STAR-Tank Fuel

Know your fuel level. No sensor cables to run.

Battery-powered radar monitoring for your fuel tank, with readings sent straight to a compatible Victron GX.

Fuel tanks need a bottom reflector.

A metal reflector plate must be fitted at the bottom of the tank, centred under the sensor. Plate size depends on the distance to the tank bottom.

No sender cable to run

An internal battery powers the sensor. Bluetooth carries the reading to your compatible GX.

Calibrated for your fuel tank

Record the empty and full reference values on your GX to turn the reading into a tank percentage.

Use your system’s screens

View locally on a compatible GX display or chartplotter, or remotely through an internet-connected GX and Victron VRM.

Screens and compatibility

  • Victron GX (Cerbo GX, Ekrano GX) — Bluetooth advertising, native Venus OS support. A GX without built-in Bluetooth needs a standard USB Bluetooth adapter.
  • GX Touch — Connected directly to your Cerbo GX. Local tank viewing without internet. Display sold separately.
  • NMEA 2000 chartplotter via GX — Your GX shares the tank reading over NMEA 2000. Requires a VE.Can to NMEA 2000 connection, GX NMEA2000-out enabled, and a chartplotter supporting the tank's fluid type and fluid-level data. No internet needed.
  • Marine MFD via interface kit — An alternative route using the STAR-Tank to MFD interface kit. A separate interface option, not the connection cable for the Cerbo GX route shown above.
  • STAR-Switch Custom — Logic blocks can act on tank level
  • Phones and tablets via VRM — Remote viewing through your Victron GX. Requires an internet-connected GX set up on VRM, and internet access on your phone or tablet.
  • Direct Bluetooth to phones or third-party displays — The sensor broadcasts to a Victron GX. Phone access is through VRM, rather than a direct Bluetooth connection to the sensor.

Set up the reflector. Then calibrate your tank.

Fuel is measured by the signal’s round-trip time to the bottom reflector. Your GX turns the calibrated reference values into a tank level.

The reflector and calibration make it work.

Position the reflector and sensor together, then record empty and full readings on your GX.

  1. Fit the bottom reflector

    Centre a metal plate at the bottom of the tank, directly under the sensor. The further the sensor is from the tank bottom, the larger the plate needs to be for a clean return.

  2. Mount and wake the sensor

    Mount above the tank, in line with the reflector. Bond the base to a suitable non-metallic tank top, or use a sealed SAE 5-bolt opening on metal tanks. With the tank empty or nearly empty, put the sensor to sleep and wake it so it re-detects its surroundings.

  3. Record empty and full on your GX

    Enable the sensor in your GX Bluetooth sensors menu. Record the empty reference value, then fill the tank and record the full value. Set your tank capacity and calibration on the GX to calculate percentage and litres.

The raw value is a reference, not a depth.

The Cerbo may label it “cm”, but the fuel reading is not centimetres. Use the empty and full reference values for calibration. The sensor’s startup routine does not replace this step.

Fuel monitoring that fits life on board.

3–5 years — Expected battery life

Normal readings arrive every 60 seconds. Battery life varies with how full the tank usually is.

No sender cable — Bluetooth to your GX

The sensor sends readings directly to a compatible GX, with no GX Tank 140 or sender wiring in between.

Empty + full — Calibration for your tank

Fuel uses time of flight to the bottom reflector. Your GX calculates level from the reference values you record during setup.

What you need for your fuel tank.

Each fuel tank needs a sensor, a correctly positioned bottom reflector and a compatible receiving system.

A bottom reflector plate

The fuel sensor needs a metal plate at the tank bottom, centred under the sensor and sized for the distance between them.

A compatible Victron GX

STAR-Tank support is built into Venus OS. Your GX needs Bluetooth reception and your tank’s empty and full calibration values. A GX without built-in Bluetooth needs a supported USB Bluetooth adapter.

Your local or remote display

GX Touch on a compatible Cerbo GX, Ekrano GX or a compatible NMEA 2000 chartplotter provides local viewing. Phone viewing through VRM needs an internet-connected GX and internet access on the phone.

Included

  • One STAR-Tank Fuel sensor — A battery-powered radar sensor using the fuel measurement method, for one tank.

Sensor only. A bottom reflector is required for operation. Victron GX, displays and connection accessories are sold separately.

Planning your fuel monitoring system?

Tell us what receiving equipment you have and how your tank is arranged. We can help with the system connections and reflector sizing.

Specification

Measurement

Technology
Phased coherent radar
Method
Time of flight to a bottom plate
Reading
Calibrated reference value
Liquids
Fuel
Dead band
30mm from the sensor base
Measuring range
Set during setup, on site

Power

Wiring
None — internal battery
Expected battery life
3-5 years
Reporting interval
60 s (10 s for 10 min at setup)

Communications

Pairs with
Direct to Victron GX
Radio
Bluetooth 5.3, advertising output only
Venus OS
Victron GX / Venus OS only
Reports
Level, temperature, battery voltage

Construction

Housing
Billet-machined aluminium
Mounting
Bond-on base plate, or SAE 5-bolt on metal tanks

Approvals and warranty

Approvals
FCC (USA), CE, UKCA
EU declaration
RED 2014/53/EU art. 3.1 and 3.2
Warranty
5 years on non-metallic tanks, excluding the battery
Warranty, metal tanks
1 year (SAE 5-bolt installation)

Questions

Do I really need the metal plate?

Yes. The fuel method times the signal’s return from a metal plate at the tank bottom. Centre the plate under the sensor and size it for the distance to the bottom. The sensor cannot make this measurement without the reflector.

Why does the Cerbo show “cm” that is not the tank depth?

The raw fuel reading is a reference value derived from the signal’s round-trip time, not a measurement in centimetres. Record empty and full values on your GX so it can calculate the tank level.

Does the startup routine calibrate the tank for me?

No. The sensor routine establishes its radar return. Fuel still needs empty and full reference readings recorded on the GX. With the tank empty or nearly empty, put the sensor to sleep and wake it before recording the empty value.

Do I need a GX Tank 140?

No. STAR-Tank sends readings directly to your compatible GX over Bluetooth, with no wired tank-sender input required.

Can I read my fuel level on my phone?

Yes, through Victron VRM when your GX is online and registered with VRM. Your phone also needs internet access. The sensor does not connect directly to a phone over Bluetooth.

Do I need internet for the display on board?

No. A compatible GX display or NMEA 2000 chartplotter can show the reading locally. Internet is needed for remote viewing through VRM.

Will it work on a metal tank?

Yes. Metal tanks need an opening and a sealed SAE 5-bolt installation, plus the bottom reflector. The warranty is 1 year for this installation, compared with 5 years excluding the battery on non-metallic tanks.

Do I need to choose the measuring range before I order?

No. The measuring range is set on site during setup. Fuel also needs the reflector plate and empty/full GX calibration described above. We can help with reflector sizing for your tank if you need advice.

SKU
RDR10208002-FUEL
Category
Tank Sensors
Price
$377.23 AUD inc. GST
Availability
In stock

More in Tank Sensors

All Tank Sensors