Stuck black water gage, or really full?

[Boozecamp]

I'm perplexed!
I either have a gage stuck on 3/4 full or I've got build up that won't drain. We don't leave the gate valve open for draining while camping as I know that's a big no-no. We only open to drain. I've filed it up with water and drained. Drove around with Half full to slosh around. I've flushed it with the fresh water inlet, but continues to read half or 3/4 full. Puzzled! Any suggestion besides crawling in with a flashlight? LOL!

[Clay_L]

The problem is not the sensors being dirty but is due to the tank walls being gunked up and fooling the sensors.

Even the non-contact sensors on the outside of the tank can be fooled if the walls are cruddy enough. SeeLevel even points this out on their web site.

The SeeLevel web site says "If sludge buildup in the tank becomes extreme the gauge will cease to operate (the tank will always read empty), so by monitoring the signal level the tank can be cleaned before the buildup gets excessive".
From HERE

Anything you do to help keep the tank walls clean may help.
Flushing, adding some detergent and water before you drive for a day or so might help.

I have the TrueLevel non-contact system that Winnebago went standard with in 2005 and right now my black tank reads full when empty. The gray tank shows 1/3 full when empty.

Over the eleven years we full timed I tried everything people say will work and nothing worked.
If I pressure wash the inside of the black tank (have done that twice), the level will be measured normally for a few months and then start to lie.

I think the problem is worse for full timers and that may be why some weekend or short term campers find that detergent or some other method works for them.

I just dump it every ten days and don't worry about it anymore.

[BUBBA051998]

8 oz of dish soap 3/4 full of water , just when you are ready to leave put 2 bags of ice then drive.

[mike_mck]

I bought a 96 caribou about 6 months ago. gauge said full even after it was dumped at the sellers site. I knew it was empty but gauge said full. I assumed it sat for a while and the sensor was covered.
Did a couple of partial full dumps and still read full. Also had a nasty odor. Last dump was headed up to northern az. Dumped, filled with water and dumped again. A little water and 7 lbs of ice. 150 miles later and dumped again. Gauge works fine and ODOR gone.
Happy Camper. No Pun intended:)

[SDcampowneroper]

gbopp wrote:
Try The Geo Method,it may help.

get used to ignoring those sensors. Common sense, on how much use, noises or plain old looking down the pipe. is best.
They can be cleaned by a professional with a high pressure backwash system. Costs are about $200 for that service for all tanks. Expect it to last ? As long as your last time did. No guarantee.
The geo method works most times for cleaning , but what about the harm to the biological septic systems those soaps, softeners, chlorine, most camps use? Please do not use Bleach then dump it down into an onsite wastewater treatment system. It kills the beneficial digestive bacteria needed for a good system.
IMHO wastewater tank sensors are a sales gimmick, cleaning is costly or just plain useless and unnecessary.

[fikkellin]

if i think the black tank is getting a build up or dirty we add a bag of ice to the tank before we
we leave and let it it slosh around and clean tank while you are moving so when you dump it again everything is loose

[B_O__Plenty]

Haven't looked at my gauges in a few years. I leave the gray tanks open and dump the black tank when the toilet burps at me when flushing, telling me it's full. Works like a champ!

B.O.

[gbopp]

Try The Geo Method,it may help.

[CloudDriver]

If your toilet has a straight drop into the black tank, turn off the water and any exhaust fans, get a flashlight, open the toilet valve and take a look. Don't drop the flashlight!

[downtheroad]

Pour 30-40 oz of Dawn Dish Soap thru the toilet with the holding tank about half full and drive that way to your next camp site. 200 plus miles of shake, rattle, and roll will scrub the scum off the sides of the tanks and everything should be back to normal.

Get in the habit of doing this occasionally to prevent the scum from building on the tank walls.

LeRoy

Good advice and technique...but 40oz of dish detergent...gosh, that almost a half gallon....I have done this and used a lot less.
Works also with liquid laundry detergent.

[Old-Biscuit]

Buy yourself a clear sewer adapter.
Connect it to drain line and then connect sewer hose.
You can then see how well and what drains from tanks.

They come angled and straight


Sensors are notoriously faulty.

[Homeless_by_Cho]

Pour 30-40 oz of Dawn Dish Soap thru the toilet with the holding tank about half full and drive that way to your next camp site. 200 plus miles of shake, rattle, and roll will scrub the scum off the sides of the tanks and everything should be back to normal.

Get in the habit of doing this occasionally to prevent the scum from building on the tank walls.

LeRoy

[TOMMY47]

Fill it to top with water. Drain it and listen how much comes out. If it flows a lot , it's probably the gage. Mine aren't very accurate. I pretty much know when to dump.

[nelson]

Chances are it's empty, The gages are really sensors and get gunked up and give false reading. Some people worry about it and some people don't Myself I never even look at the gage.

[jerem0621]

Yep, my #1 suggestion is to.... stop worrying about the sensor. When the toilet burps its time to dump.

Sure, you can clean the sensors, get yourself filthy.. and all for what? The next time a piece of toilet paper decides to stick to the 3/4 full sensor guess what your sensor will read?

Burp = dump

Thanks!

Jeremiah