Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > iRV2.com COMMUNITY FORUMS > iRV2.com General Discussion
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 03-07-2010, 10:30 AM   #1
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 28
Clean holding tank

How can I clean my holding tanks? I have a 1996 Hi-Lo and the tank indicator lights showed 2/3 full when the tank was empty. After setting a few months, after winterized, I went into the trailer and checked the tank level lights again and now they show empty. What's up with that? Some months ago, someone told me how to clean the sensors, but I accidently deleted that information. H-E-L-P please.
V8Square is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 03-07-2010, 11:02 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Palisade CO
Posts: 3,588
The gunk on the tank walls dried up enough to stop fooling the sensors. The tank walls are what need to be cleaned.
There are many ways out there that are supposed to be surefire ways of cleaning them and I think I have tried all of them at one time or another and nothing has worked.
Ice in the black tank did nothing. The geo method did nothing. Various detergents, commercial "sensor" cleaners, and TSP did nothing.
My problem is that I don't have a flushing system and no way to install one where it will hit the wall where the sensors are mounted on the outside of the tanks (I have a non-contact system where the sensors are on the outside of the tank).

A flushing system along with adding a detergent and a few gallons of water while traveling seems to be the only thing that works at all.
__________________
Clay WA5NMR - Ex Snowbird - 1 year, Ex Full timer for 11 years - 2004 Winnebago Sightseer 35N Workhorse chassis. Honda Accord toad.
Clay L is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-08-2010, 06:42 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,224
I have a sure fire way to know when the grey tank is full. there is water in the shower. The black tank doesn't fill that quick but a flashlight down the open falp shows the level.
BOB
bldrbob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-08-2010, 12:12 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Monster99's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 169
I have tried the ice in the black tank on my old TT and on my inlaws MH. to varying degrees of success. I have used the wand down the toilet and all that did was make me grumoy on having to run a hose through the camper and when the wand broke imagine the steam from the jakes then! I have seen some after market flush kits and some people swear by them I don't really know I use a flash light and look method and dump some ice down the toilet just before driving. These sensors are notorious for being wrong. Good luck!
Monster99 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-08-2010, 12:46 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
danes-on-tour's Avatar


 
Monaco Owners Club
Texas Boomers Club
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Denmark and Spain
Posts: 2,030
Apart from the initial soaking of your tank in an attempt to dissolve the deposits on your tank wall, you could possibly install a very simple tank flush system like this: No-fuss flush.

Obviously you will need access to you tank wall but if you can get this, this device is so easy to install. At the moment this is keeping our tank gauges working. You will also need to flush your tanks on a regular basis - not only when things have stopped working.

I have seen a video of a guy installing on of these gismo's, but I can't remember where that was (a link on IRV2 as I recall). This showed you how easy the installation is. I think it took me less than 5 minutes once the tools was out.

Good luck. I hope you get your problem solved.
__________________
The Great Dane
2007 Monaco Diplomat PAQ - 2007 Saturn Vue Honorary Texas Boomer
Living in Denmark - visiting the US whenever possible. www.winnebago.dk www.lasramblas.dk

danes-on-tour is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-09-2010, 06:13 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
Bill2's Avatar
 
Tiffin Owners Club
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Somewhere on the road
Posts: 615
Quote:
Originally Posted by V8Square View Post
How can I clean my holding tanks? I have a 1996 Hi-Lo and the tank indicator lights showed 2/3 full when the tank was empty. After setting a few months, after winterized, I went into the trailer and checked the tank level lights again and now they show empty. What's up with that? Some months ago, someone told me how to clean the sensors, but I accidently deleted that information. H-E-L-P please.
I have tried them all also. The ice in the tank does absolutely nothing but melt the ice as soon as it goes in. I use a 1/2 cup of dish soap and at lease 5 and maybe 10 gal of water in the tank. Drive down the road for a hr. or so. I do it when I am moving from one spot to another. When you get to the next destination, put some more water in and dume then. I bet you will be clean then. It works for me.
Bill
__________________
Bill O'Dell,Retired U.S. Army, Retired LEO, 2014 Tiffin, Phaeton, QBH, 2023 Chevrolet Taho 4x4.
Bill2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-10-2010, 10:43 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 573
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill2 View Post
I have tried them all also. The ice in the tank does absolutely nothing but melt the ice as soon as it goes in. I use a 1/2 cup of dish soap and at lease 5 and maybe 10 gal of water in the tank. Drive down the road for a hr. or so. I do it when I am moving from one spot to another. When you get to the next destination, put some more water in and dume then. I bet you will be clean then. It works for me.
Bill
wouldn't dishwahing detergent be harmful to rubber seals????
faye is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-11-2010, 04:35 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
H. Miller's Avatar
 
Monaco Owners Club
Texas Boomers Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,529
Quote:
Originally Posted by faye View Post
wouldn't dishwahing detergent be harmful to rubber seals????
?????
If so, about 100 million american homes are about to be in trouble! A dishwasher uses that soap and has lots of rubber seals.
__________________
Hal & Ginny Miller '04 Beaver Santiam PRT40
'04 Saturn Vue - US Gear Brake - Blue Ox tow
3"girls" (2 Irish Setters - 1 Retriever) - RIP Annie & Emily (12/26/2017)
H. Miller is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-11-2010, 05:58 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
Bill2's Avatar
 
Tiffin Owners Club
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Somewhere on the road
Posts: 615
Quote:
Originally Posted by faye View Post
wouldn't dishwahing detergent be harmful to rubber seals????
You also use dishwashing soap to clean your dishes in your RV. I don't mean dishwasher soap but dish soap like dawn or joy or whatever.
Bill O
__________________
Bill O'Dell,Retired U.S. Army, Retired LEO, 2014 Tiffin, Phaeton, QBH, 2023 Chevrolet Taho 4x4.
Bill2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-11-2010, 04:34 PM   #10
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 28
Thanks

Guess the easiest is the "use the flashlight" option in addition to keeping the system good and clean.
V8Square is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-11-2010, 04:43 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
danes-on-tour's Avatar


 
Monaco Owners Club
Texas Boomers Club
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Denmark and Spain
Posts: 2,030
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill2 View Post
You also use dishwashing soap to clean your dishes in your RV. I don't mean dishwasher soap but dish soap like dawn or joy or whatever.
Bill O
We have tried this but it doesn't work for us. The paper goes all soggy very quickly
__________________
The Great Dane
2007 Monaco Diplomat PAQ - 2007 Saturn Vue Honorary Texas Boomer
Living in Denmark - visiting the US whenever possible. www.winnebago.dk www.lasramblas.dk

danes-on-tour is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-11-2010, 06:24 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
Ray,IN's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: North America somewhere
Posts: 30,655
Some folks report success with using TSP cleaner. Add appropriate amount to 1/2 tank water before departure for next destination.
__________________
2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD, ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG 11B5MX,Infantry retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA." My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. John F. Kennedy
Ray,IN is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-12-2010, 06:43 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: st.charles mo.
Posts: 1,482
10 gal. of water and 1 qt. of PineSol. Drive for 3-4 hrs. and drain.
speed racer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-12-2010, 06:52 AM   #14
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 28
Thanks. Surely one of these options should work.
V8Square is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Holding tank odor & chemical use sightseers RV Systems & Appliances 12 09-28-2009 10:10 AM
Holding Tank Valve - Save $60 and a lot of aggravation Blue Ribbon MH-General Discussions & Problems 3 04-06-2009 10:54 AM
Grey Water Holding Tank AXE RV Systems & Appliances 5 03-10-2007 06:39 PM
Holding Tank Sensor Cleaning? NR4A Winnebago Industries Owner's Forum 19 12-11-2006 01:54 PM
W22 fuel filter and tank = clean Logthumper Workhorse and Chevrolet Chassis Motorhome Forum 3 03-31-2005 02:54 PM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:46 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.