Oil Tank monitor

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Hippyhop
Hippyhop Posts: 19 Forumite
in LPG, heating oil, solid & other fuels
Hello,

We have just moved into a house with an oil. We want to get something that tells us when the oil is getting low. It has a gadget on it at the moment but we cannot find the transmitter indoors.
Does anyone have any recommendations? Thank you.

Comments

  • A._Badger
    A._Badger Posts: 5,852 Forumite
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    I'm honestly not joking but in my opinion nothing beats a big stick. Electronic devices can fail, some consume expensive batteries, they are not all 100% accurate. Personally, I went back to Sitck Mk 1 about nine years ago and I've never regretted it.
  • comeandgo
    comeandgo Posts: 5,744 Forumite
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    Agree with A Badger, anything else has the ability to fail.
  • waveneygnome
    waveneygnome Posts: 291 Forumite
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    If you have a family calendar, make a point of say on the first of the month popping out and checking the level with your stick and jotting it down in the calendar.

    You'll get a better feel of your usage over the months, can look back, get to know when is a good time for you to order more/top up.
  • Rodders53
    Rodders53 Posts: 2,150 Forumite
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    Previous owners or one of the helpful movers probably packed it up... They do that with aerial amplifier power supplies, too.

    A common one is probably the Kingspan (Titan tanks) Watchman series: https://www.kingspan.com/gb/en-gb/products/service-and-telemetry/telemetry/domestic-tank-monitoring

    The basic one's about £65 and can be self-installed.

    The stick method is probably more accurate. But not as convenient.
  • Ebe_Scrooge
    Ebe_Scrooge Posts: 7,320 Forumite
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    Another vote for a stick/garden cane - if you want to be really flash, make some notches in it to indicate "tenths of a tankful". Really, it's far more reliable than these electronic gizmos, and costs pennies. It's no great hassle to dip the tank once a month. I switched to a cane when my Watchman packed up several years ago, never looked back.
  • smallblueplanet
    smallblueplanet Posts: 1,109 Forumite
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    We've one of the Apollo monitors, it's relatively accurate. But if we're running low I still visually check the tank!

    http://tankdepot.co.uk/shop/100/oil_tank_gauges_and_security_products/oil_tank_gauges_and_level_monitors/index.htm
  • greenbee
    greenbee Posts: 16,146 Forumite
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    If it's a single skin tank then the condensation on the outside is a highly accurate indicator.

    Otherwise a stick.

    Having said that, I do have a watchman, but I never let the indicator go below 50% as I'm so paranoid about it failing! The top up is different every time :)
  • dunstonh
    dunstonh Posts: 116,379 Forumite
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    edited 11 February 2019 at 11:22AM
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    I have an Apollo. Not their all singing and dancing version but the simple 10 bar indicator. It is reliable enough as long as you have the correct closest height (i.e. not measuring the height of outside of the tank but the internal tank if bunded).

    Weird shape tanks may take a bit more learning as the drops between the 10ths may not be equal.

    As soon as it hits 4, I order 700 litres. Last fill up was 762 litres which was about a week after the call. So, accuracy is good enough.

    When I first moved in and needed the first delivery of oil, I told the oil firm that it was our first fill up and we were not sure of the accuracy of the meter they just said they would keep the bill open and see how much goes in. Then on the second visit, I ordered what I what I thought was correct (again keeping the bill open just in case) and it proved to be accurate. It is easy after that.
    I am an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA). The comments I make are just my opinion and are for discussion purposes only. They are not financial advice and you should not treat them as such. If you feel an area discussed may be relevant to you, then please seek advice from an Independent Financial Adviser local to you.
  • greatcrested
    greatcrested Posts: 5,925 Forumite
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    I have an Apollo 10 bar monitor. It's good enough for a quick glance when prices fall to see i'm half full and can top up.
    Or to see I'm getting low (2 bars or so left) and then...
    ...get the bamboo cane out of the greenhouse.
    I've used gloss paint to mark off full, half full, quarter full, 1/8th. Use it like a car dip stick and that's far more accurate than the Apollo.
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