Tanks and tank monitoring

[landh5]

Ericson 32-200. I have a ronco holding tank in starboard side of cockpit. Desiel tank under floor/cushion of aft cabin. I am considering the Item TM02, SCAD Profile 1-8-Tank Monitor Panel Monitor water, waste and fuel tanks made by New Providence Marine and sold thur Sailor Solutions.

1. Anyone have experience with New Providence Products in general?
2. Anyone know the composition of this older ronco holding tank and the capability of using external sensors? PS: Still not sure of capacity?
3. I believe there to be two fresh water tanks although I have never seen or accessed them other than filling them. One on port side under cabin seat. Not sure where the starboard tank is located or access point? Anyone know location? Anyone know the material of the tanks ?

As always, thank you for any advice.

 

[treilley]

Checkout Practical Sailor. One of the last 2 issues rated tank monitors. Also ask the question on the Headmistress forum at http://www.sailboatowners.com Peggy Hall moniotrs that forum and she knows all there is to know about heads, fresh water, gray water and otherwise. She can steer you in the right direction.

 

[Loren Beach]

In our '88 boat, both fresh water tanks and the holding tank are from Ronco.
All look to be rotomolded out of poly-plastic-whatever...

The holding tank, unlike the translucent water tanks, is black. I guess they wanted to make it more difficult to observe the level of the, ah, contents!


I am not familiar with New Providence, but check out the Snake River web site, and as I remember, they specify an external stick-on sensors for their level-measuring instruments. A friend of mine is happily using one of their systems on his plastic diesel tank ('84 Hunter-31) with stick-on sensors. http://www.snake-river.org/Products.asp

Loren

 

[Shadowfax]

Snake River

I actually bought the Snake River unit. The problem I had was that the Snake River sending unit, necessary for the fuel tank, sat on the fuel tank higher then the existing gauge that was only readable at the tank. Their sending unit did not allow for the plywood cover to be reset and this of course supports the rear bunk. They where very nice people, but could not figure out a way to make it work, so I returned it and installed a simple fuel gauge readable at the nav station, which was $100's less expensive. Yes I also wanted to monitor the waste and water tank, but I simply empty the waste tank every week and fill the water tanks every week. In looking it all over installing the tags and wires on the tanks is quite a job, so I just punted the whole thing.

A friend of mine with a Hunter did install the system and it was a project running the wires and gaining access to the tanks, but he loves it. I would suggest that you download the installation instructions to make sure it is worth your effort.

Just my opinion

 

[Glyn Judson]

Monitoring your holding tank.

Dear friend, If you can gain access to one side of the Ronco (polyethylene?) tank, consider the following taught to me by amy good friend Lloyd Roberts.

Use an electronic stud finder to determine the fluid level in your polyethylene holding tank. The dielectric constant principle of the finder works quite well to tell you how full your tank is. Place it horizontally against the side of the tank near the bottom. Turn the device on and slowly slide it up the tank side. It will indicate when it reaches the fluid level. Lloyd Roberts – E27 Play Sea Bow

I have one of these onboard and use it for that very purpose and can tell you that it works like a charm every time on our Ronco tank. Glyn Judson, E31 hull #55, Marina del Rey, CA

 

[ACheeks]

Impressed with Profile Unit

I purchased the Profile unit from Sailor's Solutions for my E38. I installed internal senors in each of the forward and starboard stainless steel water tanks and an external sensor on the Ronco holding tank. The most difficult part of the installation for me was running the wires from the sensors to the display unit, which I mounted in a hatch forward, on the starboard side of the cabin. Pay careful attention to the calibration steps, as these are critical to good performance.

At first, I couldn't get one of the internal sensors to work correctly. I called New Providence Marine and they sent me a brand new sensor free of charge the next day. Now that's customer service!

After about 9 months of use, I am please to report that the system works very well and that all sensors, external and internal, seem to be performing very well. No more guessing about tank levels is one less thing to worry about.

 

[Tom Metzger]

New Providence Marine

I bought a New Providence unit this winter when Dennis Ferriello, the owner or peddler (?) made an offer of $100 for a single tank unit after Peggy gave out some incorrect info about the product. I haven't installed it yet as it's still a bit chilly up here.

Peggy made some negative comments about Snake River, but I can't remember them and a quick search now didn't turn it up. She said to buy from Dennis.

One negative about the unit I bought is that the electronics is not enclosed. The circuit board is mounted on the back of the front panel on standoffs. Kind of chintzy considering a plastic cover would cost about twenty cents in quantity. I'm sure that I can find a Tupperware type enclose that will cover the unit as I intend to install it with the rear exposed through a bulkhead.

 

[clayton]

Tanks

The starboard water tank is located under the plywood floor in the cockpit lazarette. Not sure of the capacity, but same material as the tank under the port settee, judging by the smell of the water. Access would require removing the plywood floor.
Clayton

 

[Brian K]

Tanks

Harry (& Lorie), Clayton is correct on the location of the starboard H2O tank. Access to the port tank is a little easier - assuming you have a power screwdriver handy to remove the 10,345 screws holding the cover in place! I also have a 32-200 and sail on Lake Ontario.
P.S. - The idea of using a stud finder to check the holding tank level is great - I can't wait to try that out.