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Old 05-09-2020, 04:18 PM   #1
Summerwind
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2020 Residence black tanks

Our control panel shows 2 black tanks, but we only see one black tank valve when emptying. Are there 2 tanks? Also, when emptying today, heard the black tank empty, flushed with gray tank, but one of the black tank indicators is still showing black tank 2/3’s full, the other empty. We’re new to this. Purchased this unit 4 weeks ago and got zero information about our new RV.
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Old 05-09-2020, 05:23 PM   #2
JRTJH
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Typically, to reduce costs, manufacturers use a "standardized control panel" for multiple models. For instance, a control panel may have "status indicators" for two gray tanks, two black tanks, 4 slides, two awnings.

That panel may be used in trailers with one gray tank, with one black tank, with floorplans that only have 2 or 3 slides and that have only one awning. The "non-used switches have a blank cover and the non-used tank indicators always show full or always show empty".

I've never seen a trailer with two black tanks for one toilet and I've never seen a trailer with two toilets plumbed to a single black tank. Due to the nature of how RV toilets work, it's necessary that the toilet have a "direct dump" plumbing attachment to the black tank that's located "directly below the toilet".

There's simply not enough "vertical run" in any trailer to plumb a toilet to a tank on the other end of the trailer and there's no "black tank large enough" to plumb two toilets in different areas of the floorplan to two toilets in different rooms.

So, as a general rule, every toilet will have a separate black tank and no toilet will have two black tanks. Generally speaking, if you see "extra indicators or extra switches on a control panel, they were intended to be "blank in that floorplan and are used in a different floorplan"

Sort of like the fog light holes built into every car, covered with a blank panel on the entry level models, wired with incandescent fog lights on intermediate level models and wired with automatic LED fog lights on the luxury models. But the "basic front end" is the same on all models of that car. It's the same with control panels in trailers.
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Old 07-14-2020, 06:10 AM   #3
GARYSUE
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Same Issue

I have also a new 2020 Residence and have a similar issue.
I think my problem may be a level indicator wiring issue, as recently I emptied the black tank when it was 1/3rd fully, only to find the indicator saying 2/3rd full afterwards.
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Old 07-14-2020, 06:26 AM   #4
JRTJH
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It's probably a "contaminated/wet sensor in the tank. The sensors are essentially "nails" stuck through the tank wall. When they are covered with tank contents, they "short to ground" and the panel lights up to that "nail connection" giving you a "tank level". ANY (and I mean any) toilet paper or poo that's "hanging on the nail" will cause the sensor to ground out giving a "false level indication"....

My trailer is a 2014, built in 2013. My black tank has registered "FULL" since the middle of the first camping season. Even after sitting in winter storage for 6 months with a completely dry black tank, it still reads "FULL".

Some people take the time to rinse, clean, and maintain their sensors. Few have any prolonged success in maintaining accurate sensor performance. Some think it's important, others just listen to the tank during flushing. When the tank "gurgles" it's time to dump the tank within the next few flushes. We know that we can go 8 days before even being aware of the tank level. Over the years, we've accommodated the ability to ignore the status indicator panel.

You may get some temporary success in "tank accuracy" with extended flushing, adding some cleaners to the tank and flushing again after it sits long enough for the cleaner to soften the contaminated "gunk" on the sensor. Then again, after the next tank dump, you may, once again, find your tank reads 1/4. 1/2 or 3/4 full even when you "KNOW" it's empty....

For many, maybe even most, the panels and level gauges/sensors are notoriously inaccurate and not worth the work to keep them clean and somewhat operational.

In the photos below, notice on the bottom photo, the "crud" that's stuck to the 3/4 sensor. That will give a "false reading" on the panel causing an empty tank to read 3/4 full. Hard to clean, IMO, and not worth the effort.
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