Holding tanks

[tk0613]

I have tried everything I could think of. I have attached photos. Does anyone know of how to correct this. System says black tank full. However it is empty. System says galley empty (no issue) system says gray tank half full.( it’s empty) last one is fresh tank (no issues). Why is the system saying the tank is full when it’s empty. Is there anything you can recommend to maybe help clean the inside of the tanks. Thank you

 

[JohnGB]

Hi,

You describe a classic RV issue with the in-tank probe systems and how the camper owners have kept their tanks clean "enough". Let's talk about the black tank first. There are metal probes on the side of the black tank that stick inside the tank and touch the liquids, etc. You can see these probes under the camper, as small wires are attached. As crud and paper build up over time on the side walls of the tank, the crud and paper create a path for the tiny electric signal to get connected, tricking the system. It does it off by itself, so the signal is still made when the tank drains, and it will register whichever probe was covered. The black tank is the worst offender of this issue.

The gray tank has the same problem, but the curd comes from long-term use of soap buildup. Yes, the gray tank can get very nasty from scum inside.

You inherited this issue from a prior owner. It takes time for this to happen, and it happens quicker depending on how fussy or not the owner is about keeping their tanks flushed clean after each dumping.

So that is how the problem is created. Now, what do you do about it?

1. Some folks ignore the black and gray as they know the problem. Everyone looks at this differently.

2. You can use a tank cleaner product to eliminate the crud in each tank. You fill the tank full of water with the cleaner and wait; overnight or longer is at least required. This is not a fast process. I have used the Happy Camper Extreme Tank cleaner product, and it works for my friend's camper I used it on. HAPPY CAMPERS RV Holding Tank Treatment. It is sold directly from them and elsewhere; Amazon may also have it. There are other cleaners also, Tank Techs being one of them, Just Science | Innovations that help, not harm

I would not suggest using the acids, like Drano or other drain cleaners; this is a different issue. You want to use the methods of digesting enzymes/bacteria.

As stop-gap measures, you can see the black tank inside the camper, turn the water pump or city water off, use a flashlight, push the foot pedal down, and look down the hole to see how full the tank is.

You can't see the gray tank, but it will back up into the shower basin when full and not drain on most floor plans, as the shower is the lowest point. There is an exception: the T264SR and possibly the T260SR may back up into the kitchen kink in place of the shower. The pipe routing is different on that floor plan, especially regarding how the roof tank vents into the drain piping.

I can type some more later, out of time right now, about how to prevent the issue from happening in the future once you get the tanks cleaned out. It is all about how you flush the tank and what you consider "good enough".

Hope this helps

John

 

[Chris Boyd-SUN]

Hi,

You describe a classic RV issue with the in-tank probe systems and how the camper owners have kept their tanks clean "enough". Let's talk about the black tank first. There are metal probes on the side of the black tank that stick inside the tank and touch the liquids, etc. You can see these probes under the camper, as small wires are attached. As crud and paper build up over time on the side walls of the tank, the crud and paper create a path for the tiny electric signal to get connected, tricking the system. It does it off by itself, so the signal is still made when the tank drains, and it will register whichever probe was covered. The black tank is the worst offender of this issue.

The gray tank has the same problem, but the curd comes from long-term use of soap buildup. Yes, the gray tank can get very nasty from scum inside.

You inherited this issue from a prior owner. It takes time for this to happen, and it happens quicker depending on how fussy or not the owner is about keeping their tanks flushed clean after each dumping.

So that is how the problem is created. Now, what do you do about it?

1. Some folks ignore the black and gray as they know the problem. Everyone looks at this differently.

2. You can use a tank cleaner product to eliminate the crud in each tank. You fill the tank full of water with the cleaner and wait; overnight or longer is at least required. This is not a fast process. I have used the Happy Camper Extreme Tank cleaner product, and it works for my friend's camper I used it on. HAPPY CAMPERS RV Holding Tank Treatment. It is sold directly from them and elsewhere; Amazon may also have it. There are other cleaners also, Tank Techs being one of them, Just Science | Innovations that help, not harm

I would not suggest using the acids, like Drano or other drain cleaners; this is a different issue. You want to use the methods of digesting enzymes/bacteria.

As stop-gap measures, you can see the black tank inside the camper, turn the water pump or city water off, use a flashlight, push the foot pedal down, and look down the hole to see how full the tank is.

You can't see the gray tank, but it will back up into the shower basin when full and not drain on most floor plans, as the shower is the lowest point. There is an exception: the T264SR and possibly the T260SR may back up into the kitchen kink in place of the shower. The pipe routing is different on that floor plan, especially regarding how the roof tank vents into the drain piping.

I can type some more later, out of time right now, about how to prevent the issue from happening in the future once you get the tanks cleaned out. It is all about how you flush the tank and what you consider "good enough".

Hope this helps

John

I amd re-conditioning my 1989 T-170. The previous owners didn't use tha water or sewer systems as they only went to campgrounds with hookups and bathrooms. I've fixed two leaks in the piping between the grey and black tank. Would it be a good idea to add some Happy Camper (it IS on Amazon) to the empty tanks with a couple of gallons of water before our first trip for Memorial Day? I'm thinking it will spash around on the two hour drive and looosen up any residue inside before we use it. Does that sound resonable?

 

[JohnGB]

I amd re-conditioning my 1989 T-170. The previous owners didn't use tha water or sewer systems as they only went to campgrounds with hookups and bathrooms. I've fixed two leaks in the piping between the grey and black tank. Would it be a good idea to add some Happy Camper (it IS on Amazon) to the empty tanks with a couple of gallons of water before our first trip for Memorial Day? I'm thinking it will spash around on the two hour drive and looosen up any residue inside before we use it. Does that sound resonable?

Hi Chris,

The Happy Camper Extreme cleaner I mentioned in the above reply is a tank cleaner for heavy buildup. The cleaning process takes time—ideally, 24 hours or more. The product promotes the microbial breakdown of organic matter. Fill the tank partway with water, then add a premixed water/Extreme Cleaner solution from a 5-gallon bucket. Pour this mixture down the toilet, top off the tank with water, and wait the specified period to allow the solution to digest the organic matter. it speeds up the natural breakdown of waste.

They also sell Happy Camper tank treatment. This is not as strong and different as the Extreme cleaner, and it is used as a tank treatment to reduce odors while camping. And it worked well for that. I have been using it for the last 20 years. And it allows me to dump into my septic system if I need to clean up at home and not mess up the microbial balance in the septic system.

The point is that buying the Extreme cleaner and driving around with it will likely not help if you happen to have a lot of solids dried up on an old tank.

Now that we know your tanks have not been used in a long time, I can suggest some additional measures to help the cause for your first camping trip. You stated that you fixed a few leaks in the piping; that's good. If you find that the leaks return or bleed through your repair, please return to us, as there are ways we can demonstrate that we have effectively solved the problem. Just start a new post, and we can get into it.

Here are a few tips that may help.

The tank dump valves have seals inside them, and they can occasionally leak due to several causes. And the leaks can worsen when the tanks are full, as the pressure against the blade valve and seals is slightly higher on a full tank than on a partial tank.

Paper sometimes gets jammed in the seals if a prior owner closed the valve with paper in the way. This can happen if they do not use a clear plastic fitting in the dump hose line, allowing them to see that the water is running clear after flushing before they close the valve. Or, they really do not flush each time and the build gets bad, increasing the odds for jammed paper in the seals.

The seals themselves crack over time. It takes years for this to happen, but on a 35-year-old camper, you may not know if the seals were ever replaced. I'm not sure what brand of valves is on yours, but they sell new seal kits and drop-in replacement valve bodies and seals, so you also get a new blade.

If it comes to it, you have a hard time pushing or pulling the blade valve in or out. This can be helped by spraying liquid silicone from a spray can onto the valve blade and then working the valve handles back and forth. The dry seals cause them to deteriorate more quickly, and it feels like you'll pull the handle off trying to move the valve. I perform this spray treatment once a year in the spring to keep my valves functioning smoothly.

The key point here is to fill your tanks and test the blade valves for leaks before the first campout. Finding the leak issue at home before you go to camp is a lot easier to deal with than at the campground.

I hope this helps,

John

 

[Chris Boyd-SUN]

Hi Chris,

The Happy Camper Extreme cleaner I mentioned in the above reply is a tank cleaner for heavy buildup. The cleaning process takes time—ideally, 24 hours or more. The product promotes the microbial breakdown of organic matter. Fill the tank partway with water, then add a premixed water/Extreme Cleaner solution from a 5-gallon bucket. Pour this mixture down the toilet, top off the tank with water, and wait the specified period to allow the solution to digest the organic matter. it speeds up the natural breakdown of waste.

They also sell Happy Camper tank treatment. This is not as strong and different as the Extreme cleaner, and it is used as a tank treatment to reduce odors while camping. And it worked well for that. I have been using it for the last 20 years. And it allows me to dump into my septic system if I need to clean up at home and not mess up the microbial balance in the septic system.

The point is that buying the Extreme cleaner and driving around with it will likely not help if you happen to have a lot of solids dried up on an old tank.

Now that we know your tanks have not been used in a long time, I can suggest some additional measures to help the cause for your first camping trip. You stated that you fixed a few leaks in the piping; that's good. If you find that the leaks return or bleed through your repair, please return to us, as there are ways we can demonstrate that we have effectively solved the problem. Just start a new post, and we can get into it.

Here are a few tips that may help.

The tank dump valves have seals inside them, and they can occasionally leak due to several causes. And the leaks can worsen when the tanks are full, as the pressure against the blade valve and seals is slightly higher on a full tank than on a partial tank.

Paper sometimes gets jammed in the seals if a prior owner closed the valve with paper in the way. This can happen if they do not use a clear plastic fitting in the dump hose line, allowing them to see that the water is running clear after flushing before they close the valve. Or, they really do not flush each time and the build gets bad, increasing the odds for jammed paper in the seals.

The seals themselves crack over time. It takes years for this to happen, but on a 35-year-old camper, you may not know if the seals were ever replaced. I'm not sure what brand of valves is on yours, but they sell new seal kits and drop-in replacement valve bodies and seals, so you also get a new blade.

If it comes to it, you have a hard time pushing or pulling the blade valve in or out. This can be helped by spraying liquid silicone from a spray can onto the valve blade and then working the valve handles back and forth. The dry seals cause them to deteriorate more quickly, and it feels like you'll pull the handle off trying to move the valve. I perform this spray treatment once a year in the spring to keep my valves functioning smoothly.

The key point here is to fill your tanks and test the blade valves for leaks before the first campout. Finding the leak issue at home before you go to camp is a lot easier to deal with than at the campground.

I hope this helps,

John

Will do. I haven't tried filling the tanks and checking for leaks. I saw the leaks in the connector pipe when I had the camper jacked up at an angle doing wheel bearing maintenance. Thanks!

 

[tk0613]

Hi,

You describe a classic RV issue with the in-tank probe systems and how the camper owners have kept their tanks clean "enough". Let's talk about the black tank first. There are metal probes on the side of the black tank that stick inside the tank and touch the liquids, etc. You can see these probes under the camper, as small wires are attached. As crud and paper build up over time on the side walls of the tank, the crud and paper create a path for the tiny electric signal to get connected, tricking the system. It does it off by itself, so the signal is still made when the tank drains, and it will register whichever probe was covered. The black tank is the worst offender of this issue.

The gray tank has the same problem, but the curd comes from long-term use of soap buildup. Yes, the gray tank can get very nasty from scum inside.

You inherited this issue from a prior owner. It takes time for this to happen, and it happens quicker depending on how fussy or not the owner is about keeping their tanks flushed clean after each dumping.

So that is how the problem is created. Now, what do you do about it?

1. Some folks ignore the black and gray as they know the problem. Everyone looks at this differently.

2. You can use a tank cleaner product to eliminate the crud in each tank. You fill the tank full of water with the cleaner and wait; overnight or longer is at least required. This is not a fast process. I have used the Happy Camper Extreme Tank cleaner product, and it works for my friend's camper I used it on. HAPPY CAMPERS RV Holding Tank Treatment. It is sold directly from them and elsewhere; Amazon may also have it. There are other cleaners also, Tank Techs being one of them, Just Science | Innovations that help, not harm

I would not suggest using the acids, like Drano or other drain cleaners; this is a different issue. You want to use the methods of digesting enzymes/bacteria.

As stop-gap measures, you can see the black tank inside the camper, turn the water pump or city water off, use a flashlight, push the foot pedal down, and look down the hole to see how full the tank is.

You can't see the gray tank, but it will back up into the shower basin when full and not drain on most floor plans, as the shower is the lowest point. There is an exception: the T264SR and possibly the T260SR may back up into the kitchen kink in place of the shower. The pipe routing is different on that floor plan, especially regarding how the roof tank vents into the drain piping.

I can type some more later, out of time right now, about how to prevent the issue from happening in the future once you get the tanks cleaned out. It is all about how you flush the tank and what you consider "good enough".

Hope this helps

John

Thanks John, my next question may be a long answer. How to I properly clean and flush the tank?