Problems with Watchman Sonic? Troubleshooting and help

Here are a few tips if you're having problems with your Watchman Sonic.

Please Note – Tank Services are not the manufacturer of the Watchman Sonic. For customer services or a warranty issues, please click here >>Sensor Systems.

Here is a download of Watchman Sonic Instructions.

Here is a download for the red Watchman Sonic Alarm Instructions.

Here is a download for the New Watchman Advances New Watchman Advanced

Installation Manuals and Instructions, FAQs and Advice

Watchman Sonic Advanced Technical Support | Kingspan GB

https://youtu.be/JQm33lj4OXIError warnings Help

https://youtu.be/v0W-uMqtlBMInstall and resyncing Help

TRANSMISSION NOT HEARD: If the receiver detects a transmission not heard for a long time the symbol outlined in Pic 15 is displayed on the LCD. This starts approximately 24 hours from the last received good signal (shown in picture 16). To rectify this, re-site the receiver in a location where the transmission is heard. Rematch receiver and transmitter as per point 7.

If this fails, the unit is probably faulty and will need replacing.

CONNECTION FAULT: If the receiver detects a No Echo Condition and no connection to the transmitter, the following message is displayed on the LCD: warning triangle constantly flashing plus indication bar 5 on (shown in picture 16). To rectify this situation, check that the transmitter unit is correctly positioned on the tank and no interference is present from a tank wall, corrugation or window.

Normally appears following a tank refill where the oil is close to the top of the tank.

Waiting a few weeks will normally rectify in this situation.

Sonic Advanced only: Leak Detection. If the leak is detected (Watchman Sonic Advanced Plus version), buzzer beeps every 10s. Please check the tank (bund). False alarms can be caused by damaged cable or incorrect installation.

No signal on Watchman Sonic gauge

From time to time the signal of the Watchman Sonic can cut out. For example, this can happen in a power cut, when the tank has been topped up, or due to bad weather. This is indicated by an exclamation triangle with no bars displayed. First of all, it's best not to panic, as this can simply be down to the receiver plug losing connection to the gauge or alarm unit on the tank. The gauge will attempt to reconnect automatically.

If the gauge does not reconnect automatically, follow these troubleshooting steps.

There are a few simple steps to re-calibrate the gauge if it stops reading the oil level of your oil tank.

Pairing Transmitter and Receiver

1. Unscrew the green transmitter disc (or red if it is an alarm) from the top of the oil tank. On a bunded tank, the gauge is located inside the lid on the inner tank.
2. Take the transmitter disc to the white receiver, which should be plugged into the mains in your home.
3. Align the black dot on the right-hand side of the white receiver plug with the grey dot on the disc; the bars should start appearing one by one. Once it's flashing and beeping, the sonic gauge has been calibrated. This can take 20 seconds, so be patient.
4. After the disc has been synced with the receiver, take the disc straight back out and fix it to the tank.

Watchman Sonic not reading correctly – how to update Watchman Receiver

If an incorrect level is being shown on your oil monitor, it's worth checking that you have measured the height of your sensor against the tank correctly. 3 metres is the maximum height for the sensor from the base of the tank. Make sure that you are only measuring the internal depth of the tank. Do not include the outer skin of bunded tanks in your measurement, and take the measurement from no lower than the maximum fill level of your tank.

Watchman Sonic Damage

If your transmitter shell has cracked due to UV degradation or water ingress, the internal sensor will fail permanently. In these instances, repairing the internal board is not viable. You will need to purchase a genuine replacement Watchman oil tank monitor kit to restore wireless tracking to your tank.

If the receiver detects a low battery, the following warning message is displayed on the LCD: the level of oil in the tank plus a constantly flashing warning triangle (shown in picture 14).

Changing the Watchman Sonic battery:

What battery does the watchamn sonic need?  Watchman sonic uses a Varta CR2430 or Duracell DL2430

If a unit is still under warranty (less than 1 year old) and is clearly showing the low battery symbol, please contact our Watchman helpline 028 3836 4415. (Units under warranty SHOULD NOT BE OPENED. Warranty will be void if the unit is opened within the warranty period.)

To replace the battery, follow these instructions:

1. Switch off your Watchman display in the house.
2. Remove the transmitter from the tank and take it indoors, into a clean dry environment. (it will unscrew without tools)
3. Using a cross-point screwdriver, undo the four screws located under the main body of the transmitter.
4. Remove the top cover.
5. Flip out the battery (be careful not to break the retaining clip).
6. Clip in the new battery.
7. Re-fit the top cover.
8. Evenly and gently tighten all four screws – do not over-tighten.
9. Replace the green or red transmitter on the tank.
10. Switch on the Watchman display in the house and wait a minimum of 10 minutes for the oil level to refresh.

Where can I get a CR2430 battery from?

Most online retailers will stock them. Usually, they can be bought fairly cheaply from Amazon.

The standard warranty on a Watchman Sonic gauge

The warranty period on a Watchman oil level monitor is 12 months. To find out if your unit is still under warranty, look on the back of the receiver for a 6-digit number. This can be found underneath the Part No. "A45-2817" is an example of what this might look like. The last 4 digits depict the month and year that it was issued. If the current date is within 12 months of that printed on your receiver, contact sensor@kingspan.com or call 028 3836 4415. Otherwise, we will be happy to help!

Other error messages:

Watchman oil monitor flashing triangle errors:

Oil Tank level displayed with an exclamation mark in a triangle = battery low

Replace the battery as detailed above. The Varta CR2430 is the standard coin battery for these gauges.

No level and an exclamation mark in a triangle = transmission not heard

This means that the plug-in receiver can't receive a signal from the transmitter on the tank. This can clear up by itself after a couple of hours and tends to show when the receiver hasn't got a signal for a while.

If the problem persists, pairing the receiver and the transmitter (green or red disc) on the tank may resolve the issue. This process is detailed above.

If this fails, the unit is probably faulty and will need replacing.

5th (middle) bar lit with an exclamation mark in a triangle = no echo condition

This means that the Watchman disc is having trouble receiving the radar echo from the bottom of the tank.

The Watchman Sonic works by firing a beam of radio waves down into the tank. These waves then bounce off the oil; the Watchman measures the time it takes to receive the "echo" back, which it uses to calculate the oil level.

If there are any objects or debris in the way of the beam, this error may also occur after a tank fill if the oil is within 6" of the gauge.

• Check the oil in the tank is clear from any debris such as twigs or dipsticks, and check if the oil level is within 6" of the gauge.
• Remove the transmitter disc from the top of the tank and check that the cone on the bottom of the disc is clean and clear of any white residue (oil sweat).

If neither of these steps clears the error after refitting the disc and waiting for the gauge to send a new signal, it is possible that the gauge has been installed incorrectly.

This could mean that the gauge has been installed at an angle and not pointing straight down into the tank, causing the beam to bounce around the tank and not be received correctly.

Alternatively, the gauge has been installed in a location where there is a 'window' in the inner tank. This window would block the beam before it reaches the oil.

Sonic not displaying correct oil level.

Occasionally, your Watchman Sonic can show a full tank level, even if the level is lower. This can be due to the acoustic sensor being blocked or partly blocked. A simple fix for this is to remove the green (or red on Alarm units) sender head unit on the tank by unscrewing it from the base plate. This requires no tools. Once removed, wipe out the underside of the transmitter with a soft cloth or kitchen towel. This will remove any white powder build-up and moisture. Refit the sender and wait for the signal to update (up to an hour).

If none of the above tips help, it may be time to replace the gauge. We have the Watchman Advanced available from stock for quick delivery.

You can view all our oil tank gauges to purchase on-line here.

Historical Warning Indicators for older Watchman

• F = full
• Red light flashing with no level = no signal
• Fluid level low and "BAT LOW" = new power tube needed
• C = connection fault, replacement needed

The older copper power tubes are no longer available, so you will need to replace the gauge with a new Watchman Sonic Advanced.

We hope this information has been helpful, but feel free to call us on 01722 422446 if you still need some help.