Quite often, really, someone wants to know how to make their holding tank sensors work correctly and the answer is usually "Give it up, it's a losing battle". Well, it's not. Travel Jon Holding Tank Cleaner actually works! My tank sensors have NEVER read correctly. I saw this at Camping World and thought I'd give it a try. Now, mind you, I didn't follow the directions and use one to two ounces. I poured a good six or eight ounces (maybe 10... lol) at the beginning of each tank (after dumping) and added a couple gallons of water. It took three or four tanks on the grey and four or five tanks on the black but my sensors now read better than they ever have. My grey actually shows empty. My black still shows one light at the bottom after the dump but, again, it has never worked that well. I expect to be all good before I finish this gallon of product.So... Don't give up on your tank sensors. There is hope!

I had sensor problems with both my TT and my previous motor home. Never was able to keep them working properly. However, with my new motor home, I religiously put a cup of liquid laundry detergent (Oxy Clean) and a cap full of liquid Calgon water softener in both thanks EVERY time we travel.Typically, we travel like three or four days to our destination on the Oregon coast and then stay there for a month or two. We then travel one day to another Oregon destination for a week stay and then back to the coast. At that point, we normally stay for up to three months without moving the coach and using the "facilities" daily. At least twice a week (while staying put) I empty the black tank and transfer some of the soapy water from the gray tank (several times) to the black tank and drain in between transfers. All during this process, I keep the black tank flush running with fresh clean water and then fill and drain the black tank once all the gray tank water is gone. And then, of course, I put several gallons of fresh water into the black tank prior to using the "facilities" again.This method has kept my sensors working perfectly for the past three years.Ron

Sounds like a lot of OCD and waste of waterToilet burps......dumpShower/sink start draining slower...dumpWater pump goes 'burrrrrrrrrrup'..........tank empty add waterOtherwise if you use your Rig then you know how long you can go and when it's time to dump. No need for chemicals, high water use, monitors etc.Waste holding tanks.......hold it/dump it repeat.

Old-Biscuit wrote:Sounds like a lot of OCD and waste of waterToilet burps......dumpShower/sink start draining slower...dumpWater pump goes 'burrrrrrrrrrup'..........tank empty add waterOtherwise if you use your Rig then you know how long you can go and when it's time to dump. No need for chemicals, high water use, monitors etc.Waste holding tanks.......hold it/dump it repeat.If you sit in a place where you can dump on a moments notice, you're right. I need to coincide my dumps with appropriate places and times in the course of my travels. Sensors help with the timing so the "burp" doesn't make the need so immediate.

My guages lie like politicians with equal outcome. What chemicals are in this tank treatment? Magnetic,radioactive? What? How does it work chemically speaking. Anyone know? Encouraging post. Thanks

Oasisbob wrote:My guages lie like politicians with equal outcome. What chemicals are in this tank treatment? Magnetic,radioactive? What? How does it work chemically speaking. Anyone know? Encouraging post. ThanksFrom the gallon container: Alkyl Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chloride

There IS hope for your non-functioning tank sensors!

lanerd
Explorer II
Dec 08, 2015
I had sensor problems with both my TT and my previous motor home. Never was able to keep them working properly.

However, with my new motor home, I religiously put a cup of liquid laundry detergent (Oxy Clean) and a cap full of liquid Calgon water softener in both thanks EVERY time we travel.

Typically, we travel like three or four days to our destination on the Oregon coast and then stay there for a month or two. We then travel one day to another Oregon destination for a week stay and then back to the coast. At that point, we normally stay for up to three months without moving the coach and using the "facilities" daily. At least twice a week (while staying put) I empty the black tank and transfer some of the soapy water from the gray tank (several times) to the black tank and drain in between transfers. All during this process, I keep the black tank flush running with fresh clean water and then fill and drain the black tank once all the gray tank water is gone. And then, of course, I put several gallons of fresh water into the black tank prior to using the "facilities" again.

This method has kept my sensors working perfectly for the past three years.

Ron
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Dec 08, 2015
Sounds like a lot of OCD and waste of water

Toilet burps......dump
Shower/sink start draining slower...dump
Water pump goes 'burrrrrrrrrrup'..........tank empty add water

Otherwise if you use your Rig then you know how long you can go and when it's time to dump. No need for chemicals, high water use, monitors etc.
Waste holding tanks.......hold it/dump it repeat.
blangen
Explorer
Dec 08, 2015
Old-Biscuit wrote:
Sounds like a lot of OCD and waste of water

Toilet burps......dump
Shower/sink start draining slower...dump
Water pump goes 'burrrrrrrrrrup'..........tank empty add water

Otherwise if you use your Rig then you know how long you can go and when it's time to dump. No need for chemicals, high water use, monitors etc.
Waste holding tanks.......hold it/dump it repeat.

If you sit in a place where you can dump on a moments notice, you're right. I need to coincide my dumps with appropriate places and times in the course of my travels. Sensors help with the timing so the "burp" doesn't make the need so immediate.
Oasisbob
Explorer
Dec 08, 2015
My guages lie like politicians with equal outcome. What chemicals are in this tank treatment? Magnetic,radioactive? What? How does it work chemically speaking. Anyone know? Encouraging post. Thanks
blangen
Explorer
Dec 08, 2015
Oasisbob wrote:
My guages lie like politicians with equal outcome. What chemicals are in this tank treatment? Magnetic,radioactive? What? How does it work chemically speaking. Anyone know? Encouraging post. Thanks

From the gallon container: Alkyl Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chloride
6_7_tow_rig
Explorer
Dec 08, 2015
A wand down the tank will blast the sensors clean. Mine work perfectly after three years. I use it every trip.
msb1766
Explorer
Dec 08, 2015
I had a sensor problem this year, poured 1/2 gallon of Simple Green in the black tank fill the tank up, let it overnight. Took the wand to the tank, let it sit for a few hours and then drained and wand again. Sensors work now.
Lantley
Nomad
Dec 08, 2015
Old-Biscuit wrote:
Sounds like a lot of OCD and waste of water

Toilet burps......dump
Shower/sink start draining slower...dump
Water pump goes 'burrrrrrrrrrup'..........tank empty add water

Otherwise if you use your Rig then you know how long you can go and when it's time to dump. No need for chemicals, high water use, monitors etc.
Waste holding tanks.......hold it/dump it repeat.

Biscuit I'm with you. I never use my tank monitor. I don't know if my sensors work or not. Once I become familiar with my rig I find no use/need for the sensors.
I see the tank monitor as a gimmick for newbies to give them peace of mind to know their rig will not blow from poo if they over fill there tanks.
Initially the tank monitor maybe beneficial but in time you'll know when it's time to dump without checking the monitor panel.
I try to avoid using chemicals unless absolutely necessary. I don't consider tank sensors necessary.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Dec 09, 2015
blangen wrote:
Old-Biscuit wrote:
Sounds like a lot of OCD and waste of water

Toilet burps......dump
Shower/sink start draining slower...dump
Water pump goes 'burrrrrrrrrrup'..........tank empty add water

Otherwise if you use your Rig then you know how long you can go and when it's time to dump. No need for chemicals, high water use, monitors etc.
Waste holding tanks.......hold it/dump it repeat.

If you sit in a place where you can dump on a moments notice, you're right. I need to coincide my dumps with appropriate places and times in the course of my travels. Sensors help with the timing so the "burp" doesn't make the need so immediate.

Rarely sat in place for more than a week

Dump at end of week prior to traveling....done
rv2go
Explorer II
Dec 09, 2015
blangen wrote:
Oasisbob wrote:
My guages lie like politicians with equal outcome. What chemicals are in this tank treatment? Magnetic,radioactive? What? How does it work chemically speaking. Anyone know? Encouraging post. Thanks

From the gallon container: Alkyl Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chloride

This is also the chemicals in Pine Sol.