debris in grey tank

wa8yxm wrote:
First, SAVE YOUR MONEY.. The standard sensor on the tanks is a joke it works only if the tank is new or power cleaned.. You don't do this at homne.

It's not worth cleaning the tank to get the sensor working.

SEE LEVEL sensors work differently.. I have yet to buy any but many folks swear by 'em.. I still have the standard swear at 'em sensors like you do.

I was hoping to buy a set of Horst Miracle probes and see how well they worked this summer,,, but alas. did not happen.

X2

I swapped out my factory sensors about 4 years back & never have a problem reading the levels. No need to "make a device" to clean them.

First, SAVE YOUR MONEY.. The standard sensor on the tanks is a joke it works only if the tank is new or power cleaned.. You don't do this at homne.

It's not worth cleaning the tank to get the sensor working.

SEE LEVEL sensors work differently.. I have yet to buy any but many folks swear by 'em.. I still have the standard swear at 'em sensors like you do.

I was hoping to buy a set of Horst Miracle probes and see how well they worked this summer,,, but alas. did not happen.

The only tank that every indicates empty is the water tank. All others have "stuff" on the sensors. I usually add water to the tank - 5 gallons or so and when I get to our destination (if full hooks are available) I dump the tanks. Flush black tank with the flush connection.

I am going to try adding some "stuff" to the grey and black tanks next time to try to clean them a little. Not sure I would add bleach - very corrosive.

Found this on the net:

Clean tanks - USE WATER SOFTENER, DETERGENT, and CHLORINE BLEACH

This stuff is amazing and it works. Buy a couple of boxes of powdered water softener at the grocery store. You'll find it located with or near the laundry detergent products. I prefer Calgon Water Softener because it dissolves quickly in water. Cheaper water softeners work just as well but dissolve more slowly. Dissolve two (2) cups of the water softener in a gallon of hot water. Then, pour the solution down the drain into the empty tank. Use two cups of softener for each waste water tank in your RV. The tank's drain valve should be closed otherwise the softened water will just drain out. Then use the tank(s) normally until it is full and drain it normally. Add a cup of laundry detergent to the black (commode) water tank at the same time you add water softener. This will help clean the tank. The gray water tanks should already contain soap through normal use. Water softener makes the solid waste let go from the sides of the tanks. If you've ever taken a shower in softened water you know that after rinsing the soap from your body your skin will feel slick. That's because all the soap rinses away with soft water. Softened water also prevents soap scum from sticking in the tub. Get the connection? With softened water gunk washes away instead of sticking. The same thing applies to your RV's wastewater tanks.

I use a clear plastic elbow connector to attach my sewer drain line to the waste water outlet on my RV. It allows me to see how well things are progressing during a waste water dump. Before I began using water softener regularly the black water tank's water was brown, the galley tank's water was brownish, and the bathroom tank's water was white. The first time I added water softener to the tanks the water coming from the black water tank was actually black (not brown) and the kitchen tank's water was also black (not brownish). The bathroom tank's water remained white. That told me that the water softener had actually done what I had intended for it to do and made solid waste, which had been stuck to the interior of the tanks, let go and drain away. I added water softener (and laundry detergent to the black tank) to all the wastewater tanks for the next few dumps to be certain all the solid waste possible had been cleaned away. The waste water only appeared black on the initial treatment. I now add water softener and detergent to each tank once after every few dumps to maintain the system.

Too little water softener may not be of sufficient concentration to work effectively. Too much water softener will NOT hurt the tanks. So, if the amount you used didn't quite do the job, then use more the next time. Don't forget the laundry detergent.

Occasionally, I pour a half gallon of liquid bleach into each tank to deodorize, sanitize and disinfect them. I add the bleach when the tank is about half full, and then continue to use the tank normally until it is full and ready to dump. I no longer use the blue toilet chemical because it isn't necessary. I have no odors coming from my black water tank. The chlorine bleach kills the bacteria, which is primarily responsible for waste water tank odor. Generic brand liquid bleach is cheap and very effective.

IF you have access to grey tank you can add a tank flush system.

I prefer 'simple'......

A clear adapter goes on end of drain line and then sewer hose goes on.
Open drain valves and you have a visual of what is flowing, how well it is flowing and when it stops flowing.

I haven't looked at the monitors in years...don't care what they indicate I know tanks are empty.
Don't care if the tanks are squeaky clean....just sufficiently rinsed....gonna dirty them up immediately.
Don't worry about 'smells' as all seals, traps etc. work
Don't worry about when to dump them either.
Toilet 'burps', shower sink start to drain slower...time to dump/rinse.
Takes about a week between dumps.

I have never had a problem with the grey tank,but i recently posted about the horst probes i installed in the black tank and for the first time my black tank is working right. I am very happy with them.

Big Katuna wrote:
Factory sensors rarely work. Also realize that immediately after you dump, the sides (and sensors) are still wet and will show full. Check it the next day.

Yep.

Factory sensors rarely work. Also realize that immediately after you dump, the sides (and sensors) are still wet and will show full. Check it the next day.

I am thinking of adding a rinser to my gray tank.

All Pro Water Flo has a system to power wash both tanks form the outside via the drain valves.

CW sells a flexible rinser you could run up thru the valve. I have thought about buying a flexible hose for my power washer to power wash them from the valves outside.

my old TT had access to the grey and the black tanks from the under side. I put quickie flushes in both tanks and the sensors worked fine. My new tt has full underbelly covering and only one flush out and that is in the black tank. back flushing with the likes of a flush king will not work. I guess they only way is to fill the grey tank about 3/4 full and rock the TT or drive down the road and then dump. OR drop the underbelly and install a quickie flush out

I had the same problem with my sensors and no visible way to clean them in the gray water tank and tried most of the chemical approaches with little to no luck. Then, I saw a drain plug on the bottom of the tank which was, I think, a 3/8" sized pipe plug. Removed it and made a tool out of the metal pipe that connects a toilet angle valve to the bottom of the toilet's water tank. I fastened an adapter for a garden hose on one end of the metal pipe, soldered closed the other end and drilled a hole like maybe 3/16" on one side. Now all I have to do is insert this tool up the drain hole, turn on the water and the water blasting out the side hole REALLY cleans not only the sensors but also the whole tank and you'd be amazed at how much water pressure comes out of that little hole. It flares out to a steam at least 6". I leave the dump valve open so that it'll drain the waste water and I hold a rag around the metal pipe where it enters the tank. Works great! First time I've had to clean this tank in 5 years and hoping to not have to do it again for a long time. Try it you'll like it!

Maybe open the dump valve for that tank and carefully snake a garden hose up through the outlet into the tank and turn it on full pressure. Then, twist the hose around and around so that it sprays the inside of the tank.
Just a thought anyway??