Prove the Cylinder Is Full, Without Weighing It
A fixed gaseous fire-suppression system is only as good as the agent left in its cylinders, and a slow leak is silent. Coltraco's Portalevel® range reads the liquid level through the cylinder wall ultrasonically, in under 30 seconds, with the cylinder installed and the system still armed.
Liquid Level Indicators & Agent-Weight Conversion
Three instruments that cover the standard cylinder, the hazardous-zone cylinder and the weight-record requirement. Add any of them to your quote.
ABS · RINA · ULPortalevel® MAX Marine Plus
The rugged, marine-grade Portalevel is type-approved for shipboard use, reaching banked cylinders with the 12 mm extension rod. The standard for fleet-wide CO2 and clean-agent checks.
Key specifications ⌄
| Approvals | ABS Type Approval · RINA · UL Listed |
| Transducer | 1 MHz |
| Accuracy | ±1.5 mm (±1% with Portasteele) |
| Reads | Through the cylinder wall; banked cylinders via the 12 mm extension rod |
| Agents | CO2, FM-200, NOVEC 1230, Halon, FE-13/FE-25, NAF S III |
| Ingress | IP65 |
| Check time | < 30 seconds per cylinder |
| IMPA | 652776 |
ATEX / IECExPortalevel® IS
The intrinsically safe Portalevel for explosive-atmosphere work, including LNG/LPG carriers, oil tankers, offshore platforms and chemical plants, certified for ATEX and IECEx Zone 1 and Zone 2, with no Hot Work Permit needed to test.
Key specifications ⌄
| ATEX | II 2 G Ex ib IIA T4 Gb |
| IECEx | Ex ib IIA T4 Gb |
| Agents | CO2, FM-200, NOVEC 1230 & other liquefied agents |
| Accuracy | ±1.5 mm of true level |
| Dimensions | 215 × 82 × 30 mm · 480 g |
| Power | 4× Energizer L91 AA (Ex-rated) |
| Operating temp. | −20 °C to +40 °C |
| Calibration | 3 modes incl. intelligent calibration (iCal) |
Agent WeightPortasteele® Calculator
A 7" tablet that turns a Portalevel liquid-level reading into agent weight in kilograms. Using the cylinder's dimensions, it comes to within 1% of true agent weight, with no weighing or disconnection.
Key specifications ⌄
| Output | Agent weight in kg (from level + cylinder data) |
| Accuracy | ±1% of true agent weight (paired with a Portalevel) |
| Agents | 7 pre-loaded (CO2, FM-200, NOVEC 1230, Halon 1211/1301, FE-13, FE-25), customisable |
| Platform | 7" Android tablet |
| Ingress | IP67 |
| Pairs with | Portalevel MAX / IS readings |
Portalevel MAX Marine Plus vs Portalevel IS
| MAX Marine Plus | IS (Intrinsically Safe) | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Routine marine fire-cylinder checks | Explosive-atmosphere zones (Zone 1 & 2) |
| Hazardous-area rated | – | ATEX II 2 G Ex ib IIA T4 Gb · IECEx |
| Class approvals | ABS · RINA · UL | ATEX / IECEx certified |
| Accuracy | ±1.5 mm (±1% with Portasteele) | ±1.5 mm |
| Banked cylinders | Yes: extension rod | Yes |
| Hot Work Permit to test | Not required (non-invasive) | Not required |
Checking a Fire-Suppression Cylinder, Step by Step
A single operator can verify a cylinder's charge in well under a minute: no removal, no weighing, no discharge.
Place the sensor
Apply ultrasonic couplant and hold the sensor against the outside of the cylinder wall.
Calibrate
Select the calibration mode for the agent and cylinder, and the unit handles the rest.
Read the level
The liquid line appears in under 30 seconds. Use the extension rod to reach banked cylinders several rows deep.
Get the weight
Enter the level into the Portasteele Calculator for agent weight in kg, checked against the fill weight stamped on the cylinder.
Where it's used aboard
Reading a Cylinder, Demonstrated
Footage published by Coltraco Ultrasonics showing the Portalevel range in use.
Read the level straight through the cylinder wall
How an ultrasonic reading replaces weighing the bottle.
Sensor on the outside
A sensor placed on the cylinder wall detects the boundary between liquid agent and gas inside. No removal from the manifold, no Hot Work Permit, no system downtime.
See the liquid line
The instrument shows where the liquid sits, so you know at a glance whether a CO2, FM-200® or NOVEC™ 1230 bottle is at full charge or has quietly lost agent.
Turn level into kilograms
Pair the reading with the Portasteele® Calculator and the level becomes agent weight in kg, the figure the regulations ask for, to within 1% of true, without lifting the cylinder onto a scale.
The method aligns with the IMO SOLAS FSS Code (Chapter 5) regime for fixed gas fire-extinguishing systems.
Liquid Level Indicators: FAQ
Which fire-suppression agents can the Portalevel measure?
Do I have to disconnect or weigh the cylinders?
Can it check banked cylinders?
How fast is a reading?
Can I use it in an ATEX / hazardous zone?
How accurate is the agent-weight figure?
How often should fire-suppression cylinders be checked?
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