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Sewer Smell

Yahoo Message Number: 20481
I have an odor that must be from my black tank that I cant figure out where it is starting. It is not from the bathroom or galley sink area it is very noticeable when driving and now that it is parked walking around the coach I can notice it also.I have filled the tank twice with clean water and the blue stuff left it both times a couple of days then drained to see if that helps but no help with that. I also dont smell anything in the toilet room it is just a sewer odor that is just there with no noticable source. Any ideals on how to fix this unpleasant odor will be appreciated.
Brad Ribelin
2000 Magna #5096

Re: Sewer Smell

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 20484
Brad, you may have residue above the level that you have flushed your tank, try filling it nearly to the top with a quart of Clorox and leave it for several hours. Drain it out and other than the Clorox odor, that should solve your problem. If you have not put the odorizer in all your sinks, shower, and washing machine drains, do so with a few onces in each after making sure they are flushed out with clean water. Good Luck! John
2002 Allure
#30702

Re: Sewer Smell

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 20485
Most likely it is coming from your grey tank. If you have a washer, check that compartment to see if oder is stronger there. If so, the water from you 'P'-trap has evaporated or has been sucked out when you drained the grey tank. Thus, allowing an open vent into the coach from the grey tank. I discovered this on my coach. When draining a full grey tank, do not open the drain gate valve completely. The sudden dumping of the tank will actually create enough suction to pull water out of the P-traps. We all use the sinks and shower more often, so the traps get refilled. The washer, only gets filled occasionally.
By watching the way I drain my grey tank and when driving I at least turn on the vent and fan for outside air to create positive air flow pressure in the coach. I have had no more odor problems while driving down the road.

Jim Hughes

2000 Allure #30511

Quote from: bribelin1111

> I have an odor that must be from my black tank that I cant figure out > where it is starting. It is not from the bathroom or galley sink area > it is very noticeable when driving and now that it is parked walking > around the coach I can notice it also.I have filled the tank twice > with clean water and the blue stuff left it both times a couple of > days then drained to see if that helps but no help with that. I also > dont smell anything in the toilet room it is just a sewer odor that

is

Re: Sewer Smell

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 20490
Since it seems so hard to identify the source there is a possibility is that it is not a tank odor but a similar odor from "cooking" a battery that is without water. Have you checked the level of the battery for the generator? Have seen this one get forgotten before. It was dry as a bone and stunk like a sewer. Had to be replaced.

Mike Cebula

1995 Magna Caprice #5266

bribelin1111 wrote:

Re: Sewer Smell

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 20492
It has been my experience that the grey tank is usually the culprit.

Re: Sewer Smell

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 20496
When I first purchased the coach (2-1/2 years ago) there was a very sour smell coming in from somewhere. I traced it to the washer/dryer drain. Upon further investigation, THERE WAS NO TRAP!!!! So I had to pull the unit out and install a trap. No problems since. You might check to make sure there is a trap. Also, replacing the factory vent covers with the venturi type covers make a huge difference. One more thing. If you tend to drive with the drivers wing window open (and your paw sticking out the window) like me, there is a tremendous low pressure area around that area when you are at freeway speeds. That low pressure will tend to pull odors out of your grey tank and into the coach if there is any weak spots in the plumbing system (ie: low trap level or dry traps) and as you've noticed, a little grey tank odor makes a big, big stink. So check those traps, change the caps, and keep that window closed when cruising down the highway.

Hope that helps.
Mike

'95 Intrigue 10061

Quote from: bribelin1111
> > I have an odor that must be from my black tank that I cant figure out > where it is starting. It is not from the bathroom or galley sink area > it is very noticeable when driving and now that it is parked walking > around the coach I can notice it also.I have filled the tank twice > with clean water and the blue stuff left it both times a couple of > days then drained to see if that helps but no help with that. I also > dont smell anything in the toilet room it is just a sewer odor that

is

Re: Sewer Smell

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 20505
I always make sure I have enough water in the black tank to cover the solids. The chemicals can't work, if they are not covered. After doing that I changed the vent pipe covers to the venturi type, which totally stopped the problem provided I performed the first step. Have you ever smelled the grey water, yipe ??? !!! So, I repeated the steps. No more problems. Also make sure you don't have a leaking P-trap under the sinks or shower. Try plugging those temporarily. For the first 6 months. I complained about the water consumption of my high pressure Head Hunter toilet in the new coach.
Then I realized between the backup valve and the P-trap I didn't have to worry about any odors. All I have to remember is still to use the ECO-SAVE to breakup the solids and stop the disgusting odors when I dump both holding tanks.
TWI 2004 Intrigue 11731

Sewer Smell

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 20510
Thanks for all the replies to my unpleasant problem. I have my coach parked out in West Texas where the wind has been howling so I know that is causing my problems when I drive also. I will be next day shipping the extreme vents out there and install them ASAP this weekend. What a great resource this group is for solving problems.
Thank You Very Much
Brad Ribelin
2000 Magna #5096

Re: Sewer Smell

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 20512
I caught the tail end of this but the only time I have smelled sewer in my coach is when the shower hadn't been used for a while and the P trap went dry - sometimes just dumping grey water can cause enough vacuum to suck the trap dry. Actually since the shower hadn't been used it may have been me that I smelled.

Bojangles5169

'98 Intrigue #10616

Re: Sewer Smell

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 20525
Brad...just a few extra thoughts on your smell...( because we put the vent caps on and still had smell occasionally)...if it doesn't always work, we found that leaving a vent open while driving with the front window (driver's side) opened a bit, or the front vent on totally eliminates the problem. Another source we've most frequently found was the P-trap for the washer/dryer would lose its water (especially if we had gone up or down a steep hill), so adding a cupful of water to that and running the last spin cycle works. Just a few more thoughts! There's usually one of these things everyone suggest that will work.
By the way, we rarely, if ever, use any chemicals. We DO rinse the tanks out at least 3 times when we dump (Add water to Full, dump, add water to full, dump, etc.) Never any problems with the sensors either doing this.

Jan McNeill

2001 Intrigue 11320
On the way to JC Sunday

SEWER SMELL

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 20493
We went through the sewer smell routine.
Water in the P traps (washing machine) was an easy fix once we knew about it. We also checked the vents under both sinks (Cheap to replace if faulty) and flushed the tanks. That seemed to solve our problem most of the time.
However, the real all time fix came when we had venturi caps installed (At a CC rally) on two of our roof exhausts.
These little guys work all the time and turn to match the direction of the wind, constantly relieving the tanks of pressure and smell. One of the best after market add on's IMHO.

David

David and Karen

Coachless in Sisters!
2002 Honda Odyssey TOAD

Re: SEWER SMELL

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 20494
Quote from: F102508@A\.\.\.
We went through the sewer smell routine.
> Water in the P traps (washing machine) was an easy fix once we

knew

Quote
about it. We also checked the vents under both sinks (Cheap to

replace if

Quote
faulty) and flushed the tanks. That seemed to solve our problem
most of the time.

Quote
>

However, the real all time fix came when we had venturi caps

installed

Quote
(At a CC rally) on two of our roof exhausts.

These little guys work all the time and turn to match the

direction of

Quote
the wind, constantly relieving the tanks of pressure and smell.

One of the

Quote
best after market add on's IMHO.

David

David and Karen
Coachless in Sisters!
2002 Honda Odyssey TOAD
Where to I find the venturi caps?
Thanks
Brad

Re: SEWER SMELL

Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 20495
Quote
> We went through the sewer smell routine.
> Water in the P traps (washing machine) was an easy fix once we > knew

> about it. We also checked the vents under both sinks (Cheap to > replace if

> faulty) and flushed the tanks. That seemed to solve our problem > most of the time.

> However, the real all time fix came when we had venturi caps > installed

> (At a CC rally) on two of our roof exhausts.
> These little guys work all the time and turn to match the > direction of

> the wind, constantly relieving the tanks of pressure and smell.
One of the

> best after market add on's IMHO.
>
http://www.rvtimes.com/columns.php?file=rvrepairs&article=69#69

Sewer smell

Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 20497
I have replaced my vent caps on the last two coaches with the venturi type made by Extreme vents. There are several brands on the market, these work so good we hardly ever use holding tank liquids anymore.

Here is a link....

http://secure.rvtoystore.com/catalog/rvtoy/staying_cool/fans_and_vents/XV100.html
Chris Bradley

1999 Intrigue 10807

Re: Sewer smell

Reply #14 –
Yahoo Message Number: 20500
I had the sewer smell problem and found the odor coming from the cabinet under the lavatory. There is an anti-siphon valve on a standpipe that keeps the traps from being sucked dry when dumping.
There is also one under my kitchen sink. They are easy to replace and are inexpensive. That solved my problem. We still use tank treatment because I don't want the neighbors to have to smell it either.

Harvey Grooms Magna #5337
 

Re: Sewer smell - tank treatment

Reply #15 –
Yahoo Message Number: 20501
Remember, the tank treatments (liquid or powder) are not just for odor control. They help dissolve solids that otherwise would end up as a thick layer on the bottom of your tank. Bon apetit everyone!!

Jay

05 Inspire DaVinci 51457

Quote from: harvey_grooms
>

I had the sewer smell problem >> We still use tank

treatment

Quote
because I don't want the neighbors to have to smell it either.

Harvey Grooms Magna #5337 >
>