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Remote Tank Monitoring with Level Flow Sensors and Cloud Alarms
A remote tank can go from “probably fine” to “urgent problem” between site visits. A diesel day tank may run low before a generator test. A bore water tank may overflow after a float switch fails. A wastewater pit may rise during heavy rain. A chemical tank may lose volume faster than expected because of a leak, open valve, or transfer error.
Remote monitoring turns those unknowns into live data. With the right level sensor, flow measurement, communications, power system, cloud dashboard, and alarm logic, tanks can be checked from anywhere and managed before small changes become costly events.
A complete tank monitoring system is more than a sensor bolted to a tank. It needs to suit the liquid, the tank shape, the site conditions, the available power, and the way operations teams respond to alarms. ProSense can supply that as a coordinated system, using radar, ultrasonic or hydrostatic level sensors, Dragino LoRaWAN, NB-IoT or 4G communications, solar power, and ProSight dashboards for clear alarms and reporting.
Remote tanks need more than occasional checks
Manual inspections still work for simple sites, but they leave gaps. The issue may happen just after the technician leaves. The gauge may be hard to read. The site may be locked, flooded, dusty, exposed, or hours from the nearest depot.
Common problems include:
Run-outs
Water, diesel, chemicals, or dosing fluids fall below the level needed for normal operation.
Overfills
Tanks receive more liquid than expected, creating spill risk and clean-up costs.
Unplanned loss
A sudden drop may point to theft, leakage, open drains, failed valves, burst pipes, or incorrect transfers.
Slow response
Alarms may exist locally, but no one sees them until the next visit.
Disconnected data
A site may have one supplier for sensors, another for telemetry, another for dashboards, and no single party responsible for how the whole system behaves.
A well-designed remote monitoring system closes those gaps. It reports live or scheduled readings, sends alarms when limits are breached, and keeps a history that helps with usage trends, delivery planning, compliance records, and maintenance.
The right level sensor depends on the tank and the liquid
Tank level looks simple from a distance, but the sensor choice matters. Water behaves differently from diesel, wastewater, and aggressive chemicals. A clean vertical tank is easier than a sump with foam, vapour, sludge, turbulence, or internal pipework.
ProSense can match the measurement method to the job instead of forcing one sensor into every application.
Sensor type | Best suited to | What to watch |
Radar level sensor | Diesel, chemicals, water, wastewater, enclosed tanks, vapour-prone tanks | Needs correct mounting and a clear measuring path |
Ultrasonic level sensor | Water tanks, open channels, sumps, non-contact applications | Foam, heavy vapour, wind, and obstructions can affect readings |
Hydrostatic level sensor | Water, wastewater, deep tanks, bores, pits, bunds | Sensor and cable materials must suit the liquid and site conditions |
Radar works well when conditions are hard
Radar level sensors send a microwave signal towards the liquid surface and measure the return. They are non-contact, which is useful where the liquid should not touch the instrument.
Radar is often a good choice for:
Diesel storage
Chemical tanks
Wastewater tanks with vapour
Tall tanks
Tanks where foam or condensation may affect other methods
Radar also suits sites where reliability is more important than choosing the lowest-cost sensor. Correct aiming and mounting still matter. The sensor should avoid ladders, fill pipes, agitators, and tank wall reflections where possible.
Ultrasonic is practical for many water and sump jobs
Ultrasonic sensors use sound pulses to measure distance to the surface. They are common on water tanks, small bulk storage tanks, open pits, and wastewater sumps.
They are a good fit when:
The liquid surface is reasonably clear
The tank has a clear vertical measurement path
The site needs non-contact measurement
The application does not have heavy foam or vapour
For water storage and many general-purpose tanks, ultrasonic level measurement can give reliable results when installed correctly.
Hydrostatic sensors suit deep tanks and submerged measurement
Hydrostatic sensors measure pressure caused by the liquid above the sensor. This makes them useful in tanks and pits where top-mounted measurement is difficult.
They are often used for:
Bore water tanks
Wastewater wet wells
Deep sumps
Tanks with awkward lids or internal structures
Applications where a submerged probe is easier than a top-mounted sensor
Material compatibility is critical. Wastewater and chemicals can attack the wrong cable, diaphragm, seal, or housing. A coordinated supply approach helps avoid those mismatches.
Flow measurement adds context to level data
Level tells you what is in the tank. Flow tells you what is moving in or out.
Combining level and flow sensors is useful when the question is not only “how full is the tank?” but also “where did the volume go?” or “how fast is the process using it?”
Flow monitoring can help with:
Pump run verification
Fill and draw-down tracking
Delivery confirmation
Leak detection support
Dosing usage checks
Water transfer monitoring
Wastewater discharge visibility
For example, a tank level may drop during normal pump operation. If the flow meter confirms the pump was transferring water, the drop makes sense. If level falls but no flow is recorded through the expected line, the system can flag a possible leak, open valve, theft event, or measurement fault.
The best systems combine signals carefully. Level and flow do not need to agree every second, because tanks can move, foam, surge, settle, or be filled from multiple sources. The value comes from trends, thresholds, and alarm rules that match the real process.
Communications should fit the site, not the other way around
Remote tank sites vary widely. Some are inside metro areas with strong mobile coverage. Others are on farms, mine sites, utilities corridors, pump stations, depots, and treatment assets where power and coverage are limited.
ProSense can use Dragino devices and suitable communications to connect the tank to the cloud.
Communications option | Where it fits | Main benefit |
Dragino LoRaWAN | Sites with LoRaWAN gateway coverage or a private gateway | Low-power, long-range communication for sensor data |
NB-IoT | Low-data monitoring with suitable carrier coverage | Efficient mobile network option for battery or solar sites |
4G | Sites needing wider mobile compatibility or more frequent reporting | Flexible connection for dashboards, alerts, and multi-signal systems |
Dragino LoRaWAN works well for low-power tank sites
LoRaWAN is a strong option when many tanks, pits, or meters need to send small amounts of data over long distances. Dragino LoRaWAN devices can connect sensors to a gateway, which then sends readings to the cloud.
This can suit:
Farms with several water tanks
Industrial sites with multiple storage vessels
Councils monitoring water or wastewater assets
Remote depots with distributed tanks
Sites where low power use is a priority
A private LoRaWAN gateway can be used when public network coverage is not available or when a site owner wants control over local coverage.
NB-IoT suits simple remote monitoring
NB-IoT can suit tank monitoring where readings are small and infrequent, such as periodic level updates and alarms. It is designed for low-power devices, although actual performance depends on network coverage and signal quality at the site.
For isolated tanks that only need routine reporting and alarm events, NB-IoT can be a practical option.
4G suits higher data needs and broader coverage
4G is often used where the system needs more regular updates, several sensor inputs, remote configuration, or stronger general availability across different regions. It can also be suitable when a site needs to connect several instruments through one field unit.
For nationwide rollouts, 4G can help keep hardware choices consistent while still allowing site-by-site tuning.
Solar power keeps monitoring alive where mains power is unavailable
Many tank sites do not have reliable mains power. Some have no power at all. Solar power can run the monitoring system when it is designed around the sensor load, reporting interval, communications method, local sunlight, and battery reserve.
A typical solar-powered tank monitoring setup may include:
Solar panel mounted for good sun exposure
Charge controller
Battery sized for overnight and poor-weather operation
Low-power sensor or transmitter
Dragino LoRaWAN, NB-IoT, or 4G communications unit
Weatherproof enclosure
Fuses, isolation, glands, and surge protection where required
Solar sizing should not be guessed. A system reporting once per hour by LoRaWAN will use power differently from a 4G system reporting frequently with several sensors attached. Seasonal conditions also matter across Australia, from tropical storm periods to dry inland heat and southern winter conditions.
A coordinated design helps stop common failures such as undersized batteries, shaded panels, high standby loads, and enclosures that are not suited to heat, dust, insects, or moisture.
ProSight dashboards turn readings into decisions
A tank monitoring dashboard should do more than show a number. It should make the current condition clear and help the right person act quickly.
ProSight dashboards can present level, flow, alarm status, trends, and site details in one place. This is where field measurements become useful operational information.
Useful dashboard views include:
Current level as percentage, litres, metres, or another agreed unit
Tank status such as normal, high, low, critical, or offline
Trend graphs over hours, days, weeks, or months
Flow rate and totalised flow where applicable
Last communication time
Battery or solar system status if monitored
Alarm history
Site map or asset list
Exported records for reporting
For tank shape and volume, calibration is important. A vertical cylindrical tank, horizontal diesel tank, cone-bottom tank, and irregular pit all need different conversion logic if the dashboard shows volume, not just level. ProSight can be configured so the display matches the real asset.
Alarms should reflect real operational risk
A tank alarm should not be noisy. If alarms are too frequent or unclear, people start ignoring them. Good alarm design uses clear thresholds, sensible delays, and escalation paths that match how the tank is used.
High-level alarms prevent overflow and spill events
High-level alarms warn when a tank is nearing its safe operating limit. They are useful for:
Rainwater harvesting tanks
Wastewater pits
Chemical storage tanks
Process tanks
Bunded areas
Fill operations
A high-high alarm can add a second level of warning for urgent action. In some applications, this alarm may also support local controls, such as stopping a pump or closing a valve, if the control design allows it.
Low-level alarms prevent run-outs
Low-level alarms help maintain supply. They suit:
Diesel generator tanks
Potable or process water tanks
Chemical dosing tanks
Irrigation storage
Fire water support tanks where monitoring is permitted by site requirements
A low-low alarm can be used for critical stock levels. The dashboard can also show consumption trends, allowing deliveries or refills to be planned earlier.
Sudden-loss alarms catch abnormal drops
Sudden-loss detection looks for rapid level change over time. It can help identify events that standard high and low alarms may miss.
Examples include:
Diesel theft or unauthorised transfer
Burst pipe or failed fitting
Open drain valve
Tank rupture or bund leak
Process fault causing unexpected drawdown
Incorrect tanker connection
These alarms need careful tuning. A tank that feeds a large pump may have normal rapid drawdown during operation. In that case, the alarm may need to compare level drop with pump status, flow readings, time of day, or known operating events.
Why a coordinated ProSense system is better than disconnected components
Many monitoring projects fail slowly. The sensor works, but the telemetry input is wrong. The dashboard displays millimetres when the operator needs kilolitres. The solar system is too small. The SIM plan does not suit the reporting rate. The alarm threshold is set without understanding the process. Each individual part may be fine, but the system still disappoints.
ProSense can supply the whole chain as one coordinated system.
That can include:
Sensor selection for water, diesel, wastewater, or chemicals
Radar, ultrasonic, or hydrostatic level measurement
Flow meter selection where inflow or outflow data is needed
Dragino LoRaWAN, NB-IoT, or 4G telemetry
Solar power design for remote sites
Weatherproof enclosures and field hardware
ProSight dashboards
High-level, low-level, and sudden-loss alarms
Commissioning support and configuration
Ongoing adjustments as site needs change
The benefit is accountability. Instead of separate suppliers checking only their own piece, the system is designed around the required outcome: reliable tank visibility and useful alarms.
What a complete remote tank monitoring package can look like
A typical system begins with a site check and application review. The goal is to answer practical questions before hardware is selected.
Key design questions include:
What liquid is in the tank?
Is the liquid clean, dirty, foamy, corrosive, flammable, or variable?
What is the tank shape and height?
Is the tank vented or pressurised?
Are there internal obstructions?
Is mains power available?
What mobile or LoRaWAN coverage exists?
How often should readings update?
Who receives alarms?
What action should each alarm trigger?
Should the dashboard show level, volume, flow, usage, or all of these?
From there, the system can be built in layers.
Layer | What it does |
Measurement | Level and flow sensors collect the field data |
Edge hardware | Telemetry device reads signals and manages communication |
Power | Solar or mains power keeps the system running |
Network | LoRaWAN, NB-IoT, or 4G sends the data |
Cloud | ProSight stores, displays, and trends the readings |
Alarms | Thresholds and sudden-change rules notify the right people |
Support | Configuration and maintenance keep the system useful |
This layered approach keeps the design clear. It also makes future changes easier, such as adding another tank, changing alarm thresholds, adding a flow meter, or moving from basic level display to volume reporting.
Better tank visibility starts with one connected system
Remote tank monitoring works best when every part is chosen to suit the job. The sensor must suit the liquid. Communications must suit the site. Solar power must suit the load. The dashboard must suit the way decisions are made. Alarms must suit the real operating risk.
A system built from disconnected parts may still send numbers to the cloud, but it often leaves gaps when something changes. A coordinated ProSense system brings the measurement, Dragino communications, solar power, ProSight dashboard, and alarm logic together so remote tanks can be managed with confidence.
For water, diesel, wastewater, and chemical tanks, the goal is simple: know the level, understand the flow, and receive the alarm before the problem becomes expensive.
