Tank Gauges

Our CSY did not come with any gauges for water, fuel or holding tanks. I doubt any of them did back in the 70's and 80's. Sticking the tank is fine but I opted for an immediate readout, even if not totally accurate.



Local marine retailers all seem to have the common Tempo product line so I started there. Fuel tank gauges and senders were purchased first. I chose the side of our credenza, a cabinet between our galley and saloon, that had a side facing the interior pilothouse steering station. It was also easy to see, from the galley or from the forward electrical panel over the refrigeration boxes.

Locker doors removed and molding redone. Shelf added for microwave and dish storage below. Underneath, is now extra storage for rarely needed spares etc.


Inside the cabinet, there was room to work and fine access developed by cutting access panels in the bottom of it to a before unknown storage area!! Hey! Two birds, one stone! Love it...



Later on, after scrapping the Micro something or other holding tanks that came with the boat(originally costing thousands), I had special tanks of rotomolded polyethylene, produced heavier than normal and ordered Vetus tank sensors for them and the water tanks.


The Tempo sending units (senders/sensors) were of the lever arm type; an elbow mechanism with a float on the end. The Vetus design uses a vertical tube with a floating donut device on it. So far, the cheap Tempo units have worked fine for 15 years. The much more expensive Vetus units hav clogged occasionally in our blackwater tanks.
Vetus no longer recommends this donut style sensor for holding tanks. The design works fine on our water tanks.