The monitor panel allows you to see at a glance the condition or your RV systems. At a minimum it will guage the levels of your fresh water, black water and gray water holding tanks. You panel may also show propane tank level, battery condition, status of water heater, water pump (on or off) etc.

Some RVers are confused about how to read the holding tank levels because the black water and gray water tanks have red lights at the top of the scale while the fresh water tank has the green light at the top.

It's easy to understand if you think about the ideal condition of each tank. For example the ideal condition of the fresh water tank is full. The ideal condition for the black and gray tanks is empty. (When either tank gets full you better be looking for a dump station!)

Now think of GREEN lights as being good and RED lights as bad. If you have a full fresh water tank that's good so you have a green light. If you have a full black water tank that's bad so you have a red light! Amber means caution you're about to have a bad condition.

Same goes for propane tanks. A full tank is good so it's a green light.

One last thing, we are not sure all monitor panels work the same but when you are hook up to shore-power the battery level indicator reads the voltage from the power converter/ battery charger. Don't learn this the hard way after a long stay when you disconnect from 120v power to find your battery is dead!

To get a true reading of my battery condition the converter may have to be turned off. You may want to check how yours works.

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• Press "LP GAS," WATER" or "HOLDING TANK 1 "or "2" rocker switches. HOLDING TANK 1 is the black water (toilet waste) tank, and HOLDING TANK 2 is gray water (sink and shower wastes).
• The "E" or empty indicator light will always be lit when the rocker switches are depressed. If the tank is full, all lights will be on. Lights are sequential, and indicate the level in approximately 1/4 tank increments. If the tank selected is approximately 1/2-full, for example, lights "E," 1/4" and 1/2" will be on.

• Water with low mineral content. The level is measured by a very low level electrical signal traveling through the liquid. Some water may not conduct the signal properly. This condition may be infrequent, but can exist, Check the panel reading when the fresh water tank is filled.
• Material trapped on the sides of the holding tanks may give a full reading when the tank is actually empty.

From time to time the black water holding tank gauge lights on my RV monitor panel stop reading properly. This is almost always caused by contaminated contacts inside the tank. Usually an extra good tank rinsing with the toilet wand is all that's needed.

If that doesn't work I wash the tank by filling it with hot water and liquid laundry detergent and letting it stay for about and hour and then rinsing with the toilet want.

When traveling - After dumping and rinsing the tank I fill it 1/3 full and add laundry detergent. The agitation while driving usually does the job. About half the amount of liquid detergent called for in a normal washing machine load is enough.

A bag or two of cracked ice dumped in the tank through the toilet just before hitting the road will scour the inside of the tank while you drive.

When Not traveling - Again, after dumping and rinsing the tank, I use a little more detergent and completely fill the tank using the toilet wand. Using the wand helps dilute the detergent and also creates some suds. Let the tank stand full and soak for an hour.

Then drain the tank and rinse with the wand. Let the tank stand empty for a while to allow the contacts to dry and then check the gauge. If the system monitor still doesn't read right it's probably time to call a service technician.

Except for using the wand, you can use the same procedures to clean the gray water tank.

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NOTE, If the sensor probes mounted in the tanks get coated with grease, the monitor panel may indicate falsely or not at all. Avoid pouring grease, oils or similar substances down drains or the toilet. If this is unavoidable, the holding tank(s) should be washed out with a soapy water solution.