Community Forums

mrsr71 · 11-18-2005, 01:29 PM

We just returned from Death Valley where we dry camped for 10 days. After 5 days, it was time to dump the black & gray tanks and re-fill the water tank. Up to this time, we had no orders from either the gray or black tanks. (I previously installed a RV360 Sanitation Vent on the toilet vent tube.)

A few hours after dumping, I noticed the odor of the gray tanks, both inside & outside (all windows were open.) This came and went for the remainder of our stay. On the return trip home, the odor became unbearable. I pulled over and checked the vacuum breaker under the bathroom sink and it appears that it's working properly. I then pumped water into both sinks and the shower, opened the ceiling vents, and it seamed to help until I arrived home and dumped.

Does anyone have any ideas as what the problem may be? I sure would appreciate the help.

mrsr71 · 11-18-2005, 01:29 PM

We just returned from Death Valley where we dry camped for 10 days. After 5 days, it was time to dump the black & gray tanks and re-fill the water tank. Up to this time, we had no orders from either the gray or black tanks. (I previously installed a RV360 Sanitation Vent on the toilet vent tube.)

A few hours after dumping, I noticed the odor of the gray tanks, both inside & outside (all windows were open.) This came and went for the remainder of our stay. On the return trip home, the odor became unbearable. I pulled over and checked the vacuum breaker under the bathroom sink and it appears that it's working properly. I then pumped water into both sinks and the shower, opened the ceiling vents, and it seamed to help until I arrived home and dumped.

Does anyone have any ideas as what the problem may be? I sure would appreciate the help.

ppeter313 · 11-19-2005, 02:55 AM

It sounds like you are pulling the water out of the traps when you dump. I'd check for some kind of blockage or restiction in the vent line to the roof.

Paul

dawg · 11-19-2005, 03:47 AM

Vacuum breakers are bad. I replace the vacumm breakers with plugs to close off that stack completely & pour water back into the traps after dumping. I also have the 360 vent and have not had another problem after that.

DancinCampers · 11-19-2005, 05:37 AM

This happens to us also, sometimes it is worse than others. This past trip it was worse after I did the last dump. I think I've narrowed it down to originating from the black tank itself, in the belly. I could notice the smell real strong in the sewer compartment after dumping. On our coach, this smell is pulled up into the interior via the air passage which exists from the sewer compartment to the bath sink cabinet, also thru the vents located under the shower & in the hallway. The hallway vent is located near the floor next to the LP gas detector, & has set it off before. The odor can be pulled in by the suction caused when running the house AC. I also notice that if we travel right after dumping I can lessen the intrusion by running the dash air vent to pressurize the interior.

Locating the source will not be easy, due to the tight installation of the tanks, but I'm hoping maybe I can use some mirrors or a webcam to look inside the belly. I have never noticed any liquid sewage around the tank, & the smell does dissipate after awhile, so possibly it is coming from the main stack area.

Mike Lutz · 11-19-2005, 07:28 AM

I know that things can get plugged and traps fail to trap. I know that I had some problems with odor and found that if I dumped, and then poured hot water (2gals) mixed with a product like Calgon Water Softner I could make the odor go away since it cleaned the tank so well! I did this and then left on a trip. When I got to destination and dumped as normal, I was surprised at how dirty the water became. It made me think it worked. The odor has not come back, I see that as an easier fix to the smell-clean it out better! If you fill the tanks with plainwaater and the odor goes away, my thinking is the tanks should not be left empty, unless you really clean them out as I indicated.