wonky water gauges

jerilo · 08-02-2020, 06:56 PM

Hi I am new to this and loving our brand new 2020 micro minnie 2108ds. I am finding the water gauges unreliable. We have a 35 gallon fresh water tank and a 30 gallon black and 30 gallon grey tank. On our first few trips We tended to barely use the black tank but due to covid we may use it more instead of public rest rooms. It seems that the fresh water gauge goes down fast to 1/3 full while the grey and black tank register empty. Then the grey tank will go up to 2/3 full after barely a use. I realize these are approximations but since they are broken into thirds what are they trying to tell me. For example at what point is the fresh tank supposed to go from full to 2/3, from 2/3 to 1/3 and how much is left when it says empty? What I am specifically trying to avoid is adding fresh water when the grey tank is full and overflowing the grey tank. We are cautious so a big mistake is unlikely but knowledge is power.

jhedges · 08-02-2020, 08:30 PM

I don't think there are definite answers.

The first thing you have to do is make sure you start out with the Fresh water tank 100% full. Some fill up the fresh water tank, and it starts coming out and they think it's full. I suggest turning down the water to a low stream when you get close to full, and you probably can get more water in when you thought it was full. That's been my experience.

In terms of Black, we never get close to full.
With Grey, your only going to be able to wash dishes and a few showers throughout the weekend. Showers would need to be short. You really have to conserve.

If you can put more fresh water in mid-way through a weekend, I'd do it. The worst that can happen is if your grey gets full, your done. I thought someone posted that when your grey gets full or overfull you will see it come up through the shower drains. dunno

The more you camp, the more you watch the gauges, the more comfortable you'll become and know what you can do and what you can't do.

Happy camping

jerilo · 08-02-2020, 08:48 PM

Thanks for the reply. I think you pinpointed something I suspected. I dont think we are filling fresh water all the way so when the gauge shows it down a third we wonder where it went but it was probably never there. I did read that the grey tank overfill comes into the shower...that seems yucky and to be avoided...But I still think that if we never use the black tank and completely fill the fresh tank, we could possibly overfill the grey tank. We only dry camp and I think the answer is if we are staying longer than 4 days we should dump every few days. That is a pain...especially with my back-in skills but better than any alternative.

Wyatt · 08-02-2020, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerilo

Thanks for the reply. I think you pinpointed something I suspected. I dont think we are filling fresh water all the way so when the gauge shows it down a third we wonder where it went but it was probably never there. I did read that the grey tank overfill comes into the shower...that seems yucky and to be avoided...But I still think that if we never use the black tank and completely fill the fresh tank, we could possibly overfill the grey tank. We only dry camp and I think the answer is if we are staying longer than 4 days we should dump every few days. That is a pain...especially with my back-in skills but better than any alternative.

We use one of these, so we know how much fresh water we’re adding. If it’s just a day or two trip, I don’t fill it all of the way, because we don’t need the water or the weight, but we know what we have.

On our unit, if I were to overfill the fresh water, it just drains out into the ground through a bypass tube.

And we have filled our grey tank on occasion to over capacity and the shower, sinks, et al. Won’t drain. That’s the hint, it’s past time to dump...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

be happy · 08-03-2020, 03:41 AM

When we stay at a non fhu site for over 4 days we will wash the dishes in a plastic dish pan and empty the water into the black tank. This helps with spreading the waste water out a bit.

Wyatt · 08-03-2020, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by be happy

When we stay at a non fhu site for over 4 days we will wash the dishes in a plastic dish pan and empty the water into the black tank. This helps with spreading the waste water out a bit.

Great idea.

Goodspike · 08-03-2020, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wyatt

We use one of these, so we know how much fresh water we’re adding.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thank you--I like that! I can also use that at home for gardening use as intended, but I wouldn't buy it for just that purpose.

NormD · 08-09-2020, 08:58 PM

I got tired of sludged holding tank sensors and wondering how much fresh water I had when the 1/3-full light went dark. My See-View sensor system tells me what percentage of the tank is filled. I can now look at the readout and know I have, for example, 16 gallons of fresh water. Second-best purchase I ever made for the RV!

JoeC · 08-10-2020, 07:41 AM

Stock gauges are pure crap. Check out See Level gauges on the web. You need to be a real do-it-yourselfer to install them (or pay to have someone to do it for you). But these are a great upgrade to my RV. I can tell, within a few gallons, how much is in my tanks. Of course, if you are not fairly level, the gauges, like any other gauge system, will be off in reading. But you will know how to compensate, being an intelligent human being.

Blubugger · 08-10-2020, 09:46 AM

Same here on two Winnies..a 2002Vista [class C] and a 2018 2106ds. Similar experience to your issues with all three tanks.
My only take away is to treat these indicator lights as rough estimates and be mindful of actual levels especially when boondocking.
For black water in both of these Minnies, I could check by opening the toilet flapper valve and seeing that the level was below any cause for alarm. This may not be the case in all rigs.
The gray water tank....not so much and the fresh water tank can be overfilled but a bit of attention will go a long way.
Suffice to say, early dumping of black and gray tanks if possible will alleviate any overfill concerns. I am amazed that manufacturers haven't figured out how to design a system using that black water tank purge line to spray a "cleansing" wash onto level sensors. Obviously, fouling of sensors by accumulated debris is an issue. Or until an accurate level gage for these tanks is developed its probably something we RVers just have to live with.

Just Mike · 08-10-2020, 10:17 AM

I have a 2019 Micro Minnie 2108DS that my wife and I bought used last month. Prior to that, I had an E-Pro 19FBS, which we bought new. I suspected the tank gauges were not exactly spot-on with the E-Pro, but we camped probably 20 times and I gradually came to 'understand' the readings. Now with the Micro Minnie I've only been camping once for four days, and I wasn't confident in the tank readings on this one either. But I suspect that like the E-Pro I'll grow to 'understand' the readings.

Also, like Be Happy does we collect galley sink water in a plastic dish washing pan. We usually dump it out on the ground instead of in the black tank, but I like Happy's method and will probably start doing the same.

As to the problem of full holding tanks, we bought a rhino tank on wheels. We've had it two years but only used it once and it wasn't a total PIA. The Rhino tank is available on Amazon, along with a couple other brand RV waste tanks. If we plan on staying in an area a week or more, we typically opt for full hookup camps.

One last thing concerning the tank sensors, particularly the gray and blank tank sensors. I have found that if I flush my tanks regularly the sensors are more reliable and when I don't they tend to get sticky. I suppose that's part of the understanding thing...