Tank Monitor Alarms

Tank monitors have come a long way since the earliest models were developed.  Tank monitors today can check inventory, water levels, tank tightness, pressurized line tightness, sump sensor status, and more.  Some monitors can even be accessed remotely, so you don’t have to be on-site to get the fuel level or be notified of alarms.  Even though the monitors are very high tech today, they must not be ignored.  Every day, maybe even a couple times a day, someone should check on the status of the monitor. We recommend incorporating a monitor check into your daily routine and walkthrough inspections.

 Tank monitors are programmed to go into alarm if anything is not as it is supposed to be.  The alarm should be addressed immediately and any problem indicated should be fixed.  Once fixed, the alarm should be cleared so that there are no inactive alarms displayed.  No one should ever get “used to” seeing alarms displayed on the monitor.

 Just because the monitor is in alarm, however, doesn’t necessarily mean that there is a serious problem or a leak.  Several things can cause alarms, such as improper programming, power outages, low product, or testing interrupted by deliveries or fuel dispensing.  Tank testing should be conducted when the site is least active and at least 24 hours after fuel delivery.

 If your monitor is displaying a leak alarm, you should contact your service company immediately, if you cannot resolve it yourself.  It may be a scenario where a false alarm occurred.  For example, your tank leak test was set to run from midnight to 4 a.m., while the store was closed.  You find in your sales that someone pumped gas from your card operated dispenser at 1:30 a.m., so you know that they interrupted the test, therefore causing the failed test.  In this instance, there is no need to call anyone, and you can clear the alarm yourself.  If you cannot determine why the monitor is in alarm, you must act quickly to prevent further damage from happening.

2894 106th St. Ste. 220 Urbandale, Iowa 50323