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08-25-2016, 03:39 PM
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#1
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Established Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Omaha
Posts: 19
M.O.C. #18476
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Black water tank level gauge
Having trouble with my black tank level reading. Fresh, galley and grey are working fine. Black still showed 1/3 when emptied, then after I towed it out to campground tonight it shows 2/3 full. Does it just use a float switch? Maybe has something tangled in the actuator arm? Any help would be appreciated!
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08-25-2016, 04:05 PM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: STAYTON
Posts: 1,118
M.O.C. #18157
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Mine does the same thing. it seems to settle down and fairly accurate after a few hours sitting still.
Mark
__________________
“Hard times create strong men, strong men create good times, good times create weak men, and weak men create hard times.”
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08-25-2016, 04:16 PM
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#3
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Established Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Omaha
Posts: 19
M.O.C. #18476
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This thing was still showing a third full after sitting empty for a week at home. I might rent one of those long flexible camera things and stick it down the stool to look around.
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08-25-2016, 05:17 PM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Box Elder
Posts: 4,702
M.O.C. #12947
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There is no float in any of these tanks. They use electric sensors that are "supposed" to sense tank levels, but once you put anything other than clean water in any of them, their days are numbered, and you will be better off just getting used to how many days you can go between drains. The toilet will burp at you when it has gone beyond the drain interval, and the gray tanks will show they are full by backing up into a sink or in the shower/tub when that tank is full. It is generally a waste of time and money to do anything with these.
__________________
Bob & Becky
2012 3402RL
2012 Chevy 2500HD D/A CC 4WD
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08-25-2016, 05:30 PM
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#5
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Wilsey
Posts: 18,799
M.O.C. #11455
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Most of us just ignore them and learn when they are full. For the two of us, we dump every two weeks. If you want black tank monitors that consistantly work, IMHO you need to add the outside the tank monitors.
__________________
Dick, Joyce, Diego, Picatso and Gustav
2017 3720 RL, and 2013 HC 343RL
Pullrite Hitch, IS, Disk Brakes, 3rd AC, Winegard Traveler, Bathroom door mod, Dometic 320, couch for desk swap, replaced chairs, sun screens, added awnings, etc.
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08-25-2016, 05:54 PM
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#6
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Site Team
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Omaha
Posts: 6,750
M.O.C. #7560
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Clint you will never get an accurate reading on your black tank guage. The sensors are probes that go into the tank and once some of the "yucky stuff"which includes toilet paper get on them it is nearly impossible to ever get them to read correctly again. The only way you will ever get an accurate reading is if you install some of the other type of sensors that sense the level from the outside of the tank. How they work is beyond me but supposedly they do work. They do make them and from what I understand the wiring for those to the tank sensors now can be used on them also but don't quote me on that. You'll just have to live with bad sensors on the black tank and kind of program yourself to dump the tank every 5 days or so. Also hopefully you are not leaving the valve open for the water to drain out. This is a really bad idea since the dreaded "Pyramid" will form and then you've got REAL problems. I use Happy Camper in all three of my tanks and it seems to break down the solids in the black tank well and removes the soap scum I the two grey water tanks. I normally put some Cascade dishwashing powder with Dawn and also about a couple capfuls of Calgon liquid water softener along with about 5 gallons of water in the black tank after dumping and heading back to the storage area. This seems to clean the tank pretty well and when I get to the next campground I add some water to the tank and then dump it and rinse it out well after set up.
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08-25-2016, 06:01 PM
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#7
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Lake Gaston
Posts: 8,773
M.O.C. #12156
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If it is any consolation, since buying our first trailer in 1970 before the wife was old enough to have a drink, we have never had a black tank sensor that lasted more than a few weeks.
__________________
Mike and Lorraine
2002 3655 FL, 2005 3650RK
2010 3665RE, 2015 3910FB
F350 crew cab dually 6.7
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08-25-2016, 06:17 PM
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#8
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Established Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Omaha
Posts: 19
M.O.C. #18476
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Thank you so much for the info. It's an older unit, 2004, and we've had it since April of this year and it just started acting up. I'm not gonna worry about it. The info about the "burp" is very helpful.
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