Holding Tank Monitors
I have a 2006 Tiffin Allegro Bus that I purchased in April 2012. My problem is the waste tanks monitoring system. The system “works” and the lights are on, but all I can get is the black tank to display the amber light. The gray tank stays on red. How do I clean the tank monitors (and keep them clean) so the monitoring system works as it should? I have had this problem in previous motorhomes but lived with it, because we only used the tanks occasionally. We became full-timers in August 2012, and have been motorhoming since 1999.
Angelo Miragliotta, F296783
Crestview, Florida
This is an ongoing problem for RVers, especially in used motorhomes. Both tanks must be cleaned as well as possible to clear the monitors’ sensors. As far as the black tank is concerned, solid waste and the use of incorrect toilet paper (or other items) are usually to blame for corrupt readings. This also can be caused by leaving the black tank’s valve open in campgrounds (black tanks should be kept closed until nearly full or when leaving a campground for the road, and then drained). Grease is the probable culprit for bad sensor readings in the gray tank, which can be cleaned with a degreasing agent.
Here’s a good method for cleaning the tanks. Begin by filling both tanks about half full with water — you’ll have to estimate the amount since your monitors aren’t working — and drive the motorhome to your favorite RV supply store, allowing the water in the holding tanks to slosh around. Ask what their most popular holding tank cleaners are; purchase one; add it to your holding tanks; and go for another drive. This should break up everything in both tanks and allow you to drain them. If the sensors don’t work after the first try, do the cleaning process again. If they still don’t work after the second time, you may need to have the tanks cleaned professionally. In the future, keep at least a quarter-tank of liquid in both tanks at all times.
If your motorhome has nonmetallic tanks, you might consider using a monitoring system that is installed on the outer wall of the tank. This assures that they are not fouled by the waste inside the tanks and they require little maintenance. I suggest you check out the SeeLevel tank monitoring system from Garnet Industries Inc.
Weathered Windows
I have a 1997 Four Winds Hurricane motorhome. The outer rubber around the windows has shrunk in the corners of most of the windows. I would like to replace this rubber. The windows are of the horizontal slide type. Two sizes of rubber are used, depending on whether it’s the inner or outer pane. I cannot find these at my local RV stores in Canada, although I see the same problem occurring on many similar windows. Do you know of a source, and is there any special way to install this material?
Gerrit Van Vrouwerff, F356687
Ridgetown, Ontario
Not being an expert on motorhome windows, I consulted Mike Smart of Flawless Auto Glass Service in Kingman, Arizona, for some assistance with your question. Here’s what he had to say.
“I have run across this situation many times, and I also have had no luck locating the replacement rubber molding. Since there are two different-size moldings, they would be very difficult to find without having samples of the two rubber seals. They are more of a lock strip than a seal. The actual seal is under the glass on the aluminum frame itself. What I have done in the past is remove the strips and reinstall them, filling the leftover gap with polyurethane sealant. The sealant matches the strip well once the urethane has been on for a little while. It serves the purpose without replacing the entire strip. I would recommend a UV-resistant polyurethane or equivalent in order to prevent deterioration in the future. Removal and installation of the strips are pretty straightforward. To remove, just start on one end and pull it out. To install, you can begin on one end and simply push the strip in place with your thumb or a tool that is blunt on the end, working your way around. It needs to start at an angle, so insert the strip into the inner grove first and then press to seat the strip to the outside.”
Battery Schematics
We are trying to find a schematic for installing the new batteries we bought for our motorhome. We have a 2003 39-foot Safari Sahara. I have searched the Internet, and we have searched what books we have in the motorhome. We are replacing all six 12-volt-DC batteries — two chassis and four house. I removed the old batteries to take to the dealer where we bought the new batteries, but now I am unsure about connecting the new batteries. We are looking for a diagram or, better still, a photo of where the cables go.
James M. Stroud, F396722
Selkirk, New York
Since you are using all 12-volt-DC batteries, you will hook them up in parallel. An explanation and diagram can be found in Gary Bunzer’s “The Balance Of Power” story that ran in the January 2012 issue of Family Motor Coaching (page 46). A text and a PDF version of the story can be found in the Back Issues section at www.fmcmagazine.com. Here’s a quick description about how to make this work.
Arrange the batteries to be wired in parallel so that a jumper cable connects each battery in succession (positives to positives, negatives to negatives). To achieve a balanced amperage flow, connect the vehicle’s positive cable to the first battery in the line, and the vehicle’s negative cable to the last battery in the arrangement. This will keep the amperage draw fairly well balanced between all of the batteries. There are several other wiring possibilities that are mentioned in “The Balance Of Power” story, but the method mentioned above is an easy and efficient configuration.
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