Concerned about water tanks

[Olive600]

I'll try to give all the details and to make sense, I'm not entirely clear on the situation myself, but I think this might be something I need to have looked at by a pro:

1 Brought the rig home 1.5 weeks ago.
2. Grey and black water tanks read empty on indicator panel
3. Fresh water read full
4.Have not used toilet
5.Ran only enough water to rinse shower and sinks after cleaning them. Not as much water as it would take for a shower or to wash hair or dishes. (I think)
6.Grey and black water tanks now read 2/3 full
7. Fresh water reads empty. I must have a tiny fresh water tank. Do people carry water with them when boondocking? I guess they'd have to. (I've never camped a day in my life)
8. Rig parked on nearly level street
9. Previous owner reports having same issue but never had it diagnosed.

Questions: Like I said, I'm not entirely clear about what I'm asking. I'm just concerned.
1. Can the issue be parking on slightly sloped ground? Such as tank contents being higher on the side of the tank with the sensor?
2. Can the sensors need to be readjusted?
3. How big are my tanks? I've looked for the info and can't find it. Rig is 2005 B Touring Cruiser Gulfstream
4. With one person using water, and normal usage, how often should I have to dump my tanks? Fill fresh water tank?
5. If I have to dump after so little use, how would I spend much time away from a dump site?

I don't get it.

Nikki

[Bethers]

You should be able to google and get your tank sizes. Parking at a slant will effect the sensors. Your fresh tank sensors rarely go bad, grey and black do often. Well don't really go bad but especially the black can have something "stick" to it.

I have no clue how much water you consider not much. I can easily go a couple Weeks with my fresh tank, conserving. Grey will full up the quickest quite often, but I've learned tricks there also. I'm guessing your black tank is between 10 and 20 gallons, but just guessing.

[VickieP]

I found this info on the specs, hope it helps:

[Olive600]

I found this info on the specs, hope it helps:

I think these specs are for newer models and that's why I didn't find them. My search was too narrow. Thank you for your effort. The specs for the smallest rig should be close to what I have.

Thanks again.

N

[Olive600]

You should be able to google and get your tank sizes. Parking at a slant will effect the sensors. Your fresh tank sensors rarely go bad, grey and black do often. Well don't really go bad but especially the black can have something "stick" to it.

I have no clue how much water you consider not much. I can easily go a couple Weeks with my fresh tank, conserving. Grey will full up the quickest quite often, but I've learned tricks there also. I'm guessing your black tank is between 10 and 20 gallons, but just guessing.

My guess from what the previous owner told me is that the sensor in the black water tank has been gunked up. I don't really care what the reading is if I have an idea of the tanks capacity and what my usage is. I can figure that out now.

Thanks for coming to the rescue again.

N

[Acadianmom]

Where is your fresh water tank? It is probably under one of the sofas. You should be able to see the water level with a flashlight. The sensors for the Black and Gray tanks are almost never right. If you are driving and the liquid sloshes around and gets the sensors wet they will show more than if you are sitting for a while and they dry out. At least mine do. Knowing when to dump is something you kind of have to learn after a while. My tanks are probably about the size of yours and I can go about 3 to 4 days conserving water before I have to dump. You can't wash dishes with the water running and you have to turn the shower of and on, not leave the water running while you shower. Some people won't travel with much water but I want to be able to use the bathroom. If by chance I don't find a campground I want water.

I think I saw you are going to have a GTG with Karen next week. She will be able to help you with your questions. if you get a chance to go to one of the big GTG's you will get more than enough information.

Martha

[mitch5252]

..

I hate unanswered questions. I am unusual that way (SHUT UP, Vickie!)

Anyway, I wrote an email to GulfStream and asked where I could obtain information on tank size for a 2005 B Touring Cruiser Gulfstream 4. Within minutes, he replied, and attached the original sales brochure from 2005.

I can take a screen shot of the tank size if you send me your model number (the choices in the brochure are 5211, 5230, 5250), or if you send me an email address, I can send you the entire 2005 brochure.

And that's all I know.

ON EDIT: Didn't go down far enough - additional models shown are 5270, 5290, and 5291

..

[Olive600]

Wow, you ladies are really good at this stuff. I never considered contacting Gulfstream. Now I know. I'll find the model number tomorrow. I'm not feeling well today, so I'm tucked up in bed with the computer. I think I'm just tired. Thanks to everyone who's chimed in. I really appreciate the help. Or, if it isn't any trouble, you can send the whole brochure. I'll PM you with my email address.

Nikki

[OutandAbout]

My grey and black tanks are really, really small. One is 13 gal, the other is 14 gal. Needless to say they fill up ever so quickly. I dump some Calgon Bath Beads/crystals into the black tank after I dump. Ever since I have been doing that the sensor has been working quite well. I use the toilet all the time and have been able to go up to 3 days before having to dump. As for the grey tank, I can't get around dumping every day if I shower and wash dishes. I like to stretch the dumping, so I use paper plates. Getting out and using the RV is the only real way to know how often you will need to dump. Linda

[Olive600]

I think the mystery is solved. The sensor in the black tank is probably gunked up. The black and grey water tanks are each 30 galls. Fresh water is 38. I must have used more fresh water than I realized. The fresh water tank is under one of the couches, so I can check how much water is there tomorrow. At some point I'll have the sensors replaced.

Calgon water beads? Does that interfer with the enzymes I'm supposed to put in when I dump the tank? Probably not. Am I right that you just put them down the toilet? How much?

Thanks again to everyone for all the help.

Nikki

[VickieP]

Nikki, that info I posted was from a 2005 model, same as yours that was listed for sale, BUT that doesn't mean that they pulled the right info from wherever they got it. Hopefully the Gulfstream info Mitch got will help you.

[Olive600]

Thanks, Vicki. I took my info from the brochure Mitch sent me. I didn't compare it with what you posted, but I think they're the same. Anywho, it's all good. I feel like all my questions were answered.

Nikki

[BirdbyBird]

As Beth mentioned, we all use our water systems differently. What is enough for one may or may not be enough for another. That said my black tank can easily go a week with just me...and I don't put any T paper in the tank. Since I just started using my shower this past year for myself and occasionally for the dogs....(I got the shower rod adapter that creates more space for my not so petite body and no longer have to store stuff in the shower since I opened up the cab over. It is a pain to move stuff just to take a shower. ) I also exchanged the shower head for one of the Oxygenic models that does wonders for low flow water pressure. Even at that I can get at least three navy showers and probably more but am still experimenting.
I don't trust any of my gauges. I track my fresh water by estimation of use, since when traveling I may or may not hook up to available water b/c it is just one more thing to disconnect the next day and I don't need it. When in doubt I periodically get my flashlight out as mentioned and check under the bed to eye ball the tank for the real deal.

I also don't have a bunch of dishes to wash and as mentioned earlier, I also never just let the sink run but us a large plastic bowl that sits down in the sink.

As you head out to even shorter trips it helps to experiment even in a campground with not automatically hooking up to water and not dumping the black tank every chance you move unless you really think it needs it.

Take some longer trips and/or head through Alaska, you can learn even quicker just "how often" you need to check things out.

Compare, I filled up my propane 2-3 times last summer traveling to Alaska and back but I still have a third of my propane after 2 months in Florida. I only boondocked a couple of time during the Florida travels.....

[retiredhappy]

As you're learning, Mitch and Vicki can find ANYTHING you need to know.

You may want to rethink having new sensors put in - they're located INSIDE the tanks. Most black tanks are not correct. You just learn as you go along. I don't put paper down if only do #1 - use a container or paper bag - especially if you're boondocking or want to prolong time before dumping. But be sure to keep some water in the black tank - you don't want "stuff" to get hard in there. Most bad clogs are caused by people not keeping enough water in the black tank. There are SOOOOO many ways people suggest trying to clean the sensors in the black tank: Calgon, drive with a bag of ice cubes sloshing around, etc. Most of us just live with incorrect sensors.

Grey water seems to get full faster. Like someone said, use paper plates to have fewer dishes to do; ALWAYS turn off the water between washing and rinsing. I use a small plastic dishpan in the sink and dump the water outside rather than let it go into the tank. When showering, get wet - TURN OFF WATER. Soap up and rinse QUICKLY.

If you're hooked up somewhere for a few days or more, you can leave the grey water tank open. A day or two before you're going to leave, close the valve and let water build up in the grey tank to rinse your sewer hose after dumping the black tank.

I travel with several gallons of fresh water and a Brita pitcher. I've found that changing water often makes the dogs stools loose so I use either bottled water or the Brita water. Same actually goes for me. I use a blue water filter that goes between the water source and your rig. I also use the filter when filling my water holding tank.

Hang in there kiddo. Make a list of questions and we'll try and answer them on our GTG. There are a couple of things that I believe are very important to have. Just bring yourself and a notepad and pencil.

[Olive600]

OK. I'll show up with pen and paper and Olive and me. I'm looking forward to it.

N