Holding tank monitoring on 40.5

Feb 23, 2016
8
Hunter 40.5 Jersey City, NJ
Has anyone installed/retrofitted a tank monitoring system on their 40.5 or similar holding tank? The legacy pneumatic system on my 1994 40.5 no longer works, and thus I have no tank monitoring. I don't worry so much about water, but I have no idea how full the waste tank is, and that bothers me. I read about the SCAD solo ( http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|51|2234305|2234306&id=1249539 ), but I am not sure if this is installable. I also don't know if there is an easy way to access the tank at all. Any ideas? Thanks!
 
Feb 10, 2004
3,917
Hunter 40.5 Warwick, RI
My 1997 h40.5 had a WEMA sensor originally. It used a float and was subject to clogging from solids in the holding tank. I replaced it with another WEMA sensor that had a pressure water flushing feature. It was not much better. Then I replaced the entire system with an Snake River system. Since I had the original metal tank, the sensor was in a PVC rod that threaded into the top of the tank. Inside the PVC rod was foil and the capacitance reading circuitry. It worked for a while, but then it quit. Returned the display to the factory and they could find no fault. So maybe it is the PVC sensor that is bad? Long story short, I have T/S the system and the sensor is putting out a voltage change to the display head like it should. The display head has been proclaimed as good. But the "system" doesn't work.

I think the Solo is manufactured by the same people who made the Snake River system after Snake River went belly-up. At least I did talk to them and they offered to take my SR system in trade for their Solo system. I have not done that.

Currently I am suffering like you with a holding tank that I cannot measure. I have no confidence that I can buy a system that will actually work and continue to do so. And I am tired of buying stuff that either doesn't work or doesn't work very well.

Please note that the Solo system is intended to work with a non-metallic tank. If you have a metal tank (you should replace it) you will need a PVC rod-type sensor. One of the problems with our 40.5 tanks is that it is very shallow and about 9-10" depth. This short depth translates into small output voltage difference between empty and full on these Solo capacitance sensors and this small voltage difference results in a somewhat inaccurate reading. If you have a plastic tank, then you will need to either remove it or figure out how to apply the sensor to the outside of the tank with it installed.

Please let us know how you make out.
 
Dec 2, 1997
8,708
- - LIttle Rock
I think the Solo is manufactured by the same people who made the Snake River system after Snake River went belly-up. At least I did talk to them and they offered to take my SR system in trade for their Solo system. I have not done that.
Close, but not quite...Dennis Ferriello, who owns company that makes the Profile Tank Monitors Profile Tank Monitors (also by sold by SCAD Technologies under their private label brand name Scad Tank Monitors), was the national sales manager for Snake River. He left them when SR quality dropped below what he was willing to represent and started his own company. Practical Sailor rated 'em the top rated tank level monitors. The senders are attached to the outside of any tank material except metal (encased in a PVC tube that goes into metal tanks), so tank contents never come in contact with the sender and therefore can't ever clog it. I've known Dennis for nearly 20 years...he's always been 100% committed to quality, his products are made in the US, and he's the only vendor I know who'll answer the phone (doesn't matter whether you buy from SCAD or Dennis, you get him when you call) on a Sunday to help a boat owner with an installation. Only gauges I recommend.
 
Aug 15, 2013
193
Hunter 35.5 Legend 003 San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico
I just installed a TechEdge system with the intention of monitoring all my tanks, which are plastic.
https://tankedge.com/products.html
I did get the water tank installed, and it calibrated exactly as they said it would. Nice because my tank is in the V berth and is oddly shaped. I calibrated by fulling it full, taking out 10%, setting the cal, taking another 10% out, etc. At the end it theoretically gives me tankage levels to 1%. So that's 0.65 gallons/1%. Of course we won't get that due to movement, etc, but then it should be at least good to 5% anytime, or 1 % at the dock.
They have additional sensors if you have a metal tank, but you may have the same problems with Waste. If you have plastic tanks, it's surely the way to go.
 
Jun 8, 2004
50
Hunter Legend 40.5 Rock Creek
My sense of this is that this tank would be very hard to monitor regardless of the brand of monitor. I include a copy of the schematic for this tank. We just empty it after 2 to 3 days of cruising.
 

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Aug 13, 2016
1
Hunter 36 Stavanger
I have had the same problem with my wema sensor clogging in my H36. It is now replaced with a Gobius external sensor that is functioning fine. Have a lok at this site:

http://www.gobius.se/en/
 
Dec 2, 1997
8,708
- - LIttle Rock
My sense of this is that this tank would be very hard to monitor regardless of the brand of monitor. I include a copy of the schematic for this tank.
The SCAD monitor will work on any shape tank...it just has to be calibrated (instructions are provided) to "teach" it where the bottom at the lowest point is.