Black tank monitor issue

[Tom222]

I have been dry camping for about two weeks and have been monitoring my black and gray tanks. This morning I found that my toilet was full of water and would not flush. My black water tank monitor light only showed 1/2 tank full. After going to a dump station and dumping my tanks, I put two bags of ice in the toilet and drove back to my electric only campsite. Tomorrow I am leaving for south Florida and full hookups, but what could be my problem with the monitor lights?

Tom


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2007 Fleetwood Providence 40X
OurBigRVAdventure.com

[Virago-Rider]

2 bags of ice in the toilet? Why?


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[Fred Cooper]

Dirty sensors...a common problem. Sometimes driving around with water and ice in the tank will help clean the sensors.

Fred

[gruelens]

Most of us, with factory tank sensors, have just given up on expecting accurate readings. The constant battle vs. results of gauge readings just isn't worth the bother. I can look straight down the commode (with flashlight) and see the black water level. I guess at the gray level by how much fresh water I use from my fresh tank (I have the fresh tank marked in 10 gal intervals.

[IMDSailor]

Black tank readings seem to be the bain of a RVers existence. I installed a "Turbo Flush" that seems to be working in keeping the sensors reading correctly.


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[YC1]

My tank flush is on the far end of the tank which makes sense for cleaning the tank but does not reach the sensors. Drove me crazy. I installed a second one near the sensor and now have accurate readings. I use quick disconnects to switch between the two flush devices.

[TK IV]

I find that filling the tank with fresh water several times gets the crud off the walls and helps the sensors to work.

[pumper9x9]

I have found that using my fresh water gauge as a monitoring tool for my black water and gray water tank. I generally have found that I fill the gray water tank about twice as fast as my black water. So when my fresh water is down to about 1/4 my gray water is about 3/4 and my black water is about 1/4. Also it's pretty easy to take a flash light and look down the toilet and see how full the black water is. About once or twice a year I use Theadford tank and gauge cleaner in my gray and black water tanks. It helps the gray water but not the black water too much. If you search this site there are a large number of threads dealing with how to keep your black water tank clean that seem to cover a wide variety of methods. All of which the poster swears by. None of which have really worked well for me. There are companies out there that will snake some high pressure hoses and cameras into your tanks and blast everything clean for you and I'm sure your gauges will work great for awhile. Good luck.

[pasdad1]

Check out this slick system for tank monitoring that solves the issues of sensors on the inside of the tank getting fouled

http://youtu.be/Z-SyklZWlVM

[pumper9x9]

The problem with those gauges is that if the walls of the tank are fouled the gauges will stop working. So you still have the same problem. I talked to an engineer at the company not a sales guy.
Good Luck

[pasdad1]

Originally Posted by pumper9x9

The problem with those gauges is that if the walls of the tank are fouled the gauges will stop working. So you still have the same problem. I talked to an engineer at the company not a sales guy.
Good Luck

This quote take from here:
http://www.modmyrv.com/2009/01/12/rv...monitor-system

"Fortunately there is a relatively simple solution. SeeLevel makes a variety of monitoring systems suitable for almost any RV, from tent trailer to luxury diesel pusher. These monitoring systems work completely different from the standard fare. Rather than using through-the-tank sensors, the SeeLevel sensors are mounted on a flexible “electronic strip” that adheres to the outside of the holding tank. They can never be fouled or contaminated as they never see the inside of the tank. Well it sees it but only though some magic radar system.

From the outside of the tank, the sensors determine the tanks level by the density difference of the liquid as measured between all the sensors on the strip. So it is highly accurate and virtually foolproof. And instead of LED lights, the monitor displays the tanks levels using a percentage, which is arguably easier to interpret than some fraction."

So it appears a little crud film on the walls of the tank will NOT have a measureable effect.
It is not using optical sensors.


***********
New info
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Found this quote here:
http://www.aboutrving.com/pdfs/TankMonitoring.pdf

"If the tank wall build-up approaches 1/2 inch thick or more with scum or debris, the system will pick up that mass as a water level—another reason to clean and flush your tanks regularly."

To me 1/2 inch thick scum seems like a lot! Not likely on an even halfway maintained black tank. So seems reasonable to say that for most RV'ers this system will work fine.

[dennis45]

Follow the directions using this stuff. It works.


Amazon.com : EXTREME CLEANER - Happy Campers Organic RV/Marine Extreme Tank & Sensor Cleaner 18 oz. : Boating Waste Treatment Products : Sports & Outdoors

[Pexring]

This nuGen cleaner will coat the walls of the tank for cleaner flushes and clean the sensors.
nuGen 42953 RV & camper tank treatment 20oz

[Tom222]

Originally Posted by Pexring

This nuGen cleaner will coat the walls of the tank for cleaner flushes and clean the sensors.

nuGen 42953 RV & camper tank treatment 20oz

Where can I buy this?



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2007 Fleetwood Providence 40X
OurBigRVAdventure.com