Black water tank misreading

Golfnbike13 · 11-13-2015, 05:13 PM

Just setup my 195bh at campsite and was putting a little water in the black tank but when I checked the gauge it's reading 3/4 full. I emptied it after last trip and had barely put some water in it so I'm 98% sure it's wrong. Is it there any way to verify?

Any suggestions on how I can fix or accurately gauge the level?

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Mr Havercamp · 11-13-2015, 05:19 PM

You can do 3 different things.
#1 You can keep screwing around with the cheap stock sensors which will get fouled time and time again. You can find all kinds of methods to clean them but the only sure thing is they'll get fouled again. More likely sooner rather than later.
#2 You can change out the sensors to "Horst Probes" which are a little better but not perfect.
#3 You can drop a couple of hundred and buy this. https://www.garnetinstruments.com/rv-shop/

fonzie · 11-13-2015, 05:25 PM

or shut water off, flush toilet and keep trap open and visually see the level in the tank....might need flashlight.

wana65stang · 11-13-2015, 05:34 PM

Why can't you just open the black tank drain valve, stick your eye up to it and have a look

jawga · 11-13-2015, 08:10 PM

You can hear when the tank is getting full as the water goes into the tank, it will change pitch. Also ours did that last weekend but didnt worry about since i know i just drained it and know how long it takes to fill up with five people

Soonermikel · 11-14-2015, 12:37 PM

All 3 of our RVs have had this problem. Tried many things. I know it's empty but still reads 3/4 full.

sunnyinfla · 11-14-2015, 12:56 PM

First of all when you camp,NEVER leave your drain valve open.Always let it fill up to at least 3/4 before emptying...after you empty run at least 3-5 gallons of water in before using....now when you leave a site drain the tank,close the valve and run at least 6-7 gallons of water in it and let it slosh around while your driving, this usually cleans you sensors,if they're really bad throw in a couple bags of ice in with the water and i always use odorlos in my tanks to dissolve the crud.......good luck....

Grampa Jim · 11-14-2015, 01:13 PM

You're going to have that problem with just about any RV you have. Those sensors inside the tank hardly ever get clean and they'll lie to you about the level. Disregard them and learn when the tank gets full,,,and drain it out. If you have a built-in douche,,,,that helps, but you're not going to get rid of the problem. It's the nature of the beast.

dmchapman · 11-14-2015, 01:24 PM

My old Road Ranger had an externally mounted sensor on the tank. It wasn't perfect but it seemed to be fairly consistent. Unless the interior of the tank is coated with gunk it should work pretty well.

Middleburg Redneck · 11-14-2015, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jawga

You can hear when the tank is getting full as the water goes into the tank, it will change pitch. Also ours did that last weekend but didnt worry about since i know i just drained it and know how long it takes to fill up with five people

Yep, that is exactly how I tell when my tank is full. I am on my second RV and both sensors showed between half and three quarters full all the time. I tried every trick in the book with my first RV because I wanted the sensors to work correctly. They never did so I just gave up and started listening. Now I go by sound alone. I never use my sensors at all. You will get used to hearing the change in pitch of the water going into your tank. As the tank gets fuller, the water sounds closer. Doesn't matter if the toilet sits directly over the tank or is piped into the tank.

papakilo · 11-14-2015, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Golfnbike13

Just setup my 195bh at campsite and was putting a little water in the black tank but when I checked the gauge it's reading 3/4 full. I emptied it after last trip and had barely put some water in it so I'm 98% sure it's wrong. Is it there any way to verify?

Any suggestions on how I can fix or accurately gauge the level?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I had exactly the same problem and found by using Happy Camper (https://www.5starhappycamper.com/) it was much better. Often after I empty my waste tanks they read 2/3 full. Now when I add Happy Camper and use the toilet a few times it goes from 2/3 to empty and goes back up as I use the toilet. This chemical not only keeps the sensors clean it dissolves the solid matter and prevents odors. Other good waste chemicals will probably do the same thing. I like Happy Camper because it comes I powdered form. I used it the first time because their website said I could return it for a full refund if I was unsatisfied.

NorSnrub · 11-14-2015, 04:50 PM

Ice is good also put a wand in toilet and clean clean clean.

conceptumator · 11-14-2015, 04:50 PM

We have always had the same issue with both our RV's. I believe it is mainly just TP getting stuck in places, etc. and causing the sensors to misread. Strange this is that our new Legacy has an indicator (status light, green/yellow/red) on the back bath push button. That indicator seems to be a LOT more accurate than the tank level indicator up front.

The advice on keeping the drain valve closed and not emptying until 2/3 is very important and quite sound - follow it closely. You can leave the gray water open it you want, never the black water. Also, something I've found really helps a lot is to get some Calgon liquid water softener (water softener, not fabric softener). Put a cap full in with you chemicals after you empty the tank. This will make the water softer and "slick", which will help to prevent stuff sticking to the sides of the tank. If you want to give it a good cleaning, fill the tank about 1/2 way or so and add the softener before you leave the house. The sloshing while driving should clean the tank up pretty good. Just drain it as soon as you get set up so nothing has a chance to stick again or settle.

RverAnn45 · 11-14-2015, 07:23 PM

It does seem that the sensors for both the black and gray tank are highly inaccurate. I recognize the change in sound when the black tank is becoming full. I watch the bath tub (low point for the gray water).

We try not to empty the black tank until it is nearly full. I put a piece of blue painters tape on the control panel and record the date (i.e. 11/15). We can always go 5 days between dumping, sometimes 7.

We traveled 17 weeks this summer and this system worked beautifully. We do have to be aware of where we are going next and if we should dump (when facilities are available).

Dinostop · 11-14-2015, 09:48 PM

Also check out https://tankedge.com/products.html
This is a system I have put in several of my campers. Need to run new whirring but not limited to three tanks. A lot of new campers have a 2nd grey tank giving you 4 tanks where sea level system only goes up to 3 tanks.

Eastlake, Ohio
2013 F-350 Turbo Diesel
2016 Heritage Glen 368rlbh

Mr Havercamp · 11-15-2015, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dinostop

Also check out https://tankedge.com/products.html
This is a system I have put in several of my campers. Need to run new whirring but not limited to three tanks. A lot of new campers have a 2nd grey tank giving you 4 tanks where sea level system only goes up to 3 tanks.

Garnets See Level 2 system is not limited to 3 tanks.
https://www.garnetinstruments.com/pr...-tank-monitor/

Also with See Level 2 you can ground each sensor near the tank, and you only need 1 wire from tank to panel. One wire as in one wire from this tank to the next, to the net, then to the panel. No need to run one, or in the case of tankedge two wires from every tank to panel. The sensors themselves are addressable. Usually you have extra wiring for the factory system in place that you can use with the See Level 2 system.

rfenters · 12-30-2015, 10:29 PM

This is my first year owning a Camper and my black tank was doing the same exact thing. I made a wand @ Lowe's and stuck it down my dometic 300 series toilet to fix and it did but my toilet wouldn't hold water the last camping trip. It was a easy fix to say the least and if you have a dometic 300 series toilet here is a youtube video I made about it and what happened. Just be careful if you stick a wand down the toilet to clean it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuoimjhIBLo

GlenZ · 01-02-2016, 12:42 PM

Also try using calgon water softener

Blackhat6mike · 01-02-2016, 01:00 PM

In my many years of camping, I've yet to see a set of tank sensors that were accurate. They are a general reference, but sometimes not even that. If mine say full, the tank is full, but at no other time are they "spot on".
No experience with aftermarket units.

Taranwanderer · 01-02-2016, 01:50 PM

So, I'm pretty anal (pun intended) about my tanks, and here's what works for me. Starting with a clean tank, in goes a capful of Calgon water softener, a capful of Purex laundry detergent, and the toilet chemical of your choice. I had good luck with Potty Toddy tabs, I bought a pack of TST at Walmart and used it, but I'm going back to the Potty Tabs. When your black tank is full, or when you're ready to leave camp, fill the black and dump. Then refill it and dump again, run your flusher if you have one. Dump, and then put in about 5 gallons of water for the ride home with more Calgon and Purex. It'll clean your tank and sensors on the ride home. Dump when you're home, put in a gallon or 2 of water and another batch of Calgon/Purex/chemical, and you're ready for the next trip. Works well, I never have any odors, and the sensors usually behave themselves. Do a search on "geo method" and you'll get lots of reading info.

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