Water Usage Meter
 

As stated before, a flow meter gives indirect answers to your question and
therefore is prone to error. I have another suggestion that I think is not
only more practical, but less expensive. Use a "Differential Pressure Gage"
calibrated in inches of H2O. All this takes is a small diameter hose to the
tank bottom connected directly to the high side of the gauge and a method to
burp the line from time to time. These gauges can be found both new and used
at very freindly prices.
Steve


"foggywaters" wrote in message
...
On Jan 5, 5:45 am, Capt Dan wrote:
On Dec 29 2008, 4:01 am, foggywaters wrote:





Hi

I would like to install / build a meter that would display the amount
of water I have taken from my water tank(s). There is no access to the
tank(s), installing level senders would be difficult.

I am aware of the WaterWatch. It would suffice but the literature says
the minimum water flow required is ~ 1.6 Gallons Per Minute. I don't
think it would record small demands i.e. brushing one's teeth.
Although it would be good for measuring the amount of water added to
the tanks.

I would prefer a system with a small in-line sensor sending pulses? to
a meter (LED ? LCD?) 10' away.

Any suggestions

foggywaters

Check out:

https://www.freshwatersystems.com/support/8000t.pdf

I think this is exactly what you want for under $40- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Capt Dan

Thanks - Yes this looks very good, I like it - but - the connections
are only 3/8" NPT. My main line is 3/4" with the individuals 1/2". I
will put a piece of 3/8" hose in line to see what affect it has on the
volume of flow.

foggy

Water Usage Meter
 

Steve. Thanks. This sounds like the Tank Tender system: www.thetanktender.com

"Tank Tender operates on air pressure. Select the tank, then pump a
small amount of air through tubing to the bottom of the tank. When the
air pressure in the tube equals the liquid pressure at the bottom of
the tank, the gauge displays this pressure in inches".

They list at US$375. for a single tank system. Have to find a non-
marine version. ?? www.grainger.com list several gages alone from
US$65. - $300.There are some lised on ebay as well -

It is an option but I only have access to a aft corner of one tank and
the fwd on the other tank - (belly tanks 168 cm L x 43 cm w X 28 cm
H). some people with the same boat have said they do not find the Tank
Tender very accurate - not that we really need precision - probably
because the tank is shallow and the tube is at the end..

foggy

On Jan 18, 10:56*pm, "Steve Lusardi" wrote:
As stated before, a flow meter gives indirect answers to your question and
therefore is prone to error. I have another suggestion that I think is not
only more practical, but less expensive. Use a "Differential Pressure Gage"
calibrated in inches of H2O. All this takes is a small diameter hose to the
tank bottom connected directly to the high side of the gauge and a method to
burp the line from time to time. These gauges can be found both new and used
at very freindly prices.
Steve

Water Usage Meter
 

On Tue, 20 Jan 2009 00:06:36 -0800 (PST), foggywaters
wrote:

Steve. Thanks. This sounds like the Tank Tender system: www.thetanktender.com

"Tank Tender operates on air pressure. Select the tank, then pump a
small amount of air through tubing to the bottom of the tank. When the
air pressure in the tube equals the liquid pressure at the bottom of
the tank, the gauge displays this pressure in inches".

They list at US$375. for a single tank system. Have to find a non-
marine version. ?? www.grainger.com list several gages alone from
US$65. - $300.There are some lised on ebay as well -

It is an option but I only have access to a aft corner of one tank and
the fwd on the other tank - (belly tanks 168 cm L x 43 cm w X 28 cm
H). some people with the same boat have said they do not find the Tank
Tender very accurate - not that we really need precision - probably
because the tank is shallow and the tube is at the end..

foggy

The "air" gauges measure water depth in the tank so a shallow tank
would be harder to get an accurate measurement in then a deep tank as
an increment of measurement in a shallow tank is a much larger
quantity then the same increment in a narrow tank..

But in any event they are more accurate then those "1/4 empty" float
gauges :-)


On Jan 18, 10:56Â*pm, "Steve Lusardi" wrote:
As stated before, a flow meter gives indirect answers to your question and
therefore is prone to error. I have another suggestion that I think is not
only more practical, but less expensive. Use a "Differential Pressure Gage"
calibrated in inches of H2O. All this takes is a small diameter hose to the
tank bottom connected directly to the high side of the gauge and a method to
burp the line from time to time. These gauges can be found both new and used
at very freindly prices.
Steve
Cheers,

Bruce
(bruceinbangkokatgmaildotcom)

Water Usage Meter
 

foggywaters wrote:
Steve. Thanks. This sounds like the Tank Tender system: www.thetanktender.com

"Tank Tender operates on air pressure. Select the tank, then pump a
small amount of air through tubing to the bottom of the tank. When the
air pressure in the tube equals the liquid pressure at the bottom of
the tank, the gauge displays this pressure in inches".

They list at US$375. for a single tank system. Have to find a non-
marine version. ?? www.grainger.com list several gages alone from
US$65. - $300.There are some lised on ebay as well -

It is an option but I only have access to a aft corner of one tank and
the fwd on the other tank - (belly tanks 168 cm L x 43 cm w X 28 cm
H). some people with the same boat have said they do not find the Tank
Tender very accurate - not that we really need precision - probably
because the tank is shallow and the tube is at the end..

foggy

If you want a low cost gauge, how about using a simple manometer and a
hand pump. Just type manometer into e bay.
No idea if this method would also work with the toilet waste tank. If
it does I would use a different tube and gauge for the black water and
drinking water tanks.............

Water Usage Meter
 

Differential pressure guages are manometers by definition. Perhaps you mean
a loop of tubing with a yard stick ruler and colored water. If so, yes that
will work fine, but that rig takes up a lot of space and is rather ugly to
look at. PS I just bought a new 50 inch Magnahelic guage for $25 on ebay.
Steve

"Chewbacca" wrote in message
...
foggywaters wrote:
Steve. Thanks. This sounds like the Tank Tender system:
www.thetanktender.com

"Tank Tender operates on air pressure. Select the tank, then pump a
small amount of air through tubing to the bottom of the tank. When the
air pressure in the tube equals the liquid pressure at the bottom of
the tank, the gauge displays this pressure in inches".

They list at US$375. for a single tank system. Have to find a non-
marine version. ?? www.grainger.com list several gages alone from
US$65. - $300.There are some lised on ebay as well -

It is an option but I only have access to a aft corner of one tank and
the fwd on the other tank - (belly tanks 168 cm L x 43 cm w X 28 cm
H). some people with the same boat have said they do not find the Tank
Tender very accurate - not that we really need precision - probably
because the tank is shallow and the tube is at the end..

foggy

If you want a low cost gauge, how about using a simple manometer and a
hand pump. Just type manometer into e bay.
No idea if this method would also work with the toilet waste tank. If
it does I would use a different tube and gauge for the black water and
drinking water tanks.............

Water Usage Meter
 

On Dec 29 2008, 4:01*am, foggywaters wrote:
Hi

I would like to install / build a meter that would display the amount
of water I have taken from my water tank(s). There is no access to the
tank(s), *installing level senders would be difficult.

I am aware of the WaterWatch. It would suffice but the literature says
the minimum water flow required is ~ 1.6 Gallons Per Minute. I don't
think it would record small demands i.e. brushing one's teeth.
Although it would be good for measuring the amount of water added to
the tanks.

I would prefer a system with a small in-line sensor sending pulses? to
a meter (LED ? LCD?) 10' away.

Any suggestions

foggywaters

Run a clear plastic hose (the one with the string embedded in the
tubing wall) from the drain of the tank to the water tank vent. You
then have a site guage for the tank. If you are a sailboat you may
have to run the line across the boat so when it heels you don't drain
the tank.

Water Usage Meter
 

On Tue, 27 Jan 2009 19:28:28 -0800 (PST), Peter
wrote:

On Dec 29 2008, 4:01*am, foggywaters wrote:
Hi

I would like to install / build a meter that would display the amount
of water I have taken from my water tank(s). There is no access to the
tank(s), *installing level senders would be difficult.

I am aware of the WaterWatch. It would suffice but the literature says
the minimum water flow required is ~ 1.6 Gallons Per Minute. I don't
think it would record small demands i.e. brushing one's teeth.
Although it would be good for measuring the amount of water added to
the tanks.

I would prefer a system with a small in-line sensor sending pulses? to
a meter (LED ? LCD?) 10' away.

Any suggestions

foggywaters

Run a clear plastic hose (the one with the string embedded in the
tubing wall) from the drain of the tank to the water tank vent. You
then have a site guage for the tank. If you are a sailboat you may
have to run the line across the boat so when it heels you don't drain
the tank.


You don't even need then vent connection, just run the tubing a couple
of feet higher then the tank so it won't run over when the boat heels.
Cheers,

Bruce

Water Usage Meter
 

On Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:27:21 +0700, BruceinBangkok
wrote in
:

On Tue, 27 Jan 2009 19:28:28 -0800 (PST), Peter
wrote:

Run a clear plastic hose (the one with the string embedded in the
tubing wall) from the drain of the tank to the water tank vent. You
then have a site guage for the tank. If you are a sailboat you may
have to run the line across the boat so when it heels you don't drain
the tank.

You don't even need then vent connection, just run the tubing a couple
of feet higher then the tank so it won't run over when the boat heels.

Surge siphoning can still be a problem. I speak from painful
experience.

--
Best regards,
John Navas, publisher of Navas' Sailing & Racing in
the San Francisco Bay Area http://sail.navas.us/

Water Usage Meter
 

On Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:24:55 -0800, John Navas
wrote:

On Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:27:21 +0700, BruceinBangkok
wrote in
:

On Tue, 27 Jan 2009 19:28:28 -0800 (PST), Peter
wrote:

Run a clear plastic hose (the one with the string embedded in the
tubing wall) from the drain of the tank to the water tank vent. You
then have a site guage for the tank. If you are a sailboat you may
have to run the line across the boat so when it heels you don't drain
the tank.

You don't even need then vent connection, just run the tubing a couple
of feet higher then the tank so it won't run over when the boat heels.

Surge siphoning can still be a problem. I speak from painful
experience.

I can understand surge but siphoning when the outlet is above the
inlet?
Cheers,

Bruce

Water Usage Meter
 

On Fri, 30 Jan 2009 19:23:29 +0700, BruceinBangkok
wrote in
:

On Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:24:55 -0800, John Navas
wrote:

On Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:27:21 +0700, BruceinBangkok
wrote in
:

On Tue, 27 Jan 2009 19:28:28 -0800 (PST), Peter
wrote:

Run a clear plastic hose (the one with the string embedded in the
tubing wall) from the drain of the tank to the water tank vent. You
then have a site guage for the tank. If you are a sailboat you may
have to run the line across the boat so when it heels you don't drain
the tank.

You don't even need then vent connection, just run the tubing a couple
of feet higher then the tank so it won't run over when the boat heels.

Surge siphoning can still be a problem. I speak from painful
experience.

I can understand surge but siphoning when the outlet is above the
inlet?

While it won't continue indefinitely, momentum of water in the tube from
surge movement can draw additional water out due to siphoning until that
momentum is lost, resulting in quite a bit more outflow than expected,
which can have additional negative consequences when the vent outlet is
near things that can be damaged by water. Thus the vent outlet should
be high enough to prevent outflow even when heeled over, including surge
effects, and even so should drain overboard or at least into the bilge.

--
Best regards,
John Navas, publisher of Navas' Sailing & Racing in
the San Francisco Bay Area http://sail.navas.us/