How To Stop False Black Water Tank Overfill Alarms

One thing that you never want to have problems with when RVing is the Black water tank (the tank that holds the human waste). This tank is equipped with an indicator system that is meant to alert you when the tank needs to be emptied. There are times in which this indicator system can give you an inaccurate reading. If you find that your Black water tank level indicator is giving you false readings, there are a few things you can do.

Flush the Tank

The fastest way to rectify the false full alert is to flush your tank. To do this, feed a garden hose into the toilet. Turn the water on high and flush the tank with the hose. Wiggle the hose around a bit to wash the sides of the tank. This should help to remove any built-up waste and toilet paper that could be causing the false reading on the indicator system.

Use Chemicals

Go to your local RV dealership and buy a supply of waste water chemicals. These chemicals will help to break up any solids and toilet paper that is sticking to the walls of the holding tank. Not only will these chemicals help with the false readings, but they will help to decrease the odors that come from the holding tank.

Change Toilet Paper

You can purchase toilet paper that is specially made for use in RVs. This toilet paper is much like single-ply toilet paper. It is thin and will break down much faster than your typical two-ply toilet paper. This could help to prevent it from sticking on the walls of your holding tank causing false readings.

Run Extra Water

Each time you flush, run a little extra water into the holding tank. It is impossible to run too much water into the holding tank. This is because the more liquid in the tank, the less solids will compile in it. The only problem you may run into is if you are not tied directly into a sewer line. You will have to disconnect and drive to a dump station more often than you would otherwise.

If you continue to experience problems with your Black tank indicator light, talk with an RV repair technician, such as Orangewood RV Center. It could be caused by something more serious than toilet paper or waste stuck to the side of your tank. The technician will be able to diagnose the problems and help you put a stop to the false alarms.