Working tank sensors….pricelss Almost every RVer I know complains about their tank sensors. It’s almost a given that after a few months the sensors start acting up and giving false readings showing tanks that are full when they are really empty. For anyone who dry-camps alot this is kinda annoying, and most end up just “living with it”. But there is hope! We’re not tank wizards by any means, but in 2 years of RVing we’ve managed to keep our black tank sensors working perfectly with our grey sensors OK most of the time. And most of it is thanks to the GEO method.

Typical tank sensor set-up. From dmbruss.comNow to understand why tank sensors go bad it’s worth understanding a little about how they work. Most RV tank sensors are basically just 4 screw probes that stick into the tank. When liquid hits the screw it makes contact & completes a circuit that turns the LED light on your panel on. Over time crud and slime covers the screws causing connectivity when there really is none (so sensors “think” the tank is full even if it’s not). It’s a really poor system, but it’s a cheap one which is why it’s so widely used. So, the key to making these things work again is simply to clean off that grime. Easier said than done, right?

Horst Miracle Probes -> a great little sensor upgradeThere are a ton of cleaners, tank chemicals and what-not out there each of which have their passionate supporters. Also there are much better sensors such as Horst Miracle Probe and SeeLevel, both of which get excellent reviews. But for those of us with old sensors and a cheap pocket, this is the method that’s worked best for us:
1/ Never Dump Until Tanks Are At Least 2/3 FullWaiting until your tanks are full before dumping helps keep things liquid and pressure high so that when you finally pull the plug “stuff” comes out rather than drying out and building up as pyramids in the tanks. So, even when we’re fully hooked-up we keep our tank valves closed until we’re ready to dump.
2/ Dump Black First, Then GreyAlways dump your dirtiest (black) tank first before dumping your grey. For those of you not in the know, the black tank contains run-off from your toilet, while the grey is run-off from your shower and sinks.
3/ Use Lots of Water & Back-FlushUsing lots of water (when you can) really helps to keep things flowing in the tanks. We’ve got a factory-installed back-flush system in our black tank and after we dump we’ll usually back-flush and re-dump before heading out again. There are after-market back-flush systems that are super-easy to install and work very well too.
4/ Clean With The GEO Method

The GEO method ingredientsThe GEO method is a home-made cleaning technique that’s been around in the RV community since (at least) the early 80’s. Where the name came from no-body seems to know, but the original method is HERE. The original formula uses chlorine, but that can ruin your valves so these days most RVers use a slightly modified method with just 2 common items, both of which you can get at any big department store:

• Calgon Water Softener -> This stuff helps to break down water surface tension, clean scum and prevent hard mineral deposits. I’ve used Borax on occasion when I can’t find Calgon and find it works just as well.
• Dawn Dishwasher Detergent -> The “original formula” blue detergent is excellent at cutting grime. Laundry detergent works too.

After you dump pour 1 cup of Calgon and 1 cup detergent into the tanks. Leave them in until your next dump. Before driving some RVers will also throw a bag of ice-cubes down the tank to “scour” their walls (we’ve never done this, but others swear by it).
And that’s really it! We don’t use the GEO method each time we dump, but just whenever our sensors need an extra cleaning. Either way it’s a simple, easy and environmentally-friendly method to keep sensors mostlyclean. And in a moving house on wheels that’s really as good as it gets.
What tricks do you use?

If you follow this Campground Etiquette you will have a memorable camping experience. Campground Etiquette is not hard or a stiff rule, but a set of guidelines from veterans to help you make the most out of your campground experience.

According to Mark Polk,
“THESE ARE THE RULES THAT RVERS LEARN OVER TIME AND PRACTICE OUT OF RESPECT FOR OTHER CAMPERS, THE CAMPGROUND OWNERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT. WHEN YOU ARRIVE AT THE CAMPGROUND YOU SHOULD ALWAYS OBSERVE CAMPGROUND ETIQUETTE”.

​RVer Camping Etiquette to Follow

• Be a Good Neighbor: If any of the other RVers in the campground needs help, extend the best of your skills.
• Be a Good Samaritan: Be alert of your surroundings and protect the campground at all times.
• Departure: Leave the campground as you were given.
• Pets: Leash them when in a campground.
• Privacy: Respect your neighbor’s camp space.
• Waste: When using dumping stations, clean it after use.
• Burning rules: Do not burn Plastic and likewise things that can create a noxious or choking odor.
• Noise and Light: When at night, minimize your singing, talking, music and other loudness levels. When moving around at night, use dim lights at night.

If your campground has a special Rulebook, follow them all! These rules are to help all campers in an RV Park or campground have an equally rewarding and peaceful camping experience.

(Reprinted from rving.how, an excellent resource for the RVer.)

Here is an excerpt from an excellent article from RVing.how.  Click anywhere on the article to be taken to the complete article website page.

Annual RV Maintenance Checklist
By
Sam

Maintenance is a part of life for an RV owner. That shouldn’t be a deterrent to owning an RV – after all, pretty much anything you use on a regular basis is going to require maintenance in order to perform properly year after year. However, you do need to respect the maintenance needs of your RV if you want it to live up to its potential for as long as possible.

Some of the maintenance that you will need to do on your RV needs to be done on a regular basis – such as every time that you take your rig out for a trip. This type of maintenance includes checking on the overall condition of your RV, washing it after a trip, oil changes on certain mileage milestones, and more. In addition to those regular points, you are also going to have some yearly maintenance points that you will want to keep track of to keep your rig on track for a healthy life. A few of the important annual RV maintenance points to hit on are listed below.

Care for Hot Water Heater
The hot water heater on your RV should be maintained on an annual basis, with the exact work that needs to be done varying based on the specifics of your unit. Some of the likely maintenance tasks to be done includes flushing the water heater, checking the pressure relief value, cleaning the burner tube, and more. If you aren’t comfortable or capable of doing this work yourself, have it done by a qualified technician at your local RV dealership.

Brake Inspection
You won’t need to do a brake job on your RV every single year, but you do want to check on the condition of your brakes at least annually to make sure...