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Old 05-28-2017, 09:06 AM   #1
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Gray and black tanks

I'm not sure if this is the correct place, if not please let me know.

I have a 43 gallon fresh water tank, 30 gallon gray tank and 30 gallon black tank. The gray and black tanks were both empty when I got to the campground and I filled the fresh water tank up when I got here as well. It hasn't been filled since. My fresh shows that it is 2/3 full (so if I do my math correctly there is about 28 gallons left with 15 used). My black shows 1/3 used (so 9 gallons) and my gray shows 100% full (so 30 gallons).

My question is, how is the gray full when I have only used about 15 gallons of water. Before you ask, I haven't pour any other liquids down my drain so that can't explain it. Is there a way to check my gray tank manually?
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Old 05-28-2017, 09:09 AM   #2
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As you will learn on this forum, there is absolutely no way those tank level indicators should/can be used for any sort of mathematical calculations. On the whole, they cannot be trusted.

Edit: when water comes up in the shower/sinks, gray tank is full.
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Old 05-28-2017, 09:10 AM   #3
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Those tank levels have never worked !!!!
They lie and then lie some more !
It just makes common sense that they are telling a fib !
Ignore them , pretend that you do not have them !
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Old 05-28-2017, 09:17 AM   #4
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2x posts 2 & 3
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Old 05-28-2017, 09:45 AM   #5
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ex posts 2&3!!!!!
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Old 05-28-2017, 02:29 PM   #6
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Then some people will tell you that you can put ice cubes in the tank and drive around to clean the sensors so they work right again. Or dish soap or some other method. Bottom line is what you were told. When it won't go down in the shower it's full.
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Old 05-28-2017, 02:30 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kevin79 View Post
I'm not sure if this is the correct place, if not please let me know.

I have a 43 gallon fresh water tank, 30 gallon gray tank and 30 gallon black tank. The gray and black tanks were both empty when I got to the campground and I filled the fresh water tank up when I got here as well. It hasn't been filled since. My fresh shows that it is 2/3 full (so if I do my math correctly there is about 28 gallons left with 15 used). My black shows 1/3 used (so 9 gallons) and my gray shows 100% full (so 30 gallons).

My question is, how is the gray full when I have only used about 15 gallons of water. Before you ask, I haven't pour any other liquids down my drain so that can't explain it. Is there a way to check my gray tank manually?
Those systems work off of three probes. They aer mounted through holes drilled into the side of the tank. They aer not evenly spaced by any stretch of the imagination. i believe the manufactures purposely put the top hole about at least 1/3 to 1/2 way down from the top to prevent any liability is some moron overfills the black tank. Each probe illuminates its respective light when it gets covered in water.

As others have said on here, you cannot rely on them as being accurate measures of the percentage.

What you can do to determine what each light in each tank is telling you is this. Get a 5 gallon can or bucket. In each tank, add water 5 gallons at a time to see where the level of the tank indicators are set. Record this information somewhere in your camper. Then when you see the lights you will know how much water is in each respective tank when each of the three lights in that tank are illuminated.
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Old 05-28-2017, 02:51 PM   #8
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I have to ask. Are you connected to city water, or only pumping water from your tank?

By the way, it is common for the grey tank to fill up before the black tank. If the grey is over full you usually see it first backing up in the shower pan.
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Old 05-28-2017, 03:56 PM   #9
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My guess is your panel has the wires mixed up. Ours were.
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Old 05-28-2017, 05:58 PM   #10
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My guess is your panel has the wires mixed up. Ours were.
On my 171RBXL the wires were reversed on the grey & black guages.
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Old 05-28-2017, 07:50 PM   #11
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I have to ask. Are you connected to city water, or only pumping water from your tank?



By the way, it is common for the grey tank to fill up before the black tank. If the grey is over full you usually see it first backing up in the shower pan.


I was pumping from my tank.
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Old 05-29-2017, 05:33 AM   #12
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Then I it has to just be bad readings on the guages.
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Old 05-29-2017, 07:07 AM   #13
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I proved yesterday my black and gray sensors must have the wiring crossed at the control panel. I put RV antifreeze in it after I brought it home because it good below freezing so yesterday I flushed the system. All the water I ran into the sinks and showers I left in the holding tank because I had a suspicion it wasn't right? After basically emptying my fresh water tank the black tank showed 3/4 full and the gray tank showed empty? It should have been the other way around? I drained the gray water and the black tank showed empty when I was done? I flushed the toilet about a dozen times and low and behold the gray tank showed 1/3 full. I tried it again with running water into the sinks and tub and yep the black water showed it was filling up and the gray stayed the same. I again went and emptied the gray tank and the sensor on the black showed empty? Easy fix I am sure just put the wires where they belong.
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Old 05-29-2017, 07:31 AM   #14
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My 171 RBXL had the same issue. After looking at the wiring I came to the conclusion it was easier to just make new labels for the guage. It appears there would be several wires to reroute and it wasn't clear which ones. If still under warranty have the dealer do it for you.
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Old 05-29-2017, 08:10 AM   #15
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I had the dealer fix mine. My gray and black were backwards and the fresh water was not hooked up at all.
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Old 05-29-2017, 09:04 AM   #16
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The dealer is 3 hours away. We kind of fix everything ourselves and if it is just changing the wires behind the control panel I am pretty sure I can do it. If not easy enough to remember or remark.
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Old 05-29-2017, 03:45 PM   #17
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Take a picture on your phone.
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Old 05-29-2017, 04:33 PM   #18
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I thought it would be obvious, but it wasn't. Proceed carefully.
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