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Gray Water Tank Oder 2002 Intrigue

Yahoo Message Number: 103857
For some time now I've been chasing the source of intermittent oder from what I'm sure is the gray water tank. Yes, I know the source is the gray water tank, but how it gets from the tank to the inside living area is my quest.
I'm sure the oder comes in through the cabinet where the washer / dryer would reside, if we had one. When you turn on the fantastic vent fans without several windows open, the vacuum created pulls the oder in via this cabinet. I removed the drawers in the cabinet, removed the cover in the back of the compartment (not a small task) and could see the washer drain pipe which drains into the passenger side gray water vent which runs in the wall between the bathroom and this compartment.
This drain had a plug at the entrance so even if the trap is dry, no oder should escape. I was a little suspicious of one of the connections on the trap so I removed the trap and installed a plug before the trap location. Now I'm confident this is not where the oder comes from. In other words I still have it.
At this point I'm thinking the culprit is the Vac U Jet vent on the roof. When they install these vents they cut a large hole in the roof, run the smaller vent pipe through the hole, seal around the pipe with what I think is plumbers putty and then install the loose fitting Vac U Jet over the top. When I removed the Vac U Jet I found the plumbers putty to be mostly okay, but I did find someone had peeled back the putty to sneak an antenna lead down beside the vent pipe. I covered the area of the vent and putty with self leveling caulk and reinstalled the Vac U Jet sealing it with the same caulk.
While I had the pipe open I shined a light down and could see clear to the bottom of the tank. I ran a steel tape down and it was 98" which agrees with the build to plans. The pipe was clear, no blockages or defects.
Now I will wait a while before running a vacuum test.
Has anyone had similar problems or have any other ideas. Of course, my ultimate goal is to eliminate the tank oder at the source, but I would like to know if the tanks smell, the smell will not get in the living area.
Thanks
Don

Re: Gray Water Tank Oder 2002 Intrigue

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 103858
I assume you have made sure there is water in the shower and lav drains.
There is also a one way vent cap under the sink.

When you say without windows open how about any other roof vents? If breeze just right you could be suckling in through other vent that might be near roof vent for tank.

Ray O 
---

Re: Gray Water Tank Oder 2002 Intrigue

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 103859
check under both sinks.  There are air admittance valves under the sinks that go bad.  I would replace them even if they are not the culprit. We also had an odor coming from the shower drain. Just needed a good cleaning.  took the drain off, cleaned it well and poured vinegar and hot water down it.

For our gray tank, we use 1 cup of powdered Borax dissolved in 2 cups of hot water and 1 cup of Dawn Platinum (must be the Platinum) dish detergent after we dump the tanks.  No gray tank odors at all since we've been using that.

Lonny & Diane Livingston
'04 Allure #31065

Re: Gray Water Tank Oder 2002 Intrigue

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 103860
Lonny,

If all else fails try 5 Star Happy Camper. Great stuff and it will eliminate your odors as well as cleaning out the tanks. I don't even get odors when dumping! Use it in both grey and black water tanks. You won't be disappointed

Amazon.com: Happy Campers Organic RV Holding Tank Treatment - medium jar, 40 treatments for RV, Marine, Camping, Portable Toilets: Automotive
Barney

07 Inspire 52059

As an Amazon Associate Country Coach Owners Forum earns from qualifying purchases.

Re: Gray Water Tank Oder 2002 Intrigue

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 103861
CC used ventless vents for lack of a better term where drains were to far from the roof vents. They are a one way device that vents air into the waste pipe but won't let air out. Sometimes the flapper valve wears and does not seat. When I experienced a gray water smell I would locate the vents under the sinks and cover them with a plastic baggy and elastic band. If the older went away I would uncover them one by one until it returned. I had the culprit.
I have also had ordor problems when in an inverted weather pattern. The sinking air would drift downward letting ordor in the windows if open.
And yes Gray water can smell far worse than black water at times.
Don Seager

Former CC owner

Re: Gray Water Tank Oder 2002 Intrigue

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 103862
If I'm connected to a sewer I leave the gray water valve open continuously,  if I'm dry camping I use ECO- Save products to keep things under control.  And I flush the tank every couple of days until I get in control of the situation.  As I have a Marine toilet with a P-trap  I use the Eco Save sparingly and wait till the tank is over 3/4 full before dumping.  When dumping the  grey water can still be on offensive but not as bad  as when using the products camping world sells.  There was a white mineral based powder I bought at a FMCA rally one time, that was sort of successful, but I find the Eco Save to work better and to be more cost  friendly.  The producer lives in Santa Rosa California.  And Matt Carr sell it in Eugene.  I imagine you will be able to get the product at OMC now.  I usually buy a bottle of liquid concentrate for a shock treatment and then use the granular dry product for maintenance. TWI 2004 Intrigue 11731

Re: Gray Water Tank Oder 2002 Intrigue

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 103864
The only time I ever had this problem was when stored in hot weather, the pee traps dried up. If yours has been stored, pour some antifreeze down all your drains including your washer if you have one..Once the pee traps are full, oder should not be able to enter your coach,

On Saturday, November 21, 2015 11:49 AM, "sdlivingston48@... [Country-Coach-Owners]"  wrote:

check under both sinks.  There are air admittance valves under the sinks that go bad.  I would replace them even if they are not the culprit. We also had an odor coming from the shower drain. Just needed a good cleaning.  took the drain off, cleaned it well and poured vinegar and hot water down it.

For our gray tank, we use 1 cup of powdered Borax dissolved in 2 cups of hot water and 1 cup of Dawn Platinum (must be the Platinum) dish detergent after we dump the tanks.  No gray tank odors at all since we've been using that.

Lonny & Diane Livingston
'04 Allure #31065

Re: Gray Water Tank Oder 2002 Intrigue

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 103866
It is rather amusing that so far there have been three spellings of    a four letter word, one of which is actually correct. :-D

Ken

2004 Allure #31035

Re: Gray Water Tank Oder 2002 Intrigue

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 103869
Or spell check. :D

Jerry & Brenda Azzara
'99 Intrigue Chefs Delite
#10702

Re: Gray Water Tank Oder 2002 Intrigue

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 103870
This is a repost of a posting I made in late 2006:

We had a black water odor problem in our 2007 Allure when we had a  negative pressure in the coach (fans running without enough windows  open) which we traced to the improper sealing of the pipe as it went through the roof. It really surprised me. Here is what was found:
 Holes are drilled through the roof for the vent pipes. The roof is  put on the coach, but sometimes the vent pipes are not long enough.  Vent caps are attached, but, because of the short pipe, air is drawn into the coach, through the vent caps and down the larger roof holes, when there is a negative pressure in the coach. It doesn't take much sewer smell coming up the pipe to be drawn down the roof  hole into the coach to smell in the coach.
 How long should the pipe be? Long enough to go through the large  hole AND through the TIGHT COLLAR in the vent cap base. This blocks  air, rain and sewer smell access to the hole in the roof.
 On two of my vents, the pipe was a 1/2 to 3/4 inch too short. Just  take off the vent cap and see if the collar in the vent base TIGHTLY  seals the pipe. If it doesn't, since it is difficult to extent the pipe just a little, it is necessary to remove the vent cap base, seal the gap between the larger roof hole and the vent pipe (putty tape and then sealant), reinstall vent base, and cap.

No more smell, in our case.

Also, try my Drakkar test!!! Sprinkle some Drakkar after-shave lotion down and/or around the vent pipe on the roof, and then sniff in the coach.

Herb

2007 Allure #31466
Forum Moderator
 

Gray Water Tank Oder 2002 Intrigue

Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 104065
Is one of your sinks in a slide out ? If so, there is a flex hose in the drain system that becomes rigid over time. This causes the joint at the end of the flex hose to crack. I Replaced with new pool flex drain and repaired join. Has been good for a few years now. Hope this helps