Replacing black water sensors

[BigJohnD]

herk, are you using the liquid Calgon or the powder with the Geo method? Only place we could ever find the powder is online. We've been using the liquid Calgon for several years now and it works great. We buy the shelf out every time we find some, as even the liquid is hit and miss from store to store. Just curious if the powder is any better.

[DonCath25ds]

What is the geo method

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by DonCath25ds

What is the geo method

Do a search here on frf "geo method"
You'll have PLENTY of reading.

TURBS

Goshen is my playground.
The last man standing also has a sharpie

[DonCath25ds]

Just found the answer

[campingwilliamsons]

An alternative "detergent and water softner" for the GEO method is "Trend" brand detergent from Dollar General. I use a scoop everytime we start our black tank fresh, along with ~5 gallons of water. It works very well, and my sensors have always worked once I started with this method. The other key is good oxygenation. Rarely do people flush their vent stacks. I have found that in the south if you don't have screens on the vents, the mud daubers will build nests in the vent stacks. This creates a "anaerobic"/low oxygen environment in the tank and can help lead to the "slime"/sludge buildup that fouls the sensors as well. Once I flushed the vents stacks (literally with the wand sprayed on the end of the water hose), I screened over them before I replaced the vent covers, and all has been well. Since I started the GEO and the vent clearing at the same time, I am not sure which had a better outcome.

[Blaster 84]

I have had my RV for a year and the sensors have never worked properly. I purchased it used so their may be crud in the tank. I tried the ice and that didn't work. I'll try the Trend next week. I always find Calgon at our local Wal Mart stores.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by Blaster 84

I have had my RV for a year and the sensors have never worked properly. I purchased it used so their may be crud in the tank. I tried the ice and that didn't work. I'll try the Trend next week. I always find Calgon at our local Wal Mart stores.

Sounds like you need the 72 hour Unique RV-Digest-It Treatment instead.

RV Digest-It Holding Tank Treatment

[Roo-Woo]

Originally Posted by Dave_Monica

If you follow the GEO method, you'll have less issues regardless which tank probes you have.

https://sites.google.com/site/cbruni/

Dave

Thanks for sharing this link. Good information to read. I look forward to trying this on our used Roo this season!

[Blaster 84]

Well I finally got all my tanks showing empty. As campingwilliamsons suggested I put some Trend detergent with 5 gallons in my black tank last Thursday. I happened to think that our holding taking is very similar to a septic tank, so I also added a septic tank enzyme from WalMart. I drove 100 miles, we made the normal contributions and next three days and then drove back. When I emptied the tank on Sunday the lights indicated it is all empty. The first time that has happened since we have owned the RV. Now using the Geo Method we will see if it stays that way.

[Blaster 84]

I feel like I just gave the black tank a long overdue lower GI super cleansing.

[OldCoot]

Have had 4 new trailers since Jul 06 and none of the sensors have been correct on any of the 4. I dump the tanks about every 3 to 4 days when camping and pay no attention to any of them. Black tanks when brand new never read empty on any of them right from the factory. IMO they are useless or at best a "swag" at actual tank content.

[campingwilliamsons]

Originally Posted by Blaster 84

I feel like I just gave the black tank a long overdue lower GI super cleansing.

That's funny... Glad to hear it is working for you.

Trend has a water softener in it, thus the reason I use it. Plus, it is nearly impossible to find Calgon down here in south Texas. The water is pretty soft out of the taps, so I don't think the stores stock the Calgon stuff.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by campingwilliamsons

That's funny... Glad to hear it is working for you.

Trend has a water softener in it, thus the reason I use it. Plus, it is nearly impossible to find Calgon down here in south Texas. The water is pretty soft out of the taps, so I don't think the stores stock the Calgon stuff.

MAKE SURE it is water softener and not FABRIC softener. FABRIC softener has wax in it that will foul your sensors over time and will be impossible to clean.

Trend DOES have a water softener (Sodium Carbonate) but Liquid Calgon has Sodium Hydroxide and Citric Acid to condition the water.

http://www.whatsinproducts.com//file...d%20030904.pdf

MUCH more effective than washing soda.

http://www.whatsinproducts.com//file...d%20030904.pdf

[campingwilliamsons]

As mentioned, Sodium Carbonate is in Trend, and it is a very good water softener, one that has been used for a long time in lots of products. The Citric Acid in Calgon is in there to act as the water softner (calcium/divalent metal binder) but will drop the pH and make the solution (your load of wash, bath water, black tanks) acidic. That is why they add the strong base, Sodium Hydroxide; to bring the pH back up to nuetral or slightly basic. In the case of your black tanks, most of the beneficial bacteria like nuetral or slightly basic "living" conditions (pH 7.2-7.8).

Either way, they are both water softners, and in my hands, both work well in the GEO method. For me, I can go down and buy Trend at any Dollar General (there are about 1,000,000 of them in Texas), where as I have to order Calgon from Amazon, etc. The Trend product also has the detergent part of GEO, which means I just need to bring, store and add the one product to the tanks.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by campingwilliamsons

Either way, they are both water softners, and in my hands, both work well in the GEO method. For me, I can go down and buy Trend at any Dollar General (there are about 1,000,000 of them in Texas), where as I have to order Calgon from Amazon, etc. The Trend product also has the detergent part of GEO, which means I just need to bring, store and add the one product to the tanks.

Which is an excellent point. Liquid Calgon is sometimes hard to find.

[RPAspey]

I'm always willing to try something new, especially if it may save me $. I want to try the Trend in my tanks instead of the dishwasher packets. Around here, I can only find Trend at the Family Dollar stores. But, it has a florescent agent and a "bleach agent" in it. Would the "bleach agent" cause any problems?

I usually use an enzyme based tank additives and one or two of the dishwasher "drop ins" Those drop ins aren't necessarily cheap.

2000 Cherokee 31BH, "flipped axles and raised",LEDs, solar, inverter, etc..aka "boondock ready". '07 Tundra 5.7L DC-LB, modded as well.

[Roo-Woo]

I have yet to find Trend here in my corner of NC. Just wondering... does anyone know if Borax would work?

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by Roo-Woo

I have yet to find Trend here in my corner of NC. Just wondering... does anyone know if Borax would work?

I just use Super Clean and Pinesol and my tanks are clean. At least I think they are. No smell, etc. and we drove from Orlando to mid way to Concord, NC with about 2 gal of water, Super Clean & Pinesol, dumped as soon as we parked overnite and nothing but the clear mixture. Mixed the same solution the morning we left and dumped when we got home and again, nothing but the clear mixture. Been using about a 8 oz of Super Clean, 8 oz of Pinesol and 3 toilet bowls of water since Nov and I think it is working great. We did put in a Blue Streak (Chemical Dispensing Systems for RV & Marine | Blue Streak LLC) on the toilet which has a 50-50 solution of Super Clean & Pinesol in it which dispenses with each flush.

p.s. Our sensors were NOT accurate when the camper was new and had had nothing but clear water in them.

[Blaster 84]

We have four "dollar" type stores in our area. The one I found the Trend in was the Family Dollar Store. Try there if you haven't done so. Calgon I always find at the Super Wal Mart stores.

[PhoneDude 8289]

I use calgon water softener and about 1/4 cup of laundry detergent. After a couple of weeks camping I'll add 1/4 cup of bleach. When heading to a different location I'll add all the above to about 10 gallons of water and drive on never dumping the tank till it's about full.