Black water level indicator not accurate

[RetiredOne]

Originally Posted by ehomme

Anyone with success with getting the LED indicators to report accurately? We can empty the holding tank and the LED's still show full or 2/3 full with when the tank is empty.

Get this tank flush wand:

https://www.amazon.com/Valterra-A01-.../dp/B000BGHYDO

Then, get a short length of garden hose and a aerator adaptor and screw it into your bath faucet.

[CAG]

There really is no reason that I need to know exactly what level each tank is at. Water is accurate, grey is generally pretty close, battery is pretty much right on and when the black tank burps it needs to be emptied. That pretty well covers the gauge panel.

Adding a whole bunch of nasty work in a black tank trying to clean a gauge is busy work.

I had to find the photos but if you really want to clean the tank build one of these.

[skids]

CAG, what is it, how does it work?

[CAG]

It is a flex hose that has a common garden hose connection and a shutoff.

It can be inserted down the toilet bowl, water turned on, and the flex hose/pipe moved around the inside of the black tank to clean/clear obstructions and/or buildup.

I had a tank professionally cleaned sometime back and the tech gave me the idea and information on parts. Your local hardware or Home Depot will have them.

[RedHorse1]

I’ve had pretty good luck using Dawn in the black tank. I always keep water in the tank, never letting it sit empty. Traveling I keep 1/4-1/3 full when traveling and add an ounce or two of dawn. I figure the “sloshing” combined with the dawn will clean the sensors reasonably well. In storage I keep about the same water with dawn. I’ve thought about adding a septic tank treatment in storage but haven’t done it. When draining the black I empty it an then flush until the water runs pretty clear. I also fill clues the dump while running the flush. I’ve timed the fill and 5 minutes will give me about a 1/3 fill. It amazes me how much stuff will show up in the first two flushing cycles. After a dump and flush cycles I run the flush with the dump closed for 3 min to make sure the black tank isn’t empty.
Before our 1st TT I picked my uncle’s brain on trailering. He shared many “learning experiences”, the two I hold closest are:
1) keep water in the black to avoid a “poop pyramid”. Lots of water!
2) insect screens over WH, furnace and fridge vents. He learned the hard way ($$$) about the WH.

My black level indicator isn’t 100% but seems to work good enough most of the time.

[garywilson]

My black tank has the built in sprayer, and I flush with it almost every time I dump. After a little over six years (I'm on my third set of tires) the indicators would not show less than 2/3 full.
Flushing would show clear water coming out.
I recently tried the Dawn/Downy routine. The water was no longer clear, and the sensors are working again.
I think I'll do it again every year as long as it works.

[Farris7]

I’ve had several rigs. ALL black water indicators lie. Not much you can do...

[williamwynia]

Originally Posted by ehomme

Anyone with success with getting the LED indicators to report accurately? We can empty the holding tank and the LED's still show full or 2/3 full with when the tank is empty.

I had this problem earlier as well and have found a solution that made my sensors work again.
1. Drain the black tank.
2. Flush black tank by closing the valve and letting it fill up with water some and then draining it out. Do this until the water that comes out is mostly to all the way clean
3. Get a 3 gallon bucket of hot water and add a cap of Calgon Water softner and dump down the toilet.
3. Get a 3 gallon bucket of hot water and add a cap of laundry detergent and dump down the toilet.
4. Drive around and let the water slosh all over the tank.
The Calgon will coat the sides of the tank to keep poo from sticking and the laundry detergent cleans the tank and makes it smell "nice".

I have been doing this for 2 years now and my sensor has worked ever since I started doing this.
Hope this helps and happy camping

[Hansoncarla]

I installed the iSeries Tank sensors. The foil is attached to the outside of the tank and two wires run back to the display from each tank. Because my tanks are odd shapes, the system allows you to manually calibrate the incoming signal so that your readings are accurate. The system is less expensive than the Sea-Level and easier to install. Have used it for two years now and it is reading well on all three tanks. I ran new wires so that the old system is still in tack if needed down the road.

[Extreme]

Other than the freshwater tank and propane sensors, Gray and black water sensors have never worked and never will unless you want to go in there and scrub them every time you dump. Lol

[Crissyb65]

Originally Posted by ehomme

Anyone with success with getting the LED indicators to report accurately? We can empty the holding tank and the LED's still show full or 2/3 full with when the tank is empty.

Fill halfway with water, dump 1/4 bottle of pinesol on the tank and drive around. It'll clean it up and remove any stray tissues or whatever from the sensor. If then it still reads goofy, it might need replaced. This was the suggestion given to me by a cs rep at our local RV store, she said she grew up around campers and her parents did this. The pinesol won't hurt anything like bleach might. We've had success with it and it certainly smells better.

[Forelyndogs]

I don’t think my black water levels ever worked. If it did, it was only on the first trip. I just open the toilet and look in, if I see anything I don’t want to see, I drain the tank.

[Dave A]

Originally Posted by Rustynuts

That what I just installed on our Seneca and they work great! You get a percentage reading instead of dots. Sensors are on the outside of the tanks and don’t get fouled.

Times 2! Had this system installed last year and it is great! So far absolutely trouble free.

[MONKYBIZ]

[QUOTE=Route 66 Traveler;824591]Mine started acting the same way. I bought this "Tank Blaster" stuff from Amazon. Took two treatments but now my gauge reads Empty when it is empty. Also works on the grey tanks.




This product worked for us too, also after the second treatment, including use of a flexible rotary spray wand both times!