Stoopid question about water tank dipstick.

[Oeanda]

Stainless tank and dipstick. Water is invisible on the stick. The only way I can sort of make it work is to blot it against some paper towel. But even that doesn’t work very well.

Is this just the way it is for everyone? It seems weird. But I don’t get out much. Short of installing a tank monitoring gadget, is there any better way, to have a dipstick that works ? Thanks.

[Jim Cate]

I too find it hard to read shiny metal dipsticks. for my water tanks I made "float sticks" instead. These comprise some retired champagne corks with lengths of 6 mm dowel pegged into the bottom of the cork. In use, the cork goes into the neck of the tank and floats on the top of the water. The height of the stick above the neck is the index by which water level is determined: no need to see the wet stick any more!

Jim

[Pete7]

I would be tempted to put a piece of heat shrink on the rod and see if that is easier to read.

[chrisr]

is there anyway you can replace the metal with say wood ? this shows the water much better.

you may need to replace the screw in T handle with say a removable bolt. take out bolt...insert wooden dowel...read water level...replace bolt

i did this a few boats ago and worked a treat

cheers,

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by Pete7

I would be tempted to put a piece of heat shrink on the rod and see if that is easier to read.

Beat me to it.

[s/v Jedi]

Stick a poplar dowel into the tank.

[poiu]

As Jedi suggests, use wood. My dipstick is mahogany, but a light hardwood would be better. It is unvarnished, with knife scores every inch.

[MikeHoncho]

Have the dipstick media blasted. That will allow the level to show.

[Ballsnall]

Keep a piece of chauk handy, you may need to rough up the dipstick a bit with sand paper so the chauk sticks to it. Cheap, and effective. You could also paint it with a matt black finish, much easier to read.

[clownfishsydney]

Wooden dowel is the answer, works great.

[MJH]

Originally Posted by Oeanda

Attachment 258791
Stainless tank and dipstick. Water is invisible on the stick. The only way I can sort of make it work is to blot it against some paper towel. But even that doesn’t work very well.

Is this just the way it is for everyone? It seems weird. But I don’t get out much. Short of installing a tank monitoring gadget, is there any better way, to have a dipstick that works ? Thanks.

Looks like your dip stick shaft is round. Those in my two tanks are flat about 3/8" wide and if I hold them at an angle I can see the water level.

One of the first things I did when I bought my new-to-me boat was fill the empty starboard tank with a five gallon can, I did that a total of 20 times. I assume the port tank is the same. After emptying each can I went into the cabin and recorded the depth, then created a chart (gallons verses inches) with Excel. Due to hull curvature it is not linear. It comes in handle.

[Brioche]

A flat dipstick might be better, but in either case you can drill small holes in it at intervals and surface tension will retain water until it evaporates. That way you avoid contaminating the water in the tank, although it would be best to sanitize dipstick to avoid problems in the holes.

[Stu Jackson]

Is that your only water tank?


If not, the way I do it is run one tank at a time, when one empties, I know it's time for a refill. In 25 years I've never run out of water this way and have no need to have to know what's left in either one of them at any time in between fills.


Good luck. BTW, the answer is wood!

[hzcruiser]

Just take out the dip stick, wipe it dry, put in, take out again and sprinkle something dusty on it, like flour, if you want to know the exact level.
Wipe again and re-insert; no contamination.

If that's all too hard, get a water level gauge.

[hzcruiser]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

I too find it hard to read shiny metal dipsticks. for my water tanks I made "float sticks" instead. These comprise some retired champagne corks with lengths of 6 mm dowel pegged into the bottom of the cork. In use, the cork goes into the neck of the tank and floats on the top of the water. The height of the stick above the neck is the index by which water level is determined: no need to see the wet stick any more!

Jim

That's also a pretty good idea! You just need to make sure the dowel is not too heavy and it doesn't tilt sideways against the neck?

My fuel tank's have the same dip stick and I use chalk on them before inserting the stick.

The water tanks have a sight glass (or tube).