Tank Sensor theory (poll)

[Huntindog]

It seems that most here have issues with their tank sensors being unreliable.
My experience has been quite the opposite. I have rarely had a problem.
Most all of my trips have me towing home to dump, at least 150 miles, with some bumpy dirt roads at the start.
I think that the agitation stirs things up, dissolving the TP so that it can't foul the sensors.
The few times I have had a false reading was when I had a rare short tow home. (20-25 miles)

I get the impression from reading here that most use the dump station at the campground.

I would like to hear mainly from those without sensor problems, just what you are doing? I will of course assume that everyone is using TP that will dissolve when swished around in water.

[ktmrfs]

Horst miracle probes and I usually only do a partial dump at the site, travel home with some water in each gray tank (1/4 full or so) and backflush gray water to the black tank after I dump the black.

then when home I dump and rinse at my house with my own dump station and the built in black tank rinser.

And I use the following in the tanks

some water softener (calgon etc) and a scoop or so of HE washing detergent. In the black tank I add some of the digester that is an enzime.

So far no tank sensor issues, andno smell from the black tank.

We camp 90 days/year or so and this has worked great for the last 3 years. IMHO the horst miracle probes are the most cost effective replacement for the stock probes.

[CincyGus]

I use the detergent and water softner method. Usually dump at campground dump station or FHU. Ocassionaly ride home and dump at dealership where I bought it a few miles from the house. All sensors work fine, 100% of the time so far (2 yrs on this camper). Any tank not full is filled prior to dumping if FHU and start black tank with about 3-4 toilet bowls full of water after dumping. Gray with about 10 seconds of runninng faucet in sink to make sure seals don't dry out.

[wmoses]

ANewTraveler wrote:
I have read a lot of the topics and suggestions on tank cleaning and the reasons why the sensors show full most of the times and how to deal with it. However, what I am missing and would like to know is the ELECTRONIC THEORY describing the design of the LED light method to show tank usage. I.E. Is the supply voltage applied to the lights on the panel and the sensors complete the circuit to ground causing the lights to light? .....

Check out this video then get the Horst probes. They work.

[ANewTraveler]

I have read a lot of the topics and suggestions on tank cleaning and the reasons why the sensors show full most of the times and how to deal with it. However, what I am missing and would like to know is the ELECTRONIC THEORY describing the design of the LED light method to show tank usage. I.E. Is the supply voltage applied to the lights on the panel and the sensors complete the circuit to ground causing the lights to light? If so then it would seem that there should be 4 lines running the signals back to the control panel? Looking at mine, I have 4 sensors each with a wire and the 3 for 1/3 2/3 and Full being in a "Wire Or" configuration with the white ( ground most likely) so 4 wires end up being 2 wires going back to the panel? One person mentioned adjusting "POTS" which suggests a set of voltage comparators to adjust sensor sensitivity. Not trying to rehash what has already been said - I have read all of them but none address the actually "current flow theory" which I am interested in - any Engineers out there or design buffs; your comments would be greatly appreciated.

[TomSaraMiles]

Our "normal" trip is dry camping, very conservative on water use, and tow home to dump. Not super bumpy, but not very wet.

Once home, it may sit a day or two until I get to dumping. Dump is using a Sewer Solution and a tank rinser. Using this setup I have never had a problem with sensor reading. Sometimes I might wash the tank 2 or 3 times, but it always ends up clean.

[wmoses]

Sorry to laugh, but nothing like a good poop story to lighten the mood .... 😄

[Doug33]

Jerrybo66 wrote:

Doug33 wrote:

jerem0621 wrote:
I just use the burp theory of tank fullness measurement.

say what??

I missed that also. I hope it isn't the burp I experienced. I was back flushing the black tank, filling it with water from a hose from the dump end with a hose adapter. I went inside and opened the flush valve to see how full the tank was. Good ol' FOREST RIVER QUALITY CONTROL failed to connect the vent pipe to the tank and there was quite a lot of pressure built up. I'll not go into gruesome detail but the words "water volcano" bests describes the event. Instant verbal condemnation of F/R will also not be noted here.... :E
I'd rather not get booted from the forum...

sounds like a scene from the movie RV 🙂

[Jerrybo66]

Doug33 wrote:

jerem0621 wrote:
I just use the burp theory of tank fullness measurement.

say what??

I missed that also. I hope it isn't the burp I experienced. I was back flushing the black tank, filling it with water from a hose from the dump end with a hose adapter. I went inside and opened the flush valve to see how full the tank was. Good ol' FOREST RIVER QUALITY CONTROL failed to connect the vent pipe to the tank and there was quite a lot of pressure built up. I'll not go into gruesome detail but the words "water volcano" bests describes the event. Instant verbal condemnation of F/R will also not be noted here.... :E
I'd rather not get booted from the forum...

[dadmomh]

We don't have any facilities for dumping at home, so always dump at the station as we're leaving. Before pulling out we add about 4 or 5 gallons of water and I generally toss in some Odorlos and/or enzyme. If it's more than 3 or 4 weeks between trips, I'll toss in another dose.....may be overkill, but I feel better about it. We've never had any odor issues. Getting tough - again - to find Odorlos, so I may give the Geo method a try. We used the blue stuff many years ago in our boats and then again when we got our '07 ROO, but only for a short while. Seemed like all it did was make everything smell like the blue stuff, which was not terribly good. I've been pleased with the Odorlos and wish it weren't so tough to find. BTW, we've never used the "RV Toilet Paper", but rather just the single ply regular stuff and have never had a problem with it's dissolving....the clear fitting lets us know these things.

[Doug33]

jerem0621 wrote:
I just use the burp theory of tank fullness measurement.

say what??

[uzikaduzi]

never had problems... BEFORE i use the black tank i fill the tank to 1/3 and i fill it up completely before dumping. i don't have the option to dump at home. also after i dump i put a few gallons back in each tank. i doubt this helps with the sensors but i don't want the gasket or o-ring or whatever it is in the blade valves to dry out

[opnspaces]

Very few sensor problems. My trailer gets a mix of either dumping at the campground or pulling home for two hours on the twisty mountain roads before dumping. I never use chemicals or add soaps, detergents, softeners, or ice. After dumping I typically just fill the tank about 1/2 full once and dump it again.

[WandaLust2]

Huntindog wrote:
It seems that most here have issues with their tank sensors being unreliable.
My experience has been quite the opposite. ....

We drove 600 miles with the recommended treatment in our tanks on these RV forums. It contained water softener, detergent etc. The sensors were just as inaccurate when we got to FL as before we put the treatment in. The sloshing water with those things didn't do anything useful. It seems to work for some people and not others.

[richk88]

9 years with my trailer and sensors still work fine, dump at campground if I have full hookups and backflush with flush king if I don't have full hookups I just dump at the dump station and flush at home.I always add a few gal. of water with laundry detergent and water softner.

[Huntindog]

Thanks for all the replies...
What I was looking for is a particular usage trend or pattern to those that have sensors that work, or I guess even those that don't.
In particular, Do you tow home to dump? How far?
Bumpy roads?
Is this type of campimg more conducive to the sensors working vs the ones that dump at the campground?