Frequently Asked Questions

If your question is not answered below, check out our Support page, or send us a message!

Installation

Yes - if the tanks are connected near the base, to allow them to keep a common level. The app has a tank quantity setting to allow for this.

Tanks that do not balance will need individual sensors. Multiple sensors can be added to one account, so the individual levels and total volume can be monitored.

Installation involves connecting the sensor to your WiFi network, and drilling a hole in your tank for the sensor probe.

See the installation video here.

R3 models require the user to set the height of the sensor above the tank floor. That allows the sensor to calculate the height of the water in the tank.

In addition to this, the volume and height of the tank need to be input into the app to calculate the tank volume.

R3 models require a hole of between 30 and 35mm to be drilled prior to installation.

Suitable concrete core drills (diamond hole saws) can be purchased through our online store.

Some of our resellers also provide installation services, for certain areas within New Zealand. See our Installation Services page for more info.

The R3 sensor can tolerate angles of up to 15 degrees (3:12 slope) for most types of tanks.

For a concrete tank, the hole for the sensor must be drilled vertically (not on an angle) so that the sensor can get direct line-of-sight down to the water.

No. The R3 sensor needs to measure the water level from directly above the tank - typically mounted on the lid or somewhere that is at least 100mm above the maximum water level.

Most likely not. Although the sensor could be installed below the tank lid, if the lid is cast iron the sensor may not receive sufficient WiFi signal to operate properly.

Connectivity

See the Troubleshooting section of our user guide

TankMate is compatible with most 2.4Ghz WiFi networks (802.11b/g/n).

Note: 5Ghz networks are not supported, but your router will most likely be capable of transmitting in 2.4GHz and 5GHz simultaneously.

The most reliable way to check this is with your phone. If you can see a WiFi signal strength of 1-2 bars at the tank, the unit will be able to connect.

Out-of-the-box, two readings per day is the default. This is customizable in the app.

For the R3W WiFi sensor, a reading can be published to the server every 15 minutes (96 readings per day).

For a cellular / LTE sensor (R3L), the maximum number of connections per day is 4. However, the sensor can be set to take a reading every 15, 30 or 60 minutes to check if an alert threshold has been broken. This allows users to gather more data, and timely alerts, without wasting power on frequent cellular connections.

You could consider two options:

1) Add a WiFi repeater or outdoor access point to increase your coverage

2) Use a cellular / LTE connected sensor - such as the TankMate R3L. Theses have their own SIM card, to connect directly to a cellular network.

In new Zealand, we can provide SIM cards for two different operators. Use the coverage maps in the links below to check for your address:

  1. Spark: NB-IoT and Cat-M1 - see map here
  2. OneNZ (Vodafone): Cat-M1 - see map here

TankMate Apps

You do not need a subscription to use your TankMate WiFi product.

The TankMate web app is completely free to use.

The mobile app for iOS and Android has both premium (paid) and free content. The premium features include phone notifications and detailed usage statistics. New users can trial the premium features on mobile - free for 12 months.

The premium app subscription costs NZD23 +gst per year and is charged through the app stores.

TankMate 4G products have ongoing subscription costs for the SIM / data. See here.

Yes we do! See details here

Maintenance

Very little. The battery life of our R3 WiFi sensors can be up to 3 years, depending on the WiFi signal quality, the number of connections per day, and if the sensor has any alerts set.

For the previous generation v2 sensors, it is recommended to clean the sensor probe annually, by rinsing out any silt that has built up from the tank floor. (Touching the sensor diaphragm inside the end cap should be avoided.)

For all TankMate sensors we recommend:

  • 3 x AA Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries

Note: 3 x AA alkaline cells will work. However, the battery life estimations in the app are based on Energizer Ultimate Lithium cells. Your battery icon may look half full when replacing with alkaline cells!

While the lithium cells are more expensive, they typically have at least 50% more capacity than the alkaline equivalent.

IMPORTANT: do not use 'heavy duty' type cells with TankMate sensor units.