Black & Grey tank readings

[LIGirlatheart]

After use and cleaning of our black & grey tanks - our monitor systems still is reading Full or 1/2 full. How can I clean the meter? Would anyone have any ideas?

[doxiemom11]

Haven't looked at the monitors in years. We can tell when the tanks need to be emptied after being fulltime for so many years. They are never very accurate anyway.

[Yeti_plus]

We bought the Bigfoot TC from a rental place. I don't think renters knew how to dump properly. I put some automatic dishwasher detergent into both tanks, the kind made for a dishwasher not hand washing like Dawn, added 5 or 10 gallons of water, drove for about an hour and a half to campground, dumped on the way in, and at the end of the weekend, and the sensors seem to work reasonably well. I have since done this every year on the first trip out, to get rid of any crud that didn't get rinsed out from the previous years camping.
Brian

[pianotuna]

,

[happy2rv]

pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

It doesn't work. Ice sliding on a film of water is pretty darn close to a zero friction environment.

Google is your friend.

I have googled extensively and have not found anything that "debunks" the GEO method. The videos you posted have nothing to do with the GEO method and the method has absolutely nothing to do with ice cubes. Follow the link I included in my first post and actually read the process. It's basically a mixture of calgon water softener, detergents, and bleach in the appropriate proportions. It may not be effective, but I'd still like to see a scientific analysis similar to the tests performed in the videos you posted.

[pianotuna]

Hi,

It doesn't work. Ice sliding on a film of water is pretty darn close to a zero friction environment.

Google is your friend:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH6acEmqvcw

https://www.thefitrv.com/rv-tips/testing-tank-flushing-systems-in-the-clear-rv-black-tank/

happy2rv wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
The geo method simply doesn't do much. Some one did some testing and published it on youtube.

Would love a link. Not saying it works because as indicated, I haven't tried it myself, but all of the YouTube videos I've seen on it as well as forum posts seem positive for both odor control and sensor cleaning. I already have everything, so I do intend to try it on my next outing but that will be at least a couple of weeks away... If it doesn't work, I will have flushed about $6 down the toilet. Well technically, if it does work I will have still flushed about $6 down the toilet.

[Jim2007]

Hi.. this is my second 5th wheel and i never count on the sensors, to work.. I use a site tube on the sewage hose to determine if tanks are empty. Jim2007

[mitchmitchell16]

Add us to the list of folks that have no problem getting our sensors to read accurately. We have a tornado flusher and use it religiously. Soaking is the best thing to do to clean out the black tank, and don't dump to soon after putting in toilet paper as it needs some time to dissolve.

[happy2rv]

pianotuna wrote:
The geo method simply doesn't do much. Some one did some testing and published it on youtube.

Would love a link. Not saying it works because as indicated, I haven't tried it myself, but all of the YouTube videos I've seen on it as well as forum posts seem positive for both odor control and sensor cleaning. I already have everything, so I do intend to try it on my next outing but that will be at least a couple of weeks away... If it doesn't work, I will have flushed about $6 down the toilet. Well technically, if it does work I will have still flushed about $6 down the toilet.

[pianotuna]

The geo method simply doesn't do much. Some one did some testing and published it on youtube.

[happy2rv]

Many people report great success with the GEO method. I haven't tried it yet, but I intend to on our next outing.

[Katdaddy]

I had this problem awhile back. The solution I found was to take some liquid diswasher detergent. I bought Dollar General brand. Put a cup of detergent and about five gallons of warm or hot water in tanks. I do this when going to local state park. About 30 minutes of driving. Dump tanks when I get to campground. The first time I did it it took two cleanings, but sensors worked fine again.

[chindog]

RV tank sensors usually work if the tanks are clean, unless there is a malfunction between the sensor and the display. We just had our tanks cleaned by a dealer with the nationwide service company AllPro Water Flow. They used a pressure washer to spray the inside of the black and gray tanks. We haven't had any problems with the tank readings, but since our coach is now 5 years old, we figured it was time for a thorough cleaning. Comments above about the Dawn/Calgon and Happy Camper are spot on. Also, use lots of water in the toilet.

[DutchmenSport]

I'm on my 4th camper, 3 TT's and now 1 5er. All my sensors, on all my tanks: fresh water, black and grey and grey, have always worked and worked well for me. I do not depend on the sensors, but I check them often anyway, and they do a good job and being a good gauge and my estimation is pretty close.

But I am animent about keeping them clean to, and steps are very simple ... very simple...

Dump your tanks when leaving your campsite. After dumping, add 4 or 5 gallons of water to the black, grey, and grey tank. Then a half cup of Dawn dishwashing liquid and drive to your next destination. If you have the opportunity, drain the tanks again. If not, just use as normal.

The dawn will clean the inside, driving on the road will cause the water and dawn to pulverize the inside of the tanks. The beating of the water will wash off the sensors, and they never get gunk caught on them.... which is what causes them to malfunction.

Plus, you never have smells in your tanks this way.

Fresh water is the same. Just travel with a few gallons in your fresh water tank. The pounding of the water will keep the sensors clean.

FYI, the cleaner you can keep your black tank, the better everything works. I do work agressively dumping the black tank, back-flushing the grey tank into the black to help clean (a LOT) of stuff out that never drains the first time, using the black tank flusher every time I dump (which I can hook up to my fresh water tank in the camper and do not have to depend on campsite dump stations), and also use a toilet wand inside the black tank down the toilet hole every now and then. Combined with the beating of the water when on the road, black tank stays clean.

A lot of folks don't go to these lengths with their black tank. Maybe I'm just really anal retentive when it comes to the black tank. 😉 But my sensors always work.

[pianotuna]

Even the external sensors don't always work.

Use lots of water.

If a flush kit is installed, dump with it on, refill for 5 minutes, dump again, and then repeat a 3rd time.