Black tank empty, yellow light, no dump. Quick fix?

[Gonna_Wander]

I just noticed the yellow light is on the toilet control panel (New Aire) indicating the tank is 75% or more full. I know the tank is empty, I dumped it two weeks ago at the end of our last trip. I’m thinking there is a bad sensor or something like that.

I leave in two days for a location with no dump station. I was planning on being very conservative with my use of the toilet but if the red light will soon come on (even though the tank is nowhere near full) this could present a big problem. Is there any easy way to disable the tank monitor that prevents the toilet from flushing when the red light comes on? Unfortunately I am not mechanically included and have next to no experience working on the RV. So sadly, I probably won’t be able to handle something that is very involved.

I appreciate any help you can offer.

Thanks,
Ken

[ewlee]

The correct thing is to flush the black tank with exterior rinse and try to clear the sensor.

[Dutch Star Don]

Try turning off the battery cutoff switch at the front door, wait a minute or so and turn it back on.

[Gonna_Wander]

Originally Posted by ewlee

The correct thing is to flush the black tank with exterior rinse and try to clear the sensor.

I thought that as well but flushing the tank did not clear the sensor.

[Gonna_Wander]

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

Try turning off the battery cutoff switch at the front door, wait a minute or so and turn it back on.

I was hoping but no luck with the cutoff switch.

[ewlee]

Look in the wet bay for electrical wiring coming from the lower corner of your holding tank. Mine has a wire connector (don't remember the wire colors), when you disconnect the wires the display will go blank. When it does, can you still flush the toilets? I have not tried this so it is just a wag.

[Sealyn]

Pull the 12vdc fuse for the level monitor/water pump.

[Capt. Bill]

disconnect the yellow wire going to your flush button switch- I cut mine under the vanity & put insulated spade & tongue connectors on the ends so I could plug them back together once I fixed the problem.

The culprit in my case turned out to be a faulty black water tank sensor which I got new from Silverleaf. It was a challenge to remove & re-install in the wet bay behind the white panel! Good luck

Happy Trails

[Gonna_Wander]

Originally Posted by Sealyn

Pull the 12vdc fuse for the level monitor/water pump.

Thanks, I'll look for that fuse tonight. Will pulling that fuse disable the water pump? If so, are you suggesting that pulling the fuse and then reinserting it will/may clear that false reading on the tank level?

[Gonna_Wander]

Originally Posted by Capt. Bill

disconnect the yellow wire going to your flush button switch- I cut mine under the vanity & put insulated spade & tongue connectors on the ends so I could plug them back together once I fixed the problem.

The culprit in my case turned out to be a faulty black water tank sensor which I got new from Silverleaf. It was a challenge to remove & re-install in the wet bay behind the white panel! Good luck

Happy Trails

Thanks for the suggestion. Does anyone know where the yellow wire going to the flush button switch is located on a 2018 New Aire?

[Dutch Star Don]

On the Dutch Stars, they put the toilet control unit in the back of the cord reel bay. You can pull the wire there to turn off the yellow light.

Having the yellow light on, doesn't mean that it will go to red and shut you down. There is just a glitch with the yellow light. Occasionally, on mine, the yellow light comes on and stays on for several hours after I know the tank is empty. It's infrequent, so I just ignore it until it goes out.

I would fill the tank part way and drive it to your next stop and dump, letting some clean water rinse out the tank while driving.

[tom chelbana]

We rinse our black tang 3 times before we travel to the next RV park. We fill the black tank to almost full which takes almost 10 minutes and then do it again and again. Have a clear section of hose on either dump system we use and fine there are just as many solids on the second dump as the first. Then when ready to travel fill the tank to about 1/4 mark so when traveling the water is splashing around in the tank keeping sensors clean. Haven't had black sensor problems in over 15 years by following this plan. A little extra work but our tanks our clean, don't smell and register correct levels.
Newmar Man

[amosnandy]

Originally Posted by Gonna_Wander

I just noticed the yellow light is on the toilet control panel (New Aire) indicating the tank is 75% or more full. I know the tank is empty, I dumped it two weeks ago at the end of our last trip. I’m thinking there is a bad sensor or something like that.

I leave in two days for a location with no dump station. I was planning on being very conservative with my use of the toilet but if the red light will soon come on (even though the tank is nowhere near full) this could present a big problem. Is there any easy way to disable the tank monitor that prevents the toilet from flushing when the red light comes on? Unfortunately I am not mechanically included and have next to no experience working on the RV. So sadly, I probably won’t be able to handle something that is very involved.

I appreciate any help you can offer.

Thanks,
Ken

I've never owned a motorhome that either the black or grey tanks always read correctly. As others have said. Wash the tank well, grey tank too. And what I have found to work is put half a bottle of liquid cascade dishwasher liquid in each tank along with 10-15 gallons of water. Dish soap doesn't work because it gets foamy.

Then when you know they are clean and empty keep an eye on your fresh water tank. Don't hook to a hydrant. Use water out of the fresh tank. When it is close to empty you know your black and grey tanks are time to dump.

And yes, sensors do fail from time to time. I've never had a coach that shuts the toilet off when the black tank is full, but if I did I'm not sure I would disable it.

And if I have to, I will drive out of my way to dump if I am unsure what my next situation will be.

[GWBGE]

What do your tank guages say?