Community Forums

camperguy · 09-07-2009, 08:46 PM

Anyone have an odor problem when towing your trailer down the road? I do a thorough job cleaning and rinsing the tanks, use Thetford's products after dumping, keep all the traps full of water, have a new air admittance valve, etc., and still at times have an odor. Does anyone using the Cyclone, Xtreme, or any other type of wind powered vent on their black and gray holding tank vent pipes? If so, how do they work?
Or, does anyone have another solution to this common problem?

Bruce and Jenna · 09-07-2009, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camperguy

[Snip]
Does anyone using the Cyclone, Xtreme, or any other type of wind powered vent on their black and gray holding tank vent pipes? If so, how do they work?
Or, does anyone have another solution to this common problem?

Y'know, I bought a sewer vent cap at the SC store last year during our service visit. The vane swiveled in the wind and looked cool. But it didn't fit on the OEM vent without surgery. Since it wasn't broke, I didn't fix it.

Tho I sure wanted to increase the height of my trailer for next time I park near one of them fancy Class A MHs.

That said, I suggest you check that you don't leave a window or ceiling vent open. Otherwise you drive down the road with an open window, negative pressure from the travel can draw air out of your tank.

rockintom · 09-07-2009, 11:42 PM

For some reason I can't really explain....in the very early days, I was doing a very good job of flushing the black tank when dumping. I got a nasty sewer smell in the bathroom. This was in high ambients. My RVing friends recommend a thorough flush and allow the tank to fill for 4-5 minutes and then dump. Do this 3 times. Have never had the smell again. Like I said I can't explain how and why....it just works. I think Virg will testify to this procedure!!!

Regarding Bruce's comments, in the olden days, when the toilets had the "flapper valve" I would agree, but with the ball type valve with the seal I don't see how the smell could comeback into the bathroom (unless the seal was leaking). Just my thoughts. rockin'

BookIIRoadtrash · 09-08-2009, 05:18 AM

I’d like to know how one can smell their own sewer while pulling the rig down the road. Camperguy was this noticed by someone you passed? I don’t use Thetford chemicals but instead I use liquid Orange Power and haven’t had a odor problem. I do know that when it gets hot it is easier to detect those odors and I’ll use a couple more ounces when treating my Black water tank..during hot spells...

wa8yxm · 09-08-2009, 12:08 PM

Would seem to me that any odor when you are towing would waft behind you and not bother you at all.. (As for the tailgater behind you.. Well... he should not be tailgating, He should back off at least 2 seconds to give it time to dissipate, 3 seconds would be better)

If you are smelling odor towing.. You have tow vehicle issues.

Now, driving a class A, as I do, it's another issue.. RV-360 is installed on the black tank... However strange as it may seem.. the worst odors are usually the GRAY tank

camperguy · 09-08-2009, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Highplains Drifter

I’d like to know how one can smell their own sewer while pulling the rig down the road. Camperguy was this noticed by someone you passed?

I should rephrase my question. It's not that I can smell the trailer sewer in my truck while I'm towing down the road, that would be horrible! After towing, I sometimes notice an odor when I stop for the night, and open the door of the trailer. It's not bad enough that I can smell it from the outside, just when I first step into it.
I've been in a lot of people's trailers and have noticed the smell. I think some people don't even notice it anymore.
Any additional suggestions would be appreciated.

BookIIRoadtrash · 09-08-2009, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camperguy

It's not bad enough that I can smell it from the outside, just when I first step into it.
I've been in a lot of people's trailers and have noticed the smell.

Camperguy, I feel it’s good house keeping, I think it is funny that the odor is stronger in someone else’s rig..

, you might check to make sure there are no new bird nests built some where.

Bruce and Jenna · 09-08-2009, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockintom

Regarding Bruce's comments, in the olden days, when the toilets had the "flapper valve" I would agree, but with the ball type valve with the seal I don't see how the smell could comeback into the bathroom (unless the seal was leaking). Just my thoughts. rockin'

Certainly true that a completely sealed valve would not leak odor from backpressure. But I know that my valve does not always close completely, forcing me to lubricate it periodically.

If he smells odor in his rig, maybe his valve does not close either. After all, where else would interior sewer smell come from?

Another consideration - the smell may come from the gray water system, rather than black.

Tom SKP · 09-09-2009, 06:43 AM

We have had a bit of smell too, but it seems to be related to the black tank getting full. It almost seems like the vent pipe sticks too far into the tank, and thus stops functioning when the tank is near full... but we're not sure... No problem when tank is not near full.

Also, the usual problem of the tank vents being too close to the roof openings in the bedroom and bath. Depending on wind direction and Fantastic fan usage, we can get a bed smell.
We usually reverse the Fantastic fan to have it blow IN to create postitive pressure in the bed/bath areas to prevent smells from entering when showering.

Workshop · 09-09-2009, 07:40 AM

It has been mentioned several times in different threads/posts.....that the waste tank vents sticking to far into the tanks and thus not functioning correctly....from a plumbing fixture/fitting stand point I can't see that happening.

Here are three photos. One is from Rockin's waste tank, it shows the top of the tank with the inlet and vent connections. Notice the fitting size and shape.

Second is of a fitting component that is used to make the connection between the tank and pipe. This is the bottom of the fitting that is glued to the tank.

The third is of the fittting from the top or connection side. Notice inside the 'slip' opening. There is a ridge/bump stop that is designed to stop the pipe at that point. The bottom of the pipe will be positioned at the top of the tank. I don't know of any pipe fitting that will allow a pipe to 'slip' through a fitting?

From my knowledge of plumbing/irrigation....this is my thought.

As far as the odor problem...it's my thought that as long as the unit is park and not in the travel mode, the tank should be find and the odorizers added to the tank do there thing. When the unit is traveled or fluids disturbed after sittting for a period...the odors will appear for a short time. As we don't use as unit as often as most, the other day I decided to add some water to the black tank using the flush fitting...when I went in to check the guage level and flush the toilet, the odor as being described was there.

Workshop · 09-09-2009, 07:47 AM

Don't know how I posted this twice.....must have had tooooo many windows open?!?!

I it has been mentioned several times in different post.....that the waste tank vents sticking to far into the tanks and thus not functioning correctly....from a plumbing fixture/fitting stand point I can't see that happening.

Here are three photos. One is from Rockin's waste tank, it shows the top of the tank with the inlet and vent connections. notice the fixtures size and shape.

Second is of a fitting component that is used to make the connection between the tank and pipe. This is the bottom of the fitting that is glued to the tank.

The third is of the fittting from the top or connection side. Notice inside the 'slip' opening. There is a ridge/bump stop that is designed to stop the pipe at that point. The bottom of the pipe will be positioned at the top of the tank with 1/2". I don't know of any pipe fitting that will allow a pipe to 'slip' through a fitting?

From my knowledge of plumbing/irrigation....this is my thought.

rockintom · 09-09-2009, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce and Jenna

Certainly true that a completely sealed valve would not leak odor from backpressure. But I know that my valve does not always close completely, forcing me to lubricate it periodically.

If he smells odor in his rig, maybe his valve does not close either. After all, where else would interior sewer smell come from?

Another consideration - the smell may come from the gray water system, rather than black.

Bruce,

You are right in what you said....but I thought that was just a given. If you have a toilet seal leaking you should replace it and get it fix. There again, I assume a lot! Thanks for adding that comment.

Additional note. Just to clarify Workshop's pix. Don't get confused as the pix he put in this thread are pix of my GREY tank. I know he was using it for illustration purposes only. rockin'

MakinSmoke · 09-09-2009, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Workshop

Don't know how I posted this twice.....must have had tooooo many windows open?!?!

I it has been mentioned several times in different post.....that the waste tank vents sticking to far into the tanks and thus not functioning correctly....from a plumbing fixture/fitting stand point I can't see that happening.

Here are three photos. One is from Rockin's waste tank, it shows the top of the tank with the inlet and vent connections. notice the fixtures size and shape.

Second is of a fitting component that is used to make the connection between the tank and pipe. This is the bottom of the fitting that is glued to the tank.

The third is of the fittting from the top or connection side. Notice inside the 'slip' opening. There is a ridge/bump stop that is designed to stop the pipe at that point. The bottom of the pipe will be positioned at the top of the tank with 1/2". I don't know of any pipe fitting that will allow a pipe to 'slip' through a fitting?

From my knowledge of plumbing/irrigation....this is my thought.

I know how smart Workhorse is but I can only report what I experience. IF I let the black tank get too full, ordors escape into the coach.

If when I am draining the black tank, I do not use the flush mechanism simultaneously, I get ordor in the tank.

If I'm not careful and do a thorough job flushing out the black tank when I drain it, I get orders.

I am the most non-home repair guy here but that's my experience.

BookIIRoadtrash · 09-09-2009, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom SKP

We usually reverse the Fantastic fan to have it blow IN to create postitive pressure in the bed/bath areas to prevent smells from entering when showering.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce and Jenna

That said, I suggest you check that you don't leave a window or ceiling vent open. Otherwise you drive down the road with an open window, negative pressure from the travel can draw air out of your tank.

Please send me or post the link for adding positive or negative pressure to a trailer going down the road. I have never studied this theory and would like too….