Water tank level indicator

Hi the fresh water tank level indicator on my Ravenna 1999 is very inaccurate it just seems to show full and empty no In-between is the a way or something I can buy to make it more  accurate? Thanks

This is a notorious problem, which some have had success with an overnight soak using the Elsan fresh water cleaner.

Ours has never shown accurately from Day 2 of use and we have tried all sorts of cleaner. For the past 4 years we have not bothered and the read- out shows 0 permanently.

This year, when refilling to go away, for practical reasons, we had to fill the tank using water from our water softener at home. This had 2 days while we were on the ferry to slosh around.

For 4 weeks we had pretty well spot on readings and it is only lately that it has stopped reading. We’ve filled it regularly in that time with hard water.

Hi thanks to all for the advise. The water tank was recently removed  to have a leak repair and the probes cleaned along with the water tank and it still has bad readings is there a updated probe I can do t make it read more accurately thanks.

Any one else got ideas?

Live with it! 

Ours had a mind of its own almost from new - occasionally working properly but mostly showing empty, and sometimes sounding the annoying alarm when the pump is switched on.

I've got fed up of trying to fix it, so we just ignore it. I know we can usually last at least four days on a tank of water, so it gets topped up accordingly. It's a matter of getting used to your particular system and out-thinking the swine!!  

If it really, really bugs you, the only feasible alternative I know of is a float operated sender. It would be a fiddle to install, but they are not very expensive and would be far less likely to fail. More than that - they give a pretty accurate indication of exactly how much water is in the tank, rather than kicking in only at pre-determined levels.
As Milvus suggested, unreliable gauges come as a non-optional extra, and not only in A/S vans! 


P.S. Just saw Bikeral's post, so this is more or less a repeat of his. 

Thanks for the quick answers. It does bug me tbh I've had the water tank off allready (to fix a leak) very easy to remover if I was to get a float operated probe would I need a new gauge? Thanks

Our levels seem to only show Full, 75%, 50% 25%, Empty. Not sure if that is how it is set but at least it’s reasonably accurate.

PLOUGHLIN wrote:Yes that is normal.

100% means>100%
75% means between 100% to 75%
50% means between 750 to 50%
25% means between 50% to 25%
Empty means between 25% to 0%

Thanks 

Can't help on the Ravenna but for Dave I recommend citric acid.  It has worked well for me for a couple of years now. I hav referred to it before on these forums and wrote a long article for ASOC news that members of ASOC will have seen.  They will also be aware that the Technical group of ASOC are looking into this deeply with the active support of Auto-Sleepers.

Ok thanks I'll live with it for now and try and get used to it.
Thanks to al alr the replies.

As other people have said water gauges on motorhomes can be hit and miss. The best guide is work out you’re useage and that won’t be far out.
We get two days with the 60 litre tank fitted to our Rienza. This is usually showering in the mornings brews and washing up. 
The sensors fitted to the coolant tanks on the buses I used to look after had the same system. A buzzer would sound if the coolant level dropped. Most of the sensors were shorted out after the buses got older. The coolant rotted the sensors.

I have a Broadway and water gauge was ok but now it's had it habitation service the water gauge reads in the amber zone when it's empty , any help please

It's 2017 year and on serg

Ec328

Many thanks for the information

Just to add a closing comment about the water gauge on our Rienza. It has been away for repairs and stood for 10 days. Before we left the tank gauge read 1/2 or 3/4 empty or full.  Re-filled the tank ready for going away tomorrow and now reads full. Not being one to trust the gauge I know its full, water ran out of the filler neck. We know we will need more water after two days no matter what the gauge says.
Also on subject of water I have bought a new 20ltr container for off grid trips to increase  our water capacity a little.

Another way to keep your tank full of water is not to go anywhere in the UK. In Abroadland you can get (mostly) free water in most towns at free overnight aires, unlike England where they hate us and don't want our money. Well, the camp sites want us and moreso our money but I'm not paying anybody £25 to park on their grass overnight.
In any case the first specification I look at when considering a new camper is the length, the second is the requirement of a 100 litre fresh water tank.

Usually the problem with the studs makes the tank always appear empty. That is because the lowest stud is under water the most and thus gets the most corrosion/lime scale. If you're reads 50% when the level is less then, as Peter says, it is almost certainly tracking occurring through dampness on the outside of the tank. A/S used to put a strip of duct tape over the 5 sensors which encouraged that. I removed the tape, cleaned up and then put a blob of clear silicone sealant over each stud. No more optimistic readings since.