Clever ideas for simple watertank level indicatior?

[skipjack27]

Does anyone have some off-the-wall ideas, tricks, techniques, ideas, simple devices for telling how much water is left in a boat's freshwater tank? My boat has a 75 gallon galvanised iron tank which is (very roughly) 5 x 1 x 1.5 feet in size. I'm not keen on elaborate sensor/electronic arrangements - especially if they involve extensive installation in the tank itself. In fact, I'd be very happy with some manual way of telling roughly how much water is in the tank.

Precision is not important. It's one thing to run out of gas in the middle of the ocean because of inaccurate gauging, but quite another to run out of water in the middle of a shower for the same reason.

Jeff

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Clever ideas for simple watertank level indicatior?

If you cannot "see" inside the tank, there is no simple way to determine water level. There are many ways to do this however each requires modifications to the tank. The simplest is to install a 90 degree threaded hose barb fitting at the bottom and top of the tank at one end. Connect the two fittings with clear hose. Another is to install a threaded fitting in the top of the tank. You then remove the cap, insert a stick, remove it and presto -- you have a true manual water level indicator. And of course there is always this method:

http://www.campertrailers.org/water_level6.htm

 

[fucawi]

Re: Clever ideas for simple watertank level indicatior?

www.siliconchip.com.au do an ultrasonic level detector

 

[skipjack27]

Re: Clever ideas for simple watertank level indicatior?

Thanks for the replies. They have been interesting and useful.

A dipstick from the top of the tank is the simplest, but unfortunately there is no access to the top of the tank - the tank is slotted snugly into a fiberglass bulkhead. The ultrasonic detector was tempting, but again there is no way to gain access to the tank from above to cut a hole for the detector.

I think the sightglass is the way to go, because this could be installed using existing top (inlet) and bottom (outlet) fittings.

Thanks, guys!