Trick to getting the sensors clean

[Kathied65]

I know, the sensors in the gray and black tanks are unreliable.
I know the black tank is empty, but there's something stuck to the 1/3 sensor. I've tried lots of water, flushing up into the tank from outside, using a wand from the inside, Calgon, tank treatments (which are a colossal waste of money). Any other tricks anyone has to loosen up the "black matter" from the sensor?
Gray tank is also reading 1/3 so there must be residue in that sensor as well. I don't typically treat the gray tank but DH was "helping" with the dishes over vacation and I believe something got past the drain basket and/or excessive use of dish detergent may be still in the tank. Any tricks for the gray tank?

[Kevin Cooper]

This is the absolute best advise I can give you. In black tanks, struvite builds up inside the tank. One component is hard water. Take out the hard water with Borax water softener does that. I followed this man’s advise and my sensors started working perfectly. Bought used.
Link to YouTube video. https://youtu.be/RgCK_wV7TLI
Guaranteed to work if you follow it. BTW, I used clothes washer detergent instead of Dawn. He says it will work too. My sensors started working correctly after second time.
Best wishes, Kevin

[pppbigdog]

Guys I was wondering for full timers do you use the recipe for the GEO after you flush instead of say 2 scoops of Happy Camper (flush black tank clean then add 2 scoops and use for the week then empty and repeat in 5-7 days so the GEO recipe is replacing the Happy Camper), or do you empty and flush the tank and add the GEO recipe and fill up the black tank and let it sit for a certain amount of time then flush it again?

[CAG]

Originally Posted by Kathied65

I know, the sensors in the gray and black tanks are unreliable.
I know the black tank is empty, but there's something stuck to the 1/3 sensor. I've tried lots of water, flushing up into the tank from outside, using a wand from the inside, Calgon, tank treatments (which are a colossal waste of money). Any other tricks anyone has to loosen up the "black matter" from the sensor?
Gray tank is also reading 1/3 so there must be residue in that sensor as well. I don't typically treat the gray tank but DH was "helping" with the dishes over vacation and I believe something got past the drain basket and/or excessive use of dish detergent may be still in the tank. Any tricks for the gray tank?

I can’t remember the last time I checked the tank monitors. The black tank will give you a warning (burp) when it is time to dump it and I flush until the water comes out clear.
The gray tank does not plug up like the black tank can but I do at times close it off and use HappyCamper in it every so often to help clear junk from the tank. Fact is since Dawn and similar goes into it there is little grease build up but in the case of both tank my cleaning method is Dawn into the tanks before moving to the next location, or home, 10-15 gals of water and let it slosh for the entire road trip Then dump and flush when you get there.

Much like the Lyle Lovett song “Pants is over rated” so are tank monitors.

[OnTheGo]

After doing what you can to clean the sensors, if they still read incorrectly check the ground connection.

[jetlag]

Mine work fine, and if one starts acting funny, I fill the tank with water and chemicals for a week or longer at home. That usually fixes it.

[Kevin Cooper]

My sensors work perfectly. Borax dissolved in water after dump and flush every time, clothes washer detergent every third time. Leave it in until it’s time to dump, then repeat. No smell either.

[Johnynorthland]

I had same issue, I am a fanatic rinsing my tanks for the past 8 years. I tried everything, then I tried commando blak tank cleaner. It worked!

[Scout1]

On my way home from camping, I add 1 bag of of ice (16lbs) and some water. This way on the way home before the ice melts it works as a scrubby and cleans the walls of the black tank. Works great. when I get home and drain it, it says empty.

[ARoamer]

Originally Posted by Johnynorthland

I had same issue, I am a fanatic rinsing my tanks for the past 8 years. I tried everything, then I tried commando blak tank cleaner. It worked!

Interesting. Looked at the ingredients, it contains Cellulase a enzyme that breaks down cellulose. (toilet paper!)

[Toddguy99]

Originally Posted by Scout1

On my way home from camping, I add 1 bag of of ice (16lbs) and some water. This way on the way home before the ice melts it works as a scrubby and cleans the walls of the black tank. Works great. when I get home and drain it, it says empty.

Ice Ice Baby! Works like a charm!

We use Pure Power Blue tank treatment, which has enzymes. We’ve not had smell issues and it doesn’t smell like chemicals either.

[Incampnut]

I guess it probably depends on what kind of camping you do but I never worry about mine. I empty them when we leave and when I get home, mix a little of the blue treatment with 3-4gal of water for the black and forget it. I know the sensors aren't accurate and rarely even look at them.

[TaftCoach]

Originally Posted by Toddguy99

Ice Ice Baby! Works like a charm!

We use Pure Power Blue tank treatment, which has enzymes. We’ve not had smell issues and it doesn’t smell like chemicals either.

How is the ice getting to the third sensor?

[Kevin Cooper]

This video shows what ice does inside a plastic tank. My comment would mean nothing. You decide if it works.
https://youtu.be/iH6acEmqvcw?si=a3senxWDhB43lAtG

[kirkelli]

Originally Posted by Kevin Cooper

This video shows what ice does inside a plastic tank. My comment would mean nothing. You decide if it works.
https://youtu.be/iH6acEmqvcw?si=a3senxWDhB43lAtG

And finnaly... The Fat Lady Sings.....

Ice is for you beverage

[Toddguy99]

Originally Posted by TaftCoach

How is the ice getting to the third sensor?

Ice with 5-10 gal or so of water and it sloshes around as you drive. Not sure of the exact mechanics of it, but it works.

[TaftCoach]

I wonder why we don't clean more things around the house with ice. I never think to grab some ice cubes to clean anything with. I wonder how they would do with pans or plates with dried on gunk.

[Kevin Cooper]

I remember going to town (lived in the country) to the ice company and buying big blocks of ice! Hack at that with an ice pick and throw some big 3” chunks down the toilet. Last longer, bang harder.
We used it to make ice cream from cream that floated on the cows milk. Those were the days!

[kirkelli]

Originally Posted by Kevin Cooper

I remember going to town (lived in the country) to the ice company and buying big blocks of ice! Hack at that with an ice pick and throw some big 3” chunks down the toilet. Last longer, bang harder.
We used it to make ice cream from cream that floated on the cows milk. Those were the days!

Believe or not, you can still find Block Ice.. I've seen it abvile quite a few times on the road,, but i haven't seen the real true ice picks for a long time

[Scott_Trailer_Newbe]

I’ll say sorry first, and I don’t mean to offend anyone but people have WAY too much time on their hands with worrying about the black tanks and sensors. Every 2nd or 3rd trip I put two laundry soap pods in a 5 gallon bucket of hot water and add about 1/3rd gallon of laundry bleach, then dump it down the toilet. I turn on the black tank flush and dump the tank several times. All I smell is laundry detergent during the flush which is good enough for me. All these so-called miracle chemicals which claim to be the best for black tanks probably work about as good as two Costco laundry detergent pods at best. They make all these claims which can’t be proven and put on fancy labels to get people to believe their product is the next coming of Christ.

Keep in mind these black tanks are cheap and will crack so I would avoid using anything that is going to bump and bank around inside your tank. I helped a neighbor change out his black tank due to a crack and it is defiantly something you want to avoid.