Holding/grey water/fresh water tank level monitoring panel lights

pegmikef

Well-known member
How reliable are the lights in depicting the actual level of the fluid in the tanks (e.g., empty, one third, two thirds and full). I think the sensors in the holding and grey water tanks might be stuck, because on our last trip, they both starting showing a third full after I emptied the tanks and flushed the black water tank. I tried leaving a few gallons of water in the tanks while moving a couple a hundred miles and got the same result. Is there some additive I can use to unstick the valves (we use the standard chemical treatment now in the black water tank). We've only got a couple of thousand miles on the trailer, so I was kind of surprised since everything else (except a shade) works so well. Thanks for any suggestions.
 

branson4020

Icantre Member
They don't work well. They will never work well. Since the sensors are on the inside wall of the tanks they are prone to getting stuff on them. You can try all sorts of stuff to clean them, but they will just get crudy again. Just learn to estimate your usage.
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
They do sell "stuff" to pour into the tanks that is supposed to lubricate the valves. It might do more to lubricate the pockets of the manufacturer than the valves, though. Our valves seem to work just fine without it. Could be all the olive oil we cook with ;)

As for the sensors, they'll work one day and not the next. Your galley tank (Gray #2 for me) will tell you it's full when the kitchen sink won't drain. Same for the bathroom tank (Gray #1). When the toilet starts to make a burping or gulping sound when you flush, the Black tank is ready to be relieved.

Concerning the black tank chemicals, I only use a cup of Calgon dissolved in a 3 gallon bucket of water and dumped down the toilet after emptying the tank. If you move your rig around frequently, you could add some Dawn dishsoap to it to help clean the tank while you're on the road. Any septic system safe toilet paper will break up down there, so you don't need to pay for the RV stuff. Just don't use basketball sized wads of it. And try not to dump the tank immediately after leaving a deposit of epic proportions (or too much fiber) :eek:. That tends to jam up the works.
 
Not to hijack this thread, but we have yet to use our new 3010 and I was just flushing out the fresh water tank in prep for our maiden voyage this weekend and the fresh tank shows full. No matter if its empty half full, etc. hmmmmm what to do about that?
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
HERE is a link to a place that sells aftermarket sensors. There is a video that explains how they work. Or in our case how they don't work.

Peace
Dave
 
Thanks for the quick reply Dave. I'm still trying to get over being bummed that its new and not working, Let alone it talking about sludge in the tank which is hard to fathom in the fresh tank. Maybe I can get them to replace all of the sensors with the new and improved lemon scented ones in the video. They are definitely a huge improvement over stock for sure
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
Well like JohnDar said you will learn to identify when the tanks are full. I don't use the sensor lights, only use the same method as John. Listen for the burps and gurgles.

Peace
Dave
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
So long as anything (sludge, crud, whatever) on the walls of the tanks between the sensors is moist, it may set up a conductive path. Even the fresh water tank, especially if there are minerals in the water. Once it dries out, conductivity is lost. Now, with the waste tanks, sometimes you get lucky and everything gets rinsed off and they read correctly for a while. Next dump and flush and maybe not so clean. Sensors don't read correctly.

With your fresh water tank reading full when you know it's not, try letting it sit empty for several days and check it again. If it still reads full, my theory is worthy of the black tank and you need to have the electricals checked.

My fresh water tank has not been used since the PDI back in early 2009. So it always reads empty. Black and grays, however, are rarely hit and mostly miss. Currently, they also read empty, but they were dumped and rinsed in late September and have sat empty in storage since. They did not read empty in September, however. So any crud in there has dried out or got bounced off the walls on the road home.

Those Horst probes look like a winner, but I don't know if I want to enter the Basement of Doom via the belly of the beast to install them. I believe our probes are spun on (aka. friction welded to the walls), so you would have to drill new holes to install them. Good luck with that job.
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
I am just wondering if sewer trout roe can get in there and mess things up. Just wondering.

DANG! I hadn't thought about them being able to procreate down there. I just thought they were kinda homogeneous, so to speak, like Hollywonks. You may have something there, Rick.

And another discussion goes into the toilet :rolleyes:
 

pegmikef

Well-known member
Hehehe, looks like I'm going to learn to get better at estimating usage. Thanks for all of the input and opinions. It is always nice to know that I'm not the only one plagued with this problem . . .
 

Wharton

Well-known member
We use 1/2c of Dawn or Ivory(do not use the anti bacterial) in all the tanks and add 6 Polident tablets to the black. We also rinse the black until it runs clear after each dump(if possible). Haven't had any problems with the gauges. I would prefer if there was an option(or standard) to upgrade the gauges. Our 10 year old trailer came with the upgraded gauges and I was surprised that Heartland came with the old fashioned ones. It's the little things that frustrate you.................
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
We use 1/2c of Dawn or Ivory(do not use the anti bacterial) in all the tanks and add 6 Polident tablets to the black. We also rinse the black until it runs clear after each dump(if possible). Haven't had any problems with the gauges. I would prefer if there was an option(or standard) to upgrade the gauges. Our 10 year old trailer came with the upgraded gauges and I was surprised that Heartland came with the old fashioned ones. It's the little things that frustrate you.................

I thought most people just put their dentures in a glass of water???
 

bunnysue

Member
Bingo, another issue I can relate to, non working monitor lights on new rig. I will try the dawn and dental tabs, however I did put about 10 gal water and the blue stuff in black tank and let it slosh around on way home, when I drained, the monitor light on the black tank was nearly accurate.
 

sirjin

Member
Use water softener, detergent and chlorine bleach. Also known as the "The Geo Method" (google it)

Here is the link --> http://sites.google.com/site/cbruni/

I just recently used this method, cuz my panel lights on my holding tank would always say 1/3 full, when I know in fact it is not. So far, this method works for me.
 
Top