Why It's Hard to Clean Black Water Tank Sensors

[BamaBob]

Gordon,


As for holding tank chemicals, we have recently switched to Sea-Zyme and really like the results! -- you can read my post on Sea-Zyme here: http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ml#post1591635


If you want your sensors to function accurately, you need to replace them with See-LeveL Sensors (https://www.garnetinstruments.com/rv-shop/products/)

While we have not done this yet (it is on the list!) We have seen them in action on our friend's Allegro Bus (Tiffin installs See-LeveL on all their Allegro MoHos - something that FR Berkshire division should do as well IMHO!) Anyway, they are spot on accurate (the display is in percentage (not F 3/4, 1/2, 1/4, E) Add to that ease of installation (Video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-SyklZWlVM

) and the only thing stopping you from doing this mod is the See-LeveL price tag LOL!

The #1 reason I want a See-LeveL is to accurately monitor our propane use--the only thing we use propane for is the Truma HWH so it would be nice to have a PCT remaining instead of the vague gauge we have now

As for Black Tank use, I have that down pat and do not need a gauge - every other Saturday morning I dump whether I need it or not
(2 weeks is the max we can go between black tank dumps)

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by Dano1955

Let me know how you flush and clean and/or do your business. Should be as interesting as the last 5000 threads on the subject.

Easy solution for you. Stop reading the threads. I stopped reading any tire threads as all they made me want to do was leave snarky comments

[Subsailor]

Originally Posted by NMWildcat

Easy solution for you. Stop reading the threads. I stopped reading any tire threads as all they made me want to do was leave snarky comments

Concur Scott. Dano needs to find another hobby...

[gordonsick]

Originally Posted by BamaBob

Gordon,


As for holding tank chemicals, we have recently switched to Sea-Zyme and really like the results! -- you can read my post on Sea-Zyme here: http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ml#post1591635


If you want your sensors to function accurately, you need to replace them with See-LeveL Sensors (https://www.garnetinstruments.com/rv-shop/products/)

[Snip]

Bob,
Thanks for the link to Seazyme. It is a biological system, which would substitute for the enzyme systems in other toilet tank chemicals.

But, I don't think my sensor problem is from biological waste (or toilet paper) covering the sensors. I've driven around with lots of water in the tank to splash that off. In one of my recent efforts to clean the tank, I used some rinse-aid for a dishwasher (the kind that keeps spots off your dishes) on the theory that hard water was leaving deposits on my sensors. I drove with it in a partially filled tank (and Dawn) and when I arrived at the campground and dumped before putting any waste in the tank, I found a bunch of brown-stained scale coming out. Clearly, this mineral stuff was coating my tank and presumably my sensor.

A problem that we have in Canada is that Calgon water softener is not available. I'm not sure why it isn't sold, but the Canadian web is full of complaints about this. Calgon is pretty important in the GEO method and it deals with the hard water scale issue.

On my next trip, I plan to put some soft water from my house into the tank with Borax (a poor substitute for Calgon) and Dawn. I have put Borax in earlier, but I realize that I was wasting a lot of its potency by adding it to hard water rather than soft water.

I'll report on my success or lack thereof. But, my next trip won't be until early October. I've got to get back to that day job...

–Gordon

[BamaBob]

Originally Posted by gordonsick

Bob,
Thanks for the link to Seazyme. It is a biological system, which would substitute for the enzyme systems in other toilet tank chemicals.

But, I don't think my sensor problem is from biological waste (or toilet paper) covering the sensors. I've driven around with lots of water in the tank to splash that off. In one of my recent efforts to clean the tank, I used some rinse-aid for a dishwasher (the kind that keeps spots off your dishes) on the theory that hard water was leaving deposits on my sensors. I drove with it in a partially filled tank (and Dawn) and when I arrived at the campground and dumped before putting any waste in the tank, I found a bunch of brown-stained scale coming out. Clearly, this mineral stuff was coating my tank and presumably my sensor.

A problem that we have in Canada is that Calgon water softener is not available. I'm not sure why it isn't sold, but the Canadian web is full of complaints about this. Calgon is pretty important in the GEO method and it deals with the hard water scale issue.

On my next trip, I plan to put some soft water from my house into the tank with Borax (a poor substitute for Calgon) and Dawn. I have put Borax in earlier, but I realize that I was wasting a lot of its potency by adding it to hard water rather than soft water.

I'll report on my success or lack thereof. But, my next trip won't be until early October. I've got to get back to that day job...

Hi Gordon!

OOPS I did not mean to imply that Sea-Zyme would help keep the sensors clean (although oddly enough in the 4 weeks we have been using Sea-Zyme, our Black tank sensors actually show 1/3, 1/2, 3/4 full

The stock sensors in our Berk are crap (no pun intended LOL!). If you want REAL Accuracy, get the SEE-LeveL sensor kit - this will be my 1st "it's now cool enough to stay outside and not suffer heat stroke" mod this fall