Water Tank Gauge

[griervictoria]

I just filled my fresh water tank up yesterday (R31) and it was certainly full to overflowing but the water level gauge only registered 3/4 full. Any ideas on what the problem could be?

 

[Irish Mist]

Sometimes ours overflows but if you wait a bit it still will take more... Also the gauge seems to take a bit to read full after I fill it but that is usually a couple hours max .

 

[Splash]

Mine (2016 R29S) is the same, never shows above 3/4 no matter how full. Seems pretty accurate below that.

 

[Todd]

I was having a lot of gauge problems with my 29 until I installed a new tank vent.

The factory vent has a dip in the line which fills with water. When the tank is emptied the suction needed to draw this water back, uphill, into the tank is enough to cause the plastic tank walls to deflect. This caused the gauge to be inaccurate. I think the float hits the tank wall. When you fill the tank, after some period of time the tank walls deflect back outward and the gauge works.

I did not like all this flexing as I thought a crack will eventually develop so I installed a small swing check valve on the top of the tank which now freely lets air into the tank. No further gauge problems. If you choose to do this make sure you do not use a spring loaded check valve as they will not freely open to allow air in.

 

[cutwater4me]

My 2016 CUTWATER 28 does the same thing. This is obviously an issue with these boats and I hope the factory will weigh in on this small but irritating issue.
Kurt
2819

 

[Andrew Custis]

We have had several of the senders for the water tank fail over the years. The easy way to find out if yours is working or not is to remove the sender from the tank and physically move it to full and empty by checking the ohm range making sure it is within the limits. Should read around 30 ohms full and 240 ohms empty. It can also be stuck which can cause it to only go to 3/4 or not come off empty or full. If you are within the warranty period, contact your dealer and they can provide you with assistance to get it diagnosed and repaired.

Thank you,

 

[cutwater4me]

Thanks Andrew.

I will try to access the tank and sender and put a volt meter on it.

Kurt

 

[stwendl]

Does it his only afflict cut waters or a specific batch of senders ? And how do you check the sender on a r27?

 

[Gin]

A timely post for me. I, too, am wondering how to check the water tank gauge on an R27.

Mine has worked flawlessly for three years. Until two days ago. I discovered it is stuck in the full position. To try to dislodge it, I emptied the tank. The gauge still was reading full. I pulled the fuse, and the needle on the gauge dropped to empty (not surprisingly). I put the fuse back in, and the needle pegged over to full again. I then re-filled the tank. I suspect when I start using the water, the needle will stay put.

Near as I can tell, the only way to get to the water tank on an R27 is to cut into the floor in the V-berth area. I'm hoping I'm wrong and there is an easier way.

Anyone on the forum know? Kenny? Andrew? Or someone from the factory, can you advise?

- Gini

 

[snydzy]

Gini,
Removing the refrigerator will allow access to the water tank sender. I had a similar problem on my 25sc. I was able to fix the problem by reattaching a blue wire that had somehow disconnected from the back of the gauge. It was attached by a small spring clip.

 

[Gin]

I was aboard today contemplating whether I could get to or determine anything by removing the refrigerator (which I have done once before). But all I did was contemplate it . . .

I worried that it would be a lot of effort expended in vain (which I do a bit on the boat. But I'm not complaining. Somehow, all the time I spend exploring possibilities on the boat is enjoyable).

Thank you SO MUCH for that information. I will give it a go and see what I can learn.

Much obliged!

- Gini

 

[Phil Nersessian]

On my Cutwater30 there was a sag or trap in the fill line which would not let air escape as you filled the water tank until there was enough pressure to blow the water in the sag back out through the fill port(with ALOT of tank deflection). this gave the impression that the tank was full when it wasn't. Once I got the sag out of the supply hose I had no problems. I can see how adding a vent directly onto the water tank would also solve this problem.

 

[Knot In Court]

About a year ago my water gauge stuck at 1/2 full. In order to remove the sender from a 27' you have to take out the refrigerator and carefully cut a hole in the floor to get at it. The factory will send you information on where to cut the hole and how large it needs to be. The individual I talked to at the factory suggested I drain out about 1/3 rd of the water in the tank and run the boat in rough water. That did the trick and it has worked fine ever since. The sender is a tube that has a donut type ring around it that slides up and down with the water level. It does not go straight up and down but rather at an angle as the tank is shallow. Evidently it is not unusual to have it hang up and most times it just needs to be broken loose.

 

[Red Raven]

Thanks for the great tip! Our gauge has stuck several times at various levels. It always started working again after a while. I never knew why but suspected it was something like you describe but wasn't sure. Now that I know the trick to freeing it up I won't worry about it when it hangs up again! We'll just go boating!