External Water Tank Level Monitor (SS Tank)

[Taras]

Hi All,
I have a 300 Gallon Stainless Steel water tank and I am in need of an external water tank monitor (12V). I don't want to have to cut a hole in the top of the tank to insert a sensor, rather, I am looking for an external sensor that works.
I've done a lot of searching online and can't seem to find what I've looking for. I know this topic has been discussed before and would appreciate any real world suggestions that work.
Thank you for your help!!
Taras

 

[RobertLeatch]

No personal experience, but when I was looking for similar I found the range of sonar based sensors from Mopeka that have good reviews. Non-Pressurized Tank Sensors

The current Pro version is attached to the bottom of a tank but apparently there is a new version (Pro200) due soon that attaches to the top of the tank (which I want to do). How you display the results is also a factor and the Mopeka sensors are of interest to me since they integrate with a Victron cerbro gx setup.

 

[Taras]

Yes, that looks to be a great solution and I love the fact that its external. Looks to work with SS tank. I'll give it a try and let everyone know how it works. Can use for grey and black water tanks too. Just got to be able to get to the bottom of the tank

 

[MVCalypso]

I was initially intrigued by these sensors.
Then I looked at the company web site but couldn't find a user or installation manual.
Now I'm wondering about some basic questions:
1) It appears to be a closed system of sensor and app. So the functionality is limited to what the app provides...?
2) The app shows tank level in distance (height) units. Not all tanks have vertical sides (a constant horiz cross section area). I wonder if there is a way to calibrate a tank to map distances to volume so that level can be displayed in liquid units.
3) "Extended battery life" is a bit vague - what is the typical battery life? How often do you have to access a sender to change a battery? Can the sensor be powered by an external supply?
On a boat, needing to replace small batteries when there a DC power system available seems undesirable.

 

[JackConnick]

These are easy to install as the are magnetic or have a stick on mount. They work with bluetooth, so you have to be in range. They have an app or are Victron capable. They have a mercury battery that lasts a very long time and is easy to change.

But they don't work on tanks with horizontal baffles. They need to see the whole botom and you need to calibrate them to your tank size.

Here's a link to a thread about the new top down sensors, and yes there is a version that you can wire in, although I don't see a reason to go that direction.

Mopeka pro200 - VictronEnergy

community.victronenergy.com

Jack

 

[MVCalypso]

These are easy to install as the are magnetic or have a stick on mount. They work with bluetooth, so you have to be in range. They have an app or are Victron capable. They have a mercury battery that lasts a very long time and is easy to change.

But they don't work on tanks with horizontal baffles. They need to see the whole botom and you need to calibrate them to your tank size.

Here's a link to a thread about the new top down sensors, and yes there is a version that you can wire in, although I don't see a reason to go that direction.

Mopeka pro200 - VictronEnergy

community.victronenergy.com

Jack

Thanks for the additional info. Is there a source for Mopeka product info beside their web site?
The AP200 might work or one of my tanks where the top is much more accessible than the bottom.

 

[JackConnick]

If you mean TD200, there's a link to a pdf file on the thread. That's about it as its a new product. Their tech support is pretty good, just email your questions.

https://assets-global.website-files.com/649617959d3af33eea5fb4b6/651195c52d0a88de37f2ecb7_Mopeka_TD40_TD200_PRO200_digital.pdf