Holding Tanks Level Monitors

[Larry W]

Our 2000 Royale uses Headhunter's system to monitor the fresh, gray and black tank levels. It is two systems, one for the fresh tank which also has the auto shut off feature and other unit that measures the other two tanks.
Over about a year all three quit working correctly. Headhunter sent me a troubleshooting guide. I followed the instructions and found by the instructions two of the tank sensors failed. I ordered two sensors for about $900 Lewbucks. One new sensor did fix the fresh water system. After the other new sensor was installed it did not work because the voltage to the sensor droped from the required 8 volts to less than 3 volts. I am now told the gauge unit power supply is bad. To end my troubles the new gauge unit is almost $400. I am not certain my third tank sensor is good. If not this adds another $495.
What system do some othe the other coaches use?
I have found a complete SeeLevel II by Garrett Technologies monitor system for a total of $465 for all three tanks plus battery voltage.
Does anyone have any experience with a SeeLevel II?

[Ray Davis]

I have seen a SeeLevel guage on a Prevost coach I was looking at when shopping several years ago. As I remember it was a pretty simple system, with an electrical contact which was taped/attached to the outside of the tank, and I guess sensed the level via temperature or ??

Anyway, it worked fine. Instead of like some systems where you get 1/4 tank increments, this had a digital gauge which displayed in percentage.

I can't give you any idea of reliability, but the seller was really happy with the system.

Ray

[Larry W]

Ray
Thanks for your input.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Larry,

Is there any reason why Headhunter cannot repair your units?

I have not turned my level sensors off in the 4 years we have had our coach and they have done very well except for one time when I had to recalibrate my holding tank sensor which took about ten minutes.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Larry, Alak and Lucia have a 2000 Royal with the same problems with the same system. You need to get with Al I know he had the replacement stuff in a box at home a couple of weeks back when I was there.

[Larry W]

Jon & Joe
Thanks for the info. Jon, I have talked to Headhunter and they only seem interested in selling parts not repair. The display unit is potted so I doubt it can be repaired.
Joe I will contact Al. Thanks.
I am really leaning towards the SeeLevel unit as a complete system is the price of one Headhunter part in the system. The required work to get to the tanks to install the system is the only draw back. But of course what is a retired guy's time worth per hour?

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

Larry, my 01 American XLII uses a MicroPulse System from Best Convertor.

http://www.bestconverter.com/MicroPulse-System-Monitor_p_100-153.html


Something else for you to look at and evaluate. They also advertise in the FMCA Magazines.

Good Luck.

Gary S.

[Petervs]

I installed the See Level system on my bus about 5 years ago and it works great. I also installed a system on my boat.

It was not hard to do. It gives a nice percentage readout. I mounted the display in my water bay, we can generally have a feel how long we can go between dumping and filling, I just walk out to get a perfect readout when needed. It made the wiring really simple too.

[Larry W]

Thanks Peter
I am ordering the SeeLevel. Thanks to others and your input. I found that some of the systems require drilling hole in the lower part of the tanks. I don't want to drill hole in my tanks. Just one more thing that might go bad.

[Petervs]

The SeeLevel is a pretty cool design. A flexible circuit board with special 3M sticky back adhesive designed to stick to normally slippery polypro tanks measures level by sensing the capacitance change between full and empty. Slick.

[rdkpotter]

Hello everyone. I have the Phoenix Monitor System on my 02 Royale. It doesn't record gray and black tank levels - they always show empty. Am wondering if there is a reset on the system or some easy solution that will get the gauges working properly? Thanks in advance for any help.

Rich Potter
02 Prevost Royale

[dale farley]

Rich,

You can try one of the cleaners that is supposed to remove gunk from your sensors and see it that works.

[Gil_J]

Rich,

I assume the freshwater reading is correct. The Royale Phoenix system looks pretty simple. It has tubes placed in the tanks and remotely measures the pressure in the tubes. It's possible that the tubes are simply clogged. If so, it looks like you could blow them out. If blowing them out doesn't work, it's likely the sensor. If the fresh water one is working you could troubleshoot the others by connecting the gray or black tube to the fresh water sensor port and see if the freshwater sensor reads the level in the other tanks. I don't have the instructions, but I would guess you have to start with an empty tank after moving or disconnecting the hose to the sensors.

Good luck,

[Mikee]

The level indicators that use air pressure to determine the level work pretty well. The biggest issue is the air line that goes sin the tank is prone to clogging. Try blowing it out with air. Do not blow air towards the receiver, the part that the air hooks to that determines the actual air pressure, the air pressure that is used to measure the level is only about 1 lb per foot of tank depth. Good Luck

Mikee

[Dick in Wisconsin]

If so, it looks like you could blow them out.

How do you blow them out? Do you have to remove the sensor from the top of the tank? Thanks!

[Gil_J]

Dick,

The Tank Sentury models have an air hose that goes from the bottom of the tank to a sensing device. You can disconnect the hose at the tank or the sensing device to blow it out. Once the hose is reinstalled, the Tank Sentury will need to be calibrated. The method varies with model. The therory of operation is really simple. The sensing device blows air down the tube to allow the fluids to then excerpt pressure up the hose. The hydrostatic pressure is then easily measured by the sensing. The sensing device is connected to the remote monitoring panel.

[Richard J Warren]

Call Glen, Royale Phoenix He built it, the fix is cheap

[georgew]

Anyone care to detail installation of Sea level tank monitor and reliability

[craiglenz]

Hi George,
I installed a Sealevel system this winter and it went well. One thing I did that might be a little different is being my tanks were 28 and 22" tall they call for two sensors each to be installed in series to read the complete tank levels. instead I installed one sensor strip on the bottom of my fresh tank and one strip at the top of my Grey Black tank. So I know when one tank is on its bottom 2/3 (fresh) and when my Grey Black is filling its top 2/3. Initally I was only going to install on one tank as when one empties the other fills fairly equally so didnt see a reason to measure both tanks. ( I normally fill my fresh tank and dump the grey at the same time. Dont normally run on park pressure.) The way I have it installed now does give me accurate measure on when one is dropping and the other is rising so thats why Ive installed it like I did. So far so good. A lot cheaper then repairing the Head Hunter system I had before. And quieter!

[BadFitter]

You can find the installation instructions for the different models here:

SeaLevel (https://www.garnetinstruments.com/support-documents/)

I've had the system on three different coaches. Never a failure, never anything but rock solid indications.

[Dockholiday]

I also recently moved from the Headhunter fish tank air pump to a Sealevel system. If you have poly tanks, its a no-brainer. The system works flawlessly and is extremely accurate. Get the Bluetooth version and I bet you’ll be thrilled.