Aft water tank level sensor - Anyone installed one?

[Neil McLaughlin]

Hi Folks, just completing the installation of the water tank sensors(top mount, resistive sensors) to connect directly to the Victron Cerbo GX.  The forward and mid tank installs were super easy.  However, I think Catalina built the boat around the aft water tank! 

Has anyone drilled through the floor in the aft port-side locker to install a sensor in the tank underneath?  Advice or pictures appreciated.

[Jonathan Salter]

I don’t think I have pictures, but I believe you can get to the tank by removing the bulkhead at the foot of the aft cabin, if that makes sense. I put my hand on the tank from there before and made basically the same comment. Very hard to get to 

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On Mar 9, 2024, at 11:01 AM, Neil McLaughlin <sonas...@gmail.com> wrote:



Hi Folks, just completing the installation of the water tank sensors(top mount, resistive sensors) to connect directly to the Victron Cerbo GX.  The forward and mid tank installs were super easy.  However, I think Catalina built the boat around the aft water tank! 

Has anyone drilled through the floor in the aft port-side locker to install a sensor in the tank underneath?  Advice or pictures appreciated.

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[Jon Vez]

Neil,

If you remove the teak panel in the aft cabin you can access the tank. The only trick is removing the corner round finish piece in the forward corner of the panel. Mine was glued so I gently broke it away with a putty knife and protected the panel with a cloth. When I replaced it I just used a couple of screws. Some pics below.

There isn’t much clearance on top of the tank and I’m not sure I’d want to drill through the floor of the lazarette as you’ll see when you remove the panel.

Sent from my iPad

On Mar 9, 2024, at 2:01 PM, Neil McLaughlin <sonas...@gmail.com> wrote:



Hi Folks, just completing the installation of the water tank sensors(top mount, resistive sensors) to connect directly to the Victron Cerbo GX.  The forward and mid tank installs were super easy.  However, I think Catalina built the boat around the aft water tank! 

Has anyone drilled through the floor in the aft port-side locker to install a sensor in the tank underneath?  Advice or pictures appreciated.

--

[Allan Spousta]

What sensors did you use?  Where did you buy? Any pictures of install?

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From: catal...@googlegroups.com <catal...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Neil McLaughlin <sonas...@gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 9, 2024 11:01:22 AM
To: Catalina355 <catal...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [Catalina 355:5266] Aft water tank level sensor - Anyone installed one?

 

Hi Folks, just completing the installation of the water tank sensors(top mount, resistive sensors) to connect directly to the Victron Cerbo GX.  The forward and mid tank installs were super easy.  However, I think Catalina built the boat around the aft water tank! 

Has anyone drilled through the floor in the aft port-side locker to install a sensor in the tank underneath?  Advice or pictures appreciated.

[Neil McLaughlin]

Thanks All for the responses and pictures.  My findings are the same and I took the same pictures in the aft cabin.  Jon's comment about removing that corner molding piece above the foot of the aft berth to get the vertical wood panel out is key. 

Regarding drilling through the lazarette floor, I have now selected a location just to the outside of the starter battery.  I will drill a 4" hole there, access the top of the tank, install the sensor and connect to the Cerbox GX which is nearby.  I will then install a marine access cover in the floor above the sensor.  See pics of approximate location.

Regarding the sensor, I did not want to install more power sucking devices and research led me to the KUS / WEMA / 100Tech brand resistive sensors(240-33 ohm).  I have now tested them and they work as expected.  Nice to have very precise readings on the water levels.  The Cerbo GX has four inputs for these sensors.  No other device (or power requirement) necessary.  Amazon sensor link:  https://a.co/d/1Wc6PqF

Here is a great video of the set up:  https://youtu.be/8-gJGTKl6hQ?si=sN7wY2vMqBeaJlQy

As an aside, I have also installed a Ruuvi environment sensor which also connects directly to the Cerbo GX via Bluetooth.

See the screenshot of the output of the Cerbo GX on the Victron VRM site.  You can see the tank tanks that I tested earlier as well as cabin temp sensor, GPS location, etc.

I will send more pics once I have completed the final tank sensor install.

[Neil McLaughlin]

Just to wrap up this string, I have now completed the level sensor on the aft tank.  It was quite a bit more effort than the other two.  However, the job is complete and the sensor is working.

See the attached picture of the floor of the port-side cockpit locker.  I had to drill a 4.5" hole through two layers of GRP.  Then drill the tank hole for the sensor.  I installed the black marine access cover above the sensor in the floor.  The wiring run was short to the Cerbo.

Also, see picture of the three tanks now reading on the Victron VRM(via mobile app in this case).  Also, they read directly into the Raymarine Axiom Pro via the Cerbo GX.

Happy to share anything further.

Neil

Cockpit locker floor:

Victron VRM mobile app: