monitor panel question
Printed From: R-pod Owners Forum
Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=2482
Printed Date: 15 May 2025 at 10:53am
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Topic: monitor panel question
Posted By: drpilot
Subject: monitor panel question
Date Posted: 09 Apr 2012 at 10:56am
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We are newbies and after dumping black water the monitor panel remained at showing 3/4 full. Anyone out there who can reccommend what to do to reset???
thanks
gary ------------- Gary C |
Replies:
Posted By: Camper Bob
Date Posted: 09 Apr 2012 at 11:48am
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Attach a hose to the cleanout and flush it out. Do not use your drinking water hose. ------------- Camper Bob and Camper Sue Gracie the Wonder Dog (12 LB. Mini Dachshund) 2013 Rpod 171HRE(ORPod) 2016 Lance 1685 2015 Nissan Pathfinder |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 09 Apr 2012 at 11:49am
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A common problem with black tanks on all campers. As recommended on other camping forums, I've started to add water softener to my black tank - the stuff makes the walls and components slippery so theoretically it will help to keep it cleaner and thus prevent the sensor problem.
After dumping, you are supposed to add a few gallons of liquid to the black tank. Add the water softener before you add this water. Then when you are ready to dump, make sure the black tank is at least 2/3 full - preferrably completely full - before you dump it. Do not leave the black tank drain valve open if you have a sewer connection. You can leave the gray tank valve open w/o problems, but close it and get a few showers in before you dump the black tank so you can use the gray water to rinse out the sewer hose.
Following this should help with the sensor problem (although mine are still not working right) and will prevent solids from drying on the bottom of the black tank which will cause big problems down the road. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: David and Danette
Date Posted: 09 Apr 2012 at 1:41pm
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I have never tried this but I have heard flushing ice cubes into the black tank before going on a trip. The ice cubes sloshing around in the tank, was told would help clean the tank sensor. ------------- 2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018- 2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019) 2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014) Middle Tn 2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab |
Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 09 Apr 2012 at 5:01pm
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If your Pod has the connector for flushing the blackwater tank that should take care of it for you. If I have a site with full hookups hookup my hose (not the potable water hose) to the water line and flush while I am draining the tank. The flush connector directs the stream of water over the probes and will wash off all that gives you a false reading. I have needed to do that several times. I also hooked up water at home, flushed off the probes, then went to the nearest dump station and released the water. That works too. ------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: Bill-GA
Date Posted: 09 Apr 2012 at 8:00pm
I don't have a flush connector so I purchased a wand from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BGHYDO/ref=oh_o03_s01_i00_details - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BGHYDO/ref=oh_o03_s01_i00_details . I'm not experienced in this yet, but I'm going out first time next week. You mentioned going to a dump station to dump flush water ... Aren't these only at camp grounds? Isn't there usually a charge? It sounds like you went someplace and got a free dump? Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated. Thanks. ------------- Bill & Bev 13 yr old dachshund 'Elsa' 2010 RP-176T (tent & slide-out) 2011 Toyota Tundra 2WD TV |
Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 09 Apr 2012 at 9:31pm
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In Wisconsin many of the rest areas have dump stations, as do some sanitary plants in cities. In my case there is a county park a couple miles away with a camp ground that has a dump station and they have never given me any trouble when I use their station. I do live in town, and have a storm sewer grate in the alley behind my house near where I park my Pod. I have on occasion dumped small amounts of grey water down the storm sewer, but don't want to make a habit of it, and will not use it for blackwater. ------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: this_is_nascar
Date Posted: 10 Apr 2012 at 8:01am
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Forget using the black-tank dummy light on any and all campers. It's simply not worth the hassle to keep them working. You want to know if the sh*tter is full or not? When you flush, look down there and you'll be able to tell. That's about the best it's going to get. Spending the time, effort and money with water softeners, black tank sprayers, etc will only work (sometimes) for so long.
------------- "Ray & Connie" - 2017 R-Pod RP-180 - 2007 Toyota Tacoma TRD-Off Road |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 10 Apr 2012 at 8:21am
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Another option for dumping at home is the sewer cleanout, you should have one whether you are on a private septic or public system. I've used mine multiple times. Especially nice when we are ready to leave a campground and there is a line, I'll bypass it and take care of it at home. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: TIDALWAVE
Date Posted: 10 Apr 2012 at 12:06pm
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Some RV dealers carry a black water sensor cleaner. I have only used it once. I used a garden hose to partially fill the tank via the toilet...added the cleaner and then drove on the trip. It did seem to work quite well...but it was fairly expensive. Since then I dump the tank if it appears through the toilet valve to be fairly full. At MN State Parks, the dump stations are just before the campgrounds, so I dump the waste tanks before going to a site if the tanks are more than 1/4 full.
------------- TIDALWAVE |
Posted By: Bill-GA
Date Posted: 10 Apr 2012 at 2:02pm
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Do RV Toilet Treatments work? It says they control Oder, breakdown tissue and are septic safe. Do you use them when you dump in your septic system? Any chance of the grass turning blue  ?------------- Bill & Bev 13 yr old dachshund 'Elsa' 2010 RP-176T (tent & slide-out) 2011 Toyota Tundra 2WD TV |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 10 Apr 2012 at 8:36pm
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We use one, which helps with odor especially in warm weather. There are "green" treatments which claim to be septic safe, the one I use doesn't claim that but I don't worry about it. The volume isn't much compared to my septic system, and I don't do it often.
------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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