10m mid cabin - fresh water tank monitor install

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BobCT
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Joined: Mon Sep 07, 2009 9:01 pm
Location: New Haven CT

10m mid cabin - fresh water tank monitor install

Post by BobCT »

I have been wanting to install a panel monitor for some time now. The challenge on the mid cabin is access to the tank, it's fairly well protected. It's also shaped to sit in the hull as a "V". I was texting back and forth with Kegan who sent me a pic of the top of the tank where the fill and vent attach. That would be a perfect spot to drill a hole and add a conventional sender but it's on the high point of the "V" so strike that option. I settled on a external stick on sender but still the issue of access. You need a full view of either end. I decided to drill a hole in the cross stringer inside the hatch in front of the head. I think you could do the same from the other end (inside the mid cabin berth) but it would be a blind cut. I don't know how close the tank is and didn't want to risk it but it is actually a better/easier location if you can verify that you won't drill into the tank.

Here is the hole (4.25"). There is about a 5-6" space between the stringer and the tank and no wiring on the backside. I used a 1/2" drill and holesaw and it was a tight fit because of my shower pump location. i initially thought the hole was way too big but after doing the install realized you need every bit of it. The sender install is two strips of foil tape adhered to the tank (top to bottom) followed by two copper strips with embedded wires stuck to the top of the tape. The sender itself is stuck to the tank (you can see that in the pic). Then wiring is run up to the panel and tied into power and panel location. I'm going to decide what if anything I do with the hole cut. I could epoxy most of it back in but would have to recut it if there was an issue with the sender at some point. There's plenty of material below the cut but ideally would have liked the hole to be more centered.

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And panel lit up.
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The panel location is close in terms of wiring and can be viewed standing up. If I read the directions correctly, the lights for empty and full will illuminate automatically. At levels in between, a button push illuminates the bar graph. One final tip, make sure to extend the sensor wiring before you adhere to the tank. Otherwise it is too short and was really hard to extend in place.



The panel and sender is around $170 and made by Scad Technologies. I just installed it yesterday and verified/calibrated that it displays Full and Empty. I'll have a better idea of the accuracy over the next week or two. It's not a fuel tank so I'm ok if it's off a little, anything will be better than realizing that I was out of water when the faucet ran dry.
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1988 10m mid cabin
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zedtwentyate
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Joined: Sun Jun 01, 2014 10:46 am

Re: 10m mid cabin - fresh water tank monitor install

Post by zedtwentyate »

Looks great Bob! I love it when you experiment and then I can take note and do the same job! This is going to land on my short list...right after floscans.
Kegan

1986 Trojan F-27 (SOLD!!!)
1989 Trojan 10 Meter Mid Cabin
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