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03-03-2017, 08:39 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Olympia wa, Washington
Trailer: 5.0TA 2017
Posts: 2,255
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Horst probes
Are Horst probes worth it should I get them?
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03-03-2017, 08:44 PM
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#2
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Site Team
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2014 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 11,023
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fox hunt
Are Horst probes worth it should I get them?
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Donno. I've never used any of the standard tank monitors in Ten Forward. I forget I have them! Camped in the Scamp for more than a dozen years, it doesn't have any monitors, and I did just fine. So.. worth it? For me, it would be an expense I'd still forget to use.
Isn't the build sheet fun?
__________________
Donna D.
Ten Forward
2014 Escape 5.0TA
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03-03-2017, 11:38 PM
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#3
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canyon Lake, Texas
Trailer: 2015 19 "Past Tents", 2021 F150 Lariat 2.7L EB
Posts: 10,222
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fox hunt
Are Horst probes worth it should I get them?
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"Worth it" is hard to judge here. Different people have different needs and priorities.
A better question is, "are they more accurate". The answer is yes.
__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
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03-04-2017, 12:02 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rbryan4
A better question is, "are they more accurate". The answer is yes.
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And, then the question is, "are they worth it"?
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
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03-04-2017, 12:43 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: O town, British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21 "Lightning"
Posts: 1,467
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fox hunt
Are Horst probes worth it should I get them?
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Arguably they become more worth it if one has the under insulation installed.
Like others have said, you get to know your usage/dumping pattern.
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03-04-2017, 03:01 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Olympia wa, Washington
Trailer: 5.0TA 2017
Posts: 2,255
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I'm not sure I follow about the under insulation. I kind of know when the grey tank is full and I can see if the black tank is high I also use my indicators but they are not terribly accurate. I guess I was asking the people who got them are they worth it to you.
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03-04-2017, 04:15 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Tampa Bay Area, Florida
Trailer: 2015 Escape 5.0TA (Little Elsie) Extensively Personalized
Posts: 2,960
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fox hunt
I'm not sure I follow about the under insulation. I kind of know when the grey tank is full and I can see if the black tank is high I also use my indicators but they are not terribly accurate. I guess I was asking the people who got them are they worth it to you.
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I opted for them in my 5.0TA and the added cost WAS worth it, for me anyway.
__________________
What a long strange trip it’s been!
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03-04-2017, 06:00 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Southwick, Massachusetts
Trailer: None, sold my 2014 5.0TA
Posts: 7,124
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The Horst probes are worth the cost if you want to be able to count on the monitor. If you're good without a useful monitor, at least for the black and gray tanks, then skip them.
__________________
Happy Motoring
Bob
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03-04-2017, 08:39 AM
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#9
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canyon Lake, Texas
Trailer: 2015 19 "Past Tents", 2021 F150 Lariat 2.7L EB
Posts: 10,222
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I agree with Bob. If you want the tank level monitor to be accurate every time, they're worth it. If not, spend your money elsewhere.
__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
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03-04-2017, 08:40 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Westcliffe, Colorado
Trailer: 2010 EggCamper (#083); 2017 Escape 21 (#053); 2016 F-150 5.0L FX4
Posts: 1,765
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The implication in several of the above posts is that the standard probes installed by ETI are inaccurate and therefore not reliable. So what is the problem with the standard probes? I know there was a previous thread that talked around this same issue, but it still wasn't clear in my mind what the problem is with the standard probes that the Horst probes solve. Just curious to hear from those who have had real world experience with both types. For what it's worth, the probes for the black water tank on the new 21' are located under the bed and easily accessible (if you're a bit of a contortionist, anyway) through the driver-side front hatch, so no problem with the underneath spray insulation for them, anyway.
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03-04-2017, 09:12 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 2013 19' & 2013 15B
Posts: 2,634
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Our stock probes work fine and have been accurate to date. For us Horst probes would have been a complete waste of good beer money.
__________________
2013 19' \ 2013 15B, 2020 Toyota 4Runner TRD Offroad
"It is better to remain silent at the risk of being thought a fool, than to talk and remove all doubt of it." - 1907, Maurice Switzer
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03-04-2017, 09:20 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Galesville, Wisconsin
Trailer: 2017 21 "Blue II" & 2017 Highlander XLE (previously 2010 17B "Blue" & 2008 Tacoma)
Posts: 4,232
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Quote:
Originally Posted by War Eagle
The implication in several of the above posts is that the standard probes installed by ETI are inaccurate and therefore not reliable. So what is the problem with the standard probes?
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My experience with the standard probes was that they were only reliable in the fresh water tank. Now matter how clean we got the grey and black tanks before a trip, as soon as we started using them the gauge became unreliable. With the black, the first flush with any toilet paper would cause it to show a random level. I assume that toilet paper gets stuck on the standard probe. The Horst probes have a shielded probe that I believe is designed to prevent this occurrence. We are getting the Horst on our 21, so will see if they are worth the extra cost. Someone posted that they are going to be standard in the future.
__________________
Eric (and Mary who is in no way responsible for anything stupid I post)
"Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance." George Bernard Shaw
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03-04-2017, 09:34 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,532
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In our 19 the tank level readouts quit working properly after just a couple trips all the time. Sure I could take the time to spray clean them and they would work again for a couple trips. I ended up going without proper tank readings most of the time, being too lazy to want to clean the probes that often. I went with the Horst probes this time to eliminate the need for cleaning so often.
I did not need them, but felt they were worth it this time around.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
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03-04-2017, 10:14 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Burlington Twp., New Jersey
Trailer: 2010 Escape 19
Posts: 7,123
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Is it really just crude/buildup on the standard probes that make them inaccurate eventually? Has anyone used this additive with success? Looks like pretty neat stuff.
Welcome to TankTechs where we solve holding tank problems, GUARANTEED!
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03-04-2017, 11:47 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: St. Paul, Minnesota
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21 -- The Skylark. Towed by a 2014 Highlander
Posts: 1,159
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In the Lark, (now Fox Hunt's trailer) we had the normal probes. Every now and then they would give false readings for the gray or black tank. So I would use "The Wand" , put some dish detergent down the tanks, fill them with hot water and then they would give an accurate reading again.
We got the Horst probes for the Skylark, which we have now had for 2.5 years, and so far we have always had accurate readings.
I am in the "if I have a guage/indicator lights, I would like it to be accurate" camp. There are lots of ways to tell how full the tanks are, but I prefer just hitting the little switch and knowing.
If I had known about them and if ETI was willing I would probably have sprung for the SeeLevel Tank Monitoring System. But then a psychiatrist would probably have something to say about a guy who is so into guages that he wants to know if his black tank is 78% full, rather than just "at least 3/4 full".
__________________
Camping: Where you spend a small fortune to live like a homeless person.
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03-04-2017, 12:06 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Jeromesville, Ohio
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21' pulled with 2014 Silverado Crewcab
Posts: 853
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On our 21' the fresh works fine, the gray pretty well, and the black is not good. The gray is covered with foam so I can't can't change. The black you can tell every time you flush the pot. So no reason to change.
__________________
Carl,
"Isn't it amazing how much stuff we get done the day before vacation?"
Zig Ziglar
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03-04-2017, 12:57 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Galesville, Wisconsin
Trailer: 2017 21 "Blue II" & 2017 Highlander XLE (previously 2010 17B "Blue" & 2008 Tacoma)
Posts: 4,232
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LeonW
... But then a psychiatrist would probably have something to say about a guy who is so into guages that he wants to know if his black tank is 78% full, rather than just "at least 3/4 full".
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__________________
Eric (and Mary who is in no way responsible for anything stupid I post)
"Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance." George Bernard Shaw
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03-04-2017, 02:37 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rubicon327
Is it really just crude/buildup on the standard probes that make them inaccurate eventually?
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Yes. This is not a proportional level measurement system - each level is just on or off dependent on the conductivity at the probe. A clogged probe means insufficient conductivity even though the water (and other stuff) is up to that level, and the reading is way off.
Most probe systems - including the one used by Escape - combine the probes in a network of resistors so only one pair of wires is needed back to the monitor. That means that one clogged probe doesn't just mean that level is missed - it can also mess up higher levels.
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03-04-2017, 02:39 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: West Coast, Florida
Trailer: None now
Posts: 1,266
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Our previous trailers often had inaccurate grey and black water sensors when we would buy them. ( this will be our first new one !! ) We use the GEO method and got them working. We also use it instead of the tank chemicals and never had the problem again. We use Rain Drops water softener powder and Amway limited phosphate laundry detergent powder ( finally found a use for it !!) We never added beach like some sites say to do. We make ziplock bags up of 1 cup of each and dump them in the tanks the first time with a few gallons of water and drive around so it sloshes. Then for the next tank or so add it and then maybe every 4th dump or as needed. That said we ordered the Horst probes to lower at least one part of our maintenance.
Quote:
Originally Posted by skiman
On our 21' the fresh works fine, the gray pretty well, and the black is not good. The gray is covered with foam so I can't can't change. The black you can tell every time you flush the pot. So no reason to change.
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