Gray water tank sensors.

[rankjo]

On our longstay lot I manage to keep our black tank sensors working adequately enough by flushing every few dumps. I really only need the top sensor to actually work, after all. Any of the others working is a bonus.
But last week, in error, I let the gray water tank overfill I think----because we began to have a graywater smell during a shower and the blackwater and greywater tanks were both showing full and when I dumped, the greywater sensors all reamained lit.  A week of hoping that they would somehow dry out again has not worked.

So haveing been on this lot for 3 months with two more to go, I was reluctant to take her on the road and roll her about. Too much work to get everything stowed safely, never mind the hookups and the awnings and whatever.
But I did try filling up the graywater tank with freshwater and dish soap, and then using the jacks creatively to rock from side to side. The top sensor did clear for a while, but I see the light has gone on again (all the others stayed on).

So is there a way to clear this top graywater sensor without going on the road? I should say that this is a 2000 Winne Adventurer 37G and that I have as yet to figure out where the sensors actually are.
Why don't they put a flush port in for the gray tank?
Thanks Rankjo

 

[Ron]

Add some Roebic K67 to both the gray water and black water tanks.  Roebic products can be purchased at most hardware store in the pluming section.  Just follow directions as to amount to add.  Then let tank fill before dumping again.  Should clean it right up for you.

 

[mayfair]

Add some Roebic K67

What is that stuff and how does it work?

 

[rankjo]

Thank you Ron for that advice. I'll give it a try.

A secondary question is how one knows when the tank is full. I'm assuming it will back up into the shower??  In my Allegro it was easy to go out and percuss the tanks, but this Winne is much harder to get at.

Rankjo

 

[scottydl]

A secondary question is how one knows when the tank is full. I'm assuming it will back up into the shower??  In my Allegro it was easy to go out and percuss the tanks, but this Winne is much harder to get at.

Pay attention to how many showers it takes to overflow the tanks (let's say its 5).  They will add up a lot quicker than any other water usage.  If the magic number is 5, keep a little tally board somewhere inside and find a place to dump after every 4 showers. 

 

[rankjo]

Ron, thank you for your advice.
I went on the Roebic site (www.roebic.com), and note that there is a "Marine and RV Graywater Tank Treatment" as well as the "Roebic K-67", (which I have already purchased).  The K-67 does not have any instructions on it which apply to RV tanks, but this is not rocket science and the principle is straightforward. Mix up the stuff and put it in contact with what you want to clean, and the anaerobic bacilli will do the rest in around 6 hours.
Did you mean the K-67 or the specific RV product?

Thanks again, Rankjo.

 

[Carl L]

What is that stuff and how does it work?

As the subsequent messages imply, Robeck 67 is bacterial spores.   Put it in a drain pipe or tank, and the bacteria activate and start munching on the crud available to them.   Of all the drain cleaners it is the safest and least injurious to the environment.

 

[Ron]

K-67 is what I was refering to.  Mix 2 or 3 capfulls in with some warm, not hot, water stir and add to your tanks.  Let it set for a cou[ple days or longer then dump tanks.

 

[mayfair]

Stupid question, but do the tanks have to be full or above the sensors in order for that stuff to work?

 

[scottydl]

Stupid question, but do the tanks have to be full or above the sensors in order for that stuff to work?

The bacteria can only clean what it can touch, so the tank level ought to at least be above the highest problem area.

 

[rankjo]

Actually, bacteria can reproduce and expand their colonisation area, and in a humid environment like an RV tank, if left undisturbed for a while I imagine they would colonise the whole tank. Rankjo

 

[Ron]

Stupid question, but do the tanks have to be full or above the sensors in order for that stuff to work?

Yep.  If you are parked and not using the rig you can fill the tanks till you know they are full using visual inspection of the stool and shower .

 

[mayfair]

Thanks for the reply Ron. I guess it wasn't as stupid as I thought. I was assuming that the tanks didn't need to be filled. Now I'm glad I asked.