hustede
Rolla, MO
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Joined: 07/25/2002
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There was an excellent and lengthy discussion on this forum that would be good to search for and read. I believe it will help with the readings.
I have listed the original title of the discussion and a couple of other sites to read extracted from that discussion. Interesting stuff and I will be trying out the "Geo Method" later this year.
"Black and Gray Water Holding Tank Maintenance, "The Geo Method",By Charles Bruni"
**Calgon Water Softener link** http://www.calgon.us/
**How does chlorine bleach work? Great link!**http://science.howstuffworks.com/question189.htm
**How Do Detergents Clean? Another link!**http://chemistry.about.com/od/howthingswork/f/detergentfaq.htm
Ole Ed from MO
A great wife of 40 yrs
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Dave58
Livingston, TX
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We are not having trouble with our gauges. The only thing that I can attribute that to is that we only use the RV toilet tissue and when we are hooked up to a sewer, we flush with a larger quantity of water. When we are on the road, I dump before the departure, put the digesting chemicals in with a couple of gallons of water and let the motion of the road slosh and clean the tank. It goes without saying that when standing still in a campground, we leave the black water valve closed until it is 3/4 full or more and then flush it. We also close the gray water valves a day or so before we dump so that we have a large quantity of soapy water to clean out fittings and the hoses. That way there are no surprises when you disconnect.
2002 Newmar Kountry Star 34RLCK Fifth Wheel
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bfast54
Traverse City ,Mi.
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Joined: 12/24/2003
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Yep;
I have found, also that the "gauges" do not seem to be very accurate, as they say, goes with the camping thing,! I do find ,also that the gauges on mine , are not very close, so I kind of do a "let's see, how much do I THINK, I have used ! L.O.L. !!!
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glengray
Huntington, WV USA
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Joined: 01/22/2004
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I agree with others who have said there are other ways to know when to dump grey and black tanks. When the grey 'backs up' at the lowest point (usually the shower), that tells you it time for that tank to be dumped. The sound of the drain water hitting the top of the standing water when it goes down the toilet drain can tell you when its time for that tank. My monitors worked for the first 6 months then couldn't be relied upon.
As for the amount of water to shower, can't say. But, by chance, the 5er we bought off the dealer's lot had a 10 gallon hot water tank in it. We'll NEVER own another with only a 6. It's too convenient to be without.
2002 Sandpiper 27RKBS
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BlackSilver
East of Heaven, North of Hell
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Joined: 12/18/2003
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As others have told you, the cheap tank monitors which come on most trailers usually get gummed up about the 3rd weekend you use them and are useless from then.
You can buy 'aftermarket' gauges (about $300 a set, I think) which use better technology and do a good job. Installation might be problematic if you have an enclosed bottom on your rig.
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kokopoko
southeastern Az
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Ours are inacurate too, even after cleaning with every thing you can think of they still don;t work right. You get pretty good at guessing after a while
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John H
Kansas City Mo.
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Joined: 04/11/2002
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On this and other Sunny Brooks it has two gray water tanks one for the galley area the other for the bath area with two separate drain valves. In traveling we leave several gallons of water mixed with bleach (also for dis-infecting) to wash them out when the gage starts to act up in the galley tank. It’s has worked out to be so, that when parked for a length of time, provided we are not intending to drain the black water tank, (first) using the gray to flush, we will notice that the water starts to not drain in the shower basin, then its past time to pull the lever. I use to have trouble with an inaccurate gage in the black water tank area until I bought one of those cleaning wands that have the brass revolving heads, with the anti-back flow vanity hook-up. Now ever five or so dumps, adding several gallons before hand, I use the wand thoroughly, and since then it’s read very accurately.
John H
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sonnybass
West Columbia, SC
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Joined: 11/17/2003
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When gray water starts backing up in the bathtub...I know it's time to dump it. OKAY, I know it's not a good answer but I don't trust the gauges either.
Seriously though, a previous post mentioned that a little experience will give you a good sense of when it's time to empty tanks.
We know a weekend camping trip will not require dumping tanks until leaving...and every other day dumping on longer trips is quite sufficient with a small 34-gallon gray water tank with me, the wife and a couple of grandkids showering daily.
Sonny/'04 Cummins powered 2500 Dodge Ram/'99 Sunnybrook 24CKFS/'00 Champion 171T bassboat
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scrver
Sandy Creek, NY 13145
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Joined: 02/13/2004
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There is an goo article in last months "Trailer Life" that talks about several types of after market monitors. Interesting reading.
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BlackSilver
East of Heaven, North of Hell
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Quote:There is an goo article in last months "Trailer Life" .....
"goo"? Freudian slip? 
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