Black tank sensors

[twxsby89]

Just returned from a nice long weekend getaway, and our black tank sensors are again reading full (after dumping). I just want to ask if you think a hose sweeper nozzle would be to hard on the inside of the tank. Going to rig me up a spray wand I can blast the inside of the tank with, down though the toilet. I just don't want to hit the sensor with too hard a stream, and damage them.
Thanks
I have a hunch my 6 year old is still flushing wipes down there.

[Ron3rd]

twxsby89 wrote:
Just returned from a nice long weekend getaway, and our black tank sensors are again reading full (after dumping). I just want to ask if you think a hose sweeper nozzle would be to hard on the inside of the tank. Going to rig me up a spray wand I can blast the inside of the tank with, down though the toilet. I just don't want to hit the sensor with too hard a stream, and damage them.
Thanks
I have a hunch my 6 year old is still flushing wipes down there.

If you do the wand thing, pick up a Johnny Chock to hold the valve open. Makes life much easier.

[DrewE]

The sensors are on the side of the tank in question somewhere, generally in a more or less vertical line. There are little wires that connect to a smallish plastic blob thingy (a resistor pack) and a couple of wires from it that go to the display panel. (To be technically correct, the sensor probes go through the side of the tank; they're just metal stud contacts with some hardware to mount them in the tank wall.) Mine are next to where the black and gray tank drains are, and are plainly visible when the wet bay compartment door is opened.

[twxsby89]

I have an enclosed underbelly. How would I know where the sensors are, to aim in that general direction? Are they typically located on the same place on all trailers? If I did have easy access, I would change out those sensors, but it would require removing the underbelly, and it appears to be more than just screwed on.

[Padlin]

Seeing as how it's a new trailer, if you can get to the probes, might be worth the effort to replace them with something like the Horst probes.

[lanerd]

twxsby89 wrote:
THanks for the replys, I took the rig to Storage (that has a dump), and filled the black tank twice, and got the sensors to read empty. I then filled it back up about half way, and added Calgone and Dawn. Left it filled with this. I will empty before our next trip.

I think you missed the point. "TRAVELING" with the soap solution will be like the agitator in a washing machine. Just sitting may soften things up, but the sloshing (while traveling) will be what will clean the tank out.

Leave the soapy solution in the tank when you go on your next trip....then empty once you get to your destination.

Ron

[mbopp]

I just cleaned my black tank from a 2-week, no-hookup trip. A combination of the in-tank sprayer and toilet wand got my sensor to read empty.
I can dump and rinse at home using a macerator pump and dumping it down the sewer cleanout on my front yard. The pump is easier than rigging 30' of sewer hose.

[TBammer]

I am thinking on of those tank totes at home might be a good idea, as I can not make a direct connect from the clean out to the trailer. That way I can do the clean out procedure without having to drive to a dump station.

[twxsby89]

THanks for the replys, I took the rig to Storage (that has a dump), and filled the black tank twice, and got the sensors to read empty. I then filled it back up about half way, and added Calgone and Dawn. Left it filled with this. I will empty before our next trip.

[DutchmenSport]

lanerd wrote:
You know you could probably eliminate this problem if you would, prior to traveling, empty your tank and then add about 5 gallons of water to it. Then add a cup full of liquid laundry detergent (I use Oxy-Clean) and about a cup full of liquid Calgon water softener.

During the drive home, this solution will slosh around in the tank and loosen just about anything in there from the walls of the tank and the sensors.

Upon getting home (or close to home if you don't have a sewer access) and drain the soapy solution and rinse with a tank full of clean water and drain once again.

I always leave several gallons of water in my black tank, even when in storage.

Hope this helps

Ron

Agree! This is the absolutely best way to keep them clean. I don't run 5 gallons, I run the water through the toilet for 2 minutes. Add some Dawn Dishwashing liquid (very strong) and drive home. Drain in a bucket if you can't hook up somewhere.

The sloshing when driving is the absolutely best way to clean the inside of the tanks.

[lanerd]

You know you could probably eliminate this problem if you would, prior to traveling, empty your tank and then add about 5 gallons of water to it. Then add a cup full of liquid laundry detergent (I use Oxy-Clean) and about a cup full of liquid Calgon water softener.

During the drive home, this solution will slosh around in the tank and loosen just about anything in there from the walls of the tank and the sensors.

Upon getting home (or close to home if you don't have a sewer access) and drain the soapy solution and rinse with a tank full of clean water and drain once again.

I always leave several gallons of water in my black tank, even when in storage.

Hope this helps

Ron

[ksg5000]

Never heard of a Butt wand damaging sensor - if your concerned and have patience you can always always fill your tank with water and add septic tank cleaner -- should dissolve everything within a week.

[Lynnmor]

DrewE wrote:


Spray wands are not expensive to buy pre-built, for what it's worth. You can get a basic PVC one for under $10 at Wal-Mart.

I bought one of those, the d*** things and it blew apart spraying water everywhere. Build your own something like mentioned above. I used 3/4" CPVC and drilled 4 holes in the end cap. A 4" PVC cap drilled to slide on the pipe, located with hose clamps will make an adjustable splash guard. I added a shut-off valve, a washing machine hose with a right angle end and an adapter for the sink faucet. Now I can use hot water for cleaning, can clean using water from my own tank as well as simply attaching to a garden hose.

[DrewE]

The "sensors" are just metal posts that go through the tank. You'd likely damage the walls of the tank itself long before you'd damage the sensors, and neither one is a concern with a sprayer hooked up to a garden hose. (If you used something like a pressure washer, that might start to be more concerning...maybe.)

If your kid is flushing wipes, the sensors and their readings are the least of your worries. I'd make sure that the tank did, in fact, get emptied, particularly if you don't have a transparent/translucent elbow to monitor progress with when dumping.

Spray wands are not expensive to buy pre-built, for what it's worth. You can get a basic PVC one for under $10 at Wal-Mart.

[ScottG]

That's esentially what I use. I made a PVC "wand" by using an elbow at the bottom of a 30" pipe with a plug on the open end. Then I drilled a couple of 3/16" holes - one pointed slightly upward and one straight out. It works fantastic!
I make an effort to aim it at the sensors and they work like new afterwards.