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Reading the SeeLevel ll Meter

TikiBarTabTikiBarTab Member Posts: 39
edited September 2017 in Heating/Plumbing & Winterizing
We just bought our new T@B and when we picked it up the SeeLevel showed water in the fresh water tank and the grey water tank.  This made sense, since they were showing us how the water system worked.  My problem is that we have since emptied the grey tank, and then used some of the water from the fresh water tank to make sure the toilet worked correctly and the sink faucet as well.  They do, but after putting a few gallons of water in the black tank and the grey tank, I pushed the SeeLevel buttons and both tanks showed 0, even though the percentage in the fresh water tank went down from 35% to 13%.  I know there is water in both tanks, but they both read 0?  Has anybody encountered this problem?
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    Michigan_MikeMichigan_Mike Member Posts: 2,861
    edited September 2017
    What year is your trailer and have you used this system before?  Let me just say that although you are gettting what you feel is an erroneous reading this isn't a perfect system, but nonetheless it is still a very good and useful system and it takes time and use to really get use to it.  

    There have been instances of defective sensors and I had one replaced on my trailer.  I will also add that it does take a bit of water to accumulate in the black tank before it begins to actually show a reading and the same for the gray tank.  I would say that what you are experiencing is perfectly normal and is really nothing to worry about.  

    What I would recommend you do and in an effort to gain a better understanding and knowledge of this system is to drain them all completely.  Take each system and incrementally fill each system with known quantities of water slowly and take readings from each system.  Record the volume of water filled whether it be in one/two gallon increments and make sure you write the percentages down and keep these for future reference.  By filling each tank to capacity you will gain a valuable understanding of how much capacity remains before you either need to refill or empty the tank.  The gray water tank holds 13 gallons, fresh water 11, and (my) black water tank holds 6 gallons.

     The earlier trailers prior to 2015 did not have the See Level ll system installed and many trailer owners have found themselves standing in gray water inside the shower stall,  so you can imagine how frustrating that could be.  And this also applies to the black water and freshwater tanks as well. But at least you can look down into the black water tank and get an idea of where things stand there.

     What you will find regarding the freshwater tank is that when you get down to around 26-28% of water remaining the pump will begin to struggle and you will no longer have the ability to pump water out of the freshwater tank.   This may seem frustrating, but this is normal because you really cannot pump water from the tank at that point because of the configuration and positioning of the tank underneath the trailer.   So keep that number in mind and prior to showering you should ensure that the freshwater tank is either full or that you have ample water in there, enough so you are not soaped down in the shower and unable to rinse soap from your body.  

     An additional point to keep in mind is that once you begin using the black water tank you might encounter a small percentage reading in this tank after dumping the tank. I am guessing that this may be because  there could still be fecal material stuck to the inside of the tank.   I would not get too excited about this reading and you could put a little Palmolive dish soap down inside the tank or possibly a little downy softener to keep the tank clean and do this prior to travel so the water/was around inside the tank. If you search the forum on how to clean the black water tank members have posted various solutions and advice.

    Trust me on this one, you will gain a valuable understanding of the system and fully understand how all systems work just through repetition and use.   I installed this system on my trailer manually and I have a decent understanding of it now and believe that it has more value added, than not having the system on my trailer at all. I love the system and use it frequently! 
    Mike - Elmira, Mi / 2019 T@B 400 / 2021 Chevy Silverado LTZ
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    DalehelmanDalehelman Member Posts: 2,410
    These monitoring systems at best are not very accurate. The larger and deeper the tanks are the more accurate they will be. By RV standards T@B tanks are very small and on top of that the gray and fresh water tanks are very shallow. Being level is very critical. Example put some water in a shallow pan. Tipping the pan just a little makes a big difference, and there is very little room to space the sensors. Then take a glass filled with water. Tip it a little or a lot. There is plenty of room for sensors. I hope this explains the factors in play, and why there is not a better answer to the problem.

    1. Hash  T@B Fun
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    TabberJohnTabberJohn Member Posts: 588
    How tall are the tanks? What model SeeLevel sensor is used?

    2015 T@B Max S (White/Silver) -> 2014 Ford Escape 2.0L (turbo, AWD, factory tow)
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    TikiBarTabTikiBarTab Member Posts: 39
    Hey, thanks for the info.  We are in FL and in preparation for Irma, I decided to fill the tanks for ballast.  I guess you just need to put more water in them than I previously had for it to register.  So problem solved!  Now to get through this hurricane!  
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    2Cougs2Cougs Member Posts: 911
    Hoping you are all safe and sound!
    2016 T@B CS-S silver with white trim and WSU themed
    Pulled by a silver 2017 Chevy Silverado
    Leaves on T@bventures from Spokane, WA


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    TikiBarTabTikiBarTab Member Posts: 39
    So far it's not so bad here.  Lot's of preparation done.  We are not in a mandatory evacuation area so we are bunkering down here. Tonight will get us through the worst we will experience at our location.  Really worried about the west coast, and the Keys.  Such beautiful places!  They will recover, but man, what a beating!
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