Fixing RV Tank Sensors With A Certified RV Tech

Struggling with misreading RV holding tank sensors is a common issue for most RVers! This fully comprehensive video walks you through what sensors are, how they work, what causes them to misread, AND how you can fix them.
RV Sensors Part 2: • How RV Sensors Can Mis...
If you have any questions feel free to leave them in the comments!
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:00 Trying To Fix Sensors With Online Remedies
2:29 What Are Holding Tank Sensors?
3:01 Which Types Of Tanks Have Sensors?
3:54 What Exactly Do Holding Tanks Look Like?
5:06 How Do Sensors Work And What Do They Look Like?
6:07 What Causes My Black Tank Sensors To Misread?
7:10 What Causes My Gray Tank Sensors To Misread?
8:15 What Is The Process For Restoring Misreading Sensors?
9:22 Are There Different Types Of Sensors?
11:40 What Are The Steps To Restore My Misreading Black Tank Sensors?
15:21 What Are The Steps To Restore My Misreading Gray Tank Sensors?
16:47 What Product Should I Be Using?
18:13 What If I Am A Full Timer?
19:23 How Can I Prevent My Sensors From Misreading?
20:59 I've Tried This Process But My Sensor Is Still Misreading?
21:44 Conclusion
Waste Breakdown Video: COMING SOON!
Website:
uniquecampingmarine.com/
The Line of Doody:
thelineofdoody.com/
Buy Restore-It Here:
uniquecampingmarine.com/produ...
Contact Our Customer Support:
[e-mail]

[@CATiiib]

The absolute best video I have ever seen concerning this subject. Well done!

[@uniquecampingmarine]

Thank you! We're glad you found it helpful! Let us know if you have any other questions - we're happy to help!

[@raymair7294]

Very good video, concise and to the point, I'm a subscriber now

[@uniquecampingmarine]

Thank you so much!

[@billgraham4630]

Great video I will try it out!

[@jameshrabchak8350]

Your video is very informative, and logically choreographed. Kudos for the way you present the system. Just for our background, we have an 11-year-old trailer that we bought new. I use a PVC wand after every trip, and the original sensors still are accurate. I did drill three more small holes in the end of it, so I only have to rotate the wand 90*, instead of 360* to rinse the tank. At nine years, the gray tank started to continually indicate 1/3 full. I bought the Horst Miracle Probe sensors and they have been flawless so far. What you did fail to mention, was the Horst probe wires are sealed except for the last 1/8", so anything on the probe wire will not complete a circuit to the tank wall. I also have the Horst black tank sensors here but haven't needed to install them to date. There is a great You Tube video on how to pop out the original button style sensors, so you can install the new ones in the same tank holes. All you need is a 5/8" box wrench, a large OD flat washer with w 3/16" center hole, and small wrenches to disconnect the sensor wire. Again, your presentation is spot on, except for the minor probe detail on the Horst sensors. Thank you for listening.

[@uniquecampingmarine]

@jameshrabchak8350 Thank you so much for your kind words! The Horst Miracle Probes are really good sensors. I have installed a set on a clear holding tank to compare them with the button style sensors. We try and cover the OEM sensors as best as possible since that is what most people have and many folks are not able to access the sensors on their holding tanks if they are covered by panels under the RV. We have a follow up video to this one that will talk more about the Horst Miracle Probe sensors and will go more in depth on what causes sensors to misread. I am hoping to get that out soon here! I really like your idea of drill additional holes in your rinse wand as they can certainly be difficult to rotate (from personal experience). I think the difficult part with rinse wands in general is that it is hard to know when or if you have hit the sensor heads. Thanks again for commenting and watching the video! Happy camping!

[@bobbygreenwell8836]

Appreciate you taking the time to educate and dispel some of the "myths and rumors". Have a cold drink in the fridge if our paths ever do cross.

[@paulescalera1231]

Great video. Thank you for sharing

[@uniquecampingmarine]

Thank you, I'm happy we could help! If you ever have any questions just let us know! 😊

[@rrocky6220]

Great video, and very informative. The pictures really helped to clarify what we are working with. I imagine that one task that would help with cleaning, if it's possible, would be to hook up your trailer and gently rock it back and forth a bit, to get some physical water action for that stubborn debris (That's it. No more extra spicy tacos). Cheers, eh.

[@MrTink98]

As a seasonal RVer without sewer hookup (we lug a “honey wagon” to the dump station as needed) this video has made me even MORE insistent about as little grey or black water as possible going down my drains! 😂 Outdoor shower and dishes, campground restroom unless it’s an emergency! We used the Green Gobbler black water treatment drop ins - I appreciate that it comes out looking like mouthwash, but they did a number on my sensors like shown in the video. Great video, you’ve got a subscriber!

[@uniquecampingmarine]

Hello MrTink98 Thank you so much for your kind words and for subscribing! I am going to have to respectfully disagree with you on using as little water as possible. Granted, when it comes to using the outdoor shower whenever possible and conserving water overall, we are in full agreement. When it comes to using RV toilet however, we always recommend using more water over less. When you use more water it has an opportunity to cover the waste and paper which leads to less of a chance of odors. It also helps when dumping the tank. With plenty of water in the black and gray tanks it will flow out of the tanks far better than with less water. From a health and safety standpoint you may want to reconsider using Green Gobbler. The ingredient: Sodium Dodecylbenzene sulphonate in particular is a pretty dangerous chemical overall and might be causing some of the sensor issues. With plenty of water and a high quality holding tank treatment you should be able to use the RV toilet and whichever toilet paper you prefer without causing sensor issues. Thanks so much for your comment! If you'd like to chat more you can email me at [e-mail] Happy camping! Chris

[@Kat-I-am3333]

@@uniquecampingmarine how about the RV Digest-it extra strength by Unique? @ $20 qt. Thx

[@cujo7240]

From your example of why tank sensors show some level of waste even after dumping the tank, you show some type of material stuck to one of the tank probes, but in order for the tank probe indicator to light you need to complete the circuit from the level probe to the ground probe. Just having some TP stuck to a probe in an empty tank should not be enough to complete the circuit all the way down to the ground probe. It makes more sense to me that there must be a conductive scum on the tank walls and sensors to complete the circuit and not just a piece of debris on a single sensor.

[@uniquecampingmarine]

Hi @cujo7240, you are correct. What ever the piece of debris in the holding tank touching the sensor and not the water level would not complete the circuit. I am working on a video that will demonstrate that better. Thank you for pointing that out!

[@2hotscottpro]

Pressure washer with plumbers drain pipe clean out tip,blows backwards n pulls hose in to remove scale buildup.😊

[@rdance3]

I filled my black tank to about 1/3 full of water and 2 bags of ice. Then I drove about 20 miles while hard braking and accelerating. It cleared my problem right up!

[@uniquecampingmarine]

@rdance3 I have also tried the ice in the holding tank and driving around. The results from my attempts were mixed. The main problem I ran into was that the effectiveness of the ice touching all of the sensors depended on how aggressively I was driving. This leads more to a safety concern over anything else. We don't recommend this way of cleaning sensors because of the safety concerns. Since I only got mediocre results as well, using a dedicated sensor cleaner to get them clean and working properly is the best choice for many RVers. Thank you for your comment and I am glad to hear that you were able to get your sensors working again!

[@rdance3]

Drive crazily at the risk of being called a $hitty driver. @@uniquecampingmarine

[@TrapperSamm]

As much as RV's cost they should put a high pressure jet pointed at each sensor. Done

[@uniquecampingmarine]

Right you are! That would make everything SO much easier. Until then... we are stuck to our own devices.

[@charlestait5303]

They should put non-invasive sensors in!

[@uniquecampingmarine]

@@charlestait5303 The non-invasive sensors like SeeLeveL and HeadHunter are really nice and work very well. The major down side to them is that they are pretty darn expensive. They are also not installed on very many RVs as OEM. It would certainly be nice if they were installed as standard on more RVs that is for sure!

[@charlestait5303]

@@uniquecampingmarine “STUCK to our own devices” LOL nice one 😂

[@charlestait5303]

@@uniquecampingmarine retrofit DIY about $300 not shocking and we pay for expensive R/Vs!

[@user-qm2th6yu3m]

thank you, i will try that unique product, is my first time having my black tank misreading ...i hope thats the problem.

[@uniquecampingmarine]

We're happy to help! Feel free to reach out to our customer support team if you have any questions!

[@paula.2422]

Excellent video and great information. I'm happy to be a new subscriber! Quick question...is it safe to travel with full black or gray tanks? I've made a point of traveling with empty tanks only.

[@uniquecampingmarine]

@paula.2422 Thank you so much for watching and commenting! We do not recommend travelling with full tanks. The added weight can sometimes lead to the tank shifting its position and causing damage. It is best to be at a location with a dump station available for easy dumping or using an auxiliary tote to fill and then take to a dump station. I hope this helps clarify that! Please feel free to ask any additional questions and I will answer them as best as I can.

[@paula.2422]

@@uniquecampingmarine Thanks for the reply. As I mentioned, I've only traveled with empty tanks for fear of damage. It's too bad though. It would be great to be able to add mu chemical and fill all my tanks and dump them once setting up at a campsite. I've flushed my grey tanks at home but obviously not my black tank.

[@uniquecampingmarine]

​@paula.2422 To be fair we have certainly had many people do just that. RVers do this everyday, so though we recommend you only travel with empty tanks as a best practice, should you chose to do so, you'd be following the same practices as many other RVers.

[@falcorthewonderdog2758]

I clean my black tank sensors with ZEP acidic toilet bowl cleaner. Drain your tank. Pour in 1 gallon ZEP Acidic toilet bowl cleaner. That's it. Operate your RV and use the tanks until full. When you empty be sure to flush the tank with fresh water. Works like magic no fuss no mess.

[@uniquecampingmarine]

We do not recommend using this product in a holding tank or in an RV toilet. The hydrochloric acid that is in this product can do significant damage to the seals and gaskets in the toilet and black water holding tank. We have spoken with RV manufacturers and sensor manufacturers and both groups do not recommend using this or products like it to clean sensors in the holding tank for this very reason. Because of their recommendation against using products like this and the potential damage it can do to the tank and toilet, we also suggest using something that will not actively eat away at the components. Thank you for leaving a comment though!

[@vincevesper167]

Great video! How is the circuit made in a dry tank when there is waste on a sensor? How is an "empty" reading fixed, when the tank is full?

[@uniquecampingmarine]

Thank you! If there is a dry tank with waste on the sensor, the controller should read correctly. The only thing that can cause the sensors to misread would be if there is a piece of wet toilet paper from one of the sensors to the water level or the ground sensor. We are about to release a follow up video that will go into that specific scenario more in depth. As to your second question about a full tank that is reading empty, that is usually caused by a mis-wired harness that sends the signal from the sensors to the controller, poor connections of the harness on the sensors, or a failure in the controller. In this scenario, cleaning the sensor is usually not going to fix anything. Typically, a part in the electrical circuit is at fault. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any further questions!

[@childjusticenow881]

Leave the guy alone. It's FREE....and he did a great job for we who want to know more detail. Go pick on someone else.

[@uniquecampingmarine]

Thank you every one for the awesome feedback, comments and support! Check out our Part 2 video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mJ7Mnnians-peM0

[@williamstephens3351]

If my black (and both gray) tank was drained, open to the atmosphere for over a year which should cause the tanks to be dry, how can the sensors still be completing the circuit? Is there another problem that I should consider? Something is obviously completing the electrical circuit. Been this way for years. The system is over ten years old.

[@uniquecampingmarine]

Hello William, There could very easily be a short in the wire harness for the sensors. It is also possible for the short to be in the control/ display unit. This is less likely than the short in the wire harness. If you have access to the sensors (this is often not the case), you may want to start by taking a picture of the wires as they go to the individual sensors. From there I would disconnect each of the wires from the sensors and let the ring terminals hang freely in space and make sure none of them are touching chassis ground. If you press the button to check the level of the sensor and it is still showing that there is complete circuit, then you definitely have a short in the wire harness. You can then replace the wire harness and get your sensors working again. I hope this helps! Thank you so much for your comment!

[@gunks_getaway]

So use restore-it. Got it

[@adaycj]

If anyone has actually looked at yhe quality of the wiring for these sensons, they would know to check the circuit if they experience unsolved problems. Tiny wires, unsecured over 90% of the run, rubbing on everything. Its a shame that so many RVs have unbelly "protection" that doesn't allow for easy access for maintenance, diagnosis, and service.

[@uniquecampingmarine]

@adaycj That is an excellent point about the wires. From working with technicians around the Denver area, they end up replacing the ring terminals that have disconnected from the wires and corrosion issues more frequently than they replace the actual sensors. I also agree that it is frustrating about the coroplast covering that may RVs have to protect the under carriage. I certainly understand the purpose of having them but it definitely makes checking the wires far more difficult than the RVs with exposed under carriage. It would be super nice if the manufactures had cutouts or at the very least labels on the coroplast that gave even the general vicinity of the sensors. I will also not be holding my breath haha. Thank you for your comment!

[@jonthornton4083]

Have watched both videos and understand what you are getting at. In the process of following your recommendations. My question is my fresh water tank sensors doesn’t work correctly. Is there a way to maybe clean these sensors. Maybe vinegar and or baking soda Tia

[@uniquecampingmarine]

@jonthornton4083 Excellent question! When it comes to fresh water sensors misreading, this is usually caused by hard water and mineral deposits. These are not easy to clean without a chemical that would be dangerous to use in a fresh water holding tank, which we do not recommend. Unfortunately, the best way to correct misreading fresh water sensors is to replace them. The difficulty (as with all holding tank sensor repairs and replacements) is locating the sensors. In many RVs you need to remove quite a lot of panels to access your fresh tank. If you are having a hard time finding the sensors to replace them, it is sometimes worth having a certified RV technician replace them for you. Thank you for your question! I hope this helps!

[@jonthornton4083]

@@uniquecampingmarine thanks for your quick reply was new to rving lol. Got 2006 Winnebago 26ft from brother in law had been stored for over 10 years only 1700 yes 1700 miles. Have gone completely thru and changed everything on vehicle and camper from front to back, have made four trips and still finding little things like sensors etc. nothing major. Thanks to Winnebago and people like yourself I’ve learned a lot. You have definitely got a follower now. By the way I have my black and gray tanks soaking as per your instructions. I’ll let you know how it turns out. Glad to know that there are still people that genuinely and sincere about sharing and helping. Thanks again 👌

[@uniquecampingmarine]

@@jonthornton4083 Thank you so much for your kind words! We truly love helping people and wish you the best of luck with all of your camping adventures! Please don't hesitate to reach out with any other questions that might come up!

[@michaelresop9532]

I have two black tanks, two Grey tanks and then the fresh water tank. My sensors were working great until middle of last summer. That is when they all started reading full. Could this be a bag ground or should I be looking for something else?

[@uniquecampingmarine]

It is very possible that either the ground (white wire) or the line (red wire) have either broken free somewhere along the harness. Since all five tanks went down (presumably at once?) I would start by removing the face plate of the controller (where you press the button to see how full the tanks are) and see if a wire has come loose there. You may get lucky. It is most likely not an issue with the control itself but they do occasionally fail. Beyond that, it would be time to start ohm testing the wires for continuity to ground. Often times having a certified RV technician take a look makes the most sense. I hope this helps! I would love to know what you end up finding. Best of luck!

[@Tom-Fisherman]

Plain and simple people, this was an infomercial!!!!!

[@dih1268]

So… do you have a better suggestion?

[@Tom-Fisherman]

@@dih1268 Make sure you ONLY dump when its FULL, and flush till clean every time.

[@lesterwroblewski9863]

Why arent the sensors removable for cleansing after the tanks are emptied.

[@sheltermephotography1894]

What’s the average lifespan of a black water sensor? I have a 2004 Monaco Diplomat and live in it full time. I use only Unique Digest It pods to treat the waste and haven’t had working sensors in years. I’m wondering if they need replaced because they’re 19 years old? Thanks Nanette

[@uniquecampingmarine]

It is a little hard to nail down an average lifespan of a black water sensor because the use of an RV can vairy so much from person to person. With that said they tend to last quite a long time. Our company camper's sensors have been in use regularly for 8 years now and are in working condition. It would certainly be worth trying to clean the sensors with Unique's Restore-It. It has been able to help many people get their sensors working again. Sometimes it takes 2-3 tries to get everything working again but it has 2 treatments in the bottle so that is usually enough. If that doesn't work, you can certainly swap out the sensors in the black tank. I hope this helps! Happy camping! Chris technical advisor with Unique Camping + Marine

[@chrisgrob8812]

I have a 94 dynasty. Mine still work. But I flush every other time I dump and when I flush I close blk tank valve for 6min with my water psi. Dump till runs clear sometimes it 5 or 6 times. Then I put 1min water in tank for base.

[@mbstxb7579]

Wouldn't you put the enzyme magic stuff first then fill with water so it mixes in?

[@uniquecampingmarine]

@mbstxb7579 Excellent question! Our products are heavier than water. If they are added to the tank before adding water, there is a chance that the product will hang out in the lowest point in the holding tank which is the discharge port. Where as when it it added to a full tank the bacteria and enzymes will have a full tank of water to travel to their food source. Thank you for the great question!

[@birdmandave]

I have a 2022 jayco. The fresh water tank only goes from 1/3 to full. When filling it takes FOREVER to go from 1/3 to 2/3. Once it goes to 2/3, about 5L more of water it goes to full. And it’s the same for emptying the freshwater tank. It’s like it goes from full to 1/3, but it still drains for a long time. Maybe the 2/3 and 1/4 seniors are switched?

[@uniquecampingmarine]

This is something which we have seen before. It sounds like the sensors are wired correctly because they illuminate the lights on the control board in the correct sequential order but at different fill intervals. The most likely cause for the inconsistency of fill times is the location of the sensors when they were drilled into the side of the fresh water tank. On brand new blank fresh water tanks (those with no holes cut in them for filling, draining, venting and sensors) they often need to be measured and cut by the installer. Because of this sometimes they don't get the measurements correct and just sort of eyeball it. This can cause very inconsistent fill times for the fresh water. Unfortunately, the only way to fix this would be to drill new holes for new sensors that are correctly measured or replace the fresh water holding tank and drill new holes for the sensors that are correctly measured. Sorry for the bad news on this one. I hope this helps to understand the reason for the issue at the very least.

[@birdmandave]

@@uniquecampingmarine Thank you for your help. I have a appointment monday morning for a solar package to be installed. I will talk to the trailer tech then

[@uniquecampingmarine]

@@birdmandave Oh cool! Those solar setups are super nice! Congrats on the upgrade!

[@AndrewZimmer-ju1mh]

ugh, the black water tank sensor still looked like it was reading full.....

[@uniquecampingmarine]

Thanks for your comment! If you have dumped the contents of the black tank and allowed it to dry out (by leaving the valve open to air out over several days) and then you press the button on the control to check the sensors and they are still reading full, then you most likely have a problem with the wiring. Because many RVs have covered under carriage accessing the sensors and wiring may be difficult and it may be best to take the RV to a service center or have a certified RV tech take a look at them for you. Sorry that you are still having problems!

[@jmcgraw1]

How to wire in a second tank monitor display Good Day, My question is how to wire in a second tank monitor display in my wet bay? I would like to illuminate traveling indoors to check my levels, while I'm doing a tank flush. I have the basic main panel outside my bathroom. Or do I need to upgrade my system to a Sea Level II Of course I'm trying to do it cost effectively. Thanks...

[@uniquecampingmarine]

Hello @jmcgraw1, while that would be a nice feature to have, the difficulty comes in running a new wire harness from the holding tanks sensors to a new controller. Additionally, you will need to find a good 12 Volt DC power source in the wet bay to tap into. The wires that run between the controller and the sensors are also a small gauge, so keeping them protected would also be a consideration. Given the amount of time and energy it would require to set a sperate monitor display in the wet bay, it is probably best to stick with the OEM monitor on your rig. The Sea Level II is a really cool and precise monitoring system to be sure! They are unfortunately expensive. Plus you would still need to do the same level of wiring if not more to get that system operational in the wet bay. It can be done, but again the time and energy required to do it would be intensive. Very interesting question though! Thank you so much asking!

[@jmcgraw1]

@@uniquecampingmarine Thanks for the quick response. I have a follow up question. Could I use the harness on the secondary display with the same probes in the tank or do I require separate probes for the new harness and display? Thanks…

[@uniquecampingmarine]

@@jmcgraw1 You can use the same probes on the tank to get a reading on the second display. All you would need to do is remove the first 3/8" nut that holds the original ring terminal for each wire in place, then slip on the additional ring terminal that would run to the second display. Tighten the nut to sandwich the two ring terminals together and you should be good to go! I hope the install goes well for you!

[@jmcgraw1]

@@uniquecampingmarine That’s awesome. Thanks 😎

[@bruceaking]

With the sensors that simply complete a circut (connection to gound vua tank contents) a simple piece of whatever debris would not do this, add the tanks are non conductive plastic. Agree? Explain?

[@uniquecampingmarine]

@bruceaking You are 100% correct about a piece of debris attached to one of the sensors and not making contact with the any of the other sensors or the liquid below. There would need to be a piece of debris that is stuck on one of the sensors that either bridges the gap between the two of the sensors or that goes down to the liquid level. We are currently making a follow up video to this sensor video that will dive deeper into this topic specifically. Thank you for your comment and bringing this up!

[@paulburrell1062]

My issue is different than anything you covered. My grey tank sensors never show anything higher than empty. The black tank works fine. What might be causing no sensors and how do I troubleshoot

[@uniquecampingmarine]

There are a couple of things that can cause the grey tank sensors not to read liquid in the tank even when you are sure that it is there. If food debris or grease has built up around the lowest sensor often called the "ground" sensor, it can insulate the sensor from liquid keeping it from closing the circuit and showing the liquid level in the grey tank. This cans sometimes be cleaned using the instruction in this article: thelineofdoody.com/2023/05/22/dumping-the-gray-water-holding-tank/ However, if mineral deposits have built up on the sensor head(s) in the grey tank, then the sensor will most likely need to be removed and replaced. It is also possible that the ring terminal has either corrosion on it or has simply broken free from the sensor. Unfortunately, these repairs require accessing the sensors located on the tank and that can be difficult as many RVs come with covered undercarriage which can make this difficult. But if you are up for the task it is doable. I hope this helps! Best of luck to you and thank you for commenting!

[@paulburrell1062]

@@uniquecampingmarine I fixed it this morning. Sometime before I had it the wires were cut and taped off. It took me 2 hours to track down the wire because they had it taken to the opposite side of the camper and away from the sensor wires. Once I found it, I reconnected them and now it works. I’m not sure why someone would go to the trouble of tying the wire off without reconnecting but either way, it’s fixed now.

[@uniquecampingmarine]

Hey that’s great news! I’m so glad you were able to get it fixed. Thanks so much for the update! Happy camping!

[@rayherriott6517]

There seems to be a little misunderstanding here about how the sensors give a false reading. It is correct that each 'sensor' completes a circuit to the common sensor (ground as it is called in the presentation) in order to activate the level indicator lights. When the system is not working correctly, all or some of the level indicator lights are on when the tank is known to be empty. This means there is continuity between all or some of the level sensors and the common sensor. This continuity is caused by a buildup of material all the way between a 'lying' sensor(s) and the common sensor - such material being sufficiently conductive to activate the associated level indicating light. Not just crud covering a level sensor only! A close look will reveal an entire vertical surface of the tank covered with conductive material which requires removal. Also if material accumulates on a sensor and the tank remains empty for a long period of time, the material can dry out and harden and become an insulator over the sensor so that the associated level light does not come on when liquid covers the sensor at a later time.

[@uniquecampingmarine]

@rayherriott6517 You are absolutely correct! Just having crud covering a single sensor with nothing in between the sensor and the water level or ground sensor will not show a misreading sensor. There needs to be something (typically toilet paper) closing the circuit to the liquid level or to the ground sensor. We are working on a follow up video to this one which will go deeper in depth to show this using a clear holding tank. It should be coming out quite soon here. Excellent catch and thanks for leaving a comment!

[@rayherriott6517]

Thanks! I look forward to it - a clear tank is a great idea! @@uniquecampingmarine

[@PeeWeeHenson]

WILL UNIQUE RESTORE IT WORK IN MY GREY TANKS AS WELL????

[@uniquecampingmarine]

@PeeWeeHenson Unique Restore-It won't do any damage to anything in the gray water tank. We have seen some success with it getting the gray water tank sensors working again using Restore-It. The best results we've seen so far for getting gray tank sensors working again would be to pour 20 ounces or more of Dawn Ultra into one of the sinks and then washing the Dawn into the gray water tank until full (you should see soap bubbles in the lowest drain in the RV, typically the shower to know when it is full). Let that sit over night (8 hours or so) and then dump the tank in the morning. The grease cutting nature of Dawn does a really good job at cleaning the gray tank sensors and get them working again. I hope this helps! Thank you so much for your question and happy camping!

[@Kat-I-am3333]

I just got a 98 four winds Chateau that appears to have only one tank lever to release, is that normal? I can't figure it out... and the sensor readout is not working. So many issues in this Rv. Im a 72 yo woman & I think I'm in over my head. I did subscribe tho 🧚🏼

[@uniquecampingmarine]

Hello! I have looked up the specs for your 1998 Four Winds Chateau and it looks like your RV has 3 holding tanks, fresh, grey and black water. From what I could find, it looks like the grey water holding tank valve is sort of around the corner when you open the small access hatch to connect the sewer discharge hose. Do the lights not light up at all on your control panel? Thanks for commenting and subscribing!

[@Kat-I-am3333]

@@uniquecampingmarine Thank you for helping me! The control panel is not working & I am new to all this. So nothing to indicate what is going on. Im hoping to get someone to fix that readout panel. There are two release valves i see now. I only emptied one which is the grey water, so I need to go empty the black water. Someone said its the valve to the right, back a little bit that sounds like the opposite of what you just said. Its hard to find anywhere to empty the tanks. The one place I did find, the attendant did not speak English, so I didn't know what to do. I need to get this figured out tho. Thanks again. 🧚🏼

[@Kat-I-am3333]

@@uniquecampingmarine I went to the library & even they could not find anything on my Rv to help me. Just on the Ford 350 truck part (Chilton), but nothing on the RV part. It has one solar panel. I just got a tarp to put under it to keep the rain out, will that work? & hopefully get that control panel fixed. I just replaced both batteries, one being the deep power, but the generator is not working & costs like $3000+ when I was lead to believe it would only be $1500. He lied to me, esp. about all the leaks it had, & never mentioned the exploded water heater. 😵‍💫

[@uniquecampingmarine]

@@Kat-I-am3333 Happy to help in any way we can! I am sorry to hear that you are having so many issues. It can be a little difficult to find information on some RVs. Thor may be able to help you find the original owners manual. They can be reached at 877-855-2867. They will most likely ask for the VIN of your RV. If you need some help finding a mobile RV technician to help you with some of the issues you are currently having, rvtaa.org/locate/ is an excellent resource for finding a mobile tech. Once you get the controller up and working again, if you have any further questions about getting the sensors in your holding tanks working, please feel free to reach out! I truly hope this helps! Best of luck!

[@mikeweis5925]

I agree with @chrisgrob8812, I see no way a chunk of toilet paper stuck to the 2/3 full sensor could complete the circuit to ground “unless” there was something else completing the circuit over the 18” between those two circuits. I’m an electrician.

[@uniquecampingmarine]

Hello mikeweiss5925, the only time which a piece of toilet paper could close the circuit would be if it was also touching the water. I will make the necessary corrections in the video to demonstrate that point. Excellent catch!

[@mikeweis5925]

@@uniquecampingmarine my belief is that a slime/mold can stick to the walls sometimes causing a connection back to ground.

[@uniquecampingmarine]

​@@mikeweis5925 You very well may be correct in that line of thinking. I am currently doing testing along those lines in order to provide a solid answer. I will definitely post a video with what I find!

[@2hotscottpro]

It’s a hard scale if an older unit as in a few years plus old.

[@mikewatkins978]

Morning, beware the drop in packet treatments, they don't break down the solids near as well as Unique does, and they can cause the sensors to foul. I know this is fact as that I switched from Unique to a drop in packet type and with in two days the sensors were misreading, I panicked the first time because the sensors showed almost a full tank, thought maybe the toilet flush valve was leaking and filling the tank but I know it wasn't, to be on the safe side I stopped and drained the tank, it was in fact only 1/4 full, the second time the tank read 3/4 full and was only 1/4 full. I finished out the trip, got home and completely filled the tank to try and just clean off the sensors with fresh water, also I got under the RV and checked the sensor wires to make sure they were tight, I then filled the black tank again to clean the sensors, I used one of the tank cleaning wands with the rotating spray nozzle in hopes of getting them working properly before the next trip. Won't know if i was successful until I can get to the dump station again and completely drain the tank, Now lets talk about the Dawn grey water tank treatment, yes it works but be careful not to over agitate the tank causing the soap to foam, I hade soap foam coming out my roof vent,,, Driving down the road with soap foam blowing off the roof caused some strange looks from other drivers that were passing me with their windshield wipers on,,,,,

[@uniquecampingmarine]

Hello Mike, You bring up a great point when it comes to the drop-in pod style holding tank treatments! We have spoken with many RV technicians who have found the remnants of these pods left behind in holding tanks. When it comes to using any pod style holding tank treatment, we recommend filling the toilet with several inches of water, adding the pod to the water in the toilet and let it dissolve completely before flushing it into the tank. Adding the treatment this way will ensure that the pod is fully broken down and will not collect on sensors and the ledges of the holding tank. We recommend doing this with our own RV Digest-It Plus pods. The beauty of the RV Digest-It Plus pods is that they can also help to maintain working sensors as well. If you are still struggling with your sensors after having filled the holding tank and rinsing with the rotating spray nozzle, I would recommend using Restore-It with a full tank of water and plenty of time to get your sensors reading correctly. Though I did laugh at the thought of of soap suds coming out of your RV vent while driving down the road, your comment on using Dawn dish soap in the holding tank is also completely valid! We recommend adding the Dawn to the gray water holding tank before going to bed, while at camp to allow enough time for it to breakdown grease and then dumping the gray tank before traveling. Thank you so much for your comments! You brought up excellent points! Happy camping, Mike!

[@watchman6104]

What if your fresh water sensors are messing up??

[@uniquecampingmarine]

@watchman6104 Great question! Typically when the fresh water sensors are misreading, the sensors themselves are at fault. This can happen especially in areas with hard water or high mineral content in the water. Since the sensors are going to be in drinking water, there is not very much you can do for them other than replace them. There can also be issues with the wiring harness but it is usually just the sensors which fail in the fresh water tank. Thank you so much for your question!

[@mbstxb7579]

I have my wife stand in there with 2 bags of ice and I get up to about 60mph and break real hard, some of the ice gets in there, idk if it works but fun though😂😂

[@uniquecampingmarine]

@mbstxb7579 Hahaha! Here's hoping you give your wife a heads up by shouting "Brace!" before jamming on the brakes!

[@randallzook5570]

I never buy those expensive chemicals to clean my RV black tank. Instead, I installed Tornado 360-Degree RV Holding Tank Rinser w/ 6' Long Hose and issue resolved. Within seconds this completely flushes the tank of remaining TP. The 6' hose is useless because I needed 10' which I bought at the big box store and used instead. One other note and not all will agree with me but....black tanks are holding tanks not septic systems. Why in the world do people use chemicals that liquify everything making it impossible to completely flush the tank? This only adds to the tank sensor problems. I use Calgon beads and pine sol mix, no odors and no clogs just slippery exit of waste from my tank. I also use whatever TP I damn well please because it does not matter. The RV industry loves to sell these expensive unnecessary products to the misinformed public. Thanks for your video love differing opinions than mine.

[@uniquecampingmarine]

Thanks for the comment! We also love having discussions about differing opinions, it can be such a great learning opportunity for everyone! We're glad that you have had success with the tank rinser! From doing so many of our own tests and helping customers, we did not have very good results. At the end of the day, it's best to do what works for you! We also couldn't agree with you more that black water holding tanks are not septic tanks. We actually wrote about this to help other RVers (thelineofdoody.com/2023/05/22/rv-holding-tanks-are-not-septic-systems/)! Again, we completely agree when it comes to toilet paper. The RV specific brands of TP are unnecessary and uncomfortable. You should watch our latest KZbin video where we show that it doesn't matter which brand you use. Thank you again for your comment! We always love talking holding tanks with people!

[@californiahikingadventures2249]

What about pressure wash?

[@uniquecampingmarine]

Hey there! That is an excellent question! It really comes down to the orientation of the sensors and where they are installed on the tank, as well as the approach that you are taking to clean them. For example, if you are pressure washing by running a flexible pressure washer tube up through the discharge port then often times you will need a spray nozzle capable of turning a full 180 degrees because on quite a few RVs that we have worked on, the sensors are located on the same wall as the discharge port (such as the tank in the video). If you are going to use a rinse wand through the RV toilet, then we recommend using a single jet style rinse wand so that you can control the direction of the water flow and leave it positioned on the sensors to clean them that way. Many RVs also have their undercarriage covered with insulation and Coroplast sheets, which will also make it harder to know the exact location of the sensors in the tank. It all sort of depends on how far into the system you are willing and able to go. That’s why we find the easiest way to clean the sensors is with a quality bacteria and enzyme based cleaner and plenty of time. I hope this helps! Thank you for your question!

[@californiahikingadventures2249]

@@uniquecampingmarine I’m considering offering tank cleansing with pressure wash as part of a tech business. Would always start with your product first before the wash if sensors are at issue. Creative heads on sprayer and maybe boroscope as well .

[@uniquecampingmarine]

@@californiahikingadventures2249 I think that your idea for doubling down on the cleaning is great! Starting with Restore-It will take care of most of the misreading sensors out there and then using a sprayer as a follow up sounds like an excellent plan. We use a borescope to help with diagnosing sensors and they are very helpful. Definitely something we would recommend investing in for that kind of work. Best of luck in your future endeavors!

[@californiahikingadventures2249]

@@uniquecampingmarine thanks, your product comes very highly recommended by Todd at NRVTA and others I trust. I’m searching for a small right angle or pivoting head for pressure washer that I can use to go straight down the vent pipe . Would solve the issue of getting to those sensors 👍

[@IamMugs]

15:00 And sure enough... we need to do this again. "Cameraman", why did you actually press the damned button?

[@timmyers3428]

that was a bit misleading, see the sensors are reading empty, but alas they are not, liar, liar

[@jeffl1499]

With just a piece of toilet paper on a sensor how does that complete the circuit?

[@uniquecampingmarine]

Hello Jeff, Holding tank sensors use water as the conductor to close the circuit between the different levels in the holding tank. Since the sensors are all wired together in the red "wire nut" connector and there is usually enough water in the very bottom of the holding tank to be touching the ground sensor. A piece of toilet paper usually retains enough moisture in it that when stuck to a level sensor and the ground sensor touching water the controller detects a closed circuit. The same can be said about a layer of grease or food debris in the gray water holding tank. So long as the ground sensor is wet and there is another moisture retaining piece of debris on one of the level sensor the control reads a complete circuit. I hope that helps! Thanks so much for your question!

[@IamMugs]

Came to ask the exact same thing. If the positive is the 2/3rd sensor and you have a wet piece of TP on it, unless it's wet all the way down to the ground probe, it shouldn't make a connection. I'm sure that this guy is right, but it does not compute in my feeble brain. Most water sensors use a board with 2 or more traces on it. The connection between these traces is what detects water. EDIT: After looking into what the sensors look like, it's definitely just making a connection between the ground and positive. Shrug.....

[@mikeweis5925]

I agree, I see no way a piece of food or even a large piece of toilet paper as shown in the example would complete the circuit to ground.

[@blockbmw]

This is just pure crap. It doesn't work like this.

[@cl4367]

If you don’t have the time to wait. Have the tank jetted out professionally. Or do it yourself if you have a pressure washer that you can attach a jetter head. Takes 30 minutes. Sounds like a chemical sponsorship.

[@chrisgrob8812]

I hate tank sensors. I don't worry. Gray tank full when shower backs up. Black tank is past time to dump when flushing toilet. The toilet burbs back at you. Easy. Screw them sensor

[@Reddog1255]

Everything they make in rvs is garbage they will last about six months no matter what you do, just another example of them using the wrong product on there rvs, as consumers we need to demand better quality

[@blockbmw]

You clearly don't know how the system works! And or electricity works.

[@Idahoprepper71]

Terrible information! These are holding tanks not septic systems. Do not put any chemicals to brake down waste in your black tank. That is what creates the sludge that causes all the problems.

[@uniquecampingmarine]

You couldn't be more wrong. Sorry to clapback BUT there is so much bad information going around about this "peanut butter" sludge topic and we've got to set the story straight. As a company that has been helping RVers solve REAL problems for decades, its frustrating to hear about a startup from a few years back that is telling people this - because they know it makes people need their service more. This sludge is simply not a real problem and you're misleading honest RVers who are looking for real help. Do us a favor and head over to Facebook and share your crazy ideas there. People LOVE fake news and bad advice, masquerading as truth, over there! Don't believe us... Well, put your claims to the test - Put some dog poo in a jar FILLED with water and a high quality waste digester, does it turn into sludge when you pour it out? NOPE. It flows right out, broken up and easy. Now, do the same thing with a jar with too LITTLE water, does it thicken up and turn into sludge? It does. It's amazing how science works! If you are using the right amount of water in your black tank the waste is easily diluted and the waste pours out without needing a service that charges you several hundred dollars to do it! You're being marketed to, and people like you are hurting RVers with your false statements. It's like saying never use soap in a car wash. What? Well, if you use no water the soap will be a sticky mess, goes the same logic. Of course soap is sticky without water. That's why you use water to do the obvious job of dilution. These guys are doing the same thing. They're showing people who use little-to-no-water in their tanks and act like it's a common problem to get sludge in black tanks. Understand this: The problem is not waste digestion inside the tank. The problem is people using too little water in their holding tanks (which I'm sure you'd agree using enough water is key, right?). This storyline is being spread by companies that want you to use their services to clean out your tanks - and they charge a fortune. As an honest company, we DO recommend professional tanks cleaning services from time to time because getting your tanks professionally cleaned is a good thing sometimes, but unfortunately, these companies operate more like used car salesman than honest purveyors of facts, and either you work for them - or you've been suckered by their rhetoric - and we're tired of these falsehoods being spread around without educated responses. So there ya go.

[@dramc-ov3cp]

You're not making sense. How does the wad of paper complete the circuit to the ground probe? By itself, it does not. Better study up on this "conductivity thing." You failed to show a conducting path, back to the drawing board. Please stop misleading the non technical folks with real tank problems.

[@uniquecampingmarine]

Hello! You are correct in your assessment of the wad of paper. We shot a second video that goes far deeper into that topic. If you are interested please watch it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mJ7Mnnians-peM0 Thank you for commenting!

[@dramc-ov3cp]

@@uniquecampingmarine Thanks, but fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. If you knew that you were talking nonsense in the first video, why is the video still up?

[@HemiDad1963]

If the sensors can detect a liquid level why not wet toilet paper?

[@dramc-ov3cp]

@@HemiDad1963 Because the wad is not likely to connect the sensor to the far away ground located low in the tank, and close the circuit. Liquid will do that because it fills from the bottom up. A wad is just hanging there not doing anything until it connects to the grounded liquid.

[@larryphillips4164]

20 minute video coulda been a 20 second short… don’t waste peoples time with a step by step on how to connect a water hose and turn on a water hose spigot plz. Keep it simple and to the point. Short and sweet.