# fresh water level idicator not working



## meldorado (Mar 5, 2011)

compass avantgarde 200 the fresh water level indicator showing empty even when i know there is water in, anybody had similar problems, is there somekind of sender unit in the tank? cheers taa


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## David & Ann (Mar 5, 2011)

meldorado said:


> compass avantgarde 200 the fresh water level indicator showing empty even when i know there is water in, anybody had similar problems, is there somekind of sender unit in the tank? cheers taa


 
Just like your gasoline or diesel tank, there is a float with a sensor which gives an indication how much water or fuel you have left remaining. At times you can get a false reading, which can stay permanently or it corrects itself. Perhaps someone on here will or could explain it in detail.


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## brettandsandra (Mar 5, 2011)

Can't help you fix it, but we have a compass avantgarde 150 with exactly the same problem. Even after fully filling the tank it only ever reads half full. It's completely useless. 

All I know is that our tank lasts approximately 2 days and we work off that and ignore the gauge now.

If you find out how to sort it I'd be glad to know.


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## David & Ann (Mar 5, 2011)

If you know how large your tank is and how many Kms to a Litre, then it would be easy. For example my tank holds 75 Litres of Diesel and I get 10Kms to a litre, which is a total of Kms750 with a full tank. Set your Km trip switch to "0" and you will know when to refuel. If the trip switch is also not working, then take note of your total mileage on your taco and work it from there.


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## brettandsandra (Mar 5, 2011)

David & Ann said:


> If you know how large your tank is and how many Kms to a Litre, then it would be easy. For example my tank holds 75 Litres of Diesel and I get 10Kms to a litre, which is a total of Kms750 with a full tank. Set your Km trip switch to "0" and you will know when to refuel. If the trip switch is also not working, then take note of your total mileage on your taco and work it from there.


 
The OP is talking about a freshwater tank problem, not deisel. 

Thankfully it's not quite as serious running out of water as it is diesel. We always carry an extra 25 litre carrier full just to be on the safe side because we can't trust our gauge.


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## David & Ann (Mar 5, 2011)

brettandsandra said:


> The OP is talking about a freshwater tank problem, not deisel.
> 
> Thankfully it's not quite as serious running out of water as it is diesel. We always carry an extra 25 litre carrier full just to be on the safe side because we can't trust our gauge.


 
Gottcha, my apoligies. Nice to know I am senile, a really good excuse to get off the hook. ☺ ☺. Okay, best way to solve that problem is: When you run out of water, fill her up. ☺ ☺


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## maingate (Mar 5, 2011)

All motorhomes suffer with this problem. It is worse on Elddis m/homes because the company is miserly with the size of fresh water tank fitted. Some of them are only 45 litres capacity.

You can try removing the sender unit and cleaning it. My Elddis (Autoquest 120) design meant that it was nigh on impossible to do. Instead, I work on allowing 25 litres per day, not including using the shower. Find out the volume of your tank to work out how often to fill it and as suggested carry some water separately in a container.


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## BrianG (Mar 5, 2011)

*Water contents gauge*

Most water tanks have a float type gauge which can stick, especially if the tank has been left empty in the winter.  In this case the float would tend to stick showing empty all the time.
The top of the tanks in my van can be reached by removing the lounge seats exposing plastic filler/ access holes used for cleaning the tanks. 
If yours is accessible you should be able to get your hand in and free off the float.
Sometimes, if the float is the hollow type, it could have a hole in it which means that it could be full of water causing it to sink and show empty all the time. This however is unlikely, most of them these days are polystyrene. If this is the case you willneed to change the transmitter(float).
These sort of problems are rarely the gauge itself. 99percent it's the tank end of things.


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## meldorado (Mar 6, 2011)

*level update*

thanks for all the info, my tank is located under the floor of the wardrobe, i carnt see the top  of the tank without taking the floor up but i can just get my hand up the side and have a feel around, i found what feels like a large plastic screw top with a wire coming out of the centre of it, also the centre of the cap around the wire seems to be full of a white putty like substance. if i take this screw top of do you think i will find the sender unit under it.


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## BrianG (Mar 6, 2011)

*Water Level*

Hi again,
           If the screw shape is about the size to fit the palm of your hand it sounds as if you are on the right track, but before you go too far, do you have enough clearance between the top of the tank and the floor to remove the cap and remove it without damaging the sender. 
           Give it a go you've got little to lose if it unscrews easily, you can always put it back


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## rfrench53 (Mar 6, 2011)

Hi, we've got a Compass Commodore and had the same problem, we found that the gauge had a zeroing adjuster, adjusted when full and has been all right since.


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## meldorado (Mar 6, 2011)

*level update*

no i would definately have to remove the floor, just wanted to know if i was on the right track before i started


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## GregM (Mar 6, 2011)

maingate said:


> All motorhomes suffer with this problem. It is worse on Elddis m/homes because the company is miserly with the size of fresh water tank fitted. Some of them are only 45 litres capacity.


 
This is a pain in the rear when you have 5 of you, had thought about fitting a larger tank but this is a bigger job than I am capable of and probably not worth expense.


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## ostersund (Mar 7, 2011)

*water tank level*



David & Ann said:


> If you know how large your tank is and how many Kms to a Litre, then it would be easy. For example my tank holds 75 Litres of Diesel and I get 10Kms to a litre, which is a total of Kms750 with a full tank. Set your Km trip switch to "0" and you will know when to refuel. If the trip switch is also not working, then take note of your total mileage on your taco and work it from there.


Hello David & Ann
                       READ the post it is a WATER TANK not a diesel tank.


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## David & Ann (Mar 7, 2011)

ostersund said:


> Hello David & Ann
> READ the post it is a WATER TANK not a diesel tank.


 
I have Ostersund. I have apoligised for the error in an earlier Post. Anyway, Thank you for keeping me on my toes, will try to be more vocused in future. ☺ ☺


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## meldorado (Mar 8, 2011)

*level update*

ok then thanks for all your interest, this weekend i am going to lift the wardrobe floor and have a look into the tank, why do you think all the putty stuff is on the tank cap. i will let you know how i get on.


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## colpot (Mar 8, 2011)

We have had 3 Motorhomes and the Water Tank Gauges have not worked in any of them. Hymer and Rapido the tank is under the seat so can easily look and check (normally an afternoon job so we have water for morning ablutions). Swift was under the floor and needed a torch to check but we only ran out once - when Mrs Colpot was in the shower - had to rush out and fill up so she could finish (we use a watering can so I got my morning excercise)


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## Pollik (Mar 12, 2011)

Well....I was going to start a thread about my water tank gauges (fresh and grey) not working.

Don't think I will bother now...clearly a known design flaw that 'they' are not interested in addressing. :/



Polly


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## meldorado (Mar 12, 2011)

*water tank level update*

I have had wardrobe floor up and exposed the water tank. the big screw top with the wire going down the middle and the putty stuff on top around the wire which i think is just to seal the hole.This is attached to what i think is the pump which is swilling around at the bottom of the tank. A little to the left of the screw cap are two wires that are connected to something inside the tank which i think will be the sender unit, i put my arm through the screw cap hole and had a feel around expecting to find some kind of a float attachment but all there was just two metal rods coming down inside and no sighn of any float. does anybody know how these work? perhaps i just dont have enough water in for the guage to register.


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## maingate (Mar 12, 2011)

There are various ways to register how much water you have in the tank.

Mine has a unit with 4 different length rods to show 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 full. Others have 4 studs on the side wall of the tank.

If you have only 2 then it might work off electrical resistance which changes depending on the water level. If they are both long enough to go near the bottom of the tank then I might be correct.

Try giving them both a gentle rub with a pan scourer while you have the top off. It worked on my fresh water sender. I also removed and cleaned 8 years of crud off the waste water sender. Do not go there unless you have a strong stomach.


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## Kontiki (Mar 15, 2011)

I think ours has the rods which just show Full-three quarters-half-quarter.
It only shows full when the tank is full to the top, then it shows three quarters which is actually between three quarters to full & doesn't drop below the three quarter level until it is just below the three quarter level. If that makes sense 

We are on a campsite at the moment with a tap on our pitch, the tank level has been showing empty for 2 days now but the water is still flowing. Decided to let the tank empty before filling to keep it fresh. be sods law that it will run out at night when it's pouring down  might fill a bottle & leave it in the van to be sure.


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## meldorado (Mar 26, 2011)

*water level indicator*

Thanks to all help and advice i am pleased to report that after cleaning out the tank and giving the rods a rub down the indicator is now working, just dont know how acurate it is.


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