Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > THE OWNER'S CORNER FORUMS > Tiffin Owner's Forum
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 11-11-2018, 06:47 PM   #1
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 31
Holding Tanks

Hello all
Just took my first trip in my new to me 2014 red 33aa. Sayed at an rv resort for 2 weeks. We stopped for a night at a park and when we left the next morning there was a black tank odor in the coach floating around. It went away after a while. We got to our destination, stayed 2 weeks and had no odors until we left there and the same thing happened. I had emptied the tank once or twice while we were there. I flushed the tank until I saw clear water going thru my clear plastic elbow. About 4 flushes I think. Stopped back at the same place for another one night and when I left the next morning I flushed thoroughly again and got the same odor for about 2 hours. More so in the back of the coach. I have had the coach for a year and have never noticed anything before like maybe lack of maintenance from prior owner. He hardly used it. I know about keeping the valves closed and ample water in the tank. Used some blue liquid tank product also. Thanks.
mr builder is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 11-11-2018, 06:59 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
brandss's Avatar
 
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Frankfort, KY
Posts: 1,906
We are newbies so take it for what it's worth. We have had the occasional issue traveling down the road and every time its because we have left a fantastic vent open or cracked. Its never a problem until I open the drivers window to smoke a cigarette (I know, nasty habit and pray I quit soon) which draws all of the air in the coach out the drivers window along with the stinky smell. It's always been fixed when the darling wife goes to the back of the coach and closes the vents. I hope this helps.
__________________
Scott and Deanna
2014 Tiffin Allegro Bus 45LP
Home base - Polk City, FL
brandss is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2018, 09:09 PM   #3
PKI
Senior Member
 
PKI's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,257
Different system, but we get the smell when the sewer hose is open and the toilet is also open. That gives you an open circuit all the way through and the gas vents into the coach.

Solution - do not flush the toilet. Use an external water flushing system.

If your coach does not have an external circuit, form a p-trap in your dump hose. Dump the black tank. Then close valve and dump the grey water. That washes the hose and provides some cleaner water for the p-trap. Then close the grey valve and open the black. Flush for as long as you wish. The p-trap in the hose will block to back flow of sewer gas from the campground sewer connection. Then close the black valve and elevate your hose to empty the p-trap. Usually takes two or three lifts. Then open the grey valve and let the water run through a sink to fill the hose with clean water. Close the valve and dump the p-trap by lifting and finally un-hook the clear plastic section. Raise it, collapse the hose to push out residual water and then store all. That seems to work a bit better.
__________________
Travel Safe and with a Smile! Pat
2020 Tiffin Breeze 33BR
2022 Cherokee Trailhawk toad
PKI is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-13-2018, 09:50 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
Tiffin Owners Club
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Las Cruces, NM
Posts: 4,040
Unless you have the bathroom fan on when you flush the toilet, your smell is not from the black tank.

The gray tank can breed some nasty smells and it also has vents that can leak to the inside of the coach - these are called AAVs (air admittance valves). Their purpose is to provide air after water when you run water or drain the sinks. They can release odors back into the coach especially if you have a vent open or are running an exhaust fan. AAVs are located in the cabinet below any sink and are mounted towards the top of the cabinet. Replacements can be found in any Home Depot, Lowes or your favorite plumbing supply.
__________________
Roger & Mary
2017 Winnebago Navion 24V (Sold)
2014 Tiffin Phaeton 36GH (Sold)
luvlabs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-13-2018, 08:01 PM   #5
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 31
Thanks for the helpful replies. Im thinking gray tank also. I replaced the vent cap under the kitchen sink already (home depot) as it drained slowly. I am going to simple green the gray tank with water, hit the black tank with some ice cubes, dawn dish soap and water then take a drive, dump and flush. I also question the design of the vent on the roof. Looks like it can force air down the vent pipes pressurizing the tanks which cant be good. Thanks again for the help.
mr builder is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-13-2018, 08:06 PM   #6
Community Administrator
 
NLOVNIT's Avatar


 
Pond Piggies Club
LA Gulf Coast Campers
Outdoors RV Owners Club
Entegra Owners Club
Skyline Owners Group
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 40,594
Blog Entries: 1
Does it have a washer/dryer? If the p-trap for that is dry, you'll get grey tank odor in your coach. Been there, smelled that smell.

Lori-
__________________
Lori (& Dave, my spirit guide) - RV/MH Hall of Fame Lifetime Member | My iRV2 Photo Albums
2016 Phoenix Cruiser 2350S, 2018 Phaeton 40IH,2006 Bounder 36Z, 2004 Cougar 285EFS, 2000 Aerolite 25FBR
There is great need for a sarcasm font.
NLOVNIT is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-15-2018, 07:05 PM   #7
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 31
Thank you for mentioning the washer p trap. We did a load of wash every other day while on our trip so I think the trap stayed full. I was getting a slight odor inside the rv garage until I put some simple green into the gray tank now no more odors. Thanks again.
mr builder is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-20-2018, 08:36 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Holiday Rambler Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Chester, MD
Posts: 125
Quote:
Originally Posted by mr builder View Post
Hello all
Just took my first trip in my new to me 2014 red 33aa. Sayed at an rv resort for 2 weeks. We stopped for a night at a park and when we left the next morning there was a black tank odor in the coach floating around. It went away after a while. We got to our destination, stayed 2 weeks and had no odors until we left there and the same thing happened. I had emptied the tank once or twice while we were there. I flushed the tank until I saw clear water going thru my clear plastic elbow. About 4 flushes I think. Stopped back at the same place for another one night and when I left the next morning I flushed thoroughly again and got the same odor for about 2 hours. More so in the back of the coach. I have had the coach for a year and have never noticed anything before like maybe lack of maintenance from prior owner. He hardly used it. I know about keeping the valves closed and ample water in the tank. Used some blue liquid tank product also. Thanks.


Beyond the other good answers you received try Happy Camper in both waste tanks.

www.happycampersworld.com
Bobbystar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-21-2018, 03:44 AM   #9
Senior Member


 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Rendon, Texas
Posts: 1,455
Water is your friend. And lots of it.

We experienced a similar problem with our 34 QFA. We solved it by lots and lots of rinsing while hooked up to sewer system at a camp ground. Then I filled up the tanks about 1/2 way and added about 1/2 a cup of liquid dish soap, then hit the road and drove for a few hours. At the next site, I hooked up to the sewer system and dumped everything and rinsed well. After doing this twice, the smells went away and have not returned. We purchased ours used, and I think that the previous owners did not fully rinse the tanks. Until we used this process, all that the "de-stinkums" did was to mask the smells for a while.

When dumping, I use lots and lots of water for rinsing the tanks.

Good luck
__________________
May your smiles be many and the miles be plenty.

Karen & Allen Van Zandt
txcpl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-21-2018, 07:01 PM   #10
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 31
Thank you for your feedback. Tank odors are no fun and all the suggestions here have been very helpful. I am adding a no fuss flush to my gray tank this weekend. Thanks again!
mr builder is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
tank



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Plastic Holding Tanks Carle Winnebago Industries Owner's Forum 7 07-27-2007 03:28 PM
holding tanks help tony20 5th Wheel Discussion 6 02-21-2007 05:45 PM
Dumping Holding Tanks MD Truck Camper Discussion 44 12-18-2006 03:45 PM
heated holding tanks Mark Bento Winnebago Industries Owner's Forum 5 09-20-2005 04:22 AM
Cleaning up of holding tanks............. araucano RV Systems & Appliances 7 12-31-2004 02:50 PM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 01:27 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.