False Reading Black Tanks

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by BCnomad

Thanks Glenn. Can Tire?

I got my last large container of Odorlos at Home Hardware in Osoyoos.

[Zengranny]

Just returned from 2 weeks yesterday. We have a septic system here at the house so we plan on dumping and cleaning with a wand really well. Yes we ordered the probes so will give them good sprays. Thx for the input.

[Zengranny]

On the Escape facebook page there's a similar discussion going on and a fellow posted that he throws his dishwater soap down the toilet and it helps keep the tank clean. Any thoughts?

[skyfree]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Your other trailers were probably SOB's (some other brand) which more than likely had the 3 tanks outside and accessible to a flush. Your Escape black tank is inside, operating a flush and installing one is inviting a disaster inside your unit.

Whether inside or outside really makes no difference, but in my Arctic Fox camper it was "inside". The process is to flush for a few minutes until the tank is reasonably full (monitor levels), then open the dump valve and flush until the water runs clear. Filling the tank until overflowing would always be a disaster!

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Jon V. added one on his 17 and documented it here. He used the Tornado sprayer. I don't think this would be difficult at all in a 19.

Wow, thanks. That's exactly what I would like to do. I might try that myself when I have some time. It would have been great if that was made a standard feature. I asked them why not when I put in my order and nobody could give me a reason why.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by skyfree

It would have been great if that was made a standard feature. I asked them why not when I put in my order and nobody could give me a reason why.

Everything that is made a standard feature raises the price of the base trailer. Many would rather not pay more for a trailer.

[skyfree]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Everything that is made a standard feature raises the price of the base trailer. Many would rather not pay more for a trailer.

Right, I get that but it was standard on my $13K el-cheapo trailer too. Make it an option and I'll pay a couple hundred for it and those that don't want it don't have to pay. I guarantee it would have an 80%+ take rate.

[Great Eggstrications]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

Easiest fix is just to put a spray wand down the toilet and aim it at the probes. They should be on the side of the tank towards the outer wall.

I asked this about a Classic 19:

"I want to use a spray attachment to clean the sensors in the black tank, but can’t seem to find their location. Please let me know where (e.g. front-center, driver’s side midpoint, etc) they are located so I’ll know where to aim the spray."

Per Reace:

"If you are standing in front of toilet, the sensors are on the right hand side of the toilet (aisle side)"

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

This is surprising because my understanding is that Horst probes are now standard on Escapes. They don't give false readings, at least mine don't. Perhaps yours is not equipped with them? Don't know.

I had the Horst probes installed in my trailer by Escape and found the probes gave false readings. After looking at the probes, I discovered why - they were installed upside down!

The Horst probes for the black tank have a teflon shield that is supposed to be installed with the shield up. Look at the attached pic - the flat on the end of the probe is supposed to be installed down which insures the probe shield is installed correctly.

On my trailer, the flats were up which put the shields down and stuff trapped in the shields making them fail. A quick look to insure the flats are down will tell you if yours are right.

[rbryan4]

Wow. Just wow. The installation instructions are very specific for the black tank Horst probes. And then there's common sense.

[tdf-texas]

I would guess that Rease has a handle on this by now - my trailer was among the earliest 2017 21's to go out and Escape was going through some issues during that time.

I posted because my trailer may not have been the only one with the probes not installed correctly and it's a easy check to make sure.

[Kent]

Originally Posted by tdf-texas

I had the Horst probes installed in my trailer by Escape and found the probes gave false readings. After looking at the probes, I discovered why - they were installed upside down!

The Horst probes for the black tank have a teflon shield that is supposed to be installed with the shield up. Look at the attached pic - the flat on the end of the probe is supposed to be installed down which insures the probe shield is installed correctly.

On my trailer, the flats were up which put the shields down and stuff trapped in the shields making them fail. A quick look to insure the flats are down will tell you if yours are right.

I hope you advised ETI and they know how to install correctly. Pretty clear on the instructions. Fortunately, if installed wrong side up, they are relatively easy to fix.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by skyfree

I wish ETI would provide a black tank flush like every other RV I've owned had. I never had trouble with false readings in RV's with the flush system...

My Boler's tank installation (for all tanks) is essentially the same as an Escape; it does not have a black tank flush system.
My motorhome has a black tank flush system, which is ineffective; the readings are nearly meaningless.

I think that the real solution to fouling sensors is an external sensor system, such as the SeeLevel system, but they are very rare as factory equipment and I have not installed one yet.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by skyfree

I wish ETI would provide a black tank flush like every other RV I've owned had.

If they did I would request they not install it on mine. I flush out my black tank maybe once a year, and it is real easy through the toilet. This way I have one less thing to go wrong, and one less thing stuck on the side of the trailer.

Originally Posted by tdf-texas

I posted because my trailer may not have been the only one with the probes not installed correctly and it's a easy check to make sure.

I will confirm this with mine, as they were installed before they were standard.

[sprinkledavid@gmail.com]

Works perfect every time in previous 8 years...flashlight view down the shower drain hole will give quite accurate gray water level if you practice... and turn water pump off and open valve to toilet flush and look into blackwater tank..19 foot Escape

[Donna D.]

I kinda find all these threads about tanks read-outs and bad probs... funny. I forget my trailer even HAS readings... I bought my first all-molded-towable that was a basic unit. 14 years later, I STILL use my eyes and ears. It's all good, but I'd rather rely on the old standby than technology that seems to be...broken. Figure it out... what goes in... fills up and has to go out. There's something to be said about not relying on sensors....

[Greg A]

I’m with you, Donna. Pretty much know how many days we can go on the tanks with whatever combination of how many of us are camping. A quick visual look see when we hit the end tells whether we can stretch it further. I don’t think I’ve ever really used the panel to check the tanks,

[padlin]

I do the same as Donna, but it's due to the unreliable probes, same crappy ones I had on my last trailer (non Horst). If the probes WERE reliable, I'd use the readout.

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

I kinda find all these threads about tanks read-outs and bad probs... funny. I forget my trailer even HAS readings... I bought my first all-molded-towable that was a basic unit. 14 years later, I STILL use my eyes and ears. It's all good, but I'd rather rely on the old standby than technology that seems to be...broken. Figure it out... what goes in... fills up and has to go out. There's something to be said about not relying on sensors....

We had a Casita with no tank monitoring other than looking down the hole or "Honey, the shower floor has water again" and never thought about needing anything else. But the Escape came with all this fancy stuff that turned out to be pretty neat so we got used to looking at the monitor to see if there was room left for one more shower.

The black tank monitor didn't seem to be as reliable as the fresh or grey but it didn't really matter as the "hole look" always worked.

But didn't we have Horst probes installed? They should work! Well, look at that, they installed them upside down! An easy fix and now all are probes are working. Yea! But we still do the "hole look" just in case.

Donna, I agree that the monitors in the Escape are not required but are luxuries. They are easy to get used to the same as are most luxuries in life but you are right that if they fail, the "what goes in... fills up and has to go out" always works. But they are nice to have.

[Patandlinda]

I am in a different camp and if installed a monitor to check my levels , I expect the monitor to work . Our first motorhome did not have a monitor so I installed Garnet industries panel and monitor . It worked very well . It was installed outside the tanks . I really don't want to stick my head in the toilet to check levels . Really , the trailer purchase was more then the house . If the sensors installed don't work , why bother installing them ? Yes we pretty much know how many showers etc. we can do . Have had to find solutions along the way . When we get home from a trip , we have a clean out , through the bathroom window , put a hose with the hose attachment on the end flush the toilet real good . That way we get a empty tank and it kind of works . Also if possible try not to load up the toilet with paper only what is necessary. Pat

[Fox hunt]

yes but when you clean out the toilet at home don't you have to dump it after?-hitch up and haul to a dump station? or just leave it ?