RV Water/Grey Tank Level Upgrade!
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- Опубліковано 1 кві 2023
- Today I have an upgrade we did that I wanted to share with you. The fresh, grey, and blank tank sensors on an RV are well-known for not working well not being consistent or not working at all. Rather than looking for how to clean RV tank sensors, which will never give you a more detailed indication of tank level, We found a wireless tank sensor that is working better. This RV holding tank sensor is mounted under the tank so it won't be affected by the inside of the tank.
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Seems like a good time for the manufacturers to hardwire something like this into the system instead of the useless junk they ship with.
Agree.
Since this has been an issue since forever, I don’t see them doing this anytime soon. Don’t know why, but they just don’t.
@@jimsjacob it costs too much. There's accurate sensors available in the marine industry but they are expensive. Something that the RV industry isn't willing to spend $ on.
@@chachi5975 I too had supposed that was the root cause, but with all the comments over the years from other RV’ers I’d have thought it was an issue that people were willing to pay for. Builders cut so many corners on assembly, that it’s ridiculous. When I dig in for repairs, it’s surprising how cheaply they are made.
@@jimsjacob Like my wife says, No matter what manufacturer, they're made with pop sickle sticks and glue. LOL
I have never placed an item in my cart faster. Love this.
Thanks, Jared.
You are a very trustworthy rv channel.
Well done, once again.
Jared, your RV looks like new. Everything is clean and new. Wow awesome. Love the videos! Keep it up
Thank you for the great info on a new product! We've used it for our LP tank and unaware it was available for fresh or gray tank systems. It's always a pleasure watching your videos. Have to admire how clean you countertops are behind you! 😂
SEE LEVEL all the way. So happy that we installed them. Our trailer is 26 years old and never have trusted the OE sensors.
Everyone that has See Level sensors love them. Maybe I should do a comparison.
Ok, this is so cool! Thanks for sharing, Jared! I’ve been using their propane sensors for a while but didn’t know they made water tank sensors. Installation won’t be fun but the detailed info will be great to have.
This is twice the hassel to install and use, as the Sea Level system. With the Sea Level System you get 100% accuracy all the time. And to installed it is just a mater of sticking on strips with a circuit built into it and untwisting the wire nuts from your oridginal sensor's wires and retwisting them on to the wires on the Sea Level sensors. You do have to mount the gauge to those wires which is just a matter of taking out the 1/3, 2/3s, full gauge and cuting the hole square and the size for the Sea Level gauge. Then you get 5%, 10% , 15% etc readings. I've been using the Sea Levels gauge system for 13 years and it's been great. It's very good for when were boondocking.
Thank you Jared , the Pico is also very well know !
Great new product! - Thanks!
Definitely interested in this upgrade!
Absolutely fantastic! I have been looking to add a tank monitor with the victron system!
An option you might look into if you’re considering the round style hatch is a short length of steel cable to connect the lid to the frame of the port. You can find short ones pre made or make yourself with rings on each end and attach using a screw in frame and one in center of cover.
SUPER video, thank you!
On travel days we put 5 gallons of water mixed with our favorite tank treatment and let it slosh around for miles. We haven’t had a problem with our tank sensors in two years.
I think the hardest part is removing the bottom cover on our trailer to access the holding tank. Awesome find.
Thanks Jared!
The Mopeka propane sensor is one of my best purchases for our RV. Like this sensor, you have to "learn" the little quirks then it's very good. Thanks Jared!
Nice product!
Hey Jared. Great video! Access port idea for you: try to find a kayak access port… they are sturdy and safe/tight.
Awesome upgrade - I'll be doing this on our 28BH :) Particularly since our stock gray tank sensor is really wacked out.
Looks like a great idea. Thanks for sharing
Thanks for watching!
I have also installed these sensors on my water tanks! Appreciate the tip about getting them connected to the Victron system. One additional thing I did was hard wire them into my 12v system with a DC-DC power converter, so I don't have to mess with the underbelly and change batteries.
As I was watching the video I was thinking that hard wiring power to the sensor from the trailer's power system would be a great way to not have to have to ever touch the sensor again. Does the sensor lose it's settings if you cut off power to it? What are the specs on your converter?
Yeah. At least their propane sensors, changing batteries is a pretty regular thing.
Great video thanks
Good information
Are use the seelevel II on my motorhome and love it. On a suggestion for your access door, look up a aftermarket replacement fuel door for a dodge pick up. Are used one years ago on a Porsche 914 race car that you could only access the fuel tank by opening the hood. Thanks for the video.
Could you elaborate on how you connected it to the Victron system. I had the fresh water tank set up last summer and never saw it on the device list. I've got 2 more for my grey tanks to install this spring so it would be nice to connect everything to my Victon display.
Hi.Excellent video.Could you please tell me if the primer you apply to the tank before fitting the collar has to be left to dry first?Thank you.
Go with the round marine type hatch and cover. They twist lock to close (as I'm sure you know), but they can't open or fall off without twisting. When you get it installed like you want it, take a small stainless screw about a 1/2" long and drill a hole one size smaller in the seam where the cover and body come together. Then bottom the screw in it. It will keep it locked shut until you remove the screw, the next time.
It would be interesting to see how the sensor works on black water tanks before & after a good flushing with one of those spinning spray thingies.
Hey Jared! Any suggestions for getting rid of those black streaks we get on rv’s? We bought a new 2022 solitude in 2023 and it was probably sitting on the lot for quite a while. We can’t seem to find anything that works! Thanks…..😊
Most ultrasonic couplings are water based. They can freeze and also dry out and have to be replenished.
Jared, I have a 28bh as well. What are the heights of the tank? Did you measure or just troubleshoot full and empty. Not sure there's room to get a tape measure vertically in there. Thank you for the great video.
Those sensors were going on my RV as soon as Victron released their update to the cerbo software. But that must have created a run on the sensors and they were out of stock forever. I kept checking. But then gave up and forgot. So glad to see them back. My GD 5er fresh water pump starts sucking air when I still have 10 gallons left in the tank. 😲Thats another issue I need to correct
and... the round hatch was my original plan for access. But I have another easier, cheaper idea. I'll post on my channel when I them installed
How did you add the sensors to show up in Victron screen?
My trailer when I got it brand new, the black tank sensors said it was 3/4 full and been that way ever since.
Does the fresh water tank sensor need to be installed on the bottom of the tank? Our tank only has top access. It is in the trailer and I don't have bottomed access. We already have the Topeka propane sensors. They are great. Thanks
Looks pretty nice especially the Victron integration. But if I'm following the video correctly this wouldn't work on my class C with exposed external grey/black tanks with a heating pad on the bottom, nor an internal fresh water tank that sits on the floor under the bed. 😢
Did you ever add the access hatch? If so, what did you use. I'm considering adding access hatches of some point for my sewer drain valves.
From your experience of using this sensor, how often do you change the battery? Is it easy to change the battery? Thanks.
With all the digital alternatives, how much wire (#s) could be taken out of the vehicle/trailer and weight of inaccurate measuring devices? By rewiring of my T-210N, over 100 pounds was removed & moved into the useful load column.
Great video, thanks for sharing. One thought for the cover, would it work taking a piece of the coroplast that is larger than the opening, attach it towards the front of the RV with some super sticky tape, then use velcro on the other 3 sides, creating some kind of hinged opening. Just a thought
Not a bad Idea.
ive had three of the circular hatches on mine since 2015. havnt lost a lid yet.
If you install the hatch in the underbelly I’d love to see that. Such a pain to drop the underbelly every time there is a problem with a valve.
8:48 great idea to add an access hatch. Surprised manufactures haven't come up with some kind of access hatch(es) on the coroplast already. Must be one of those things that only benefit those who work on them and nothing to do with aesthetics.
Curious if this is usable with tank heaters
Do you know if these can be used with the Pico Simarine system?
Any update on the performance of the level measuring system? Still working? Accuracy? I am considering for our grey water shower/bathroom tank and would like to know it worked for you prior to purchase and install.
Thanks!
Jarrod, when you boondocks how big of a fresh water portable tank do you have to fill fresh water when you arrive? Or do you have multiple smaller tanks?
Does the water sensor have the same roughly 30ft limit from the Cerbo GX ?
hi will this work on a Metal fuel Tank in my toyhauler
Great review? Will this work with stainless tanks?
Yes, I haven’t tried it but they say it works on any flat bottom tank.
Easy way to mark the location of things like that is a laser pointer. With underpanel off, point laser pointer at it. Don’t disturb the pointer and reinstall. And there is your mark. It’s really nice for cutting holes in motorcycle fairings for frame sliders and other things as well.
A measuring tape is fine when you don't have a laser pointer.
the instructions say to install them close to the end of the tank one sensor in, we tried installing and added the the depth of the tank into the app, and with just a tiny bit of water it says 100% full when we do not even have 1/4 tank. are the sensors supposed to be on an end or in the middle section?
I’ve liked the ones for the propane tanks, they too aren’t perfect but are so much better than the color coded magnets you can stick to the side of the propane tank. Those are awful. I’ll have to get a couple for the water tanks too. I wish there was a better way of keeping all of the plumbing drain pipes from freezing. And every skirting solution I’ve found so far is ridiculously expensive. Maybe you have some thoughts about these issues as well? 🤔
Does it have to be installed on the bottom? I can only access my tank from the top
how do you remove the outer, locking ring on the locking mount ring? I haven't been able to take it apart without fearing breaking the tabs.
Another great video. Have the propane sensors. Any idea how the water sensor will work with tank heaters? I have the aftermarket RECPRO tank heaters located close to the drain valve.
Yes both my tanks have tank heaters on them and I just placed the sensor away from the heater.
I've got a 2006 Lance 1081. My fresh water level indicator is laser accurate. Each light is 8 gallons. I don't have an accurate indicator on my grey water but I dump that often as per Californa law (grey water can go into the sewer but you need to dump into a barrier). Check the law before you do it. My black tank is wrong the second I drive anywhere after dumping. Nearly 10 years of full time RVing I go more by time and smell than the level indicator. Once it starts to smell, how much is in there makes no difference, it gets dumped. I also will notice the level when I flush so that's always a parameter to consider. Since mine is a camper. Getting to a tank is a problem. Nothing is exposed or accessible from outside or underneath. Panels that aren't designed to be taken off would need to be removed. There's always pulling the basement drawer and sending the trained monkey in but that only gets you the side of a tank, Not the bottom. If I could get to the bottom, the camper sits on the metal truck bed. I do have a liner but I wonder if that would be enough to overcome magnetic interference. I can't even use a dry stick to get an accurate measurement! Yeah, I got issues with Lance...
Not for your camper then.
Does it work with LCI command?
They should return to the float and graduation system like wow, what they still use on a outboard motor gas tank or an Outdoor furnace oil tank
Can it work on One Control?
Hey Jared my fresh tank is under the bed and the coach is two years old. The sensors are located between the bed frame work and are the type that are molded in. Unfortunately. I could but new sensors in on the other side of the tank and extend the wires but would rather have the models. According to their web site I can mount this on top of the fresh tank. Providing I’m reading it right. This tank sits literally on the floor and would be one heck of an undertaking to raise it without changing the configuration of this that and the other thing. Are you aware that the mopeds can be mounted on top of this tank. Seems mopeka doesn’t have a help number to contact them directly.
The Mopeka propane tank sensors do the same thing when the level gets low. The app says "low quality," rather than giving a reading
Can one sensor connect to two phones?
THanks, Can you use one sensor and move it to the propane when it gets low, and back to the water when you refill. My propane lasts months and I am only concerned when I am low.
I wouldn't try and move it between the two.
The thumbnail says "Budget" sensor upgrade, hardly at $62 😂 It looks like a great device but it seems like it's a luxury.
How long is the battery good for? It’d be a pain to drop the under belly to change the battery. Wondering if they have a remote battery solution in the works.
I'm a manufacturing engineer with Mopeka. The pro water sensor batteries will last up to two years on the longest refresh rate setting. Faster settings can deplete the battery in as fast as 6 months under normal conditions.
Do you have any suggestions on an upgrade to the basic info panel in most RV's? I have a Jayco class C and would like a more modern and accurate application or system
Depends on what you want to have on it but the Victron system is open source and some do an inexpensive system with a raspberry Pi.
Great video. The product looks great but I cannot find the Iphone app. Where did you locate it? What is it called?
It’s called Mopeka TankCheck.
Interesting product. I have and am delighted with the propane tank sensors. But this would be a disaster on my rv. When I remove the chloroplast there are 4-16” of insulation. And having to change the batteries would be a major nuisance. I prefer my SeaLevel sensors. More work up front but no batteries to replace and more accurate.
SeeLevel is great.
It would be nice if you could link the sensors to the rv LCI or whatever systems you have for those that don’t have Victron system
I'll have to see if that is possible.
I'm a manufacturing engineer with Mopeka. We do currently have a Pro Sensor only for gas that is distributed by Lippert that syncs up with the LCI system. Although for the water sensor we don't have a deal with Lippert yet.
A black tank sensor I've found isn't needed because you can easily see it when you cut the water off and use a flashlight
Does the Victron system also read the Mopeka propane sensors?
Yes it does. I need to do something to help with range on the fresh water tank but it reaches enough to see it in the display accurately.
As a boater, I follow ABYC standards for wiring. One of their recommendations is to have all wiring supported at short intervals to prevent chafe and strain. 9" is a good place to start. Zip ties are your friend, but don't tighten then enough to pinch through insulation.
why on the bottom??? Why cant they be on top of tank? My tanks are stainless steel with no bottom access.
So how would this work on a gray tank with a sloped bottom? I’m guessing the solids in a black tank would mess with this so it wouldn’t work for that.
Ours had a it of a slope and it has worked moderately well. It’s not perfect but better than the indicator lights.
Started rving with the grandparents in the 70's, we've never had a wrong sensor warning for the fresh or Grey tanks. Hopefully we can mount this in the corner of the black tank away from the poo pyramid with success.
Fresh tank monitors work fine, but with an 87 gallon tank. 1/3 & 2/3 full kind of loose their meaning. "So we have anywhere between 28 & 62 gallons"
Installing grey water tank in a van
Acetone the stuff your useing leaves a oil cost so use acetone .
I wonder how one would work stuck to the top of the black tank?
This one would not work like that but I did hear there might be something like that in the future.
Interesting. How can it be installed on a fresh water tank when there is no access under the tank?
Our fresh tank is suspended in the frame and I can access the bottom of it.
Dropping the underbelly is a major undertaking and a deal breaker. Plus battery replacement? My toy hauler has two tanks so I’d have to install two of them and then devine what the total is. I just measure the gallons I put in and I’m able to guesstimate water amounts that way. Truth be told, after emptying all water out prior to a trip, I put 20 gallons in for flushing and minor water uses, knowing that there will be water when we get there.
How much?
Their fancy grease appears to just be silicone dielectric grease.
So many variations to make for inaccurate readings.Sounds like the installer may spend a lot of time crawling underneath the RV adjusting, readjusting, cutting, etc. I'll wait for an easier sensor.
I thing the Seelevel is more appropriate because sensors are installed on the side wall of tanks
And no batteries
The SeeLevel sale a kit to be able to communicate with the cerbo GX
Wasted enough money on two sets of Mopeka propane sensors that last min one summer season in provinces of alberta/saskatchewan, would last half that time frame in BC wetlands. Their circuit boards short out! So I’m certainly not confident to even try their water sensors. 🍻
First generation were bad. They've gotten much better now. I used the pro propane sensors
Update ?
Still working good, the one on our fresh water tank is a bit far from the Victron equipment so some times it shows up on that monitor and sometimes not but I can always pull it up in the tank check app.
Our Riverstone has the TruTank system it is accurate to within 5 % . A shame that you folks have to go through all of the gymnastics to figure out the levels of your tanks.
from what your saying i don't see that it's that big of a difference
Dude! When you show us something in your hand, hold your hand still so we can see it.
Why do we have to constantly fix Rv crap they should put things in that work, our sensors lasted about six months and I have tried cleaning them, no luck
Why do you post a giveaway and end it so soon?
Why does everything have to be so expensive? Black tank can be measured by a stick stuck down the toilet hole if your sensors aren't working. You'll know if your gray tank's full if your shower drain is over flowing or your fresh runs out when the pump keeps running. Use the KISS method when camping.
In our 5th wheel the black tank is not straight down, so your stick method would not work.
I don't want to be a hater on RVs but terms like 'CROSS CONTAMINATION, BLACK WATER, GREY WATER'...is a joke. It's been 100 years and RV prices are through the roof but they still haven't improved the sewage system? There is no difference with an expensive RV and a cheap RV. They have made electric cars, self driving cars, and yet no matter how expensive RVs are, you still have to touch the hoses, direct it towards a dump station and smell the pooh and peeh and still feel some splatter. There should be no hoses anymore. Dump stations should only be a receiving funnel or hole on the ground and RVs have to only drive over it dump whatever you have and move out in less than a minute. All RVs these days should have already an automated dumping system. And the camp grounds will only need one modifed dump station coz if it's fully automated it'll SHOULD only take less than 5 minutes for the full dump system to complete. 1 minute to dump waste and 2-3 minutes to clean the RV dump system. RV industries are full of black water.
What a waste of money.
Reason?
You must not a lot of Boondocking, when you do being able to know tank levels can help judge the time you can stay. If in a RV area sewer you right not needed.
@@mikemoxley9477 I mostly boon dock. I just watch all my tank levels on the daily. The factory tank level panel works good enough for me.
Here is a hint for you. If you want your viewers to see what it is your hand, stop moving your hand so we can see it. If you must talk with your hands on a video, only talk with the hand that is not holding your product.
Or, you could (1) watch the video where the product is displayed or (2) google the name of the product.
You ARE joking, right?
Doris here is a hint for you, watch the video where he clearly shows the products.
Hint, USE YOUR PAUSE BUTTON