Is it ever necessary to calibrate the new SeaLevel Tank Monitoring System?

[Hibby]

We have a 2015 Bunkhouse that came with the new SeaLevel Tank Monitor System. Is it ever necessary to calibrate/recalibrate this?

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Hibby

We have a 2015 Bunkhouse that came with the new SeaLevel Tank Monitor System. Is it ever necessary to calibrate/recalibrate this?

Rarely.

Keep in mind the readings are "ball park".

Andy

[daboose]

We have the SeeLevel in our 2014 and as Andy said its "ball park." It's a large ball park. Ha! But the readouts seem to be reliable and consistent.

I metered water into the gray & potable tanks to find out what the meters were actually telling me.

For example>>>

• when the gray monitor initially reads 100% there's 23 gallons in the 37 gallon tank.
• when the potable monitor initially reads 100% there's 27 gallons in the 39 gallon tank.

And it's not linear…

[HowieE]

Closer to a National Park than a Ball Park.

The gray tank is full when water appears in he bathtub.

Since it is unlikely you will ever fill the black tank before the gray the gray becomes the defining indicator.

The monitors causes far more mental anguish then they are worth.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by daboose

We have the SeeLevel in our 2014 and as Andy said its "ball park." It's a large ball park. Ha! But the readouts seem to be reliable and consistent.

I metered water into the gray & potable tanks to find out what the meters were actually telling me.

For example>>>

• when the gray monitor initially reads 100% there's 23 gallons in the 37 gallon tank.
• when the potable monitor initially reads 100% there's 27 gallons in the 39 gallon tank.

And it's not linear…

The % and gallons will only ever have a linear correspondence if the tank is exactly rectangular and exactly level. Odd shapes or a tank that is out of level will skew the numbers. Note that due to installation procedures, the tank will not necessarily be level when the trailer is level; you want some slope to the tank so it will drain.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by daboose

We have the SeeLevel in our 2014 and as Andy said its "ball park." It's a large ball park. Ha! But the readouts seem to be reliable and consistent.

I metered water into the gray & potable tanks to find out what the meters were actually telling me.

For example>>>

• when the gray monitor initially reads 100% there's 23 gallons in the 37 gallon tank.
• when the potable monitor initially reads 100% there's 27 gallons in the 39 gallon tank.

And it's not linear…

Fruit for thought.

Which would you rather have?

A gauge that when is says 100 %, your FULL, period. No more.

Or, a gauge that warns you that your almost full, so you can do something other than OH-OH?

Personally, I prefer the latter.

Andy

[KJRitchie]

What is the calibration procedure for the new system. Maybe it can be tweaked.

Kelvin

[daboose]

Amen to that Andy…the latter is preferred!

According to the SeeLevel manual there is no "calibration" procedure for the "senders" and water level; at least that's how I read it.

What has been nice this entire season…the read outs have been consistent, in that, every time I fill the potable tank with 15 gallons for a road trip I get the same percent readout every time. (I use 2 mounted Hopkins graduated levels.)

Next year might be another story…we'll see how the "senders" weather the winter storage.

[KJRitchie]

So if the outside sensors are applied so the top of the sensor strip is low in comparison to the top of the holding tank will that cause the Full reading to come on early? If the reading shows full too soon that doesn't help you when you know your tank is roughly 60% because you'll tend to keep filling it. I'd prefer about 80% full which gives you a little margin and you know it's dump time.

Kelvin

[daboose]

I hear you about the placement of the sensors and Protag has is right about being level and the tank proportions. Since the tanks are long, narrow and not very high the "senders" don't have much height to work with since they are attached from the bottom to the top.

The install TrailerLifeTV (YouTube Channel) perfomed, help me better understand the system.

How To Install a Tank Monitor - YouTube

[Hibby]

All of this is good info... I guess my concern is when freshwater shows empty or gray shows full. I hit 0% freshwater the other day and didn't know how much I had left, and 100% gray. I prefer it that way (Andy, agreed!) but would rather know how much room I really have if possible. There's no way to know how much is really in the tank when it shows freshwater 0% or gray at 100%.


Sent from my iPad using Airstream Forums

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by daboose

Amen to that Andy…the latter is preferred!

According to the SeeLevel manual there is no "calibration" procedure for the "senders" and water level; at least that's how I read it.

What has been nice this entire season…the read outs have been consistent, in that, every time I fill the potable tank with 15 gallons for a road trip I get the same percent readout every time. (I use 2 mounted Hopkins graduated levels.)

Next year might be another story…we'll see how the "senders" weather the winter storage.

Full water is always better.

It lowers the center of gravity even moreso, which makes the trailer handle better.

Having plenty of water, is real nice, especially if you blow a radiator hose.

Andy