Small Water tank level gauge help

[BLTillson]

Greetings friends,

I am in the midst (year 2 ) of designing and building my very own teardrop trailer. I am ordering the little water tank on Monday. This is a small tank, only 11 gallons installed right above the axel and under the bed. I am looking for a solution for a decent water level gauge. I can't use a simple closed tube because the the tank location. I could a tube on the side inside the compartment (see picture) but I would have to lift the bed and open the lid to see it. I need something electrical that comes in from the side. I also want to keep the cost down. The tank is from Plastic-Mart and is a model: R-RVB319. It will have the fittings installed where I choose. I have figured out my fill, vent and drain locations and wondering if I will need others for a gauge. It's not a huge issue and not a critical item, however, if I can find an easy solution I would consider it. Thanks all!

Water Tank Detail.png (322.84 KiB) Viewed 11589 times

Also, since I am posting on the subject, here is my basic plumbing schematic.

Plumbing Scematic.png (77.63 KiB) Viewed 11589 times

[OP827]

How about this simple DIY idea on a budget:
https://youtube.com/shorts/21nGeimdgvY?si=7yOqHu5HHCIcMTRA
The probe, the contacts, and wires will have to be made of food safe materials.

[GTS225]

How about this simple DIY idea on a budget:
https://youtube.com/shorts/21nGeimdgvY?si=7yOqHu5HHCIcMTRA
The probe, the contacts, and wires will have to be made of food safe materials.

Yup......not a whole lot different than the sensor system(s) in a towable RV camper. 3 or 4 contacts molded into the side of the tank, with the right sequence of wiring, and you have a rather simple and effective level "gauge"

Roger

[Onajourney]

I have this one and it works great. They also have a propane tank sensor you can also monitor in the same app.

https://www.amazon.com/Mopeka-Check-Universal-Sensor-Collar/dp/B0C7HM61BP/ref=asc_df_B0C7HM61BP/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693330410595&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14109432508113910200&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9009741&hvtargid=pla-2201448423980&mcid=4df17d0d2fce30b498bf59933ff0f875&gad_source=1&th=1

[bdosborn]

I have this one and it works great. They also have a propane tank sensor you can also monitor in the same app.

x2 on the Mopeka. No need to drill a hole in the tank and it sticks to polyethylene. I'm on my second year and mine is still working great. It's compatible with Victron Cerbo GX too.
Bruce

[Tom&Shelly]

Anyone else think that in a few years this forum will be all AI bots seeding messages that will eventually become links for ads?

Tom

[bdosborn]

Welcome to the Enshitifaction of internet goods and services. Tech companies won't be satisfied until every internet feed is an obnoxious digital billboard. What a shame, I remember how fun and useful the internet was in the 2000s.
Bruce

[BLTillson]

Anyone else think that in a few years this forum will be all AI bots seeding messages that will eventually become links for ads?

Tom

I do. The internet is an out of control monster that is eating everything human and organic in it's wake. It used to be way more fun.

[FischAutoTechGarten]

our brave new world... remember when the internet existed simply for sharing ideas and collaborating? (well that was probably never really true... I'm sure military applications were considered from the beginning).
unfortunately the world view now is if you can't monitize it, then it has no value. the Bots and AI are a way to 'service' the audience.

Level is tough.. cheap ultrasonics work well (like those bumper sensors), but they need a bit of dead space prior to the actual interface.. which would mean installing a cone or some such thing above your tank... not practical...
I've found a series of inexpensive discrete level sensors, like those you might find in a brake fluid resevoir, arranged diagonally in relation to one another, can be somewhat useful for crude measures... (i.e. Near Empty, 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, Near Full).

[bobhenry]

Your tank needs a vent to allow air in to avoid vacuum locking your tank as the water is pumped out right! So add it near the bottom of the tank. Now extend it to the exterior wall and using clear tubing extend the vent outward and up the exterior wall. As you start to fill mark the low point and fill to the top and mark the full right on the side of the trailer. A cabinet cup pull could be added as a protective awning over the end to divert falling debris or a simple cane hook return you now have an ultra simple combination vent with overflow protection. While adding this put a tee in at the lowest point and a valve to dump the tank and as a rinse out or drain for winter.

[bobhenry]

https://www.mcmaster.com/products/clear ... -fittings/

CLEAR PVC COMPATABLE FITTINGS AND TUBING

[BLTillson]

https://www.mcmaster.com/products/clear-pvc-pipe-fittings/

CLEAR PVC COMPATABLE FITTINGS AND TUBING

Thank you for the response. However, my project has been cancelled for health reasons. More if you look at the last post on my build log.
take care