Gray water sensors indicating false positives
Posted 09-22-2022 at 01:22 PM by HiBanky
Updated 03-12-2024 at 08:40 AM by HiBanky (Add soup and pics)
Updated 03-12-2024 at 08:40 AM by HiBanky (Add soup and pics)
My 2005 Journey has external proximity sensors on the gray water holding tank for detecting the waste water level. These are the black square stick on type with the white + sigh in the center. Like most other types of sensors they are susceptible to sending false positive signals when guck builds up on the inside of the tank. When Dish soap and tank cleaners don’t do the job, I have the good solution to the problem.
Cut off the female end of a flexible garden hose about 3-4 feet long. It will need to make some right angle turns so the more flexible the better. Fold one inch of the cut end over and clamp it down with a flex tie. Then drill 8 or 10, 1/8 holes in the last 2 inches of the folded end. Space the holes all around and up and down. Screw a ball valve to the treaded end of the hose and attach another longer hose to that. This valve will allow you to control the flow right at the point you enter the holding tank. With the valve closed, attach the other end of the long hose to a water source and turn it on. For best results use 40 to 60 PSI pressure.
Drain the gray water tank and disconnect the drain hose. Leave the gate valve on the gray tank open. Using a bucket to catch the flush water, push the short hose up into the gray tank and open the ball valve on the hose. Push and pull the short hose in and out a few inches while twisting it. Most tanks are only about four to six inches deep so use judgment when inserting the hose. It may take a few attempts and it can get a little messy but it works every time for me.
Update. Squirt some Dawn dishwashing liquid in the hose before you start. This will help breakdown the grease.
Note to millennials: DO NOT TRY THIS ON THE BLACK WATER TANK. I have different solution for the black water sensors in another blog entry.
Cut off the female end of a flexible garden hose about 3-4 feet long. It will need to make some right angle turns so the more flexible the better. Fold one inch of the cut end over and clamp it down with a flex tie. Then drill 8 or 10, 1/8 holes in the last 2 inches of the folded end. Space the holes all around and up and down. Screw a ball valve to the treaded end of the hose and attach another longer hose to that. This valve will allow you to control the flow right at the point you enter the holding tank. With the valve closed, attach the other end of the long hose to a water source and turn it on. For best results use 40 to 60 PSI pressure.
Drain the gray water tank and disconnect the drain hose. Leave the gate valve on the gray tank open. Using a bucket to catch the flush water, push the short hose up into the gray tank and open the ball valve on the hose. Push and pull the short hose in and out a few inches while twisting it. Most tanks are only about four to six inches deep so use judgment when inserting the hose. It may take a few attempts and it can get a little messy but it works every time for me.
Update. Squirt some Dawn dishwashing liquid in the hose before you start. This will help breakdown the grease.
Note to millennials: DO NOT TRY THIS ON THE BLACK WATER TANK. I have different solution for the black water sensors in another blog entry.
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