Tank monitor question

[NorthwestBound]

We have been in our 99 Jayco 243 for two weeks now. Ive had to learn a lot of lessons so far. One is double checking the slide locks are out before extending the slider, the other is making sure the tail gate is down before pulling away from the 5ver.

So a few days ago, i thought to myself, it sure would be nice to know if the holding tanks are full or not. Maybe have some kind of monitor or sight glass.

Well low and behold, this whole time, theres a monitor on the wall under the kitchen cabinet!!!

So, ive been messin with this thing, since the owners manual is no help, and it shows, i believe, that i have more tanks than i thought i did.

I knew i had a fresh, a grey and a black tank, but the panel also shows "galley."

Im assuming that is the pipe with a blade valve coming from the area near the fresh water tank which is under the kitchen area.

So, ive emptied all the valves, starting with black, then grey, then the unlabeled blade valve. And afterwards, i get readings of fresh=empty, black=full, grey=half, and galley=full.

Im sure the fresh tank is close to empty, havent used it yet, been on city water the whole time. But the others should read empty. So im not sure what to do about the grey and galley, im pretty sure i need to dump ice and chemicals in the black tank for the hour ride to the next campground.

[NorthwestBound]

We've been here in the Columbia River Gorge on the WA side since thursday. Although we've been taking advantage of the camps showers a few times, so far, we havnt had any back ups. Will be dumping before we leave tomorrow for the coast. Will have sewer there so we'll be dumping more regularly and i can figure out what the capacities are.

Hold that thought, at 3:30 am, my carbon monoxcide alarm went off and there was a strong sewage odor in the lav. I silenced the alarm and vented the 5ver. Turned on the ac fan, and left the door open the rest of the night. So i guess that 4 days is the limit!!!

[danskool]

spent years and years trying to keep my sensors working, Staying up late reading what folks are doing about it. Trials and errors. Even tried my own solutions and processes. I gave up. Waist of effort . Unless you spend the bucks for seelevel and the cost to purchase and install. And I don't care anymore. I pull the plug every few days, Guessing the tanks volume has proved to be a better solution to the sensors. it has ben years, I don't even remember the last time I hit the button.

[routemaster]

My vote for SeeLevel as well.

[RustyJC]

The only sensors I've EVER had any luck with are the new SeeLevel sensors on our current Mobile Suites. These do not use the probes that go into the tank. Rather, they read the levels through the side of the tank. Therefore, they are not subject to fouling like the probe-type sensors. I'd highly recommend this system if you ever upgrade or purchase a new 5th wheel.



Rusty

[laknox]

NorthwestBound wrote:
We have been in our 99 Jayco 243 for two weeks now. Ive had to learn a lot of lessons so far. One is double checking the slide locks are out before extending the slider, the other is making sure the tail gate is down before pulling away from the 5ver.

So a few days ago, i thought to myself, it sure would be nice to know if the holding tanks are full or not. Maybe have some kind of monitor or sight glass.

Well low and behold, this whole time, theres a monitor on the wall under the kitchen cabinet!!!

So, ive been messin with this thing, since the owners manual is no help, and it shows, i believe, that i have more tanks than i thought i did.

I knew i had a fresh, a grey and a black tank, but the panel also shows "galley."

Im assuming that is the pipe with a blade valve coming from the area near the fresh water tank which is under the kitchen area.

So, ive emptied all the valves, starting with black, then grey, then the unlabeled blade valve. And afterwards, i get readings of fresh=empty, black=full, grey=half, and galley=full.

Im sure the fresh tank is close to empty, havent used it yet, been on city water the whole time. But the others should read empty. So im not sure what to do about the grey and galley, im pretty sure i need to dump ice and chemicals in the black tank for the hour ride to the next campground.

Sensors are notoriously inaccurate. They =help=, but don't depend on them. You will learn your tanks' capacities as you use them. Do a search here (and Google) for the GEO Method of keeping tanks clean. Basically, you dump some original Dawn (seems to work best) and some Calgon, or other water softener, into the tank after each dump. Some also use a digester for the black tank, though I'd think it would work best for a low-use situation, where it can sit for more than just a few days. Best advice, though, is to not stint on the water. You should always start with a few gallons of water in the black tank, and flush well-filled bowls. Grey tanks can get nasty, especially galley tanks, which is why most people don't put =any= food they don't have to down them. A lot will even use a basin to wash dishes, then dump that in the toilet for extra water, instead of the grey tank.

Lyle

[LOFAT36]

My fresh water sensor never has worked since new (2012). I dump my tanks once a week when I winter in Yuma.

[korbe]

NorthwestBound wrote:
So rinsing the grey tank means just filling with water, then dumping, repeat, repeat?

I don't even fill them all the way. Last rinse without driving around required 6 gal to get the gray tank sensor to work and 2 rinses on the black tank. The first was a rinse of 12 gal, then a second of 18 gal and the sensor was working again. I also purchased a clear plastic elbow to see how clean the drain water looks. Only use it at home for the rinsing.

[NorthwestBound]

So rinsing the grey tank means just filling with water, then dumping, repeat, repeat?

[korbe]

I will use the sensor lights to tell me when the tanks are rinsed enough. Most of the time after dumping, my black tank sensor will read full. I will fill and re-dump until it registers empty. Last trip the gray tank sensor light indicated it was 1/3 full - after the dump. That had never happened before. Only the black tank. And after one rinse, the gray was "clean enough". It is at that time I am done with the rinsing.

[rockhillmanor]

Ice cubes are not going to help you.
AND contrary to the belief of some, sensors DO WORK if you clean up the tanks and sensors and keep them free of debris.

When you are at a CG with full hookups, dump , and then start filling each one of your tanks up to the top with water and dump and repeat and repeat several times.

You need to get all the stuff out that is stuck to the sides/sensors and most likely the bottom of your tanks. Most likely left by the previous owners not dumping correctly. I had to do this with my first used MH and it took numerous fills and dumps to clean them out. Doing it while you are at a CG is the easiest way to do it.

Pick up a couple bottles of lemon cleaner at the dollar store and add to each tank each time you are adding the water to them to flush out the tanks.

I add a bottle of lemon cleaner monthly to the gray and I use chemicals that break down waste and paper in the black. My sensors WORK all the time. :C

[gkainz]

I use a clear elbow between the drain valve and slinky hose so can visually verify when a tank is done draining. Barring odd problems like wrong slope on the trailer, clogged drain, etc, I'm pretty sure I know when a tank is empty, in spite of the gauge readings.

[1ofmany]

There are products advertised to clean the interior tank sensors...might work. We work at keeping our tank sensors working properly...I big task...but even the extra effort does not always pay off.

[TomHaycraft]

The sensors on the tanks are notorious wrong, even on new trailers. Most ignore them. Based on typical routines, you get good at anticipating how long a given tank can go without water backing up, forcing you to dump the tanks.