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Old 08-25-2021, 12:50 PM   #1
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Gray water holding tank

I own a Thor 27k windsport and can't find the gray water holding tank, so I can check the sensors on it. I called Thor customer service and the representative had so much trouble herself,that she literally told me she was going to email what she found and said I could "take it from there".
The picture I received look like a stick figure of a few black lines on white background. I replied back that I needed to get an exact step by step to gain access to the gray holding tank and it's exact location on my RV. I've done my research and can't even find it on YouTube on this subject. Anyone have ideas on how to do this? Thank you.

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Old 08-25-2021, 01:04 PM   #2
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Near the shower
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Old 08-25-2021, 01:16 PM   #3
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Thanks! Can you be a little more vague? Thanks for replying anyway. ��
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Old 08-25-2021, 02:06 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by Bruce j View Post
I own a Thor 27k windsport and can't find the gray water holding tank, so I can check the sensors on it. I called Thor customer service and the representative had so much trouble herself,that she literally told me she was going to email what she found and said I could "take it from there".
The picture I received look like a stick figure of a few black lines on white background. I replied back that I needed to get an exact step by step to gain access to the gray holding tank and it's exact location on my RV. I've done my research and can't even find it on YouTube on this subject. Anyone have ideas on how to do this? Thank you.
If you look just behind the wet bay you will see a black (ABS) 1.5" pipe making a right angle turn and going up into a black tank. This is the gray water tank.
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Old 08-25-2021, 02:44 PM   #5
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What Beau said - follow the drain piping.
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Old 08-25-2021, 02:52 PM   #6
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Just curious!
What do you plan to do to the sensors that will be of any benefit after the next couple tank fulls?
I've had 7-8 different RVs & not a single one were the sensors worth the effort to open the cabinet door to look at. You can flush/clean tanks, use all sorts of magic elixirs to supposedly clean them, waste countless bags of ice to agitate them, trace wiring & tighten probes then about the 2nd tank full you'll have the same issues. Or just learn the signals each tank gives when nearing full & save yourself a lot of work, $$ & worry about the useless sensors.
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Old 08-25-2021, 04:44 PM   #7
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Okay I see that, but how in the world do I get to it to replace the bad sensors? Any idea?
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Old 08-25-2021, 05:27 PM   #8
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Okay I see that, but how in the world do I get to it to replace the bad sensors? Any idea?
Why would you want to replace the sensors that you know are bad with others that are made by the same manufacturer? If you think you need working internal tank level sensors, the best bet is to install new external sensors, such as Garnet SEELEVEL II.
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Old 08-25-2021, 11:04 PM   #9
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Why would you want to replace the sensors that you know are bad with others that are made by the same manufacturer? If you think you need working internal tank level sensors, the best bet is to install new external sensors, such as Garnet SEELEVEL II.


Many coaches come with external sensors and they aren’t much better.
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Old 08-25-2021, 11:32 PM   #10
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Key to keeping sensors working... don't let toilet paper and other sludge dry on them. The other is making sure none of the flimsy wires have come loose from the contacts on the outside walls of the tanks.

Yes, it's a simple, cheap system. But I'm convinced 95% of the problems stem from not properly THOROUGHLY flushing tanks from day one when the coach was new. Why do some have troubles and others don't? Either loose screws on those contacts, or not flushing properly.
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Old 08-26-2021, 01:51 AM   #11
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Thanks! Can you be a little more vague? Thanks for replying anyway. ��
What about somewhere beneath the floor near the shower

What a hilarious thread. Call Thor again, you will get someone else that can help you or simply demand to speak to Product Specialist for your Model 27K, they may have to call you back.

I am with you, I want my stuff to work. I don't see why on earth Gray tank sensors go bad? I don't manage what goes down our sink drains it is mostly water, soap minor food particles and dirt. Having said that, I don't think replacing internal sensors is a practical option? I would follow the suggestion of external sensors as an absolute no doubt about must have upgrade unless it cost some outrageous price. If it is too costly, I would learn to do without, don't buy more of what you know has proven to failed
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Old 08-26-2021, 01:56 AM   #12
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Originally Posted by Chateau_Nomad View Post
Key to keeping sensors working... don't let toilet paper and other sludge dry on them. The other is making sure none of the flimsy wires have come loose from the contacts on the outside walls of the tanks.

Yes, it's a simple, cheap system. But I'm convinced 95% of the problems stem from not properly THOROUGHLY flushing tanks from day one when the coach was new. Why do some have troubles and others don't? Either loose screws on those contacts, or not flushing properly.
Gray tank....

Although we did read a thread where a guy said a previous owner had plumbed his black tank to his shower's incoming water supply line. But his complaint was mainly related to what he said was poop on the shower floor
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Old 08-26-2021, 10:45 AM   #13
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Sounds good. I'll look into them. However it won't matter if I can't find where the tank is located.
Thanks for the tip.
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Old 09-01-2021, 08:41 PM   #14
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Sounds good. I'll look into them. However it won't matter if I can't find where the tank is located.
Thanks for the tip.
Try it from the bottom up. Start from where your dump connection is. You should have a Y where one side comes through a gray handle valve and the other comes from a black handle valve. Follow the pipe from the gray handle and there, voila, you will find the gray tank.

Unless you want to tear up the bathroom floor, you'll probably have to work on it from underneath anyway.
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Old 09-01-2021, 08:51 PM   #15
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I'm not sure there are ANY sensors? Isn't it just a bare flat piece of metal that measures the ohms from it to the larger one on the bottom? Cleaning it would be the same as replacing it? But then I'm not an expert on these so could be wrong. This has been a problem for all 4 of the RV's I've owned. When paper gets all over the "sensor" it increases the ohms trying to tell you the tank is full. But I agree with almost everyone else they are very close to worthless.
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Old 09-01-2021, 09:13 PM   #16
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I'm not sure there are ANY sensors? Isn't it just a bare flat piece of metal that measures the ohms from it to the larger one on the bottom? Cleaning it would be the same as replacing it? But then I'm not an expert on these so could be wrong. This has been a problem for all 4 of the RV's I've owned. When paper gets all over the "sensor" it increases the ohms trying to tell you the tank is full. But I agree with almost everyone else they are very close to worthless.
Nope, RV tank sensors don't work like that.
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Old 09-01-2021, 09:20 PM   #17
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A traditional tank sensor completes the circuit in a simple low voltage electrical system. They are mounted through the sidewall of a holding tank so that each sensor's head is on the inside of the tank and the sensors physically ascend or descend in a line on the body of the holding tank.
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Old 09-01-2021, 09:20 PM   #18
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Originally Posted by camperguy99 View Post
I'm not sure there are ANY sensors? Isn't it just a bare flat piece of metal that measures the ohms from it to the larger one on the bottom? Cleaning it would be the same as replacing it? But then I'm not an expert on these so could be wrong. This has been a problem for all 4 of the RV's I've owned. When paper gets all over the "sensor" it increases the ohms trying to tell you the tank is full. But I agree with almost everyone else they are very close to worthless.
I thought OP was concerned with Gray Tank? If so; should NOT be any paper unless he is pooping in the shower

If we must discuss Black Tank, I have noticed a trend where almost no RV owners use Thetford Chemicals in the black tank, whereas almost all Boat Owners I know do. I had a 30' ft boat at the Marina for 15 years and never had an issue with the black tank sensors. I always used 8 oz of Thetford Campafresh. So far ... (only 2 years); I do the same for the RV in the black tank and I have NEVER seen toilet paper because it has always been dissolved. Maybe my sensors will go soon, but right now, no issues.

Update: I would like to add the question? In any of the 4 RVs did you ever use well establish brand of waste tank chemicals from day one through the day it actually failed? Of course I only refer to Black tank sensors because I don't put anything in my Gray tank, but fresh water, dishwashing detergent / soaps, shampoos, and very small / minor food particles off the dishes (but disclaimer; we use throwaway paper plates as primary).
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Old 09-01-2021, 09:31 PM   #19
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Another vote for ignoring the tank sensors. The only ones that have ever worked for me are the ones on the fresh water tank.
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Old 09-01-2021, 10:23 PM   #20
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Another vote for ignoring the tank sensors. The only ones that have ever worked for me are the ones on the fresh water tank.
Well this statement of fact may actually prove the point that if the sensors are clean they will work. I could argue that my sensors in the Gray tank are cleaner than my fresh water tank due to the dishwashing liquids and soaps. 8 oz of Thetford Waste holding tank dissolver / cleaner / 40 gallon black waste tank is all you need after each dump. My Black tank never actually gets full, the Gray always fills first, on average; I only get to about a half tank for black; so maybe only one sensor is actually submersed 70% of the time, when that is the case; my Thetford Chemicals are 2 to 3 times stronger than what the directions call for because I may only have 10 - 25 gallons of black waste in the 40 gal tank.
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