Do the ultrasonic level meters ever go wrong?

lohr500

Are there any make/model numbers on the sensor or plug in units?
On the Apollo unit I had, the eight switches were used to set the correct tank depth.

If yours is an Apollo, these instructions may help : 

https://dunravensystems.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/apollo-standard-oil-level-monitor-instructions-2018.pdf

quartzz

thanks; there is this;

lohr500

Probably these instructions then : 

https://commercialfuelsolutions.co.uk/files/attachments/219/oil_watchman_sonic.pdf

I would fit the new battery in the sender unit, then leave it inside the house a few feet away from the plugged in receiver module.

Place the sender on its side and make sure whatever it points at is at least 3 meters away. If it is working, it should then "think" the tank is empty because the distance from the ultrasonic unit to the nearest object will be 3 meters away which is more than the depth of the tank.

According to the instructions the display unit it could then take up to two hours to get an update from the sender.

quartzz

that pdf link was handy thanks. right, so far we have;

- the dip switches on the receiver that I thought were to pair it with the transmitter were actually the depth calibration, they seem about right for the tank
- the battery is at 2.94v, this seems ok (?) but I've ordered a new one anyway
- the pdf described pairing the receiver to the transmitter by holding the transmitter "black dot" against the receiver for 2 minutes after powering the receiver on. the black dot turned out to be a white dot, but I've tried that. still getting the 8 bars

according to the pdf, the "low battery" symbol isn't what I'm seeing on the LCD display......but I'll try it anyway. as the Chinese proverb goes, "you can never have too many CR2430 batteries"..

QrizB

quartzz said:

I don't actually know what heating oil looks like (I don't know what a full tank looks like)
I'd assumed heating oil was black and not transparent

As you might've figured by now, heating oil (kerosene) is a clear liquid with a yellowish tint, looking something like vegetable oil.

It's much runnier than vegetable oil, though, somewhere between petrol and diesel (which isn't a surprise as that's where it fits in the fractional distillation sequence).

I don't have an oil boiler, or a tank, but I do have a jerry can of the stuff. It's great for cleaning oily motorcycle parts.

quartzz

I'm still not actually sure what colour the liquid is inside the tank - it seems to be transparent, but, the trouble with a black tank, with black sides, that looks black, is that any liquid in it, looks.... (as HHGTTG would say)

(and assuming that the small vertical compartment that I seem to be looking at, is in fact connected to the main tank, and is in fact the same liquid that's in the main tank)

I guess I will be ordering within the next week

QrizB

quartzz said:

I'm still not actually sure what colour the liquid is inside the tank - it seems to be transparent, but, the trouble with a black tank, with black sides, that looks black...

 I'd suggest that you wire a jam jar to the end of a stick and dip for a sample, but you risk ending up with a jam jar in the bottom of the tank!

lohr500

quartzz said:

that pdf link was handy thanks. right, so far we have;

- the dip switches on the receiver that I thought were to pair it with the transmitter were actually the depth calibration, they seem about right for the tank
- the battery is at 2.94v, this seems ok (?) but I've ordered a new one anyway
- the pdf described pairing the receiver to the transmitter by holding the transmitter "black dot" against the receiver for 2 minutes after powering the receiver on. the black dot turned out to be a white dot, but I've tried that. still getting the 8 bars

according to the pdf, the "low battery" symbol isn't what I'm seeing on the LCD display......but I'll try it anyway. as the Chinese proverb goes, "you can never have too many CR2430 batteries"..

I think you are correct. it's going to go one of two ways!! The new battery coax it back into life, or your going to have to replace it.

Several options for replacement : 

• An inline oil meter gauge which sits in the fuel line between the tank and the boiler. +/- £275
• Something similar so you can monitor the approximate level from inside your house. +/- £75
• A mechanical gauge mounted directly on the tank with a float on a string that drops vertically into the tank. +/- £30
• A broom handle, length of dowel or a bamboo cane, where you apply some calibration marks with a permanent marker pen based on measuring the tank depth first with a steel tape measure through the hole in the top. +/- £0 to £4 

Apart from the inline gauge, with the other methods, you can enhance the level of measurement by noting the readings before and after a known oil delivery volume.

With the inline gauge, you take a reading after getting the tank filled, then monitor consumption using the gauge and reorder based on usage.

Before I signed up to the Boilerjuice Connected service, I used a combination of ultrasonic level gauge (until it failed), a broom handle and an inline gauge. 

The inline gauge is very accurate based on before and after delivery depths checked by the broom handle and it allows me to keep detailed consumption records on a regular basis throughout the year. With this I can see the impact of changing thermostat settings in the house , etc. Although I have yet to corelate the oil consumption to external temperature over time. I was lucky enough to spot a new inline gauge on eBay a few years ago at a bargain price of £100.

It really depends on how accurately you want to track your usage and the convenience factor.
As you have discovered though, the ultrasonic devices are not infallible. 
The cheapest and simplest option is a piece of wood!!!

CliveOfIndia

QrizB said:

As you might've figured by now, heating oil (kerosene) is a clear liquid with a yellowish tint, looking something like vegetable oil.

It's much runnier than vegetable oil, though, somewhere between petrol and diesel (which isn't a surprise as that's where it fits in the fractional distillation sequence).

I don't have an oil boiler, or a tank, but I do have a jerry can of the stuff. It's great for cleaning oily motorcycle parts.

Spot on.  Also, to compare it with something most people are familiar with, it's not far off paraffin (which, as you say, is always good for cleaning oily parts).  Or (I believe I'm right in saying?) aviation fuel.

But yep, I think diesel is pretty close.  I know it was big news in our village quite a few years back, one guy got in trouble for running his diesel car on heating oil.  I think it's near as dammit diesel (certainly near-enough for older cars), but costs much less due to lower tax.

lohr500

Diesel is a slightly higher viscosity. Often known as 35 second oil. Kerosene being 28 second.
Something to do with how long it takes 50ml to drip through a fixed sized hole.

Some older domestic boilers and many commercial boilers run on 35 second oil. Usually coloured red for heating use to distinguish it from road use diesel (DERV) which is clear. Road use diesel has extra taxation on it, hence the temptation to run road vehicles on red diesel!! The red was added to make it obvious to revenue inspectors who carry out roadside checks. I believe there are other trace compounds added now as well, as there was a time when folk found ways to remove the red colour!! Think the rules changed though last year on using red diesel for commercial heating and in agriculture.

It might be OK running older vehicles on 28 second oil, but I think the reduced viscosity might have an impact on modern electronic diesel injection pumps and injectors.

My old house boiler would run on either. It just needed a change to the fuel atomisation nozzle and a different fuel/air air ratio which was achieved by adjusting a sliding flap on teh side of the blower unit.