New Watchman for oil tank?

[ThursdayTomorrow]

Our Watchman has broken on our oil tank. Is it easy to replace? Do you just plop another one in yourself or do you have to get someone in?
It’s all new to me. I asked our oil supplier but they seemed to want to have access to the results so they could send us more oil automatically. I don’t want this as I like to ring round to get the best quote each time we need more oil.
Thanks for any advice!

Our oil tanks have simple sight gauges fitted, like the ones here. You just press a button near the on/off valve and the oil fills the tube of the gauge to the same height as the oil in the tank. Simple, cheap, no batteries needed.
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Watchmen always seem to stop working after couple years. We just take the lid off the top and dip the tank (ie a clean wooden broom handle to check depth of oil). Not very high tec, but effective!

Thanks. Very helpful. I think I prefer the idea of a monitor but actually the broom handle seems simple and cheap!
Googling didn’t help as Watchman seems complicated and OilFox seems simple but it looks as though it’s only something you can obtain via an oil supplier and I don’t want to be tied in to a particular company.

I hadn’t heard of the sight gauges. I will look into them. Are they longer lasting than Watchmans do you know?

We have a broom handle too !
When I checked the price of a new Watchman , it was £100 so we decided we’d manage without one

We use a bamboo stick :D

But surely it's not just about knowing how much oil is left in your tank so you can order more? Oil thefts in rural areas are pretty common. Did your watchman not alert you to sudden changes in oil levels? (ie theft or leak). PILs had their oil stolen from their tank a couple of days after they'd had it filled. They got an alarm fitted after that so it sounds in the house if the level drops suddenly.

Are you sure it doesn't have a battery that needs replacing? A quick Google mentions replacing batteries.

DH replaced ours about a year ago, I've said it was pretty straightforward although he can't remember all the details, just a bit of 'measuring' (with a stick probably) to set the depth (and remaining oil) and pairing it with the new Plug in bit. I certainly don't remember any effing and blinding at the time so it must have been fine
Couldn't live without mine, it goes down so quickly in the depths of winter that I'd worry.

We also replaced the batteries once and it lasted a couple more years before giving up the ghost- they are only in the tube that sticks up.

Another former Watchman user here who has resorted to the bamboo stick technique 😀

Thanks everyone. I’ve checked the batteries but unfortunately still not working. I’m going to stick with the broom handle dipstick for the moment and probably think again in the autumn.