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terry.morrow · 05-27-2013, 02:19 PM

I have a new 2012 23FB International Signature. We've been doing some practice camping before our first real trip -- so we can work through any issues/questions we have before getting on open road. Turns out, I have an issue.

Upon the first use, and subsequent uses (total of 4 times) after, my black tank is showing completely full after only flushing the toilet one time. I've completely emptied, done the flushing procedure via the inlet outside the trailer, and have also driven around with water/waste inside tank just to see if the sloshing would remove anything that could be stuck to the sensor. Nothing works so far.

Incidentally, my gray tank seems to show that it fills quite quickly too - though I have no benchmark to compare that to since this is our first trailer. This weekend, we took 3 average length showers (maybe 5-8 minutes ea.) + one very quick shower (2 minutes or less) and washed just a couple of dishes. The gray showed completely full. But it went from half full to completely full for the 4th shower. Maybe that's normal. If not, I'm wondering if I just need to recalibrate all my sensors.

Would appreciate thoughts from you veterans out there.

SStar · 05-27-2013, 02:30 PM

For interesting reading go to the toolbar above, hit search and type Micropulse in the window. There have been many discussions on the subject. By the way, I gave up on my monitor system, it's easier to live without it than with it.

terry.morrow · 05-27-2013, 02:38 PM

Thanks! I'll do that. Yeah I feel tied to the monitor panel already but I just don't have a baseline experience to start from to know "about" how much I can use the facilities... Bummer.

SStar · 05-27-2013, 03:33 PM

It will take a little practice to get used to the tanks. Even if the monitors are working perfectly it is a good idea to know what the tanks are doing. If you are using water out of your FW tank you are dealing with a controlled amount of water. You will normally run out of water before you fill the grey/black tanks. Most of the water goes to the grey tank, you will know it's full if the shower doesn't drain. The black tank is slower to fill because of the limited usage. Just look down the stool with a light if you need to know the level. It is better to let the level come up in the black tank before dumping for more thorough cleaning. The grey tank can be dumped anytime or even left open if you are hooked up in a park.
As recommended in a previous thread I bought an extra valve with Valterra fitting to connect between the main discharge line and the sewer hose. With it closed, open the grey valve, then the black valve to equalize water from the grey tank into the black tank, this gives much more holding capacity between dumps. It's all pretty simple with a little practice.

terry.morrow · 05-27-2013, 03:57 PM

good suggestions. I wasn't even close on the black tank, but did dump today because it might be a few weeks before we use it again. i figured no reason to have the sewage in there as we have some hot days coming up and the trailer will be locked up and sitting.
Also, the gray was showing full and everything was draining just fine. So i think both sensors are in need of calibration. I read the threads on micropulse and my issue sounds like it happens a lot. My guess is neither tanks were calibrated or were done so a long time ago. the trailer also had a birthday at the dealer where we purchased it - hence it being brand new but a 2012 model. So maybe just not being used for over a year means it needs calibration also. I'm thinking i'll take the time to do this before hauling it back to be serviced - where it sounds like sometimes they still aren't calibrated (correctly) when taken in. thanks all! I'm very happy to have a place to turn and get feedback - especially so quickly.

SteveSueMac · 05-27-2013, 04:58 PM

I also learned that being less than level can be a problem. One morning I was at 1/8 grey, that afternoon 7/8! Barely used any water either. I was pretty far off on my leveling when I got to the site and must have missed that fact.

My dealer tells me they calibrate the tanks at the dealer before I picked it up. I believe them. Good luck!

terry.morrow · 05-27-2013, 05:44 PM

Hmm. Interesting. As I'm thinking about it, I did notice the issue after we re-parked it somewhere less level. I need to go back and check it again after parking it on driveway maybe (which is pretty level). Great feedback --thank you!

10Smiles · 05-27-2013, 06:54 PM

We purchased our '05 trailer used about two years ago. The sensors seemed to work some, but didn't seem to be very accurate. I finally got around to calibrating my tank sensors (it takes a lot of water) a few weeks ago. We just returned from our second camping trip since calibration. The sensors seem to be working great now.

Just go through the procedure and your sensors will probably work fine. Just make sure your trailer is level in both directions when you do this. I filled both black and grey tanks at the same time with both drain valves open using an additional valve attached to the sewer outlet. This way, I could fill both tanks with the kitchen and bathroom sink faucets (with city water connection).

KJRitchie · 06-03-2013, 10:01 AM

I've owned my 2008 Classic 25 for two months now and the monitor panel seemed to be working well enough. On our 3rd trip this weekend I knew the black tank was empty except for a couple of flushes but no solid waste and noticed the Micropulse was indicating full with a flashing red light. We were at a water hookup site so I ran the black water flush a couple of minutes. No change.

On the way out I dumped the black water tank, then filled with the black flush and checked the level from the toilet bowl then dumped. Still no change.

While I was at the dump station a gentleman came up to ask me about the AS and I mentioned the problem I was having and he said 99% of all RVs have monitor issues. He did recommend the ice in the holding tank trick. I had a bag of ice in my ice chest so I thought why not and dumped it down the toilet. I added a little water. We only had to drive about 60 miles to get home. When I finished parking the AS in storage I noticed the monitor panel black tank didn't flash red which indicates full any more. The level now read 3/4 full. Maybe the ice was doing something and hadn't finished melting and the sensor was giving a false reading but at least it wasn't flashing red. I'll have to go back out in a couple of days and see if the panel is showing empty now.

Kelvin

SuperTrouper · 06-09-2013, 11:07 AM

I looked a long time for a live link to a micropulse calibration manual on the web yesterday and finally found one. Thought I'd post it for others. http://campadk.com/airstream/MicroPu...itorManual.pdf

terry.morrow · 06-09-2013, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuperTrouper

I looked a long time for a live link to a micropulse calibration manual on the web yesterday and finally found one. Thought I'd post it for others. http://campadk.com/airstream/MicroPu...itorManual.pdf

Thanks for posting! I found same link few days ago but forgot to bookmark it! Very nice. I'll save this PDF on my iPad so it's there for good!

daveswenson · 06-09-2013, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuperTrouper

I looked a long time for a live link to a micropulse calibration manual on the web yesterday and finally found one. Thought I'd post it for others. http://campadk.com/airstream/MicroPu...itorManual.pdf

If you use this manual for reference pay attention to the page numbers on the bottom. They're not sequential, and can screw you up if you do the procedure out of order.

polarlyse · 06-09-2013, 01:40 PM

We have a 2001 AS and it has a display panel above the stove. I gather it is not a micro pulse. At least not like the one shown in the above link. In the AS manual it mentions calibrating the tank sensors but you need to remove the panel to access the rear of the light display. Is there a trick to pulling the panel out of the cabinet it is inserted into ???
Once it's pulled out and access to the rear the calibration procedure seems pretty easy.

SuperTrouper · 06-09-2013, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveswenson

If you use this manual for reference pay attention to the page numbers on the bottom. They're not sequential, and can screw you up if you do the procedure out of order.

Yeah, you need a decoder ring with the manual. Page one, "go to page 11" yikes!

KJRitchie · 06-17-2013, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

I've owned my 2008 Classic 25 for two months now and the monitor panel seemed to be working well enough. On our 3rd trip this weekend I knew the black tank was empty except for a couple of flushes but no solid waste and noticed the Micropulse was indicating full with a flashing red light. We were at a water hookup site so I ran the black water flush a couple of minutes. No change.

On the way out I dumped the black water tank, then filled with the black flush and checked the level from the toilet bowl then dumped. Still no change.

While I was at the dump station a gentleman came up to ask me about the AS and I mentioned the problem I was having and he said 99% of all RVs have monitor issues. He did recommend the ice in the holding tank trick. I had a bag of ice in my ice chest so I thought why not and dumped it down the toilet. I added a little water. We only had to drive about 60 miles to get home. When I finished parking the AS in storage I noticed the monitor panel black tank didn't flash red which indicates full any more. The level now read 3/4 full. Maybe the ice was doing something and hadn't finished melting and the sensor was giving a false reading but at least it wasn't flashing red. I'll have to go back out in a couple of days and see if the panel is showing empty now.

Kelvin

Looks like the bag of ice trick helped my monitor issue. I went to storage this weekend and the Black tank is now reading empty vs full. The moving ice must have removed some debris.

Kelvin

SteveSueMac · 07-27-2013, 06:31 PM

Well - 2 trips in a row I'm getting weird readings on the black tank. Last time out, it was reading half full after being completely emptied on our previous trip. I have the flush line and used that on our last trip and after several flushes the monitor went down to 1/4 full. Left our last trip having filled the black tank before leaving and a thorough flush.

This trip, after sitting in storage for 2 weeks, it said the black tank was half full. Makes no sense having been completely empty after the last trip. Again I flushed from city water at my current site and drained it dry. Went back in and monitor said it was completely full (huh?).

Shut off the micropulse, turned it in again. Still 100% full. Shut it off an hour ago and will leave it off all night to check in the morning. Thinking of living without it at this point. Thoughts/comments/suggestions most welcome!

daveswenson · 07-27-2013, 06:40 PM

Just reread the OP's post. 3 average showers. 5-8 minutes. Did he use the shutoff or let the water run? Even conservatively figuring 5 minutes at 1.5 gals/min that would be 22.5 gallons. That will put a good dent in the gray water capacity.

Bruce B · 07-27-2013, 06:42 PM

This is all Deja vu...After believing I could actually master the stupid Catcon system for the best part of the first year of ownership of our Bambi I ripped it out and installed one of these......http://www.airforums.com/forums/f163...se-102968.html

It has done nothing but work well thus far.
I understand that most people will not want to go through this exercise but if you want a reliable tank monitor....

Bruce

crazylev · 07-27-2013, 06:54 PM

The tank sensing system in our 03 Bambi ccd has not been used or even turned on in years. Totally use useless IMHO.

Through time, we have learned when things need to get dumped. Good news is if you go over capacity on gray, it starts to back up in shower area, at least in our model.
So you have an opportunity to take measures for that.

Black tank we are able to go for up to 9 days if we do the "if it's yellow, let it mellow" route I.e. don't flush unless absolutely nessesary. We use campground facilities when possible and if they are tolerably clean.

Things get easier once you know your habits and gain experience.

terry.morrow · 07-30-2013, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveswenson

Just reread the OP's post. 3 average showers. 5-8 minutes. Did he use the shutoff or let the water run? Even conservatively figuring 5 minutes at 1.5 gals/min that would be 22.5 gallons. That will put a good dent in the gray water capacity.

Good question... but we do always use the shutoff lever on the showerhead. We've learned to extend our fresh water (and thus our gray capacity) by an extra day between trip one and trip four. so there's a learning curve.
However, with all of that stated, it still makes no sense why the gray and particularly the black tanks show full way before they are. I haven't had an opportunity to recalibrate mine yet, as I've sort of just learned that our usage works just fine for a 3.5-4 day trip. but boy it would be nice if that thing wasn't always blinking red.