Tank Monitors

[chouliha]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

+1 For the Tank Tender system. It is very accurate and reliable.

Another vote for tank tender

[mottseng]

Originally Posted by missourisailor

I went with a SCAD monitor for the holding tank.



Defenders link:
https://www.defender.com/product.jsp...306&id=1249539

SCAD Link:
Tank Monitors | Technologies LLC

Best thing about this type is that the sensors mount to the "Outside" of the tank.
So the Poopies won't get stuck on the sensor.

Installed this on the weekend and so far love it. It is easy to install, simple and maintenance free in terms of there is no insertion into the tank.

[missourisailor]

Originally Posted by mottseng

Installed this on the weekend and so far love it. It is easy to install, simple and maintenance free in terms of there is no insertion into the tank.

You'll love it!!!
Mine has had zero issues, since it was installed two years ago.

[AllenRbrts]

For the scad monitor, be sure you don't get *any* moisture on the panel, it will kill it. Best bet is to seal the electronics in epoxy.

[Bill O]

We attempted to use the Scad in a metal holding tank using the PVC tube insert. After the 3rd sender died for unknown reasons (kindly replaced by the manufacturer after they checked everything over), we finally replaced it with a Nema and it's been working fine ever since.


I wanted the Scad system to work as the sealed PVC tube seemed like a great idea.


Bill O.

[wsmurdoch]

Originally Posted by missourisailor;Best thing about this type [Scad

is that the sensors mount to the "Outside" of the tank.
So the Poopies won't get stuck on the sensor.

I promise my wife and I do not mix white glue with our breakfast eggs, but...
ours does stick.

This is a photo of the inside of our holding tank.



Up is toward the right.

We started off with the two strips of glued on copper foil sensor. It worked great until we got to the Bahamas. Then, it always read full. We changed to a PVC pipe sensor. It worked great until it didn't. In both cases cleaning the tank wall or cleaning the PVC pipe sensor restored the system to an operating condition. It was easy to clean the wall or the sensor - gyno glove from Tractor Supply to my shoulder, blue rubber glove over the hand of the gyno glove, plastic scraper or brush in hand, working thru the cleanout port to get the goo off. The goo was brown and had a sand-like material in it. It fizzed in HCl. I figured it was poop and CaCO3. Anyway, we have about given up on the sensor after maybe 7 or 8 years of trying. I clean the mess off the sensor before we have guests on board. Other than that the display always says full, I just look into the tank through the clear lid of the Beckson port. If it looks full, I empty it.

Bill

[missourisailor]

Originally Posted by wsmurdoch

I promise my wife and I do not mix white glue with our breakfast eggs, but...
ours does stick.

This is a photo of the inside of our holding tank.



Up is toward the right.

We started off with the two strips of glued on copper foil sensor. It worked great until we got to the Bahamas. Then, it always read full. We changed to a PVC pipe sensor. It worked great until it didn't. In both cases cleaning the tank wall or cleaning the PVC pipe sensor restored the system to an operating condition. It was easy to clean the wall or the sensor - gyno glove from Tractor Supply to my shoulder, blue rubber glove over the hand of the gyno glove, plastic scraper or brush in hand, working thru the cleanout port to get the goo off. The goo was brown and had a sand-like material in it. It fizzed in HCl. I figured it was poop and CaCO3. Anyway, we have about given up on the sensor after maybe 7 or 8 years of trying. I clean the mess off the sensor before we have guests on board. Other than that the display always says full, I just look into the tank through the clear lid of the Beckson port. If it looks full, I empty it.

Bill

Bill,
I'm not a "poop-ologist" by any stretch of the imagination. Heck, I barely understand how Rid-X works in our septic system.


However I do know that none of our holding tanks have ever looked like the one in your picture. And since I'm not in the habit of looking into other folk's holding tanks, I don't know if yours or mine, is normal.


But with that kind of build up, I would doubt that any sensing system will last very long.

[missourisailor]

Originally Posted by AllenRbrts

For the scad monitor, be sure you don't get *any* moisture on the panel, it will kill it. Best bet is to seal the electronics in epoxy.

Agreed!
Ours is mounted at the Nav station.

If water gets to it, we have bigger issues to solve.

[missourisailor]

Originally Posted by Bill O

We attempted to use the Scad in a metal holding tank using the PVC tube insert. After the 3rd sender died for unknown reasons (kindly replaced by the manufacturer after they checked everything over), we finally replaced it with a Nema and it's been working fine ever since.


I wanted the Scad system to work as the sealed PVC tube seemed like a great idea.


Bill O.

I did not even know it would work with a metal tank.
Learn something new everyday.

[mottseng]

Originally Posted by missourisailor

Agreed!
Ours is mounted at the Nav station.

If water gets to it, we have bigger issues to solve.

I also mounted it at the Nav station. Was a bit of a task running the wires but all worked out well. I have calibrated it at empty now have to wait for the full calibration. Really like its simplicity.

Thinking about getting another one for the fresh water tank.

[wsmurdoch]

Originally Posted by mottseng

I have calibrated it at empty now have to wait for the full calibration.

I did my original tank calibration of my Scad/Ferriello sensor with seawater. I started with an empty tank and set the empty point. I then filled the tank with seawater through the head and set the full point. With a clear conscience I dumped the holding tank overboard and rechecked the zero. I repeated this a few times verifying the full and empty points and also choosing the best of the tank shapes by counting the head pumps required to hit the 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4 points. Later, I changed from refilling the holding tank with the head pump to filling it with seawater poured down the deck pump out fitting from a bucket. The bucket was faster and less tiring.

If I just knew how to keep the tank clean....

[missourisailor]

Originally Posted by wsmurdoch

If I just knew how to keep the tank clean....

Don't know if this helps but I added a second "deck wash off connector" in the main cabin. It is plumbed to the regular "deck wash off" system.



There was two reasons for doing this.
The first and primary reason was to have a water source for fire suppression in the event of a fire in the cabin.
But a second advantage is to have an unlimited supply of sea water to rinse out the holding tank.



Simple steps to rinse out the tank.

1) Be in a legal "Discharge" zone (or at a pump out station).
2) Remove the tank clean out cap.
3) Connect hose and spray nozzle to cabin "deck wash off" connector.
4) Turn on "wash down" pump and spray the inside of the tank.

5) As tank fills, either (A)- open "Y" valve and turn on "discharge" pump until tank is empty (B)- use the pump out station to suck the tank down

6) Repeat as needed until tank is clean.


I do this once a year, usually during winter prep.


I do have some "scum" in my tank, but nothing like what is in the picture.