Water Flow Meter

[gilsurf]

I have a 1992 Beneteau 440 (Moorings 445) with integral FG water tanks and no system to monitor water usage or tank levels. As I am not able to get at the sides of the water tanks, an external meter does not seem like a viable solution for tank monitoring. Someone had mentioned that some charter boats have flow meters inline with the water pump. But I can not locate such a meter.

has anybody seen anything like this or have another idea for this issue?

Thanks!

[georgellop]

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/wwg/productIndex.shtml ... here you'll see some options for flow meters. You actually need a flow meter with a counter.

George.

[Zanshin]

I've got a water flow meter installed just downstream of the tank selector switches that looks like a normal home water meter plus it has an electrical lead attached to the outside which goes to a digital display on the electrical panel. Unfortunately the meter always reads 0 but the analog one is very accurate and gives me the amount of water consumed. As far as I know this is the standard equipment on Jeanneau and I think I might have a picture of it which also shows the manufacturer.

[sailingdog]

You could always use an internal tank monitoring system. I think that a flow meter is less useful than being able to see what the actual levels in the tanks would be.

[Giulietta]

If you have access to the top of your tanks you can install an electric level gage, that consists of a floater that rides on a shaft. Any marine or diesel supplier have them.

You just cut a round opening on your tank, for the instrument, and install it. They even have ones that have the gage right on it, like the ones used for gas tanks on outboards.

[camaraderie]

You might want to consider this as well...minimally invasive and works pretty well for both fuel and water.
http://www.thetanktender.com/

[jones2r]

Any float-level system will not be linear unless the tank is square-dimensioned (not necessarily square-shaped). This doesn't mean that the float gauge won't be useful, just not gauge-accurate. You will have to employ Kentucky calibration (bastardization of a shooting term, Kentucky windage). What would be useful in this case would be to fill your empty tank with a known quantity of liquid, and mark your gauge's face accordingly.

[Giulietta]

Originally Posted by jones2r

Any float-level system will not be linear unless the tank is square-dimensioned (not necessarily square-shaped). This doesn't mean that the float gauge won't be useful, just not gauge-accurate. You will have to employ Kentucky calibration (bastardization of a shooting term, Kentucky windage). What would be useful in this case would be to fill your empty tank with a known quantity of liquid, and mark your gauge's face accordingly.

They make floaters that have different height shafts because of that.

I know I have 3, all different size. The gages only say full, half etc.

If he knows the quantity of water it takes, then its easy to calculate the quantity indicated.

Also most of them, can be calibrated for float travel, ie what is marked with float all down and all up.

[jones2r]

Giu,

"I know I have 3, all different size. The gages only say full, half etc."

As I understand you, you have three floats installed in a single tank, all sending to one gauge. So, the height of each float is coordinated with the shape of the tank, and the gauge face is marked to indicate the tank proportion for each sender. Innovative.

[gilsurf]

Thanks for the ideas. As the tanks are integral fiberglass with lids that are not very thick, any form of a float or pressure type gauge may be difficult. Though, the lids will be coming off for a re-seal, so it is a good time to look closely at this.

OW, it seems a simple clicker flow meter would be fine. The Grainger option states: Not for Use with Water Applications. It seems there must be a simple (and cheap?) water flow meter with a total amount passed out there.

On to the search.

Thanks!
Gil