how do you know when gray/black tank if full ?

[rfuerst911sc]

I am restoring a vintage TC which currently only has a black tank. It's been 30 years since I was last involved with RV's so memory is a little fuzzy. I'm guessing you can tell if the black tank is full just from looking down the open ball in the toilet and viewing the contents is that correct ? I am going to add a grey water tank and it seems like many folks state the electric sensors/gauges for showing tank levels don't work or are not accurate. So assuming no electronics are involved how do you know when the grey tank is full ? Is it just that water stops flowing down the drain ? I know these seem like stupid questions but I need to know. Thanks

[dave17352]

In my lance 980 the dry shower has about a 6 inch curb ( or should I say a little baby tub). I ran the water just to test it out and it runs for a several more gallons after the full light comes on the monitor before it comes up the shower, like the others said and sense it is a dry shower that doesn't bother me much at all.

[thetroutman4]

Yep, shower drain is the final 'clue'. We, too, have a new bath rug in our wet bath AF after last trip. HA!

[sleepy]

rfuerst911sc wrote:
I am restoring a vintage TC which currently only has a black tank. It's been 30 years since I was last involved with RV's so memory is a little fuzzy. I'm guessing you can tell if the black tank is full just from looking down the open ball in the toilet and viewing the contents is that correct ? I am going to add a grey water tank and it seems like many folks state the electric sensors/gauges for showing tank levels don't work or are not accurate. So assuming no electronics are involved how do you know when the grey tank is full ? Is it just that water stops flowing down the drain ? I know these seem like stupid questions but I need to know. Thanks

You will be able to see the surface of the waste by looking down through the commode. since you only have one tank that will do it. Don't try one way vales... they'll give you problems... like black smelly feet when they fail.

Keep a good flash light just for that purpose.

Also... look when the tank is empty... good time to hose it out to make sure there are no solides or scale visable... ifthe heets of scale from hard water (lime) they will appear brown againest any of the tank that you can see. If they break lose they can cover your discharge pipe and keep your tank from emptying the solids.

A solution to the scale... with an EMPTY tank add a half gallon of cheap vinigar and fill with water... let it sit for a few days... then empty and rinse.

Use good toilet chemicals (I prefer oderless which is made with calcium nitrate) walmart has them as well as many others.

Do not use downey or other clothes sofner... you eventually be paying the proses to fix your system... people that tell you to are just dummy cheap wads. (that is as polite as I can say what they really are.)

[AnEv942]

Im not sure one-way valve, would it add restriction enough shower not drain freely? If it could seal against water entering shower & tank filled would that mean piping up to sink height full of water? Gross or as inconviant as it may be think Id rather it came up in shower? Weve never done that in camper did on our old MH couple of times.
Our tank monitors have always worked as far as reading level-though often can read having more than what we actuall have but have never read less. Or they wont go back to zero when emptied. Usually a good rinse solves-

[rfuerst911sc]

I was thinking that when I have a grey water tank made during installation I would add a one way valve, to stop water from coming up in the shower. Should I not install a one way so I can use the shower drain as an indicator ?

[wintersun]

There are accurate sensor kits you can buy that use external sensors (and capacitance) which are much better than the ones the camper manufacturers provide. Look for them at RV supply places like camping world. See Level is one company making the sensors.

I would like to know how much weight I have in the holding tanks as well as the remaining capacity and with the Lance setup I know when the tanks are full and I know when they are empty but in between it is a WAG.

[2edgesword]

In my TT the lowest trap is the one in the shower so as others have mentioned you'll see the water coming up through the trap in the shower.

[insp1505]

When my 25 gallon fresh tank is empty I know my 24 gallon grey tank must be pretty close to being full and because some of the fresh water went into the black tank I don't have to worry about overflowing the grey tank. My sensors seem surprisingly accurate for now. We'll see how it goes as they age though.

[jimh406]

I think you can add a stick on sending unit and gauge.

[Farmerjon]

narcodog wrote:
On my Lance when the gray is full it will come up through the trap in the shower.

X5

and we really kick ourselfs. Actually me:o as I'm the one that is supposed to monitor that and it's not fun because we keep a rug on the floor in there. The electronic moniter is not very good and I guess I'm not either.

[ejfranz]

narcodog wrote:
On my Lance when the gray is full it will come up through the trap in the shower.

X4

[69_Avion]

narcodog wrote:
On my Lance when the gray is full it will come up through the trap in the shower.

X3.

When I had a gray water tank built for my C-11 Avion I calculated how many gallons it held and I keep an eye on my fresh water tank. You will have an idea on how much fresh water that you have used and where it went. My gray water tank was a custom tank and I never considered putting in an electronic level gage. It most certainly will show in the shower first, but I've never had that happen yet.

[blangen]

On the black tank, maybe even before looking down the hole and seeing, you will notice it venting air up through the toilet ("burping")when open because the vent is blocked.

[zb39]

narcodog wrote:
On my Lance when the gray is full it will come up through the trap in the shower.

X2