Horrible Smell - Itasca Sunstar 35F

[Mike and Cha]

Before you take everything apart try putting some of the lemon scented deodorizing tabs in the grey water tank. We do this about every fourth tank flush and it eliminated any odors we were getting from the grey water tank.

[oakcreekeric]

Originally Posted by 4x4van

Your plumbing diagrams (Here: http://www.winnebagoind.com/diagram/...e35f_plumb.pdf) show 3 vacuum breakers, one for each sink (rear bath, mid bath, kitchen), see pages 2 & 3, they are designated "VM-1". At least one (rear bath, page 2, C6)) looks like it is behind a false wall panel; others are likely similar. Mid bath one is on page 3 at C5, kitchen at C2. All of them are just past the p-trap and right above the point where the drain goes down. It looks like all of them may be accessible by cutting a small access hole inside the cabinet(s), where it won't be visible and will be easy to cover. Man, gotta love Winnebago's resources!

Yep.. I just did that... I saw it's supposed to be there.. HOPING I don't have to cut into anything.. I'm hoping I missed screws to an access panel..

Thanks !!

[oakcreekeric]

Originally Posted by Mike and Cha

Before you take everything apart try putting some of the lemon scented deodorizing tabs in the grey water tank. We do this about every fourth tank flush and it eliminated any odors we were getting from the grey water tank.

Thanks.. I've wondered if those would be worth the money.. sounds like they would be... I'll have to check it out..

I typically don't have the smell unless I'm using the toilet.. So, I'm not sure they'll have an impact... but I do like clean tanks !!!!

[oakcreekeric]

So.. I'm hoping there'll be a plumbing expert to answer this question..

The smell ONLY happens when we use the toilet in the half bath (we use the sink all the time with no smell)... not sure how that correlates to the grey tank vent..

[thunderjet]

I have a 35' older Winnebago. I had a smell problem when dumping tanks or when first moving MH after parking a week or more. I Tried checking air inlet vents (boca vents) and water in all traps, replaced roof vents with weather vane style nothing worked. Finally tried filing the gray water tank intending to fill to the point of filling shower stall but before that point found overflow of water coming from the top of the gray tank running out under the MH

The bottom of the tanks are not flat they slope from passenger side down to drivers side outlet valves. After removing a panel on passenger side I found the styrofoam shims had let the high side of the tank drop about an inch leaving a gap in the piping. About 80% of the gray water went into the tank the balance went on top of the tank and around the tank compartment giving me the smell and some sewer flies really nice!! I pried up the high side of tank added cork pads and a new 1-1/2 " fernco coupling. no more smell or flies.

Good luck
TJ

[oakcreekeric]

Originally Posted by thunderjet

Finally tried filing the gray water tank intending to fill to the point of filling shower stall but before that point found overflow of water coming from the top of the gray tank running out under the MH

I actually did something very close to that last night.. While dumping, I usually "flush" the black tanks by filling and flushing several times.. I got a bit distracted and wasn't paying attention and noticed bubbles coming out my roof vent stack (I usually put Dawn in my tanks to keep the sides clean)..

Obviously, I quickly turned off the water and began to drain the tank (the middle toilet uses a macerator to evacuate the tank)... I did check to see if there was any leaks, and found nothing.. now.. I don't know if I actually got any water up the stack, but I know it had to have been close, as the foam/bubbles were plentiful...

I'm still very perplexed... I know most people, and myself included, have been mentioning the boca vents, but that doesn't make sense... I only get the smell when we use the toilet.. so it has to be something black tank related, as we use the sink in the middle bathroom for brushing teeth and washing hands all the time and I get no smell from that use..

Any other suggestions.. I really would like to figure this out !!!!

[oakcreekeric]

I've attached a picture of the roof showing my middle toilet roof vent/stack..

If you'll noticed.. its very close to the fridge vent.. I'm wondering if some of the smells/gases are going down the fridge vent while driving.. however, I'm not sure if that is the issue.. as the smell seems to be concentrated in the middle bathroom itself..

Also, if you'll notice, we have the Maxxair vent just behind the toilet stack.. I'm wondering if that is "drawing" the odor in from the roof to the ceiling vent.. but, the smell is there even when we don't have the ceiling vent open..

Finally... I'm wondering if, due to it's position next to the fridge vent, the flow of air is restricted enough not allowing it to vent properly... That is one of the reasons I'm thinking I need to upgrade my plumbing vent cover to the Camco Cyclone or the Lippert 360 Degree one..

[4x4van]

I agree, the boca vents are likely not your issue. Your midbath toilet has it's own black tank with it's own roof vent. There is no other connection to the rest of the system at all (other than the macerator); it is a completely separate system. I'm thinking that perhaps your midbath roof vent line is plugged. That would force fumes out the toilet when you use it. There is no access from the back of the fridge into the coach, so drawing fumes into the fridge vent could not route those fumes inside. I would remove the vent cap and run a snake down the vent line to make sure there is not a blockage.

The fact that it only happens when traveling down the road suggests the Maxxair vent behind the tank vent is drawing fumes in, but you say it happens even with that vent closed, so...

Again, the only thing that makes even a little bit of sense is a partial blockage of the tank roof vent line.

[Brockx]

I didn't notice any reference to the Shower drain. We cover ours with one of those soft rubber flat drain pads. Both of our coaches had "disappearing" shower trap water when driving a long day.

[oakcreekeric]

Originally Posted by 4x4van

I would remove the vent cap and run a snake down the vent line to make sure there is not a blockage.

I'm likely gonna try this.. but as I mentioned in a previous post.. last night, while flushing the tank and using Dawn, I had a plethora of bubbles/foam coming out my roof stack.. so, I don't think I have a blockage.. but, for piece of mind.. I will run a snake, just to make sure..

Thanks

[oakcreekeric]

Originally Posted by Brockx

I didn't notice any reference to the Shower drain. We cover ours with one of those soft rubber flat drain pads. Both of our coaches had "disappearing" shower trap water when driving a long day.

The shower is located in the rear of the RV and we aren't getting any odor from there.. the odor is concentrated in the middle bathroom.. and ONLY when we're using the toilet, haven't dumped and driving...

[owgpz]

The stink is caused by the microbes living and breeding in the tanks. I use sewer chemicals in all my tanks, and never have any odor problems. However, companies also make grey water tank deodorizers. I just find it simplest to use the same chemicals in all my tanks.

[Podivin]

Do you have the vent fan running when you flush?
That can draw air from the holding tank into the bathroom.

[oakcreekeric]

Originally Posted by owgpz

The stink is caused by the microbes living and breeding in the tanks. I use sewer chemicals in all my tanks, and never have any odor problems. However, companies also make grey water tank deodorizers. I just find it simplest to use the same chemicals in all my tanks.

I use chemicals too.. I put a "pod" in every time we uses the toilets.. this issues is exclusive to our middle toilet.. our rear toilet has no issues..

I don't believe this to be a grey tank issue.. as it only happens when we use the middle toilet, don't dump and while moving..