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Old 07-04-2011, 06:33 PM   #1
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Black Tank Venting Issues

I have had an issue with a horrible stench emanating from the toilet since we bought our 1999 HR Endeavor June 30th 2010. It's of course worse during hot weather and manageable during cooler weather. I contacted Monaco last year and they told me to check the vents in the bathroom cabinet and kitchen cabinet and also the vent that goes to the roof.

I found no vent feeds in either the bathroom cabinet or kitchen cabinet and even though the stench was coming out of the toilet with no problem if you put your nose at the roof vent there is no odor at all, nada zip zilch.

I dropped the rig off at a dealer to check it out since the dealer I bought it from neglected checking it for us after several attempts.

Does anybody else here have this model and can you check to see if there are vents in the bathroom cabinet or kitchen cabinet. They'll look like PVC pipes with end caps on them, what they do is allow air into the gray and black tanks so the foul odors can exit the pipe through the roof.

I fear I'll have to have corrective surgery performed since it's looking like the factory screwed up and nobody has ever bothered to repair it.
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Old 07-04-2011, 07:45 PM   #2
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Check the overflow tube in the commode - the opening should be under the lip of the bowl. Pour in 304 ounces of water to refill the P-trap in the overflow line and that ought to fix your problem. However, sometime the toilet was installed without the dip in the overflow tubing that creates the P-trap. If that's the case, you may need to take the toilet off and adjust the tubing to create a trap.

Both the under cabinet air admittance valves and the roof vent are to let air in, though the roof vent also lets air out as the tank fills in normal use. Neither are there to vent vapors - they are strictly to help the water flow through the ppes and into the tank.
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Old 07-04-2011, 08:10 PM   #3
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Occasionally, the vent pipe at the roof comes loose and drops down too low in the tank, or the pipe was originally cut too long, so that the fluid level comes up above the bottom of the vent. No venting of odors, in this case.

You can install a mechanical vent fan like this one that runs on 12v and sucks out the air/odors from the tank
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Old 07-05-2011, 09:09 AM   #4
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the vent the factory is talking about is a valve under the sink that opens and vents the sink. It has a rubber flapper valve that opens and lets air in to vent the sink drain. This valve can tear and allow fumes in. The smell test is best to check this. The second possibility is the water trap in the toilet. the toilet is supposed to hold a few ounces of water to act as a seal. If this leaks out, you will get the smell.
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Old 07-05-2011, 09:41 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gary RVRoamer View Post
Check the overflow tube in the commode - the opening should be under the lip of the bowl. Pour in 304 ounces of water to refill the P-trap in the overflow line and that ought to fix your problem. However, sometime the toilet was installed without the dip in the overflow tubing that creates the P-trap. If that's the case, you may need to take the toilet off and adjust the tubing to create a trap.
I did see the overflow opening just under the lip and I have not added water to it. I'll do that this weekend.

Quote:
Both the under cabinet air admittance valves and the roof vent are to let air in, though the roof vent also lets air out as the tank fills in normal use. Neither are there to vent vapors - they are strictly to help the water flow through the ppes and into the tank.
When you flush there is a stench that emanates from the opening (after there is stuff in the tank of course) which is what set me on the search for how this works and until now everybody told me the roof vent was strictly to exhaust the black tank and the others were to let air into the tank.

I have searched and have not found the interior vent pipes so can't confirm they even exist. It's entirely possible the previous owner lived with this issue instead of fixing it.
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Old 07-05-2011, 09:43 AM   #6
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Occasionally, the vent pipe at the roof comes loose and drops down too low in the tank, or the pipe was originally cut too long, so that the fluid level comes up above the bottom of the vent. No venting of odors, in this case.

You can install a mechanical vent fan like this one that runs on 12v and sucks out the air/odors from the tank
I have heard this from others, I like the idea of a power vent but what good is it if the vent pipe is submerged under sewage?
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Old 07-05-2011, 09:45 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ga traveler View Post
the vent the factory is talking about is a valve under the sink that opens and vents the sink. It has a rubber flapper valve that opens and lets air in to vent the sink drain. This valve can tear and allow fumes in. The smell test is best to check this.
As I stated in my original post, I can't even find the interior vents to check the valves. I'm hoping the dealer is able to resolve where they are at.

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The second possibility is the water trap in the toilet. the toilet is supposed to hold a few ounces of water to act as a seal. If this leaks out, you will get the smell.
The toilet holds water no problem, I am going to add water to the overflow and see if that helps as well.
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Old 07-05-2011, 10:05 AM   #8
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Thanks for the replies folks, it's definitely a help! I just got off the phone with the dealer, he is removing both roof vent covers to check them out. One possibility he mentioned is that the factory cut the pipe too long and simply capped it which sealed the pipe.

I'll know more probably tomorrow, he is also going to verify the locations of the interior vents.

Hopefully this gets resolved so I don't spend so much time trying to vent the stench during the next camping trip! In cold weather it hasn't been a problem but in hot weather, holy cow.
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Old 07-05-2011, 06:34 PM   #9
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I had an odor problem on my 1982 Midas class c. Found out that the RV equivalent of wax ring (a round cone shaped foam) had broken. This sealed the connection from bottom of toilet to black tank inlet. Took toilet off and replaced, took care of almost all of the odors........ronspradley
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Old 07-05-2011, 06:38 PM   #10
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Have the dealer pull the toilet and check the rubber seal ring under it. It may be pinched or installed incorrectly. I found this on one RV and the problem went away.

Ken
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Old 07-06-2011, 08:17 AM   #11
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I got a call from the dealer last night, all venting systems and the toilet checked out per specs and are where Holiday Rambler said they would be, apparently I'm blind or can't bend over far enough.

I am going to have them install the "Lil' Stanker" onto the roof vent for the black tank and a stock replacement for the gray tank. We'll see how this goes for now, if that doesn't work then I'm out of options I guess.
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Old 07-06-2011, 08:19 AM   #12
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Quote:
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Have the dealer pull the toilet and check the rubber seal ring under it. It may be pinched or installed incorrectly. I found this on one RV and the problem went away.

Ken
Ken, I too am an Amateur Radio Operator! Went for my Tech license at the 2008 Hamvention in Dayton.

Thanks for the tip, they did check the toilet seal and it's fine.

I'm going to save for a new toilet anyway, the one we have is nice and all but the wife wants a white one, not a beige kinda yellow one so as you know if the wife wants it, you gotta do it.

73's!!
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Old 07-06-2011, 08:40 AM   #13
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Your not running the exhaust fan when you flush are you?
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Old 07-06-2011, 05:06 PM   #14
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We too had the same problem(s) that you mention. After some investigation here's what I found.
1. Roof vent pipe was choked nearly closed with "dirt dobbers" nest. Used a piece of pipe with a homemade jet hooked to water hose to clean out the pipe.
Still had the smell...
2. Replaced the base (wax ring in your house) gasket on toilet. It was cut, this helped quite a bit.
Still smelled a little.
3. Installed a "Cyclone" vent cover. This swivels with the wind, and tends to draw the odors out of the tank.
NO MORE SMELL, wither while parked or while traveling.
Problem now solved and the DW is LOTS happier!

Good Luck,
Kerry
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