus-usa.com/product/holding-tank-level-sender-shs-shst/?utm_term=&utm_campaign=PMax+-+Underserved+Products

The two water tanks got KUS' SSS 5 hole mounts.  These get directly mounted with a 5 hole pattern directly to the tank.  A gasket and backer ring are required to mount them.  The aft tank got a 12" long one and the starboard tank got a 10" long sender.  These senders do not have a shroud and are a bit trickier to remove from the tank for inspection.  That said, with water tanks, it isn't that often that they require service.  This same sender is suitable for the fuel tank as well.  You would need to determine the length of the sender though.  Additionally, the gasket is different for fuel vs water.  Make sure you purchase the right one when you are mounting up your fuel tank (cork not rubber).

Here is the link to the water tank/fuel tank sender:
https://kus-usa.com/product/sss-ssl-sender/

I did not do a sender in the fuel tank at this time, but it is a future possibility that I might add.

To make all these easy to read and on a system I already had setup, I bought a Yacht Devices tank adapter YDTA-04.  This takes 4 tank level senders and outputs them to the nmea 2k network.  The data is SUPER configurable, which I took advantage of.  Unfortunately Raymarine does not allow more than one instance of a tank type to be differentiated on the network (outside of fuel).  Thus, because I had two water tanks, I elected to program the Yacht Devices "thingy" to output the aft tank as Water and the stbd tank as grey water.  This is a minor annoyance, but It is easy to overlook.  Additionally, the YDTA-04 allows you to make a calibration table to make the % of water in the tank accurate when you have an odd shaped tank.  I made a calibration table for the stbd water tank and the black water tank which helps as it linearizes the data out despite the input being not linear.  It took a bit of dorking around to get the programming correct, but the device was pretty simple after I messed about with it.  You will need a gateway of some sorts to get into your N2K network (I bought a Yacht Devices wireless gateway from craigslist.  This will be obsolete when I get my Vesper Cortex AIS box at some point).  They company has a free download of software which allows the programming.  I had a bit of trouble sorting out the syntax of the tank level offset string, but they helped me sort it out via email with a quick response.

Here's a link to the Yacht Devices YDTA-04:
https://www.yachtd.com/products/tank_adapter_04.html

As for the Raymarine interface, I built a tank page on my i70 display at the nav station and on one of the two in the cockpit which shows three vertical bar graphs:  First is Black water tank, 2nd is Aft water tank, 3rd is Stbd water tank (AKA grey water on raymarine due to limitations listed above).  A quick check of this bar graph page gives me the info I need to sort out where things are tank wise.  I have a desire to one day get a maratron panel that will allow me to custom program each tank instance, rename that on the screen and load in the volume of each tank which then will show me volume remaining etc.  I REALLY wish ramarine had not limited its programming as I hate to have yet another screen to use, but if I just have one at the nav station, I can manage that.  Right now, my work around is suitable and likely will be that way for a long time.

I will try and get a few photos up, but it is cumbersome process.  Feel free to ask me any questions you might have.  I am VERY happy to have this data aboard.  It was always a guess before and led to some unfortunate situations that could have been avoided with tank monitoring.

[Ken Krawford]

Here's a couple of systems that don't require cutting a hole in the tank(s).  They use a foil tape applied to the outside of the tank.
https://tankedge.com/products.html
http://www.newprovidencemarine.com/product_display.html
I've had the New Providence Profile on my C350 since 2005 and it has worked well.

[Jim Hardesty]

Here's a couple of systems that don't require cutting a hole in the tank(s).  They use a foil tape applied to the outside of the tank.
https://tankedge.com/products.html
http://www.newprovidencemarine.com/product_display.html
I've had the New Providence Profile on my C350 since 2005 and it has worked well.

A previous owner installed an Accugage, looks very similar. However I think company is out of business.  Reads 2 water tanks and waste.  Works well when you know what you're reading, ie sensor tape not to bottom of tank and tank is odd shaped.  On my previous boat the waste tank was not as dark plastic, my "gage" was spotlight to the top of tank I could see the waste level. 
Jim