Black Tank Cleaning - Suggestions Please

[JCMSr]

Well, after three years and at least two different sets of sensors I am trying to get a little creative to see if I can get the black tank monitor to read correctly. Despite already having the San-T-Flush system on the black tank and using it after each dump the tank sensors are usually stuck on Full or 2/3 best case scenario. FYI-Even though I have no way to flush the grey tanks I have never had a problem with that side of the system.

Due to the coach design (macerator toilets) some of the age old solutions such as a washer wand or ice cubes in the tank during travel are out of the question. Also, long term solutions such as filling the tank with Rid-X and leaving it for weeks or months is out since we are full-timers meaning that we usually dump our tanks about ever 5 days.

Taking these circumstances into consideration I have decided that it s time to try the age old GEO method with a twist. For those of you familiar with the GEO method it consists of using Calgon Water Softner and Dawn detergent to loosen the scum and "other" debris from the walls of the holding tank. Here's where I am thinking of trying something different that I have not heard anyone mention. In the plumbing bay I have an exterior shower with both hot and cold water. I also have the AquaHot heating system which give me essentially unlimited hot water. Provided I can find the correct fitting to connect a short hose to the shower faucet and then to the San-T-Flush fill connection I could fill the tank with Hot water which should hopefully do a better job of cleaning than Cold water. I would probably also use an inline backflow valve just to make sure nothing backs up from the black tank and contaminates the fresh water system.

Very interested to hear from anyone who has tried this method or something similar. Am I wasting my time or does this make sense to anyone else?

[wny_pat1]

Maybe you need a different sensor system. The following are quite popular is some circles around here:
SeeLevel and Touchsensors. And there are even people out there who like a combination of these two systems. My system is quite old and and the Geo method and lots of water has been good to me.

[JCMSr]

Although I enjoy reading all the different responses which include open the lid, shine a flashlight, use a wand, etc. let me again restate what some of you are missing. Both of my toilets are electric macerator toilets. No lid to open or look into and no way to insert a wand without completely removing the toilets. Even then it would do not good since the tank is not directly below the toilets. These are not you standard gravity feed toilets.

[Clay_L]

Unless they have changed in the last couple of years Winnebago uses the TruLevel non-contact sensor systems with the sensors on the outside of the tank. If the tank walls get crudded up enough it will fool the sensors.

Over the years I have tried all of the things people suggest and nothing worked.
I even made up a right angle fitting so I could use my sister in laws pressure washer down through the toilet and washed the black tank wall where the sensors are located. I tried it two different times and the LEDs would read correctly for a month or so and then start lying again.

I have given up and just dump every ten days.

[Sully2]

Hold a flashlight up to it. You can see the fluid inside very easily

[carp65]

We have been full-timing for 8 years. Black tank sensor is very finicky!
Sometimes it works, other times it still shows full even after dumping.
Grey water tank always shows empty after a dump. Not a real important issue
for us. All you have to do is lift the lid, and with a flashlight, look down
into the toilet and you can see how full it is. I usually can tell by the sound
of the water when being flushed.

[tkcas01]

naturist wrote:
If you ever figure out how to get the black tank working, Please let us all know the secret? No one else has ever managed it.

Not true. See my post in a reply above.

[Dutch_12078]

My aftermarket conversion to Garnet's SeeLevel external sensors and display has been reading properly on all tanks since 2008 with only occasional routine wand flushes of the black tank. The percentage display is far more accurate as well.

[JCMSr]

naturist wrote:
If you ever figure out how to get the black tank working, Please let us all know the secret? No one else has ever managed it.

You might want to check out the response from tkcas01 above. Sounds like he may be on to something with his procedure. I definitely plan to go through the GEO method at least once to try to get the walls of the tanks coated with the Dawn in hopes that they will stay cleaner than doing nothing.

Oh, just in case the question is asked, my sensors are the TouchSensor type on the exterior of the tank and not the probe/thru-wall type.

[naturist]

If you ever figure out how to get the black tank working, Please let us all know the secret? No one else has ever managed it.

[JCMSr]

Nelson.....not worried about the expense. I already have the hose and BF valve. Fittings might cost me a couple of bucks at most. I guess I am just one of those people that do not like to have anything that does not work properly if I can help it. Besides, if I don't keep busy doing something my wife will find me something to do!

One more interesting point for what it's worth. As previously mentioned we have macerator toilets. Each toilet has its own sensors (Green-low/empty, Yellow-half or more/Red-Full/No flush). In three years these sensors have always worked properly. Same sensors, just different locations! Go figure!

[nelson]

JMO Wast of time and money. It is a black tank full of stuff, When it's full empty it.

[tkcas01]

I had given up on my sensors long ago, but recently inadvertently got them working. Thrilled. Here is my recent post on the topic...

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/27144378.cfm

[2oldman]

JCMSr wrote:
Am I wasting my time or does this make sense to anyone else?

It makes sense.. IF you're that insistent on your gauges working. I myself am not, but I wish you luck with it!