Submersible Sensor Installation Guide
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Use this guide when the tank uses a submerged pressure/level sensor, such as an HDL300-style sensor, instead of a top-mounted ultrasonic sensor.
Important difference
An ultrasonic sensor measures the empty air distance from the sensor down to the fluid surface. A submersible sensor measures fluid level/depth from pressure while it is under the fluid. Because of this, submersible setup uses the tank overflow/full height as the sensor reference height.
Before You Start
- Create the Monitoring Device in the portal.
- Create or link the Main Tank first.
- If the site has a reserve tank, add the Reserve Tank after the Main Tank is created.
- Know whether the submersible sensor is being used on the Main Tank, Reserve Tank, or both.
- Confirm the tank shape and inside dimensions before installing the sensor.
Portal Setup
- Open the tank setup form for the correct tank. Main Tank is Sensor A. Reserve Tank is Sensor B.
- Choose the correct tank shape: Square / Rectangle, Vertical Cylinder, or Horizontal Cylinder.
- Choose Submersible level sensor as the sensor type.
- Enter the tank dimensions normally.
- Enter O / High Water Overflow as the highest usable fluid level. If there is no overflow, use the full usable tank height.
- Do not enter a separate sensor height for submersible setup. The system automatically treats Sensor Height as equal to High Water Overflow.
- Enter F / Foot valve to floor only if you want the system to calculate usable fluid below the pickup point.
Physical Installation
- Lower the submersible sensor into the tank so the sensing end is near the bottom reference point used for level measurement.
- Keep the sensor off heavy sludge, sand, or debris where possible.
- Secure the cable so the sensor cannot swing into the wall, pump, inlet, ladder, or other obstruction.
- Route the cable cleanly and protect it from sharp edges, strain, and pump wiring.
- For vented pressure sensors, keep the vent/reference end dry and protected. Moisture in the vent path can cause unstable readings.
- Do not coil excess cable tightly at the wet end of the tank. Secure extra cable in a dry, serviceable location.
RS485 / Service Setup
- Connect the sensor to the Pebble RS485 service bus according to the supplied wiring label and the Pebble RS485 guide.
- Use the Pebble sensor setup/service page to confirm communication with the sensor.
- Confirm the Modbus address, baud rate, and live level reading before leaving the site.
- If multiple RS485 devices are on the bus, each device must have a unique address.
Testing
- Power up the Pebble Unit and connect it to the site network.
- Open Sensor Setup and verify the live reading changes in the correct direction as the fluid level changes.
- Check the tank status page after the first report. The value should behave as a fluid level, not as a top-down air gap.
- If the value is inverted or out of range, confirm the sensor type, high water overflow value, wiring, and sensor range.
Common Mistakes
- Do not use the ultrasonic sensor height rule for a submersible sensor.
- Do not mount a pressure sensor in air above the fluid. It must be submerged to read level.
- Do not leave the tank set as Ultrasonic if the installed sensor is submersible.
- Do not reuse the same RS485 address on two devices on the same bus.
- Do not confuse Main Tank and Reserve Tank. Sensor A is Main. Sensor B is Reserve.
Portal setup reference
Wiring / service reference
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