Tank/Battery Monitor

[Gasdoc]

2019 Escape 21. The tank and battery level indicators have not worked since we picked up our trailer. I get an empty reading no matter what the actual level of fluid in any of the tanks is and the battery (fully charged ) also reads "empty". Since we have not been able to return to Chilliwack for repair, escape has tried to help remotely. They sent me a resistor to attach to waste water (black) tank. That didn't help. Next they sent an entirely new panel. I wired that in with the same result... when buttons are pushed all give an empty reading. Escape is out of options other than physically seeing the trailer. I know these level indicators often don't perform well and give unreliable readings, but mine doesn't give any readings at all. I wondered if any one else has experienced this problem. Any comments or suggestions?

[MVA]

I have a hunch that the wiring from the battery to the KIB panel may be the issue though since all level sensors and the battery indicator are faulty, and you have replaced the panel. Could be two bad panels, but unlikely. As a check, I would run a test wire from the 12 VDC battery directly to the KIB panel and see if you continue to have problems. If the problem is not resolved, I would measure the resistance from the individual tanks at the panel wiring. The level sensors operate on a basic voltage divider circuit:
https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...es-131266.html

I would measure the resistance of the level tank wires to ground at the panel (after disconnecting the wires from the panel) as the tanks fill. That will separate whether the problem is at the panel or in the wiring, resistor pack or sensors.

2 cents

[BILLB]

Are the empty readings each indicated by a single red light or are you getting no lights at all?
As I understand the system, the wiring harness and resistor that Escape sent would only affect the tank it was installed on. I don’t believe it could be the reason nothing else works.

[Gasdoc]

Originally Posted by BILLB

Are the empty readings each indicated by a single red light or are you getting no lights at all?
As I understand the system, the wiring harness and resistor that Escape sent would only affect the tank it was installed on. I don’t believe it could be the reason nothing else works.

Thanks for the replies. The panel has power to the water pump and the water heater switch, both of which work, and the empty light on the panel comes on so power is getting to the panel. Escape told me to put a ground across the level sensors on the black tank, which should result in a level reading for each sensor but reading remained the same at empty. Curiously, the new panel escape sent had the pump and heater wiring reversed. I wonder if the harness of wires coming to the panel has been damaged somewhere. Either sensory message coming to the panel is not intact or the ground to the panel is faulty. Since both original and replacement panels are unlikely to be faulty, it must be somewhere in the wiring.

[MVA]

Originally Posted by Gasdoc

Thanks for the replies. The panel has power to the water pump and the water heater switch, both of which work, and the empty light on the panel comes on so power is getting to the panel. Escape told me to put a ground across the level sensors on the black tank, which should result in a level reading for each sensor but reading remained the same at empty. Curiously, the new panel escape sent had the pump and heater wiring reversed. I wonder if the harness of wires coming to the panel has been damaged somewhere. Either sensory message coming to the panel is not intact or the ground to the panel is faulty. Since both original and replacement panels are unlikely to be faulty, it must be somewhere in the wiring.

If you are concerned with the wiring being damaged, measure the resistance of the tank lead to ground. You should get high resistance (>1 M ohm) when empty, 118 k ohm at 1/3 full, 68 k ohm at 2/3 full, and low resistance at full.