Tank Sensors

[FlaBucki]

The grey water tank sensor on my new AI seems off - shows 2/3 full very quickly even though the fresh water tank doesn't more than 1/3 empty. Are the sensors adjustable or is it possible mine wasn't installed at the proper level?

Dumb question - but what happens if the grey tank is overfilled?

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by FlaBucki

The grey water tank sensor on my new AI seems off - shows 2/3 full very quickly even though the fresh water tank doesn't more than 1/3 empty. Are the sensors adjustable or is it possible mine wasn't installed at the proper level?

Tank levels aren't terribly accurate, in my opinion; they're more usable as indicators than actual measurements. If you fill the black and gray tanks untl the red "Full" lights are flickering but not steadily on, it's generally time to dump the tanks but not past time to dump.

Dumb question - but what happens if the grey tank is overfilled?

There are no dumb questions, unless I'm the one asking them! The first thing you would notice is gray water backing up through the shower drain; that drain is lowest, so it overflows first. Which is good news because the shower pan helps keep the excess water contained, and bad news because if you have to drive to the dump station, it will slosh over the rim of the shower pan.

Handy hint… If your gray tank starts to overflow into the shower pan, shut off the flow of fresh water so you're not making it any worse, and then go outside and open the gray tank valve, WITHOUT turning on the macerator pump. What this will do is drain some gray water into the 4" line between the gray tank and the macerator pump, without discharging any gray water onto the ground. That should free up just enough space in the gray tank for the shower pan to drain back down before you head for the dump station. You should normally drain the black tank first, then the gray tank, but the macerator pump makes it possible to partially drain the gray tank when that tank is trying to overflow, then switch to draining the black tank, before draining the rest of the gray tank.

[UKDUDE]

Originally Posted by FlaBucki

The grey water tank sensor on my new AI seems off - shows 2/3 full very quickly even though the fresh water tank doesn't more than 1/3 empty. Are the sensors adjustable or is it possible mine wasn't installed at the proper level?

Dumb question - but what happens if the grey tank is overfilled?

The sensors are stuck on rather crudely with some sort of rubber mastic. One of mine fell off and the dealer stuck it back on. They are just positioned approximately on the tanks.
The Interstate should be level for a better reading.

[73shark]

My gray water tank reads 1/3 full when completely empty and the RV is level. Going to check the sensor placement when I get back.

[Boxster1971]

Mine also shows 2/3 full very quickly, but the 1/3 full light never comes on. Protagonist's advice is right-on!

[MILATV]

Funny. All my fresh water level gauges fell off on trips this winter - just dangling. I used the grey & black gauges to figure my water level. Hope to figure out how to connect them and in what order this spring.

[73shark]

You could try filling the tank with water about half full. With someone in the coach monitoring the LEDs you could try moving each sensor past the water level to see which LED lights up and determine which one it is by that way. Not sure what adhesive would be best to stick to the tank.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by 73shark

You could try filling the tank with water about half full. With someone in the coach monitoring the LEDs you could try moving each sensor past the water level to see which LED lights up and determine which one it is by that way. Not sure what adhesive would be best to stick to the tank.

Actually, since the tank sensors are set at the one-third, two-thirds, and full positions— there's no purpose to the one at the "Empty" position; if none of the others are lit, that's the same as the empty light being lit— the thing to do is divide the tank capacity by 3, add one-third and set the one-third sensor, then add another third and add the two-thirds sensor, and then add the final third and set the Full sensor.

Your technique for figuring which sensor is which can be combined with mine for setting the sensors, just using the one-third full level rather than half full to determine which sensor is which.

A Sharpie marker, and a number 0, 1, 2, or 3 for (counting by thirds) on each sensor to tell which is which will help if they fall off again. Same Sharpie marker can be used to mark the tank itself, drawing an outline around each sensor to show where to stick them back on next time.

Note to self: since mine haven't fallen off yet, next time I have my Interstate elevated high enough to get my thick torso under it, I need to mark my fresh and gray tank sensors exactly that way to forestall future problems.