Connecting Water tank Status Panel

[MSN Member]

From: Eric  (Original Message)
Sent: 12/9/2000 8:28 PM

howdy,

saw another post on this and i thought id start a separate discussion regaurding the status panels for the tanks (water,black, etc.). mines in pieces, i found the "guts under the closet and have collected about all of it. if a bunch of wires with taped ends that used to be connected to it. cant tell what wire goes where however. ive been told that they were never accurate anyhow, but i would still like to piece it back together and get it working, or update it somehow (things that dont work bug me..)

does anyone have a schematic, or maybe tell me what color wires go where? possibly the basics of what its supposed to do, and any other information that might be handy. i can take a pic of what ive left and post it in the gallary, perhaps that will make it easier..

thanks,

eric



From: Alan
Sent: 12/9/2000 10:53 PM

Hi Eric,
Don't know much about the wiring. A couple months ago I was trying to figure out the wiring to my gas gauges. I wrote an email to Winnebago and they sent me the diagram in the mail (no charge). In fact they answered several questions for me. Might give it a shot. I will look and see if I still have the email address.
Alan



From: Eric
Sent: 12/13/2000 11:55 AM

Alan,

Thanks for the info, i emailed them (couldnt get through on the phone) and i received a reply stating that they were sending me what ever they could find on my inquiry. ill let eveyone know when it comes in and may scan it so its emailable to whom ever needs.

itll be interesting to see how detailed the info is, considering the age of the equipment. i was surprised they even had any documentation, but every little bit helps...

thanks again,

Eric



From: Eric
Sent: 12/19/2000 6:38 PM

hi,

I recieved the schematics from winnibago, several copies of the original schematics. very cool, and im sure it will be helpfull. but can someone take a look at their early panel and tell me how it works? and exactly what it does? ive an idea, but being new to rv's , have never had the oportunity to inspect a fuctional panel.

thanks,

Eric



From: Dash7
Sent: 12/19/2000 10:26 PM

Hi Eric,

If you can scan or take a picture of the schematic(s) with a digicam and post it in the photo section, I might be able to you how it works or maybe how to test it.. Or, if you wish to copy it (or them) and mail it to me we can do it that way too.

I had a 1968 Airstream that had a status panel and I can give you a rough idea of how that one worked.  It monitored the black and fresh water tanks (before grey water tanks) and both circuits were identical..  There were three lights for each tank and if I remember correctly (it's been 25 yrs) they represented 1/4 Full, 1/2 Full and 3/4 Full.  The lights were turned on by an electronic circuit card card.  There were four wires going from the circuit card to a sensor mounted in the top of each tank.

The sensor was very simple.  Picture a 1/4 inch plasitc dowel that is square instead of round, and is long enough to go from the top of the tank down to a point where the liquid would be if the tank was 1/4 full. On one side of the dowel is a bare wire that goes from the bottom tip of the dowel up to the top of the tank.  Let's call this wire the "reference" wire for the sake of discussiion.  On the second side of the dowel is another bare wire that also goes from from the bottom tip of the dowel up to the top of the tank.  We'll call this wire #2  On the third side of the dowel is another bare wire that goes from a point where the liquid would be if the tank was half full and it goes up to the top of the tank We'll call this wire #3.  And on the fouth side of the dowel is another bare wire that goes from a point on the dowel where the liquid would be if the tank was three quarters full and it also goes up to the top of the tank. This is wire #4.  These wires are not connected to each other.  From the top of the tank, four insulated wires will run from the sensor wires to the circuit card.

On the status panel is a push button marked "TEST".  When this button is pushed it will connect battery power to the circuit card.  If the "test" button is pushed and:

....if the tank is less than one quarter full, all lights will be out because there is no connection between the wires in the tank. 

.... if the tank is one quarter or more full, but less than one half full, the "reference" wire and #2 wire will be in the liquid.  The liquid will form an electrical path (water conducts electricity) between the reference and the #2 wire causing the circuit card to light the "1/4 Full" light.  The #3 and #4 wires are not in the liquid so the "1/2" and "3/4" Full lights are not illunimated


....if the tank is one half or more full, but less than three quarters full, the "reference" wire and the #2 and #3 wires will be in the liquid.  The liquid will now form and electrical path between the reference wire and the #2 and #3 wires causing the circuit card to light the "1/4 Full" and the "1/2 Full" lights.  The #4 wire is not in the liquid so the "3/4" light will not be illuminated.

....if the tank is more than three quarters full, all of the wires will be in the liquid which will form an electrical path between the "reference" wire and the #2, #3 and #4 wires causing the circuit card to light the "1/4 Full", "1/2 Full" and the "3/4 Full" lights.

I have heard that some tanks will have metal screws through the side of the tank at the 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 full levels instead of using a probe with wires.   The operation will still be the same.  If the Status Panel has only a single "Full" indicator for the black and grey water, there may be just two screws in the top of the tank with two wires running to the circuit card. 

Hope this helps.

Don

[joanfenn]

 :(We are adding new sensors to a water tank but need the wiring order, what color wires go where?  The PO replaced the tank a while back and just left the wires taped up.  The panel seems to be working so we would like to add sensors and are hoping that they will work also.  Would appreciate any help.  Thankyou

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

Sorry about the delay.  Been busting my tail getting my Chieftain ready for the All-Star Race on the 21st.

Not sure if yours are connected the same but on my 78 Chieftain the connections at the tank as shown below.

Dave

[joanfenn]

Thankyou Dave:  We will try that.  I will let you know what happens.  Joan

[johnnytugs1]

hi joan, i have the same motorhome. if you didn't get yours fixed i will get you the color code providing you tell me where they connect. bad news is, i work on a boat and won't be home till the 25-ish.
JT

[joanfenn]

Hello:  Thanks to the great information that I got from Dave, and his great drawing,  we installed them and everything works great. 
Thanks again