Wednesday, March 22, 2023

MENU

How accurate are the holding tank gauges on your RV?

Are your RV’s holding tank gauges reliable? Do they accurately show the level of your  holding tanks — black, gray and fresh water — and LP gas?

Or are they never or seldom correct? Curious minds would very much like to know.

It may take a moment for the survey to load, so please stand by.

Comments

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe to comments
Notify of

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

58 Comments
Newest
Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Ladydi
8 months ago

Our tanks go in increments of 1/3. Never shows empty, never shows full.

George
1 year ago

Ours indicates wrong usually soon after driving or dumping. If I wait an hour, they seem to be approximately correct. I’m assuming liquid or solids sticking to the side of the tank for a while cause this.

Steve M
1 year ago

I said somewhat only because I have 2 sets. The factory, with in tank sensors, are iffy at best. I installed Seelevel gauges, and they are much more reliable.

Donn
2 years ago

As a matter of fact, I do not have any gauges on my 1976 camper. We more often than not make every effort to use the campground facilities as a priority. I thought most folks did this?

C.Lee
2 years ago

Fresh water and gray water are fine. Black water is a farce.

Perry Butler
2 years ago

LOL! People actually believe those gauges are accurate!
Every once in a while I press those buttons for a good laugh.
Over the years we’ve learned how to mentally gauge our tanks.

Since we try to camp without services, we have solar, and a Victron BMV-712 batttery monitor that informs us of SOC and AH use of our batteries.

Dan
2 years ago

My tank level indicators in my 04 Newmar Mountain Aire MADP work perfectly now. They don’t give percentages, but I have no problem with that. They work on the same principles as the SeeLevel© gauges, no probes in the tanks. I installed the SeeLevel gauge system in my last motorhome.
All I had to do to make my gauges work accurately on my Newmar was to reattach the sending units to the outside of the tanks, the adhesive had failed after 14 years.

Bob P
2 years ago
Reply to  Dan

My ‘02 Mountain Aire also worked reliably however they only read E 1/4 1/2 3/4 F with red leds but it was much better than any of my previous RVs.

Jim
2 years ago

I use the Calgon and pine sol solution.. Took a while, but sensors are reading correct now..I recommend it to everyone…

Sink Jaxon
3 years ago

My BLK tank always reads full even tho I’ve flushed it out at almost every dump. I bought it new and it worked fine for maybe the first two months. It’s been 1.5 years now. The GRY and FRSH tank registers work fine. They are the push and hold for the red light to come on, type.

Range Rider
3 years ago
Reply to  Sink Jaxon

Order you some Happy Camper additive. It will most likely solve your problem. I get mine from Amazon.

Angelo
3 years ago

They’re all useless for the most part. Very frustrating that the gray tanks do not work properly. They haven’t on any of our four travel trailers.

Stephen Willey
3 years ago

I checked “very accurate” because I replaced the stock gauge with an electronic tank monitor that uses foil tape on outside of the tanks to sense levels. Bit of work, because the new system needed one more wire from each tank than the original. But it works great. HEY! this hgas been an issue for decades. Why don’t manufacturers update and quit using those cheaper pin through the tank gauges that always foul up?

Colin Grant
3 years ago

My black tank gauge is useless. I`m lucky though if I shine a flashlight down the toilet with the slide open the tank is directly visible below. My grey tank is reasonably accurate but if you fill to the max it will come out on the shower floor which isn`t a problem. Fresh and propane are good. This is on a Pleasure Way Sprinter class B, an older model.

Einar
3 years ago

They worked fine for three seasons and that was it. Even had the tanks power-washed and replaced the sensors. Tried almost every tip I read here on RVTravel. Bought cleaners from Amazon with no success. So I just dump them every few days.

Bluebird Bob
3 years ago

We have had a MicroPulse indicator with probes. Have had it now for over 10 years and VERY accurate. Love it!

M.J.
3 years ago

Ours have not worked from day 1. When we did our inspection I noticed gray tank #1 was reading 3/4 full, gray tank #2 was 1/2 full and the black tank full. The dealer knew they did not work and stated there was nothing they could do about it. According to them that was worked into the price of our brand new 5th wheel. That took them 3 months to get. I never tried getting Grand Designs to warranty it, because I don’t want the dealer to take a few months trying to fix something that they know doesn’t work and then sell it that way anyway.

Sink Jaxon
3 years ago
Reply to  M.J.

Just don’t seem right , does it…

Bill
3 years ago

I think one of the choices should have been accurate enough. Usually if it reads 1/2 a tank it gets emptied.

Lynn Benzel
3 years ago

I think the gauges suck. Never tried to correct. Why put out the money. Factory should make it right.

Brian
3 years ago

My gauges work fine. I do flush and empty tanks frequently and never but toilet paper in black tank. The outside propane tank gauge is accurate but the gauge inside RV is not accurate. This Class C is my 4 th RV been RVing about 6 months a year for last ten years and RV ing since 1995. I’m 71.

Jim Thompson
3 years ago
Reply to  Brian

So how do you wipe???

bjensen6
3 years ago

For anyone who is interested, here is the link.
https://www.garnetinstruments.com/rv-shop/

bjensen6
3 years ago

My readings on my tanks are accurate because I installed SeeLevel tank sensors. About $100. Worth the price.

Sign up for the

RVtravel Newsletter

Sign up and receive 3 FREE RV Checklists: Set-Up, Take-Down and Packing List.

FREE