ice in black water tank

[sammonilla]

Anyone heard of this?? My sensor always says that my black water tank is 3/4 full even when empty. I have taken it into the dealer several times and it has not been fixed. We are very carful not to put anything in the tank but for the proper paper. I did hear that I can put ice cubes in the tank right before I tow and it will clean the tank and the sending unit. Has anyone tried this?? It sounds like it would work with the ice sloshing around but I don't want to damage the sending unit?? Any input?? Or any other idea's??

[Soxfan1957]

I do it all the time. It won't damage anything.

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[Enconcapt]

Look up the GEO method. You use water softener and detergent instead of store bought stuff. It really cleans and keeps stuff from sticking.

[LittlePM]

We have an ice maker in our GT and when we are closing up we dump the ice in the toilet. Some people will tell you to dump the ice and drive around the campground then dump.

[sammonilla]

What kind of detergent do you use? Just drop a few packets of laundry soap down the drain?

[jgahlhoff]

I use the GEO method. I use about a cup of Dawn soap and Borax powder... the soap cleans the grease type stuff and the borax cleans removes minerals etc I use about cup to 2 cups borax No odor and nice clean tank

[jgahlhoff]

BTW I use the Borax as sometimes water softener is hard to find

[The_Painting_Teacher]

I've put dishwasher detergent (no suds) with 7 - 10 gals of fresh water into our tanks every year on our 2nd to last night out and then about 7 - 10 gals of fresh water on our last night out every year we've been snowbirding. Our tank gauges have worked (almost) all the time. Good luck.

[Black]

Simple, easy and effective...after you dump...put a few gallons of water in the tank and drive home.
Empty with a bucket once your home and throw it on your lawn.
Works good for us on our 3 previous trailers...always showing empty on sensors .
Black

[Timex]

In the mid 90's here today. I'd never make it out of the campground before that ice melted!

If, I were camping now.

[Road-King]

Originally Posted by Enconcapt

Look up the GEO method. You use water softener and detergent instead of store bought stuff. It really cleans and keeps stuff from sticking.

X2. I haven't had a problem since I went to this method. The only time my black tank is dry is after I winterize my unit.
After I dump I add 1/2 cup Calgon, 1/2 cup dollar store plane liquid laundry detergent in 5 gallons of water to the black tank. Here K-Mart carries Calgon. 1 box last a season for us.

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[kamu]

I had the same problems with my sensor. It read 2/3 full when empty. Put about 3 gallons of water 2 small bags of ice, drove a while, still didn't work. 2nd attempt, 3 gallons water a cap or two of cascade. Checked it before dumping, still didn't work. After dumping filled the tank (visual check) and dumped tank. Then it worked. Figure there was something stubborn on the sensor. Think the ice, and cascade loosened or softened whatever was causing the problem but the second full tank clear water flush did the trick....Hope it works for you.

[sammonilla]

Thanks for all of the imput. I loaded it up with sone water and detergent and the gauge was working properly when I got to the campsite. After the long weekend and dumping the tank it now still shows 2/3 full. Has anyone installed a tank cleaner like a tornato?? If so how easy was it???

[Herk7769]

FYI - Gray tank problems can usually be traced to hair and soap.

Black tank problems are almost never TP (the probes are almost flush with the wall). Slime will form on the walls shorting the probes to ground.
I fixed mine like this:

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...tml#post129030

RV Holding Tank Sensors - Get accurate grey and black holding tank monitor readings

More than you will ever want to know about holding tanks:
https://www.google.com/search?q=gray...iverforums.com

[pwrstroke2012]

I have put ice in black tank many times and drove home....no problems and works well. I also use the geo method

[Ford Idaho]

Five or eight pound bag, pour the ice toss the bag make it the very last thing you do.

[SKnight]

I stop at one of those stand alone ice machines you see today and get the coolerfull load of ice. Pour that in with roughly 1/3-1/2 tank of water and tow it. The ice gently scrubs the walls but doesn't hit anything hard enough to damage it.

If you're going camping again soon you can toss a sanitizer pack in to keep that from smelling, if not then find somewhere to dump it and do your regular sanitizing.

[Evereddie]

Originally Posted by Herk7769

FYI - Gray tank problems can usually be traced to hair and soap.

Black tank problems are almost never TP (the probes are almost flush with the wall). Slime will form on the walls shorting the probes to ground.

This is a very important point. The slime hangs to the walls and is conductive. The sensors think it is the water level and turn on. Clean walls don't give false readings.

[sammonilla]

Thanks for all of the input from everyone. I'm still having some issues with the sensors but it looks like I need to pull them out and check to see the condition of them.