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Old 10-19-2021, 07:15 AM   #1
Sheet
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Tank level indicator sensors

Anyone know how to get these tank level lights working properly again.
I have a 2018 3120rl and my black water tank reads 1/3 to 1/2 full even when empty.
All other indicators seem good.

Thanks
 
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Old 10-19-2021, 08:13 AM   #2
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Thomas,

The black tank readings take a clean tank. It just takes a little TP stuck to the side of the tank and it will not read right. Recommend you tape over that light and dump your tank once a week or so. You can hear it burp at the toilet as it gets full.

Your gray tanks and fresh water typically work fairly well.
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Old 10-19-2021, 08:21 AM   #3
Sheet
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Thank you for the reply, I have filled the tank and let it sit for a few hours and I am still having the issues.
I will try that again and leave it filled for a few days or so.
Thanks again
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Old 10-19-2021, 08:28 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AZ Traveler View Post
Thomas,

The black tank readings take a clean tank. It just takes a little TP stuck to the side of the tank and it will not read right. Recommend you tape over that light and dump your tank once a week or so. You can hear it burp at the toilet as it gets full.

Your gray tanks and fresh water typically work fairly well.
Good advice. Most of us gave up on reliable readings re black tanks long ago.,
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Old 10-19-2021, 08:39 AM   #5
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On our 2010 we spent the money to have exterior sensors installed and they worked great, but by that time we were used to not using them and, since we knew when to dump anyway from experience, we never looked at the new ones even though they worked. Didn't bother to add them to any subsequent Monty's.
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Old 10-19-2021, 09:33 AM   #6
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I guess I'm not the norm, as the only sensors that continue to work for me are the Black and Fresh Water. To explain, when dumping the Black I have the Flusher running and will refill the Black three or four times, until the water coming out is clear. I use an inline flow meter so I know exactly how much water I'm putting in and the last fill-up I'll go right up to max capacity of the tank.
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Old 10-19-2021, 01:07 PM   #7
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I do the same thing at the end of every trip.
I just tried Unique Digest-It Tank Sensor Cleaner a couple months ago. This stuff is amazing. I really thought my tanks were clean, but couldn't seem to get rid of that last 1/3 light and read empty no matter what I did. Give it a try, it really works!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0741NL8S5...v_ov_lig_dp_it
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Old 10-19-2021, 06:12 PM   #8
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Agreed

Quote:
Originally Posted by RMcNeal View Post
I do the same thing at the end of every trip.
I just tried Unique Digest-It Tank Sensor Cleaner a couple months ago. This stuff is amazing. I really thought my tanks were clean, but couldn't seem to get rid of that last 1/3 light and read empty no matter what I did. Give it a try, it really works!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0741NL8S5...v_ov_lig_dp_it
👍👍👍 for the Digest-it suggestion!
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Old 10-19-2021, 06:42 PM   #9
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Mine works perfectly all of the time. I am not sure why you all have so many problems. Here is how you make it work like mine. Dump one gallon of each of these into the tank: Water, Diesel Fuel, AntiFreeze, and Acid. OR.... do it like the rest of us... dump the black tank once a week. BTW: I have not used chemicals in 3 years. If I can smell it, I probably forgot to empty it. BTW2: When we are hooked up, we use a bidet, it uses a lot of water. That probably helps.
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Old 10-19-2021, 06:43 PM   #10
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All you have to do is dump your black tank and flush it out as best you can. Then add 5-10 gallons of water and some Dawn Dishwashing Liquid and take the camper on the road. The more turns, the more bumps, the more stops and go's you experience will cause the tank water to slosh back and forth and side to to. This sloshing will pulverize the sensors, cleaning off anything stuck on them, causing false readings. When you reach your next destination site, or return home, dump the soap water if you can. The sensors will probably be reading correct again (for a while). So, you need to do this every time you move the trailer.

Backflushing from the grey tank, using the black tank flusher, and using a toilet wand on the end of a garden hose will also help clean the tank out, thus making the Dishwashing solution even more effective.

It works and I've been doing the Dawn water slosh around method for over 20 years, and 4 RV, my black tank sensors have always worked.

I don't depend on them though. I've learned how long I need to go before dumping. Once you live in your camper long enough, you'll get a good feel for it too.
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Old 10-19-2021, 07:04 PM   #11
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We boondock and moochdock a lot. It is important for us to know how full our tanks are. We use SeeLevel gages. They work great. We installed them and Valterra valves at the same time on our 3160. We had the dealer install both on our new 3230CK. I have better things than messing around with trying to get those sensors to read.
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Old 10-24-2021, 02:16 PM   #12
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I bought a Valletta A01-0184VP Master Blaster RV TANK CLEANING WAND with POWER NOZZE when I had pull behind. When I bought my 381th I cut the middle piece out and glued a 52 inch piece of pvc to the blaster. It works great for cleaning off the sensors if the get anything on them.https://www.amazon.com/Valterra-A01-...a-436784995661
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Old 10-25-2021, 08:39 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sheet View Post
Anyone know how to get these tank level lights working properly again.
I have a 2018 3120rl and my black water tank reads 1/3 to 1/2 full even when empty.
All other indicators seem good.

Thanks
Same here, same model, aggravating as hell. I've tried everything, ice cubes sloshing while on the road. Every chemical known to man, now I'm letting it sit in the RV garage with a full (Clean) tank and a truckload of chemicals in it to see it it cleans itself over time.
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Old 10-25-2021, 08:55 AM   #14
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I gave up on the sensors 15 years and 3 RVs ago. It isn't worth the aggravation to worry about something I see as minor.
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Old 10-25-2021, 11:18 AM   #15
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We have used SeeLevel gages on our last two Montana’s.
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Old 10-25-2021, 01:37 PM   #16
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You mentioned this black tank flush in another post. I purchased the flow meter and have followed the process you shared and have gotten similar results. Great suggestion!
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Old 10-26-2021, 01:59 PM   #17
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I dont pay attention to them too much, unless we dont have a lot going on and im trying to find something to fix.
But when i get a stuck black tank light what i do, since our "outdoor shower" is in the same wet cabinet as the black tank flush, i dump the tank, pour dishwasher liquid down the toilet, then use the outdoor shower garden hose to the black tank flush inlet and add 10 gallons of hot water to the black tank, then take it for a long bumpy ride to the next place we are calling home.
That usually does the trick,
If not grab a beer and a fishin pole and forget about it
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Old 12-27-2021, 11:02 AM   #18
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So we came across something that will clean the sensors great on accident.
We had to replace the seals on our black tank valve, and i really did NOT want to take a bath in any of "that" when i opened it up.
We picked one of these up,
Tank Rinser
It kind of works like a firefighting basement nozzle
(thats what we called it. Like a disco ball but instead of light its a stream of water pressure)
Plan was to just break up as much as possible to get it as clean as possible so a crappy job wasnt worse when i got in there.
Ended up pressure washing whatever was on the sensors right off and now they work 100%
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Old 12-27-2021, 11:36 AM   #19
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toilet burps, time to dump black tank
feet get wet in shower, time to dump grey tank
sink not draining, time to dump galley tank
washing machine running, leave grey open
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Old 12-27-2021, 11:47 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by team bradfield View Post
toilet burps, time to dump black tank
feet get wet in shower, time to dump grey tank
sink not draining, time to dump galley tank
washing machine running, leave grey open
This is most of all you need to know about how full your tanks are. The other is when you don't get water out of the faucet and the pump is running, its time to add water to the fresh water tank.
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