Black tank level sensor
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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=9851
Printed Date: 28 Apr 2024 at 11:33pm
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Topic: Black tank level sensor
Posted By: Danielw1
Subject: Black tank level sensor
Date Posted: 01 May 2017 at 12:20am
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I just bought a 2015 178 and when looking at it I noticed the gauge showed a 2/3 fulll black tank. I asked the seller why it was full (private seller) and he just said he would dump it if I bought it. I didn't think much of it as everything else looked brand new. We agreed to have an rv dealer do full inspection before the sale, he said on the phone that everything checked out good and it was ready. I purchased it for 13k and upon pick up noticed the black Tank said the same thing. He simply said he forgot to dump it, rv dealer inspection sheet read "black tank reads 2/3 full". I got underneath today and knocked on it and it sounded empty compared to the full fresh water tank.
Does anyone have any pointers about the sensors? By looking underneath they look like liquid level sensors that upon conductivity close a circuit and give that reading. Not a huge deal but really wanting to use all the features of this 13+k camper! Thanks |
Replies:
Posted By: ToolmanJohn
Date Posted: 01 May 2017 at 5:17am
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Most likely is that there is toilet paper stuck to the 2/3 sensor. This is very common. Add some blank tank chemical to the tank, then have to nearly fill the black tank through the toilet with a hose. It's faster than the the rinse port. Take you Pod for a nice long (hour or so) drive on back road twisty turns, so the water sloshes a lot. This will likely get rid of the paper. Dump it, and rinse after wars, should fix it up no problem. ------------- 2017 ATC 7X20 Custom Toy Hauler 2013 R-Pod 177 (SOLD) 2013 VW Touareg TDI |
Posted By: Leo B
Date Posted: 01 May 2017 at 5:29am
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Agree with ToolmanJohn. The tank sensor should never be trusted. They are the worst part of the rpods.
------------- Leo & Melissa Bachand 2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171 |
Posted By: ArenaBlanca
Date Posted: 01 May 2017 at 9:53am
| This is a common problem that is not unique to R-Pods. ToolmanJohn has the right solution. Instead of the regular black water chemicals, get one that has an enzymatic action. |
Posted By: Danielw1
Date Posted: 02 May 2017 at 10:40pm
| Would it be better to fill tank using the flush port? Isn't that suppose to clean the tank in theory? |
Posted By: voisj
Date Posted: 03 May 2017 at 7:16am
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In theory....., I would fill it to 90% , put enzyme packet in and drive it around the next day. ------------- http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9426&title=slopod-180-mods-johnsue - SLOPODMODS John&Sue,SLO,CA 2016 180 HRE, 2013 F150 Eco Boost 
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Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 03 May 2017 at 8:39am
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When we took delivery of our pod, I was talking to one of the mechanics and he said the most common reason for the sensor not working is toilet paper sticking onto it. He said that even the most costly/best(?) RV tp will not dissolve and will stick to the sensor. His suggestion was to use the method used in many countries where the plumbing is iffy and can't handle paper: don't throw paper into the head, but instead have a discrete container into which you can deposit the soiled paper sealed little zip lock bags. He said that not only would you avoid problems with the sensor, you'd also save money b/c then you can use regular tp. I haven't tried this method so far b/c I really don't want to deal with disposal and I am a little concerned about the biohazard issue in connection with throwing the bags into the regular trash. But I've been to many countries where this form of disposal is normal and one's squeamishness does eventually go away. I'm curious, has anyone tried it? ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 03 May 2017 at 8:41am
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I forgot to add: This is the also the normal method use for backcountry backpackers who regularly pack all trash out, including used tp. ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 03 May 2017 at 9:00am
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Danielw1,
I use the flush port to fill my tank to 3/4 prior to dumping. The port connected to the tank, is a 90 degree hose barb, 1/2" ID. It is basically a fresh water fill, there is no spray action. There is a one way valve in the line to prevent black water from getting to garden hose. My valve was in backwards, so I moved the flush to the drivers side next to the black tank drain. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: Danielw1
Date Posted: 03 May 2017 at 10:18am
I thought on the original spec sheet it showed a picture of the inside of the tank with the sprayer action, part of there selling point. |
Posted By: rawest50
Date Posted: 03 May 2017 at 3:00pm
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Heard this the other day. A friend bought a Fun Run (or whatever it is called) and the black water tank sensors were not working. A couple had lived in it while building their house and drained their black water tank into the sewer. He talked to a experienced camper that said to put a lot of ice in the tank then fill it to about 1/2 full with water. Drive it to the camp site he was going to and by the time he got there all the water and ice sloshing around would clean the sensors. Well it worked for him. ------------- 2017.5 RPod 179 2017 Jeep Unlimited Wrangler 2017 Chevy Colorado Z71 Off Road Crew Cab 2 Weiner dogs Great wife puts up with my BS ❤️ Thoroughbred Racing. 
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Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 03 May 2017 at 3:31pm
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Danielw1,
I can tell you on my 2015 178, it is a hose barb. No spray action. Might have been a change, but RV folks tell me the spray actions can fail. I have looked at installing a spray action, but haven't figured it out without dropping the tank. So for now I'm keeping the port like it is. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 03 May 2017 at 3:37pm
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rawest50,
There is a you tube video out there on a guy who did a test with ice cubes in the tank. BLUF was not as successful as advertised. I think best way to clean black tank is to fill before drain. Always. AND never drain before it is at least 3/4 full. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: ToolmanJohn
Date Posted: 03 May 2017 at 4:39pm
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( I primarily dry camp, no water or services) - Even when my black tank had 5-8 gallons after 3-4 days of flushes, I would drive home to the public dump station, fill the black tank with the rinse port up near 3/4 and then open the black valve while still rinsing. I would then walk around and shut off the rinse water, then the black waste valve. Done. Then switch the hose over to the gray valve and dump the gray tank , usually near 3/4 for the 3-4 days anyway from showers and washing dishes. When I got home, then add a mix one gallon of water and tank chemicals, and add to the black and gray. Good for the next trip. My trips were usually 240 miles, each way. So plenty of sloshing in the tanks until I got to the free puplic dump station. 9 miles from my house.
------------- 2017 ATC 7X20 Custom Toy Hauler 2013 R-Pod 177 (SOLD) 2013 VW Touareg TDI |
Posted By: rawest50
Date Posted: 03 May 2017 at 4:48pm
 I bought one of the wands you insert through the toilet hooked to a water hose. I have not tried it. Do they work?
Also my Pod has the black water flush. Exactly what does it do? ------------- 2017.5 RPod 179 2017 Jeep Unlimited Wrangler 2017 Chevy Colorado Z71 Off Road Crew Cab 2 Weiner dogs Great wife puts up with my BS ❤️ Thoroughbred Racing.
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Posted By: ToolmanJohn
Date Posted: 03 May 2017 at 4:58pm
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You didn't need to buy a wand. Your black tank flush is a sprinkler system already built into the tank. ------------- 2017 ATC 7X20 Custom Toy Hauler 2013 R-Pod 177 (SOLD) 2013 VW Touareg TDI |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 03 May 2017 at 5:06pm
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I have one and yes they work, it injects a spray into the tank that does rinse the black tank. My black tank flush is a 90 hose barb that puts fresh water into the tank, no spray action. It just fills the tank with fresh water. You can disconnect yours and look at it.
I like the spray wand and use it once a year at the end of the season. For normal season, I don't want to run hoses into the Pod. So I fill to 3/4 using the flush and then drain. At the campground I don't want to hold up the line while I drag a hose under the Pod , into the trailer and wand out my black tank. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 03 May 2017 at 5:08pm
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ToolmanJohn,
NOT on my Pod. It is a 90 degree hose barb with no spray capability. It is a fresh water fill. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: ToolmanJohn
Date Posted: 03 May 2017 at 5:11pm
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A water FILL on the black tank? Weird. Can you take a picture or is it to inaccessible ? ------------- 2017 ATC 7X20 Custom Toy Hauler 2013 R-Pod 177 (SOLD) 2013 VW Touareg TDI |
Posted By: rawest50
Date Posted: 03 May 2017 at 5:16pm
 ------------- 2017.5 RPod 179 2017 Jeep Unlimited Wrangler 2017 Chevy Colorado Z71 Off Road Crew Cab 2 Weiner dogs Great wife puts up with my BS ❤️ Thoroughbred Racing.
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Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 03 May 2017 at 5:24pm
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ToolmanJohn,
Doesn't require a picture. I took the flush line apart at the tank. There is a waterline that comes from a hose port on the side of Pod. Labeled Black tank flush. It runs to a one way valve in the shower wall and then to a hose barb on the passenger side of the tank. I removed the hose and the hose barb from the tank. It is a 90 degree barb with a 1/2" port that puts fresh water in the tank. The valve if added correctly does not allow black water to get to the hose. There is no spray capability. I physically removed the 90 degree barb from my tank. It is a water port. Basically it is designed to let you fill your black tank with water prior to dump. That's it. Look at yours and see if you agree, there is only one hose going to your black tank. Comes from that black tank hose connection. FR could have made a change but didn't happen in 2015. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: Danielw1
Date Posted: 03 May 2017 at 10:36pm
| Maybe I did see the spray action picture on the 2017 |
Posted By: rawest50
Date Posted: 10 May 2017 at 12:45pm
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I have the 179 2017.5. This past weekend I used the Black Tank Flush and it sure sounds like a spray inside the tank. Not just water through a nozzle or opening. It seemed to work great. Once the gravity emptying stopped I hooked up the flush and got a few pieces of toilet paper that did not drain. Ran the flush for 5 minutes after clear water was visible. ------------- 2017.5 RPod 179 2017 Jeep Unlimited Wrangler 2017 Chevy Colorado Z71 Off Road Crew Cab 2 Weiner dogs Great wife puts up with my BS ❤️ Thoroughbred Racing.
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Posted By: TheBum
Date Posted: 10 May 2017 at 1:23pm
I saw a video that showed the spray pattern on the BTF. I think it was on FR's website. The spray shoots sideways in all directions around the inlet on the tank. |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 10 May 2017 at 6:08pm
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I think they did add a spray flush from what I can tell, I know mine wasn't, I physically took it apart. I couldn't tell by sound. When I moved the flush line to the drivers side I added a Shurflo one way valve to prevent backflush and somewhat control pressure. As I said in original post my line never worked because the valve in the original line was in backwards. Plus I never liked the backflush on passenger side when everything water related is on the drivers side. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: osage
Date Posted: 10 May 2017 at 6:45pm
| ok here is what I have done for the last 20 odd years dump tanks and rinse then I put about 1/8 cup of Dove dish washing soap in both the gray and black water tanks 3-4 gallons of water drive home then dump the water in a bucket and dispose of it. and have a nice clean tank that have working sensors |
Posted By: rawest50
Date Posted: 10 May 2017 at 6:46pm
I have a picture of the sprayer in the tank. On my iPhone so I do not think it will post. If not I will post it tomorrow.  ------------- 2017.5 RPod 179 2017 Jeep Unlimited Wrangler 2017 Chevy Colorado Z71 Off Road Crew Cab 2 Weiner dogs Great wife puts up with my BS ❤️ Thoroughbred Racing.
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Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 10 May 2017 at 6:58pm
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Osage,
Good tip, only difference is I use Dawn. I have used it since working on tactical diesel gensets with the Army. It will take diesel fuel out of your coveralls. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: osage
Date Posted: 10 May 2017 at 8:23pm
| my mistake I Use dawn also! |
Posted By: ej208
Date Posted: 15 Jun 2017 at 5:02pm
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Hey - we are brand new to camping and just got our R-Pod. Do you use the black tank flush each time you go to dump station? Thanks! Erik
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Posted By: Richand Cindy
Date Posted: 15 Jun 2017 at 5:39pm
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We just got back from a two week drip and had our first problems. We waited until the black tank was 3/4 full and then flushed it. We then ran the black water flush until the tank was 3/4 full again. Still stuff coming out. We did this three times until it appeared all clear. Then days later after another cleaning we dropped an Oxy Chem clear tab and noticed that it got stuck and did not go all the way down. I used a flashlight and could still see waste in the tank. Filled it to 3/4 and rinsed a few times until it was flushing clear (we have a clear plastic elbow to see what is coming out). Although it looked clear, back at the toilet, using a flashlight there is still waste. In addition, under the bath vanity was water and it was coming from a black relief valve which the dealer said was for the black water wash. So something is not working. We dropped the RPOD at the dealer on the way home for service. Bottom line, I would use the black water flush after each dumping to help insure all is clean, don't just depend on emptying the gray tank after the black as that only cleans the hose you attached. It does not clean out the black tank. Also while the flush helps I think you need to occasionally clean out the tank from the toilet using one of those wands attached to a hose
------------- OLD 2017.5 RPOD 180 + 2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk NEW: 2018 Passport Elite 23RB + 2017 Ram 1500 Diesel |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 15 Jun 2017 at 6:03pm
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I do. Amazing how stuff compacts and hangs on things regardless of how well you keep it watered. At home I use a wand and cheap kiddy pool/container for easy clean-up. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 15 Jun 2017 at 6:38pm
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BTW - to Toolman and Daniel,
I finally found issue to my backflush problem in tank and you folks are zactly right, a working system has a spray function, I have since restored mine to working condition. BLUFF is you folks where spot on. THANKS. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 15 Jun 2017 at 6:46pm
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Richard Cindy,
I went through some agony with my backflush. The valve was in backwards so I decided to move the backflush to drivers side. Rather than remove sink to fix valve. I like it much better on drivers side. Then I found previous owners had poked hole in the spray valve, probably because some genius figured it was plugged vice valve in backwards. Replaced spray head, and now have a functioning backflush with hose attachment next to the black water rain. No good deed goes unpunished:) ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: Richand Cindy
Date Posted: 16 Jun 2017 at 7:29am
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Thanks. I will ask the dealer to check if the backflush valve is backwards.
------------- OLD 2017.5 RPOD 180 + 2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk NEW: 2018 Passport Elite 23RB + 2017 Ram 1500 Diesel |
Posted By: Danielw1
Date Posted: 22 Jun 2017 at 9:14pm
I have a 2015 178' and the flush is on the driver side from factory.. weird. Anyways to answer my original post, I ran a bunch of water into the flush valve without the drain open (just adding water to the tank), then drove to dump station. Dumped, flush and sensor works great! Thanks for all the replies |
Posted By: Danielw1
Date Posted: 22 Jun 2017 at 11:18pm
I have a 2015 178' and the flush is on the driver side from factory.. weird. Anyways to answer my original post, I ran a bunch of water into the flush valve without the drain open (just adding water to the tank), then drove to dump station. Dumped, flush and sensor works great! Thanks for all the replies |
Posted By: John_Anderson
Date Posted: 26 Oct 2020 at 8:55pm
| I am using various tank level measurements in our industry for a long time with no trouble. The support team is really great to help. If you are interested you can visit this website: http://iconprocon.com/product-category/level-sensors/ - https://iconprocon.com/product-category/level-sensors/ |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 27 Oct 2020 at 6:44pm
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John, I looked at the level sensors from iconprocon and it looks like they needed to be mounted on the top of the tank, which can be a little complicated with many travel trailers. I didn't see one that could be mounted to the side of the tank in tight quarters where the tanks are mounted very close to one another. Did I miss something? ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |