Winnebago Tank Level Sensors

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billnapoleon

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Jan 7, 2013
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I have a new 2013 Vista with the non contact tank level sensors. They worked fine for the first two months now after a cross country trip over some bad roads both the black and gray water sensors are always 2/3 or full. Tanks are clean, flushed and treated with tank cleaner. Does anyone know the website for the sensor manufacturer or how to test and troubleshoot these.
Campingworld service had no clue told me to use sensor cleaner.
 
The vendor is Ventline and I'm fairly certain it is a custom production for Winnebago.  Your display is probably like the one I removed from service (I installed the Garnet SeeLevel tank monitoring system.) Pull the circuit board from the panel and look on the component side of the board in the lower right corner, there's a potentiometer ("pot") to adjust for sensor sensitivity.

Note the pot position and reduce the sensitivity to see if that helps, however, chances are good that you have a scum on the insides of the tanks that's triggering the sensors.

You are going to have nothing but grief with the Ventline tank monitoring system over the life of your ownership - my standard answer is to cut your losses early and install a Garnet SeeLevel system.
 
Hi Bill,
We have a 2007 Winnebago; it uses the True Level tank monitor system.  The outside pads that attach to the tank are Mirus detector cells.  Mirus detector cells use a micro electrical field to detect liquid level.

The installation process says to keep all metal wiring or harnesses 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch away from the Mirus pads or it causes interference.  Perhaps the bouncing around caused a wire to move near one of the cells.  Its probably a long shot but worth mentioning.

We purchased our MH used and the tanks were a bit flaky at first; reading 1/3 or 2/3 full when empty.  We do not empty at the campground, but drive to the next campground so the stuff in the tank has time to slosh around and breakdown.  After a few trips our tanks now read correctly. 

With the Mirus detector cells I don't believe we have an adjustment on the Red circuit board.  I made the following measurements on our unit.

With the Systems monitor panel removed the test results at large white connector was as follows:
Ground - Pin 3 (white wire): Neg battery terminal connection
Fresh Water - Pin 4 (red wire): Empty = 4.94 volts, 1/3 = 4.81 volts, 2/3 = 4.69 volts
Black Water - Pin 5 (brown wire): Empty = 4.94 volts
Grey Water - Pin 6 (grey wire): Empty = 4.94 volts, 1/3 = 4.80 volts

If you get these readings at Pins 4, 5, and 6 then it appears that the Mirus Detector Cells and the ground are in good condition and the red circuit board is putting out the correct voltage to the cells.

You can also get these readings if there is stuff coating the inside of the tank. 

Our previous motorhome had a tank flush system but it never seemed to clean all surfaces of the tank and we could still get false readings from time to time. 


 
Part way thruthis years trip the grey tank started to stay at 2/3 and the full but never read lower when emptied. I did the calgon dish washer thing a few times and the guage would start out at 1/3 .. Did the flush several more times and finally quit after no results...
 
We had better results with the Winnebago tank level monitoring system than you but I finally had enough and dumped it for the Garnet SeeLevel.  I have zero financial interest in Garnet and no other reason to promote it except that their stuff works magnitudes better than the Winnie tank monitor.
 
My grey water level indicators also got stuck on 2/3. I could not find any way on the circuit board to adjust the sensitivity so I  pulled the sensor pads off the tank and re-applied them with thicker double stick mounting tape. Crude, but effective since they have returned to proper operation. YMMV
 
Rolin said:
Hi Bill,
We have a 2007 Winnebago; it uses the True Level tank monitor system.  The outside pads that attach to the tank are Mirus detector cells.  Mirus detector cells use a micro electrical field to detect liquid level.

The installation process says to keep all metal wiring or harnesses 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch away from the Mirus pads or it causes interference.  Perhaps the bouncing around caused a wire to move near one of the cells.  Its probably a long shot but worth mentioning.

We purchased our MH used and the tanks were a bit flaky at first; reading 1/3 or 2/3 full when empty.  We do not empty at the campground, but drive to the next campground so the stuff in the tank has time to slosh around and breakdown.  After a few trips our tanks now read correctly. 

With the Mirus detector cells I don't believe we have an adjustment on the Red circuit board.  I made the following measurements on our unit.

With the Systems monitor panel removed the test results at large white connector was as follows:
Ground - Pin 3 (white wire): Neg battery terminal connection
Fresh Water - Pin 4 (red wire): Empty = 4.94 volts, 1/3 = 4.81 volts, 2/3 = 4.69 volts
Black Water - Pin 5 (brown wire): Empty = 4.94 volts
Grey Water - Pin 6 (grey wire): Empty = 4.94 volts, 1/3 = 4.80 volts

If you get these readings at Pins 4, 5, and 6 then it appears that the Mirus Detector Cells and the ground are in good condition and the red circuit board is putting out the correct voltage to the cells.

You can also get these readings if there is stuff coating the inside of the tank. 

Our previous motorhome had a tank flush system but it never seemed to clean all surfaces of the tank and we could still get false readings from time to time.

I know this is an old post, but thought I'd give it a shot.  Rolin, your plst with the readings was very helpful.  Are you still familiar with this system? I took some readings on ours.  I'll give the detail if this thread proves to still be alive. I went under our Outlook and put my hands on the sensors while Wifey looked at the monitoring panel.  The black water sensor reads 5.05V while empty. If I put my hnds on the sensors I can get
Empty light = Lit
1/3 light = Lit
2/3 light = OFF
Full light = Lit.

Where is the ground attachment for these things?
 
Welcome to the forum. The True Level tank monitor system is - uh - problematic to put it kindly. Also only having resolution in thirds isn't very useful, better than nothing but that's about it (when it works.) In my signature follow the link to my Horizon Projects, one of my upgrades was installing to the SeeLevel tank monitor. A significant upgrade and much more dependable.
 
I made a wand for flushing out the holding tank. I made one from 1/2 " PVC water pipe. Drilled a hole through the side of the pipe (pipe cap actually) so water would spray horizontally across the tank. It takes me 45 minutes of spraying to rinse the holding tank. My wife sometimes helps by watching the tank level indicator lights tells me when they lights flicker. Then I know when the sensors are receiving full force of the water. Eventually I get the level indicator to read empty!!!
This will only last until the toilet is used again and the the false readings are back. I have learned to just live with it.
I still use the wand frequently to avoid sludge buildup inside the tank.
 
Ooh! I love old posts!! I’m on my just retired trip, in Bullhead city.. I’m having the tank sensor problem, grey water reads 2/3 full at empty. The black 1/3 full at empty. I have considered having the tanks pressure washed out, there’s a guy here that does it. There is no guarantee that it will solve the problem and it’s a couple of hundred to do it.. I was wondering if I can access the tank sensors on the side of the tank, without a major dismantle? From looking at the plumbing diagram , it looks like they’re located on the driver’s side outboard edge..any help will be appreciated, thanks!
 

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