Grey waste indicator (1 Viewer)

Jerrymjj

Free Member
Apr 3, 2014
100
27
Alton Hants
Funster No
30,813
MH
Autotrail Tracker SE
Exp
Newbie!
Having just returned from our maiden voyage in our 2006, Autotrail Tracker SE we are delighted with the experience and look forward to many such ventures.

Our only minor niggle was that the waste water indicator stayed showing 0% for the whole of our three days away despite going through a full tank of fresh water, most of which would have ended up in the grey waste. Is this likely to be a failed sensor? I am reasonably competent mechanically so would be happy to try and replace it myself if possible but don't actually know where the tank is...

And while I have your rapt attention, could anyone enlighten me as to the whereabouts of the external awning light switch? Hunted high and low but can't find it...
Many thanks, Jerry.
 

sennen523

Free Member
Sep 30, 2007
45
14
Rhos-on-Sea, Conwy, North
Funster No
485
MH
Coachbuilt.
Exp
Started 2007.
Hi,

Almost certainly, the float switch arm is stuck because of grease etc.

Locate the bung on the side of the tank. (wires connecting).

Make a note of the bung fitting, usually has a flat edge on the bung.

Pull out bung and float assembly.

Clean and free off, check reading on panel when float arm is moved manually.

Push back assembly into the tank hole, ensuring the right way up !!

Al.sennen523.

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motorhomer

Free Member
May 17, 2008
680
418
South Shropshire
Funster No
2,695
MH
Van Conversion
Exp
since 2005 (but 30 years caravanning)
Having just returned from our maiden voyage in our 2006, Autotrail Tracker SE we are delighted with the experience and look forward to many such ventures.

Our only minor niggle was that the waste water indicator stayed showing 0% for the whole of our three days away despite going through a full tank of fresh water, most of which would have ended up in the grey waste. Is this likely to be a failed sensor? I am reasonably competent mechanically so would be happy to try and replace it myself if possible but don't actually know where the tank is...

And while I have your rapt attention, could anyone enlighten me as to the whereabouts of the external awning light switch? Hunted high and low but can't find it...
Many thanks, Jerry.

Try the easy things first. A good dose of thetford tank cleaner followed by a drive around might just clean the sensor area in the tank. I have found that once the van was more than about a year old this indicator always stopped working properly but usually the tank cleaner sorts it out - at least until the next time!
 

PP Bear

LIFE MEMBER
Apr 5, 2013
7,735
28,153
Kent, UK
Funster No
25,395
MH
Auto Trail Dakota SE
Exp
2012
It's the same on my 2006 Dakota. I've seen it work just once in the 3 years I've had it :Sad:

It's been a mission of mine to get it working. Not that it'll make much difference. Once the tanks full, it'll dribble out of the overflow into the ground outside and the water draining in the sinks or shower tray slows down.

I've literally put a dozen dishwasher tabs (dissolved) into the tank and drove around hoping that this would shift it. Tank cleaner, tank freshener, RV grey water tank cleaner and every other type of cleaner have been added to the tank and it's only worked the once :Doh:

It actually has such a little impact on my time away. I could crawl underneath and try to remove it to clean etc, but I'd rather not break any seals into the tank :thumb:

I'll keep on putting the cleaner down the plug holes in the hope that I eventually shift the grime that's stopping it doing it's job and then see how it goes :Smile:

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camocam1

Free Member
Aug 28, 2012
1,112
788
Elgin,Moray,Scotland
Funster No
22,620
MH
bailey approach 760 se
Exp
since 2012
My sensors didn't work first trip away after getting the MH and came out the overflow on the grey waste tank. so went back to the dealer and he asked me if I was any good at sums !!!! Yea says me NO says him
100 litre fresh water tank 10 litre hot water tank and you filled it up twice so how do you expect that to fit into a 80 litre waste tank !!!!
Took out sensors and cleaned them lasted a few trips so now I just empty grey waste every chance I can and don't bother with the sensors
 

Apache

Free Member
Jun 22, 2014
497
644
Rotherham
Funster No
32,070
MH
Coach built
Exp
5 Years
Mine is the same, and I just empty with a bucket every now and again. We did have a problem with water not draining away so I bought some Elsan waste tank cleaner and gave it a good few doses followed by a rinse out , then put some into plug hole and left to stand for a few days. This seems to have worked ok but obviously does little to cure the indicator issue. You might want to try putting some coke into the tank as I have seen suggested by others and see if this works
 

sean n maggie

Free Member
Apr 29, 2014
672
327
leeds
Funster No
31,196
MH
autotrail
Exp
3
our awning light switch is the AUX button on our panel,,,confused me at first ,,but found out by trial and error,,,,and ours is a Autotrail too...:Smile:

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Bazzermc

Free Member
Feb 7, 2015
54
40
Wiltshire
Funster No
35,023
MH
Autotrail Cheyenne
Exp
I'm a newbie
I was under the MH replacing exhaust rubber mounts, thanks to another thread on this site and decided to take a look at the waste sensor.

We have a 2009 Autotrail Cheyenne 696.

Easy to pull out, clean and check the microswitch/float.

Made sure it was correct way up when put back in and will test next weekend.
 

GJH

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 20, 2007
29,450
38,828
Acklam, Teesside, originally Glossop
Funster No
127
MH
None, now sold
Exp
2006 to 2022
I noticed earlier this year that the grey sensor doesn't work properly but don't know whether it is a dirty sensor (I clean our grey system after every trip using Buster Kitchen Fresh (or whatever it is called now)) or some other cause. I simply empty the grey tank every couple of days to make sure it doesn't overflow.
 

Chris

LIFE MEMBER
May 5, 2010
21,009
274,668
Funster No
11,412
MH
None
Exp
10 years
I noticed earlier this year that the grey sensor doesn't work properly but don't know whether it is a dirty sensor (I clean our grey system after every trip using Buster Kitchen Fresh (or whatever it is called now)) or some other cause. I simply empty the grey tank every couple of days to make sure it doesn't overflow.

Same here.

Our level indicator for fresh and grey water in both our vans has been pretty rubbish.

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DuxDeluxe

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 10, 2008
14,628
72,244
Planet Zog
Funster No
3,243
MH
A woosh bang van
Exp
since 2008
I noticed earlier this year that the grey sensor doesn't work properly but don't know whether it is a dirty sensor (I clean our grey system after every trip using Burstner Kitchen Fresh (or whatever it is called now)) or some other cause. I simply empty the grey tank every couple of days to make sure it doesn't overflow.
Rapido kitchen fresh would work so much better, Graham ;)
 
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Jan 28, 2008
10,104
18,260
Dovercourt, Harwich, UK
Funster No
1,353
MH
Renalt burstner
Exp
7 years campers before that
wish i hadnt bothered to fit the tank sensors waste one stays on and the fw one tells me when ive run out of water

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Feb 16, 2013
19,508
51,189
uttoxeter
Funster No
24,713
MH
ambulance conversion
Exp
50 years
Ours worked onece but it was empty at the time(n), the fresh water one shows full till its empty, but hey we know if the grey waters full when it overflows and we know when the waters empty when the taps stop working, simples(y)
 

RowleyBirkinQC

LIFE MEMBER
Sep 20, 2014
2,336
222,958
Dazed & Confused
Funster No
33,417
MH
A Class
Exp
Since 2007
Having just returned from our maiden voyage in our 2006, Autotrail Tracker SE we are delighted with the experience and look forward to many such ventures.

Our only minor niggle was that the waste water indicator stayed showing 0% for the whole of our three days away despite going through a full tank of fresh water, most of which would have ended up in the grey waste. Is this likely to be a failed sensor? I am reasonably competent mechanically so would be happy to try and replace it myself if possible but don't actually know where the tank is...

And while I have your rapt attention, could anyone enlighten me as to the whereabouts of the external awning light switch? Hunted high and low but can't find it...
Many thanks, Jerry.
We have same van and year as you, the grey waste level indicator doesn't work on ours either, but not something which bothers us (you should have an idea of water used from the fresh water tank usage). Interesting you used a whole tank of fresh water if you didn't empty the grey water, I thought the waste water tank was smaller (but you may have used it for toilet flush or other purposes, or ran out of an overflow I guess) - think the docs say fresh tank 81 ltrs / waste tank 49 ltrs...

I think the waste tank is somewhere under the shower room on ours, you can look under van at the rear offside and follow the grey waste tap/pipe (behind rear wheel) back to the tank.

The external awning light switch on our Tracker is the AUX button on the control panel above the door.
 
Last edited:

Kestrel

Free Member
Sep 14, 2019
1
1
Funster No
64,233
MH
Autotrail SCOUT
Exp
Newbie
I purchased a drain jet washer hose that fits onto karcher pressure washers for £30 on Amazon
And fed it through drain pipe into tank. Also unscrewed large drain cap under the grey tank and fed drain jet through there also.
No more smells and tank sensors are working again!

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