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Old 03-03-2017, 08:39 PM   #1
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Horst probes

Are Horst probes worth it should I get them?
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Old 03-03-2017, 08:44 PM   #2
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Are Horst probes worth it should I get them?
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?
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Old 03-03-2017, 11:38 PM   #3
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Are Horst probes worth it should I get them?
"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.
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Old 03-04-2017, 12:02 AM   #4
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A better question is, "are they more accurate". The answer is yes.
And, then the question is, "are they worth it"?
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Old 03-04-2017, 12:43 AM   #5
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Are Horst probes worth it should I get them?
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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Old 03-04-2017, 03:01 AM   #6
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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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Old 03-04-2017, 04:15 AM   #7
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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.
I opted for them in my 5.0TA and the added cost WAS worth it, for me anyway.
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Old 03-04-2017, 06:00 AM   #8
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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.
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Old 03-04-2017, 08:39 AM   #9
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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.
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Old 03-04-2017, 08:40 AM   #10
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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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Old 03-04-2017, 09:12 AM   #11
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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.
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Old 03-04-2017, 09:20 AM   #12
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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?
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.
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Old 03-04-2017, 09:34 AM   #13
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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.
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Old 03-04-2017, 10:14 AM   #14
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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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Old 03-04-2017, 11:14 AM   #15
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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!
The Horst probes have a "roof" plus also a teflon coating.

info here

Horst Mircacle Probes - Get accurate reading on your RV's holding tanks
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Old 03-04-2017, 11:47 AM   #16
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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".
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Old 03-04-2017, 12:06 PM   #17
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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.
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Old 03-04-2017, 12:57 PM   #18
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... 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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Old 03-04-2017, 02:37 PM   #19
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Is it really just crude/buildup on the standard probes that make them inaccurate eventually?
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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Old 03-04-2017, 02:39 PM   #20
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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.

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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.
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