Wema Fresh Water Gauge - Sending Unit

Sep 26, 2008
546
Hunter 340 0 Wickford, RI
I have to replace my WEMA Fresh Water sending unit. (2000 Hunter 340)
I have the SSS/SSL Model Sender. The float has rusted and was stuck at the bottom of the sending rod. (Not now, I took it out and freed it
Why it was made with a metal housing around the float is beyond me. Seems it should be the other way around. I replaced this once before in 2012 and spoke and dealt with WEMA directly. They custom made the rod to your measurements back then. Either I’m missing something online but I can’t seem to find that WEMA site.
Does anyone know if there any other sending units that are compatible with the WEMA Gauge, that don’t have metal floats? Is WEMA still offering replacements through their site.
Thank you for any help you can offer.
 

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Oct 22, 2014
20,993
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
WEMA is now KUS. You can still find their products, just under the new parent KUS Marine.
 
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Sep 26, 2008
546
Hunter 340 0 Wickford, RI
I sent out an email to WEMA in the UK. A man named Henry got back to me and said …..
“WOW!
We've been making these since 1987, now produce over 1 million units / year globally and we have never ever seen a float that looks like that!”
I need to send a photo of the top of the sensor so they can confirm it’s an original WEMA Sensor. I just didn’t think to take that picture as I was so shocked to see the float myself. So it’s back to the boat to get that shot.
But as I did replace my Diesel, Waste and Fresh Water tank sensors all at the same time, bought from WEMA, there’s not a lot of doubt it’s their.
Sitting here I am questioning my spring commissioning and sanitizing the tank with bleach. But I have always used about a cup of bleach in the 75 gallon tank, followed by at least 3 rinses while still on the hard waiting to be launched.
Its the same water from the same marina for 21 years. Plenty of refills throughout the season.
The water tastes good all season long.
I’m stumped.
I‘ll replace it with another or a better one if I can find one.
 
Sep 26, 2008
546
Hunter 340 0 Wickford, RI
An update for others with replacement WEMA Senders on their boats, dating back about 5 years or so. I heard back from WEMA (KUS). I removed the unit from the boat, took clearer photos so they could see in better detail.

They said….”Firstly, you have the S3 sender. The black flange should have stayed bolted to the tank and the sender just unscrews anticlockwise from the flange so you don't have to remove any bolts.
I can tell that this was made by the former company that used to be called Wema USA. They had different ownership and for certain products they went their own way and we did not have visibility or control over what they were selling. They no longer exist so I think the only thing I can do is to sell you a replacement part and hope that you notice a difference in terms of output resolution (about 2 x more accurate that your current sender). This should not happen to one of our floats but on a serious note maybe it's worth checking the drinking water is not contaminated?”

I removed the flange to see if the caulking had deteriorated and caused contamination into the tank. But it was solid to the tank and now has to be re-bed. Easy enough.
What really bothers me is that the original WEMA ended this way. I guess it’s just the “Cheap Plastic Part Department“ in charge again.

We did talk about winterizing and chemicals added to the tank. But that doesn’t seem to be the issue. I use a little over 1 gallon of antifreeze (the pink stuff) in the tank itself, after emptying it as best you can. With that amount the float isn’t sitting in the antifreeze as the sender is about 1 1/4 inches shorter than the tank height. The bleach solution added at spring commissioning, a cup to 75 gallons of water is not overly aggressive and does the job.

So if anyone is having issues with their WEMA gauges not functioning ( I hope your not) as they should here is the link to the New WEMA site. Nice people to speak with and they get back to you fast.….. hello@wema.co.uk
 
Sep 26, 2008
546
Hunter 340 0 Wickford, RI
My new WEMA sensor arrived today. 3 days earlier than promised. Here is a couple of comparison photos to see the difference. Talk about catastrophic failure. What ate this away? When I first removed this to see, I had it in my mind that I would find mold or a film on the sending rod, simply clean it and be on my way, not what I saw.
 

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Sep 26, 2008
546
Hunter 340 0 Wickford, RI
Jim,
We were just siting at lunch with some friends at the marina and it's mine and everyone's opinion that chlorine is the problem. That being said, my adding about 10-12 ounces of chlorine to the tank (75 gallons) when I commission the tank in the spring is not to aggressive. Especially since it's followed by 3 minimum tank rinses before launch.
The water itself does not smell or taste of chlorine on a daily basis, when drawn from a tap, not on the boat. But it can't be anything else or just a faulty float from the beginning. And it absorbed some chlorine at some time and started the downhill process.
I'm at a loss as to how, so I'll replace it now, and watch it as time goes on.
 
Sep 26, 2008
546
Hunter 340 0 Wickford, RI
Thank you for the link. I'll look into that. But as I'm writing this, I can say that I did notice on a dock, something that looks just like your link, in front of a boat screwed down to the dock. Next trip out I'm going to go look and see exactly what it is. It is very possible of chlorine being added each time. I'll be calling city hall Monday and ask if they are adding more.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,993
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Perhaps... just spitballing... There was a gremlin introduced into the tank. Ate some of the plastic, died, and then was flushed out with the rinse water. Looks like teeth marks... Strange things go on when we are not on the boats.

Look at the owner posting that his boat was a humanities wildlife habitat.
 
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Feb 14, 2014
7,400
Hunter 430 Waveland, MS
I'll be calling city hall Monday and ask if they are adding more.
More is never an issue with clean drinking water. They add more, if they put in new services or fix a line break.
10ppm Chlorine, in standard drinking water, is the minimum safe level.
Thus you will always have dissolved Chlorine, until the pressure drops to atmospheric i.e. In your tank.

something that looks just like your link, in front of a boat screwed down to the dock.
Yes and note the bracket to do that is included. We have one, for use with un-known water sources, when we go to other marinas.
Jim...