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Old 06-29-2013, 08:45 PM   #1
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Fact or Fiction?

A fellow camper was telling me that if you put a large bag of ice in your grey or black water tank it will give you a better reading on your tank. Has anyone tied this?
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Old 06-29-2013, 08:50 PM   #2
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Good question!
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Old 06-29-2013, 08:52 PM   #3
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Ive heard of flushing a bag of ice down the stool to slide around and scrub tank while driving( after tank was dumped). I did it once. Haven't had any ice since.
-dont know how youd get it in the gray tank
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Old 06-29-2013, 08:55 PM   #4
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I guess if you had some dried paper or cr@? In it it would knock it loose and make it read better.
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Old 06-29-2013, 08:56 PM   #5
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Ive heard of flushing a bag of ice down the stool to slide around and scrub tank while driving( after tank was dumped). I did it once. Haven't had any ice since.
-dont know how youd get it in the gray tank
We have done this before!
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Old 06-29-2013, 09:04 PM   #6
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So it works?
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Old 06-29-2013, 09:06 PM   #7
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Yea not sure how you would get in the grey tank. I was more wondering if this guy was full of it.
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Old 06-29-2013, 09:08 PM   #8
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So it works?
I hope so....
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Old 06-29-2013, 09:09 PM   #9
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I dont know for sure if it works, cause ive never had any problems with my sensors. But im sure it couldnt hurt anything as long as you dont drive like a bat out of he!!, slingin them cubes around!
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Old 06-29-2013, 09:20 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Campcation View Post
A fellow camper was telling me that if you put a large bag of ice in your grey or black water tank it will give you a better reading on your tank. Has anyone tied this?
I have not tried it my camper is new and not old enough to develop any problems of this type, but what I read on other threads is when people have buildup in their tank (Black) from not flushing enough water each time or emptying the tank to soon without enough level (you need 2/3 to 3/4 full when dumping), anyway get you camper all hooked up to the TV and ready to go then dump about 5 pounds of ice in and take off down the road the ice move around and breaks up the buildup in the tank so it will dump cleaner next time. If your looking for the level probes to work better I've seen suggestions to place a curved water jet spray into the toilet and spray all around especially in the direction level probes as they sometimes get stuff stuck on the probe causing the level to read wrong.

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Old 06-30-2013, 06:21 AM   #11
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Thank you for the info. I love this forum. It is driving my wife crazy though. I keep telling her what I learn and I get the blank stare.
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Old 06-30-2013, 06:28 AM   #12
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I do the ice on the black tank every so often just to knock any stuff that may hang around off. But the grey tank?????
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Old 06-30-2013, 06:54 AM   #13
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Impossible in the gray tank unless you broke the drain's cross members that hold the stopper in and used VERY small ice cubes or crushed ice. That would also make using the cubes to bang against the sides impossible as well. Won't work at all.

As to black tank, the ice will work to "scrub" the walls of the tank (until they melt of course) so you have to dump it down the toilet immediately before you pull out on your trip.

I have NEVER done this as I use the OEM turbo flush every time I can.

In addition, I installed the Horst probes and the ice may damage them.

The "button" probes are the OEM style and even with vigorous turboflushing you can see how crud will short out the probe to the wall and turn on lights even if the tank is empty. The newer style (White Teflon covered wire) works GREAT.
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Old 06-30-2013, 07:30 AM   #14
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I installed the Horst probes early this year on Herks suggestion I have not had a false tank reading issue since they work great. Oddly enough the grey tank probes had more crud on them than the black ones did. I was getting false readings on both tho. I always start off a trip by flushing a few gallons into the black tank along with a bottle of some sort of treatment/deodorizer. Keeping the floor of the tank covered with water is what your after here. This is why if your at a full hookup site you dont leave the black tank gate open as you will never keep the floor covered and will erect what has been commonly referred to as "the temple of doom".

When I dump my tanks I make sure I have at least a half a tank in the grey tank. I pull and empty the black tank then before closing the black valve I lift the hose above the height of tanks with one hand and pull the grey with the other. This sends a rush of grey water into and across the floor of the empty black tank. The grey water has no place else to go because you are holding the drain hose to high. After about 6 or 8 seconds CLOSE the grey valve again. Drop the hose and all the water you just transferred into the black tank wil drain out. At this point I go overboard and use a tank wand and finally finish by emptying the rest of the grey tank. It sounds like alot of work I have it down pretty good. A black tank flush setup would be easier but I hate the thought of driling a hole in the side of my tank.
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Old 06-30-2013, 07:44 AM   #15
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When I dump my tanks I make sure I have at least a half a tank in the grey tank. I pull and empty the black tank then before closing the black valve I lift the hose above the height of tanks with one hand and pull the grey with the other. This sends a rush of grey water into and across the floor of the empty black tank. The grey water has no place else to go because you are holding the drain hose to high. After about 6 or 8 seconds CLOSE the grey valve again. Drop the hose and all the water you just transferred into the black tank wil drain out. At this point I go overboard and use a tank wand and finally finish by emptying the rest of the grey tank. It sounds like alot of work I have it down pretty good. A black tank flush setup would be easier but I hate the thought of drilling a hole in the side of my tank.
A word of caution here. The gray tank Horst probes have a spiral on them and if any remaining toilet tissue gets swept into the gray tank as the water levels equalize, you could be changing them out due to paper on the probes. If you want to continue to do this; put black tank probes in both tanks.
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Old 06-30-2013, 08:47 AM   #16
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Alway thinkin there Herk lol. This is why I dont let them fully equalize and close the grey tank valve after a few seconds. A flash flood across the floor of the black is what im after no backwash wanted into the grey tank. I guess if my 1/3 LED on my grey tank starts acting up now ill know why
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Old 06-30-2013, 09:33 AM   #17
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Alway thinkin there Herk lol. This is why I dont let them fully equalize and close the grey tank valve after a few seconds. A flash flood across the floor of the black is what im after no backwash wanted into the grey tank. I guess if my 1/3 LED on my grey tank starts acting up now ill know why
Just remember the lights are resistance driven and they don't necessarily go in order. A direct short (zero resistance) across the bottom two probes (ground and "1/3" probe) will light all 4 lights "Full."

Note also that with my tanks the installer drilled my probes such that my 1/3 probe is a "not empty" light and comes on almost immediately. The 2/3 light is about 1/2 and the "Full" light is actually 3/4 to 7/8 full or so.

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...faq-42915.html
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Old 06-30-2013, 10:32 AM   #18
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Quick cheap insurance and a good method. If you haven't tried the "Geo Method", try it. Google it. Some guy came up with this and LOTS of people have been using this method for a while now with excellent results. Opposed to the chemical, use 1 cup laundry detergent, 2 cups water softener mixed in 1 gallon of hot water. Dump in tank. Water softener keeps ANYTHING from sticking to sensors or tank walls, detergent cleans tank. Haven't used chemicals since, never had a sensor malfunction either. Try it. You'll be surprised. Used to after returning home, it'd take 3 flushes of the tank to get clear water, now, dump it once, second flush is clear as nothing has stuck to the tank. Remember, this replaces the chemical you normally would use. Just figured I'd throw this out there.
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Old 07-02-2013, 11:04 AM   #19
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The geo method works for me and that is all that I have used. I do add a little more water with the Calgon water softner and use power laundry detergent mixed in water also. I add them after I dump and are ready to get on the road. I like the idea
of no chemicals but I do wonder what is in the Calgon water softner?
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Old 07-02-2013, 11:35 AM   #20
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I've heard about ice in black tank,but, never used it.

After emptying my black tank, I put in 5 gallons of water and 1/2 cup of powdered laundry soap and drive home, then drain it again. It seems to work.
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