Tank Monitors

Flyer · 03-03-2006, 02:16 PM

The tank monitoring system on my 2003 Journey is terrible. It is not only plagued with the problems of an internal system, but is calibrated very poorly. I think I am interested in a system such as SeeLevel. Has anyone retrofitted their monitoring system? Are the tanks on the Journey accesible? Any suggestions? Thanks.
Roy

Flyer · 03-03-2006, 02:16 PM

The tank monitoring system on my 2003 Journey is terrible. It is not only plagued with the problems of an internal system, but is calibrated very poorly. I think I am interested in a system such as SeeLevel. Has anyone retrofitted their monitoring system? Are the tanks on the Journey accesible? Any suggestions? Thanks.
Roy

smlranger · 03-03-2006, 02:58 PM

Flyer, I await the replies since I am thinking of doing the same thing. I do know the tanks (witht the OEM sensors attached and visible) are readily acessible on my 02. If I open the compartment with the waste valves, the ends of both tanks with sensors and wiring exposed are just at the top of that compartment.

Warpath · 03-03-2006, 03:37 PM

Although my RV is not a Winnebago, you can check out my review of the SeeLevel tank monitoring system here --> Tank Monitoring Review

As long as you can access the old tank sensor wiring you will be good to go.

I got a chance to test the system last week and it is so nice knowing exactly what your tank levels are. This system has an accuracy of better than 3%. Since it utilizes the same wiring for all of the sensors adding a second monitor in the sewer bay was a snap. Having that monitor was great when I was adding water to the fresh tank. No more yelling to the kids or wife for a level check.

Joe-K who owns a Journey will be installing a system as soon as he breaks out his motorhome from storage. I am sure he will have a detailed review on it as well.

Navy Flier · 03-03-2006, 06:39 PM

In the recent past I have seen information on retrofitting the new Winnebago tank level sensor system into older units. You could probably call them and they will tell you where to find the info.

Joe-K · 03-05-2006, 02:16 PM

I was always frustrated when camping without hookups. With the old 2/3, 1/3, Empty monitor light system once that last light goes off and the tank shows empty, you now have no idea how much water is left. It seemed everytime that 1/3 light went off, we'd go into super conserving mode with the water, then I'd end up returning home with a quarter tank of water. After seeing the digital style display that Bill installed, I decided to install it into our rig also. I think the idea of knowing exactly how much water is left in the tank is a feature worth the cost of the system.

I've been lining up projects all Winter to do on the rig, however unfortunately, I don't get the rig out of storage until the end of March.
I'll be sure to take some photo's of the install then. My plans are either to install it and leave the current system in place, or toplace the current system.

Of course with the Winnebago and it's "One Place" panel, I didn't need the Seelevel unit with the water pump and heater switches so I purchased the less expensive See Level 709 model that only has the displays without switches. I was thinking of cutting off the bottom of the "One Place" panel and installing the Seelevel in the place of it, but I think the Seelevel might me a slight bit smaller. I'll have to wait until I have the rig available to get the measurements of the one place panel to be sure.

I think the design of the new panel will fit in nicely even if I have to fabricate some type of bezel for it to make it the same size as the one place panel.

In the second photograph, are the tank sensors and both of the displays. I needed two tank sensors for the water tank since our Journey water tank is 21" tall. The reason for two display panels is I plan to mount the second in the sewer bay as I had previously done with a second old fashioned display panel.

MrTransistor · 03-05-2006, 05:13 PM

Hi Flyer, (hey, kind of catchy)
I also got real tired of the 2/3, 1/3, empty system on three coaches. After investigating the SeeLevel system, I couldn't figure a way to attach the sensors to all the tanks and meet the minimum spacing requirements to all metal parts especially on the fresh water tanks in the Horizon. My solution was water meters with reseting remote readouts. Two meters, one installed in the pump output line and one in the feed line to the toilet, give us the ability to know exactly how many gallons are in all three tanks. When full, our fresh water tank holds exactly 72 gallons. By experiment, the grey tank is 65 gallons and the black is 59 gallons. Accuracy is better than 1%. Now when Dony says ˜I think we're out of water', I just look at the meter and see it reading 72.

Total price to install two meters, two remote indicator modules, and connection hoses, around $325.00. The meters were purchased from Daniel L. Jerman Co., Inc. and the water meter part number is DLJSJ50C with the LCD remotes. Fabricating mounting plates and running the wires is not included and could be a little expensive if you have to pay to have them made and installed. Incidentally, the actual tank sizes are a bit off from the book specifications of 79, 48, and 52 gallons respectively.

Don-Savannah, GA · 03-06-2006, 07:34 AM

I just finished the "beginning" of my SeeLevel 709PH system, the PH means pump and heater switches.
I say the beginning because of 2 situations, my coach has a SPDT switch for the water pump so I can start it from the galley or bathroom, unfortunately the unit came with a SPST switch. Now I am trying to find a switch that will fit in that hole! I just received the switch from Garnet Industries, I'll know tonight if I got the wiring correct.
By the way, if you have any questions you can call Cary Winslett of Garnet Technologies, 817-578-8601. He is a super nice person.
Secondly, the original panel cut-out is too close to the hole the Winnebago butcher cut so I need to make a plate to cover the hole.
The sensor installation was a hassle for this old man, the fresh water was not a problem, the black was only a problem because everything is up and behind a non-removable panel in the water compartment. The gray water was a nightmare, I finally found where the existing sensors are as the tank is under the bath tub. I had to extend the living room slide, crawl inside the cavity where the slide normally recedes. I finally put the coach up on its jacks and sat on a little 6" stool. I then removed a panel that is held with about 24 sheetmetal screws, the panel was set in place with brutal (officially spelled Butyl) adhesive, I kept saying never again!
I put some water in the tanks and they are showing percent instead of the 1/3rd etc.
I had called Winnebago while I was trying to find the Gray water sensors and all they could say "I think" they are------------. One guy suggested I change to the new Winnebago system that uses external sensors, but I quit listening when he said it was a 1/3 etc. system.
All in all I am now, and will continue to be a happy camper.

Don-Savannah, GA · 03-11-2006, 06:59 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Don-Savannah, GA:
I just finished the "beginning" of my SeeLevel 709PH system, the PH means pump and heater switches.
I say the beginning because of 2 situations, my coach has a SPDT switch for the water pump so I can start it from the galley or bathroom, unfortunately the unit came with a SPST switch. Now I am trying to find a switch that will fit in that hole! I just received the switch from Garnet Industries, I'll know tonight if I got the wiring correct.
By the way, if you have any questions you can call Cary Winslett of Garnet Technologies, 817-578-8601. He is a super nice person.
Secondly, the original panel cut-out is too close to the hole the Winnebago butcher cut so I need to make a plate to cover the hole.
The sensor installation was a hassle for this old man, the fresh water was not a problem, the black was only a problem because everything is up and behind a non-removable panel in the water compartment. The gray water was a nightmare, I finally found where the existing sensors are as the tank is under the bath tub. I had to extend the living room slide, crawl inside the cavity where the slide normally recedes. I finally put the coach up on its jacks and sat on a little 6" stool. I then removed a panel that is held with about 24 sheetmetal screws, the panel was set in place with brutal (officially spelled Butyl) adhesive, I kept saying never again!
I put some water in the tanks and they are showing percent instead of the 1/3rd etc.
I had called Winnebago while I was trying to find the Gray water sensors and all they could say "I think" they are------------. One guy suggested I change to the new Winnebago system that uses external sensors, but I quit listening when he said it was a 1/3 etc. system.
All in all I am now, and will continue to be a happy camper. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I made the bezel panel from 1/8'" ABS plastic, about 1" larger than the SeeLevel. The monitor panel is also black so it looks much better next to the black range hood than the original off-white Winne did.
Garnet sent me the SPDT switch.
Wow, everything works, I am 100% pleased with the monitor panel and the help I received from Garnet.