Fresh water tank leaks

B

bob mclaughlin

New member
Dec 10, 1999
979
0
0
I'm about to order a third water tank from Ardemco because the first two
have cracked from the hole that mounts the quantity sending unit. They will
furnish a tank that has no hole for the sender. Has anyone have any ideas
for a quantity sensor that mounts on top of the tank?
Bob McLaughlin
 
Thanks Emery. I think I'll go with no hole. My gauge doesn't work now but
I'll be able to fill it every time I dump and know more about the quantity
than I know now.
The capacitance type you mentioned intrigues me. Time to experiment.
Bob McL

- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-gmcmotorhome
[mailto:owner-gmcmotorhome]On Behalf Of
EMERYSTORA
Sent: Tuesday, April 25, 2000 4:24 PM
To: gmcmotorhome
Subject: Re: GMC: Fresh water tank leaks

 
Bob,
Go to the hardware, get some clear plastic tubing of a size
that will fit over the tank drain outlet under the coach and
run it into the propane compartment, terminating it at the
highest point you can reach. Open the tank drain valve
and -Voila!- water seeking it's own level gives you a crude
but failsafe water level indicator.
Gary Kosier
- ----- Original Message -----
From: Bob Mclaughlin
To:
Sent: Tuesday, April 25, 2000 7:52 PM
Subject: RE: GMC: Fresh water tank leaks

> Thanks Emery. I think I'll go with no hole. My gauge doesn't work now
but
> I'll be able to fill it every time I dump and know more about the quantity
> than I know now.
> The capacitance type you mentioned intrigues me. Time to experiment.
> Bob McL
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-gmcmotorhome
> [mailto:owner-gmcmotorhome]On Behalf Of
> EMERYSTORA
> Sent: Tuesday, April 25, 2000 4:24 PM
> To: gmcmotorhome
> Subject: Re: GMC: Fresh water tank leaks
>
>
>

>
> making my own probe. I once had a Travco motorhome that had a small piece
> of
> plastic rigid tube with a stainless steel wire running down the outside of
> the tube. Inside the tube were a series of resistors. The tube was
fitted
> into a standard plastic pipe plug with the two wires entering through two
> holes drilled into the plug. There was a small hole in the tube just
below
> the threads of the hole so that the water level could rise and fall within
> the tube. There were resistors at the 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 levels. When
empty
> all the resistors were in series. When the water was at, say 1/2, the
> bottom
> two resistors were shunted bay the water and only the top resistors were
in
> the circuit. I would think you could make something like this quite
easily
> and drill and tap a small hole in the top of the tank for the plastic pipe
> plug. This assumes that when the tank is full the resistance of the gauge
> circuit is Zero and when full it is the sum of the resistors up to 90
ohms.
> (our GMC is a 90 ohm gauge). I have forgotten which way our GMC gauge
works
> but I think that full is zero and empty is 90 ohm. You'd probably have to
> experiment with the values of the resistors to make this work properly.
>
> Another type of gauge sender could be fabricated by attaching an aluminum
> plate to opposite sides of the tank or on one side and then around the
> corner
> to the adjacent side. This would act as a capacitor and as the water
level
> raised it would be of higher capacitance. With the right circuit set up
you
> could probably make it work your existing gauge. I know that this is done
> with big commercial tanks but I don't have the knowledge to design the
> circuit. If you have a friend into electronics or if you are capable, a
> circuit could be designed to convert the capacitance readings to power the
> gauge.
>
> I finally bought a side mounted gauge from Golby that fits into the
standard
> side mounted hole. It has a magnetic coupled sender circuit so that there
> is
> no contact of the electronic components with the water. I cut out the
> plastic from the gauge mounting hole and it has been in for over a year
now
> with no cracking of the plastic tank.
>
> Emery Stora
> 77 Kingsley
> Santa Fe, NM
>
 
Gary,
Thanks a million. What a marvelous idea. Why can't I think of these KISS
solutions? I guess it's because my Rube Goldberg mind is now thinking of
ways to cap the tube to let air in and keep the mud daubers out. I'll hook
one up tonight.
Bob McL

- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-gmcmotorhome
[mailto:owner-gmcmotorhome]On Behalf Of Kara Kosier
Sent: Wednesday, April 26, 2000 9:19 AM
To: gmcmotorhome
Subject: Re: GMC: Fresh water tank leaks

Bob,
Go to the hardware, get some clear plastic tubing of a size
that will fit over the tank drain outlet under the coach and
run it into the propane compartment, terminating it at the
highest point you can reach. Open the tank drain valve
and -Voila!- water seeking it's own level gives you a crude
but failsafe water level indicator.
Gary Kosier
- ----- Original Message -----
From: Bob Mclaughlin
To:
Sent: Tuesday, April 25, 2000 7:52 PM
Subject: RE: GMC: Fresh water tank leaks

> Thanks Emery. I think I'll go with no hole. My gauge doesn't work now
but
> I'll be able to fill it every time I dump and know more about the quantity
> than I know now.
> The capacitance type you mentioned intrigues me. Time to experiment.
> Bob McL
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-gmcmotorhome
> [mailto:owner-gmcmotorhome]On Behalf Of
> EMERYSTORA
> Sent: Tuesday, April 25, 2000 4:24 PM
> To: gmcmotorhome
> Subject: Re: GMC: Fresh water tank leaks
>
>
>

>
> making my own probe. I once had a Travco motorhome that had a small piece
> of
> plastic rigid tube with a stainless steel wire running down the outside of
> the tube. Inside the tube were a series of resistors. The tube was
fitted
> into a standard plastic pipe plug with the two wires entering through two
> holes drilled into the plug. There was a small hole in the tube just
below
> the threads of the hole so that the water level could rise and fall within
> the tube. There were resistors at the 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 levels. When
empty
> all the resistors were in series. When the water was at, say 1/2, the
> bottom
> two resistors were shunted bay the water and only the top resistors were
in
> the circuit. I would think you could make something like this quite
easily
> and drill and tap a small hole in the top of the tank for the plastic pipe
> plug. This assumes that when the tank is full the resistance of the gauge
> circuit is Zero and when full it is the sum of the resistors up to 90
ohms.
> (our GMC is a 90 ohm gauge). I have forgotten which way our GMC gauge
works
> but I think that full is zero and empty is 90 ohm. You'd probably have to
> experiment with the values of the resistors to make this work properly.
>
> Another type of gauge sender could be fabricated by attaching an aluminum
> plate to opposite sides of the tank or on one side and then around the
> corner
> to the adjacent side. This would act as a capacitor and as the water
level
> raised it would be of higher capacitance. With the right circuit set up
you
> could probably make it work your existing gauge. I know that this is done
> with big commercial tanks but I don't have the knowledge to design the
> circuit. If you have a friend into electronics or if you are capable, a
> circuit could be designed to convert the capacitance readings to power the
> gauge.
>
> I finally bought a side mounted gauge from Golby that fits into the
standard
> side mounted hole. It has a magnetic coupled sender circuit so that there
> is
> no contact of the electronic components with the water. I cut out the
> plastic from the gauge mounting hole and it has been in for over a year
now
> with no cracking of the plastic tank.
>
> Emery Stora
> 77 Kingsley
> Santa Fe, NM
>
 
I made one similarly, but sealed on both ends. The low end is tapped into
the water outlet, and the upper end tapping into the fill tube. This way it
is a closed system. I patterned mine after looking at a big coffee pot with
a sight glass on the front. A heck of a lot more accurate than the old
gauge!

Tony Bad

- ----- Original Message -----
From: Bob Mclaughlin
To:
Sent: Wednesday, April 26, 2000 1:21 PM
Subject: RE: GMC: Fresh water tank leaks

> Gary,
> Thanks a million. What a marvelous idea. Why can't I think of these KISS
> solutions? I guess it's because my Rube Goldberg mind is now thinking of
> ways to cap the tube to let air in and keep the mud daubers out. I'll
hook
> one up tonight.
> Bob McL
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-gmcmotorhome
> [mailto:owner-gmcmotorhome]On Behalf Of Kara Kosier
> Sent: Wednesday, April 26, 2000 9:19 AM
> To: gmcmotorhome
> Subject: Re: GMC: Fresh water tank leaks
>
>
> Bob,
> Go to the hardware, get some clear plastic tubing of a size
> that will fit over the tank drain outlet under the coach and
> run it into the propane compartment, terminating it at the
> highest point you can reach. Open the tank drain valve
> and -Voila!- water seeking it's own level gives you a crude
> but failsafe water level indicator.
> Gary Kosier
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Bob Mclaughlin
> To:
> Sent: Tuesday, April 25, 2000 7:52 PM
> Subject: RE: GMC: Fresh water tank leaks
>
>
> > Thanks Emery. I think I'll go with no hole. My gauge doesn't work now
> but
> > I'll be able to fill it every time I dump and know more about the
quantity
> > than I know now.
> > The capacitance type you mentioned intrigues me. Time to experiment.
> > Bob McL
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-gmcmotorhome
> > [mailto:owner-gmcmotorhome]On Behalf Of
> > EMERYSTORA
> > Sent: Tuesday, April 25, 2000 4:24 PM
> > To: gmcmotorhome
> > Subject: Re: GMC: Fresh water tank leaks
> >
> >
> >

> >
> > about
> > making my own probe. I once had a Travco motorhome that had a small
piece
> > of
> > plastic rigid tube with a stainless steel wire running down the outside
of
> > the tube. Inside the tube were a series of resistors. The tube was
> fitted
> > into a standard plastic pipe plug with the two wires entering through
two
> > holes drilled into the plug. There was a small hole in the tube just
> below
> > the threads of the hole so that the water level could rise and fall
within
> > the tube. There were resistors at the 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 levels. When
> empty
> > all the resistors were in series. When the water was at, say 1/2, the
> > bottom
> > two resistors were shunted bay the water and only the top resistors were
> in
> > the circuit. I would think you could make something like this quite
> easily
> > and drill and tap a small hole in the top of the tank for the plastic
pipe
> > plug. This assumes that when the tank is full the resistance of the
gauge
> > circuit is Zero and when full it is the sum of the resistors up to 90
> ohms.
> > (our GMC is a 90 ohm gauge). I have forgotten which way our GMC gauge
> works
> > but I think that full is zero and empty is 90 ohm. You'd probably have
to
> > experiment with the values of the resistors to make this work properly.
> >
> > Another type of gauge sender could be fabricated by attaching an
aluminum
> > plate to opposite sides of the tank or on one side and then around the
> > corner
> > to the adjacent side. This would act as a capacitor and as the water
> level
> > raised it would be of higher capacitance. With the right circuit set up
> you
> > could probably make it work your existing gauge. I know that this is
done
> > with big commercial tanks but I don't have the knowledge to design the
> > circuit. If you have a friend into electronics or if you are capable, a
> > circuit could be designed to convert the capacitance readings to power
the
> > gauge.
> >
> > I finally bought a side mounted gauge from Golby that fits into the
> standard
> > side mounted hole. It has a magnetic coupled sender circuit so that
there
> > is
> > no contact of the electronic components with the water. I cut out the
> > plastic from the gauge mounting hole and it has been in for over a year
> now
> > with no cracking of the plastic tank.
> >
> > Emery Stora
> > 77 Kingsley
> > Santa Fe, NM
> >
>
>
 
> I'm about to order a third water tank from Ardemco because the first two
> have cracked from the hole that mounts the quantity sending unit. They will
> furnish a tank that has no hole for the sender. Has anyone have any ideas
> for a quantity sensor that mounts on top of the tank?
> Bob McLaughlin

===============================

In the back of the FMCA magazine there always is an ad for a "capacitance" type
level indicator. I installed one several years ago & am very satisfied. Nothing
to wear out, nothing to corrode.

- --
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
GMC Schematics
http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/greenside/321/

GMC Calling Card Sample
http://home1.photoisland.com/servlet/com.arcsoft.LoginNew?com=arcsoftBanner&awp=index4.html&DIRECT=show&USERNAME=mistifawn&WHO=guest

ENTER Password: mistifawn
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
 
It turns out that Westach have new senders that work either on the side or on
top. You might contact them and see what they offer.
al

>
> making my own probe. I once had a Travco motorhome that had a small piece of
> plastic rigid tube with a stainless steel wire running down the outside of
> the tube. Inside the tube were a series of resistors. The tube was fitted
> into a standard plastic pipe plug with the two wires entering through two
> holes drilled into the plug. There was a small hole in the tube just below
> the threads of the hole so that the water level could rise and fall within
> the tube. There were resistors at the 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 levels. When empty
> all the resistors were in series. When the water was at, say 1/2, the bottom
> two resistors were shunted bay the water and only the top resistors were in
> the circuit. I would think you could make something like this quite easily
> and drill and tap a small hole in the top of the tank for the plastic pipe
> plug. This assumes that when the tank is full the resistance of the gauge
> circuit is Zero and when full it is the sum of the resistors up to 90 ohms.
> (our GMC is a 90 ohm gauge). I have forgotten which way our GMC gauge works
> but I think that full is zero and empty is 90 ohm. You'd probably have to
> experiment with the values of the resistors to make this work properly.
>
> Another type of gauge sender could be fabricated by attaching an aluminum
> plate to opposite sides of the tank or on one side and then around the corner
> to the adjacent side. This would act as a capacitor and as the water level
> raised it would be of higher capacitance. With the right circuit set up you
> could probably make it work your existing gauge. I know that this is done
> with big commercial tanks but I don't have the knowledge to design the
> circuit. If you have a friend into electronics or if you are capable, a
> circuit could be designed to convert the capacitance readings to power the
> gauge.
>
> I finally bought a side mounted gauge from Golby that fits into the standard
> side mounted hole. It has a magnetic coupled sender circuit so that there is
> no contact of the electronic components with the water. I cut out the
> plastic from the gauge mounting hole and it has been in for over a year now
> with no cracking of the plastic tank.
>
> Emery Stora
> 77 Kingsley
> Santa Fe, NM
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Get your shine on at www.cruzingear.co
Banner Advertisement for gmcmi.com

Share this page

Share this page
Top Bottom
Back