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Old 06-18-2017, 11:46 AM   #1
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Something screwy going on with monitor panel

I know everyone just says to ignore them but so far it seems to have held up ok. My main concern is keeping tabs on the gray tank as I can see the levels in the black by just looking down the toilet or underneath the trailer at the fresh water tank.
The thing is, the panel seems to work sometimes and other times it reads wrong. Not just on one tank, everything.
I have finally made the connection as to why. If I am just on battery power it will read just fine. The battery will show a full charge and I have verified it is at 12.8v with a meter. And I have ran some water into the tub and watched it progress on the panel from empty to a third to two thirds at which time I shut the water off.
But if I plug in to shore power it will read the tank as empty and the battery will be showing two thirds.
I have checked grounds and didn't find anything loose or with extra resistance. And power seems to be as advertised.
The converter is a WFCO 3875P and the monitor panel is the small KIB Micro Monitor with the water pump switch at the bottom.
Sorry about the long post but I am out of ideas as to why this is happening. Anyone have any ideas I can look into?
At least I know I can flip the breaker to the converter off and check the tank now.
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Old 06-18-2017, 12:33 PM   #2
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Grey water tank?? The only time i don't have the valve open is when I'm dumping the black water tank. iow, i just let it continually drain. I learned that the first time i camped in a campground with wife and Two daughters--i had to keep going out to open the valve. That happened once! Of course your don't want to do that with the black water tank-- you'd end up with a solid mass you'd never get rid of.
In 9 years of rv camping, the idiot lights never worked completely. Again, the answer is don't worry about it. Just check the level occasionally and you'll eventually know almost exactly when it's time to dump the black water tank. One week is my typical black tank dump frequency.
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Old 06-18-2017, 12:33 PM   #3
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OCD!!!
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Old 06-18-2017, 12:48 PM   #4
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My micro panel dilly went out on my old unit. I looked around and they were kinda high...I searched eBay and found a match the wrong color for ??$15 I think. Ordered it and swapped the board and all was good. Might take the panel loose and plug and unplug. Could be weak connection. Careful as they have micro pin type connectors.
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Old 06-18-2017, 12:50 PM   #5
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Here is an example...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/272719324169
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Old 06-19-2017, 02:43 PM   #6
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It will nice when they finally put dipsticks like for your oil or a place where you can put a stick in the tank.
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Old 06-19-2017, 02:48 PM   #7
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Don't hold your breath waiting for that to happen!!
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Old 06-19-2017, 05:01 PM   #8
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Since it reliably reads correctly on battery and doesn't on shore power it certainly sounds like a sensitive power supply on the monitor. I think I'd try adding about a 2Ω ˝watt resistor in series with the +power and see if it works when you're on shore power.
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Old 06-19-2017, 05:19 PM   #9
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The sensors get paper and stuff on 'em. Then they don't read right. Then it washes off. Then it does.

I usually try and keep gray fuller than black.........not hard. Then, when I dump, all that gray water flushes the sewer hose after the black has dumped.

If/when we get a washer/dryer, I'll have to leave it open much of the time.
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Old 06-19-2017, 05:26 PM   #10
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With my camco dual flush valve, i can keep the grey water valve open until the night before leaving the campground, then flush the hose with that. Or just not worry about it and flush the hose with all the tank valves closed and and water running from the hookup.
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