Avoiding the High Costs of Wiring the Automatic Tank Gauge to the UST

Published on October 2, 2024

Fuel retailers installing a new Automatic Tank Gauge (ATG) system – whether that means upgrading an existing site or breaking ground on a brand new one – aren’t always aware how much they can save on electrical wire.

To help manage the expense, you should look for fuel site monitoring equipment that gives you the greatest flexibility within your electrical blueprint. With this in mind, here are some key factors to consider that can help save significant time and money.

Installation Scenarios

When it comes to installing tank monitoring systems, the length of wire that runs from the ATG console to the monitoring equipment is called a “home run.” The higher the number of home runs you need to wire an ATG console to underground monitoring equipment, the higher your material and labor costs will be.

Two common installation scenarios retail fuel operations face when wiring an ATG console to underground monitoring equipment are:

1. Wiring the console to monitoring equipment during excavation/installation of new underground fueling system equipment
2. Wiring pre-existing monitoring equipment that is buried under concrete

In both situations, there are measures you can take to reduce both wiring costs and the time and labor needed to run wiring to a new console.

Reuse Wire and Multi-drop to Lower Costs

Time is money when it comes to retail fueling. Shutting down even part of the operation for construction or new equipment installation means losing money from the pumps and inconveniencing customers.

But what if you could install new tank monitoring hardware without having to break concrete or interrupt business for a significant amount of time?

ProGauge Tank Monitoring Systems are compatible with pre-existing wiring, which means you don’t have to run new wire to seamlessly integrate with already functioning tanks.

Additionally, ProGauge systems give retail fuel stations an advantage because they support Dover Fueling Solutions’ patented multi-drop technology. This innovative approach to console wiring allows you to run multiple probes and sensors on a single wire back to the tank gauge. For new sites, multi-drop is estimated to reduce new wiring costs by as much as 30 to 45%.

The result? Fewer home runs, lower wiring and labor expenses and a potentially faster installation.

Benefits to Fueling Retailers

Monitoring multiple tanks with the ProGauge MagLink LX Ultimate delivers more accurate tank inventory data, helping operators quickly mitigate fuel losses and meet compliance reporting regulations, and provides retailers with several advantages:

• Precise inventory management
• Peace of mind with automatic leak detection
• Seamless interface with DFS probes
• Quick and easy access to historical level readings
• Minimizes downtime from reinstallation with pre-existing equipment
• Meets strict compliance reporting obligations

Despite some narratives out there claiming otherwise, you have options. With the ProGauge MagLink LX family of consoles from Dover Fueling Solutions, you can save time and money while keeping your site running at peak performance and maintaining compliance.