Gray/black tank sensor cleaning agents?

[lynnmor]

What will also help keep your rig from smelling like black tank, when you are plugged in to sewer at your site, right before your sewer hose goes into their connection, put a slight bend in it so it keeps the "Back Flow Gasses" out and serves the same purpose as an "Elbow" in a sink which is a standard plumbing code. It Works!

Since you should always keep the valve shut, except when draining, there will be no back flow gasses.

 

[Bill N]

I seem to remember John Canfield making a post on this problem several years ago and IIRC he was installing some EXTERNAL sensors but the details of that escape me.  John are you reading this?
About the only thing I may try this season is to put the Dawn in the tank when empty and then run several cycles of the tank flusher which seems to put a heavy stream in the tank.  Hopefully that may provide enough agitation but I doubt it will make much difference after so many years of being covered with crud.  I am on the 'schedule dump' system as my black tank sensors have shown full since the day I bought the coach from the OP_

Bill

 

[Gizmo]

You can't expect to mistreat the tanks then dump some magic elixir in there to solve the problem.  Per above, the key is lots of water and repeated flushes when the situation permits.  Sometimes you have to dump and go but doing a rinse cycle or two when you can will get out a lot of extra crud. 

Also, I'm a believer in driving from place to place with the black and gray a quarter full, with a handful of borax and a squirt of Dawn in the black tank, and a glug of Zep citrus cleaner in the gray tank.  Dump when you get close to the stopping point and you have clean empty tanks ready to go.  It's not a magic bullet but as an ongoing process I think it's a valid method.  Just doesn't make sense to deal with chemicals and smells all the time when water can take care of it.

Found a youtube video that describes this very process, so no point in restating everything:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUWGlm2gQfE

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

Excellent video thanks for sharing.  Yes it is absolutely correct you need to flush with lots of water.  We have been using a composting toilet full time for a year and a half and will never go back, so much easier, no nasty smells and environmentally friendly since there is no water involved.  The components he described  in the video are relevant to us for our gray tanks.

 

[kdbgoat]

The level gauges John installed were probably Garnett See-Level gauges:

https://www.garnetinstruments.com/rv-shop/

 

[Larry N.]

I've had the See Levels for a couple of years now, and they're great.

 

[msw3113]

If you installed the See Level system yourself, was it difficult?

Amazon has the basic system at an attractive sale price.  https://www.amazon.com/LEVEL-709P31003-Tank-Monitoring-System/dp/B01N6B5ORH/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=see+level&qid=1552053136&s=gateway&sr=8-2 

 

[D-n-R]

Wow everyone thank you so much for all the info!!!!!  Gleaned a lot of info and ideas from the pro's yet one more time! Feel so dumb--had not thought of putting some water in and the tmt regimes described while we drive from place to place as we do no boondocking and always have full hookups.  So this was all so much help ESP. The trbowlin.com video.  Also his take on the sani wash and how to use it properly.  Am ever amazed at how little directional/instruction info is given when you pick up your RV from the manufacturers for later .  You think you will remember all the info with the walk thru but only some was retained by me anyway.  And the actual use and hints were non existent only the layout of the RV and the the gadgets!!!!

So forums like this-----PRICELESS!!!!!!!  Thanks so much yet one more time!!!!!!

 

[Gizmo100]

Am ever amazed at how little directional/instruction info is given when you pick up your RV from the manufacturers for later .  You think you will remember all the info with the walk thru but only some was retained by me anyway.  And the actual use and hints were non existent only the layout of the RV and the the gadgets!!!!

So forums like this-----PRICELESS!!!!!!!  Thanks so much yet one more time!!!!!!

The amount of misinformation that was given for use on a simple Travel Trailer was scary to say the least. I learn more on this site everyday.

 

[Larry N.]

If you installed the See Level system yourself, was it difficult?

Amazon has the basic system at an attractive sale price.  https://www.amazon.com/LEVEL-709P31003-Tank-Monitoring-System/dp/B01N6B5ORH/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=see+level&qid=1552053136&s=gateway&sr=8-2

I purchased it and had it done at an FMCA rally. I watched the guy do it, and he was done in around an hour or so, using the existing wiring for the original sensors to connect the new display in the coach (mounted where the old one was) with the new sensors, which are strips of circuit board mounted on the outside of the tank.

Of course he'd done a lot of them, and knew exactly where to go and what to do, while I'd have scratched my head and hunted around before finding all the places/pieces and likely would have taken a LOT longer.

When I bought them, he quoted an installed price, which was, perhaps, $300 or so (I've forgotten exactly).

 

[Frank B]

Depending on how a unit is made, sometimes one can just turn off the fresh water and use a flashlight to look down the toilet. Works fine if you have a straight drop into the tank as we do.

 

[ClassyC]

I saw a video demo on this and bookmarked it as an inexpensive prospect to help keep tanks clean.  I would appreciate feedback from anyone who has used one.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006IX7YC
There is a Camco video about it right on Amazon

 

[Back2PA]

I saw a video demo on this and bookmarked it as an inexpensive prospect to help keep tanks clean.  I would appreciate feedback from anyone who has used one.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006IX7YC
There is a Camco video about it right on Amazon

I just used mine for the first time. It did seem to dislodge some debris left behind even after multiple flushes with the built in flush system. It's impossible to tell where you are in the tank if you have a bend after the toilet, plus it's likely the orientation of the nozzle is such that the spray is not hitting the sides of the tank, thereby not cleaning the sensors. I would imagine it would work better for those with a straight shot into the tank

 

[jackiemac]

I saw a video demo on this and bookmarked it as an inexpensive prospect to help keep tanks clean.  I would appreciate feedback from anyone who has used one.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006IX7YC
There is a Camco video about it right on Amazon

If you used it vigilantly it might help but it's quite a weak flow. We have one but ended up with the power washer when we had soap scum in grey tanks.

 

[Back2PA]

If you used it vigilantly it might help but it's quite a weak flow. We have one but ended up with the power washer when we had soap scum in grey tanks.

I'm sure you're right. I should have clarified that I only used it on the black tank

 

[viceprice]

I have not been using our TT long enough to have any expertise in this area. I will offer that I use the hot water from the outside shower for the source of water for the black tank flush system.  Our TT came with a short self-coiling water hose that quick connects to the shower controls with the standard male garden hose end that connects to the flush connector. Seems to work well. I use a clear extender on the sewer hose at the tank outlet to monitor the material coming out of the tanks.

 

[D-n-R]

That trbowlin.com video mentioned via u-tube was very good both for the information and education but the actual amounts to use for cleaning and maintaining the grey and the black tanks was the best.  Thank you again for all who shared their 'finds' on the sensor cleaning and maintaining.  Great that there are many helpful and informative folk in the RV experience!!!!!!!!

 

[JudyJB]

Traveling "empty" can cause problems, especially in hot, dry climates, first because your tanks are never really empty and second, because what is left over in there could dry out and harden. Storing your RV when tanks are "empty" is even worse because they are much more likely to dry out over the weeks until your next trip.

A good policy after emptying your tanks and before driving is to put a gallon or two of water in each, but especially the black tank. Adding dish detergent or other cleaning agents at this time will help to slosh around the sides of the tanks and keep things liquid so stuff will drain better next time you dump.

Luckily, as a full-timer, my tanks are almost never empty!