Community Forums

jofo777 · 10-05-2012, 05:44 PM

Does any one know how to access the sensors to the tanks, black water in particular. All of a sudden my Black tank shows full and the voice in the dash is reminding me as well.

I looked in the dump out compartment and I am thinking maybe the top of the main panel might come out with some work.

Thanks, Joe

deandec · 10-06-2012, 01:07 PM

I have not tried to reach the sensors, but my Black tank frequently shows half full shortly after dumping the tanks. The 1/4 full light is not illuminated, as it should be if it were half full.

I use the clean out spray built into the utility compartment to clean the tank sides on those occasions and that seems to work for a while.

Other folks have recommended putting some Dawn dish soap or water softner stuff into the tank to get the sides and hence the sensors clean. The Dawn thing has worked for me also. I put 10 gallons of water in the tank and drive to the next location with the soap sloshing around and doing its job.

The panel in my utility compartment removes and provides access to the water pump and the various water solenoids. I have not looked for the black tank.

I assume you have looked down into the tank from the toilet to assure yourself that the alert and levels are errors.

jofo777 · 10-06-2012, 11:31 PM

I drained the tank and it just had a little water in it. I had tried at home to rinse with the built-in rinser but found it to be completely clogged with needles. Looked like they had been there for years. So I have to get that out and back-flush it. After I dumped I stuck the hose up from the bottom and was able to clean the sensors and got it to show empty. The thing that got me worried was it suddenly showed full a couple days ago and I had been up in the overhead chasing wires and was concerned that I had caused it then.

That systems check really scares me. So many wires and possible problems. I did fix the entry door warning. It was warning me when the door was closed when I tried to drive. But it would not warn me when the door was open. Backwards to what it should have been doing. Turns out that the step motor had been changed and the new replacement motors require a normally closed switch, opposite of the original design. Thus the faulty warning. I traced it up to the overhead circuit board and disconnected it. Wire number 131. No warning at all now. That is fine. I know when the door is open.

So Dean, where is the access panel for the pump? I am thinking the sensors must be accessible somewhere. BTW, you are quickly becoming my new best friend. Thanks, Joe

deandec · 10-07-2012, 11:29 AM

The access for the pump on my rig is in the lower left corner of the utility bay.

When repairing my auto water fill PCB, I documented some of the wire flow in the overhead console. I can email, but it is quite rough.

I just disconnected my misbehaving black water warning as the tank level gauges seem to be adequate above the 1/2 full mark.

jofo777 · 10-07-2012, 08:45 PM

I did a little looking today and found the sensors behind that small panel above the sewer hose hookup. Also the black water tank rinse line is accessible in there as well. But it is siliconed into the tank and I haven't tried to get it out of there yet. Much to do, so little time. Thanks Dean, by the way, I think our rigs may be the same paint code. That dark blue looks like mine. Mine is Petrol Blue, a 1980 Porsche color. I have ordered paint in a spray can twice and it is a perfedt match. Joe

chuydog · 10-09-2012, 09:07 PM

We have an '04 Inspire and for the past month the light panel would constantly show 3/4-7/8 full and never changed no matter how many times I flushed it. It's also time to put it in storage so I tried something today and it worked just fine and I don't think I screwed anything up.

Drained and rinsed the black tank. Poured a gallon of ZEP 505 cleaner into the empty tank and then filled the tank using the new gaget that has a spinning brass end on it when you turn on the water hose. Walmart has them.

Let the coctail sit for about a half hour then cracked the black tank open about half way and used the same spinning water jet to rinse the tank and I assume the sensors.

Instantly showed empty and I know that tank is clean.

Tom

jofo777 · 10-10-2012, 10:26 AM

Thanks for the replies. The odd part of my problem was that the tank was empty, showed empty, and then suddenly showed full. And just before this I had been in the overhead compartment trying to trace other wiring and thought I had caused it to happen. So I made a special trip to the dump station and emptied it. After a good rinse it showed empty again.

So it is a bit of a mystery why it jumped from empty to full but I will just log it away and hope it does not come back again.

Thanks, Joe