Grey valve open
I am in a rv park for five months, and i am plugged in to sewar. Can i leave my grey valve open all the time except when i flush? THANKS in advice. I know there are pros and cons on this, but i would like the Right ANSWER.
Forum Discussion
60 Replies
rockhillmanor wrote:
And shouldn't the black/gray roof vent keep any sewer odor from entering the rv?
No. You need a vent for all plumbing to work. The vent is connected to all of the drain plumbing in an rv.BUT, odors can come from other ways also.
The toilet is an "open shot to the inside of the MH". Only if you hold it open.
There is "NO p-trap" on an RV toilet like there is in residential toilets. You don't need one... all toilets in rv's have a sealed flapper that keeps the odors in the tank.
Step on the peddle of your toilet when your tank is full and hold it open and shine a flash light into it. You will see how direct it is! :B Why in the world would you hold it open???
Every time you flush and that flap opens odors and bacteria come directly into your MH. Again, only if you hold it open. When you flush, you only hold it open for a second or two while the solids/liquids go down the pipe. Yes, you can get a momentarily whiff....but you gotta be quick.....and this brings to topic why some of us DO use chemicals and brings up a nuther totally different discussion. :W Yeah, ya got me there....but when talking about chemicals in rv's, it's obvious that we are talking about chemicals made to mask the odors in an rv....not soap and softeners.
Let the water evaporate in the bathroom sink p-trap simple solution...don't let it evaporate. on most RV's and you will get black tank sewer odor from there also. Got news for ya... the bathroom sink is not connected to the black tank in probably 99% of all rv's.Leave your black tank open when parked and you will most likely smell all the mounds of fresh poo sitting on the bottom of a dry tank every time you flush also. No experienced rv'er will ever leave his black tank valve open.
I'm a keeper of both valves closed when parked.:C Me too!rockhillmanor wrote:
...and this brings to topic why some of us DO use chemicals and brings up a nuther totally different discussion. :W
In reality almost everybody uses "chemicals" of some kind.
Where some get the idea that detergent and water softeners are not "chemicals" is somewhat curious. :hAnd shouldn't the black/gray roof vent keep any sewer odor from entering the rv?
No. You need a vent for all plumbing to work. BUT, odors can come from other ways also.
The toilet is an "open shot to the inside of the MH".
There is "NO p-trap" on an RV toilet like there is in residential toilets.
Step on the peddle of your toilet when your tank is full and hold it open and shine a flash light into it. You will see how direct it is! :B
Every time you flush and that flap opens odors and bacteria come directly into your MH. ....and this brings to topic why some of us DO use chemicals and brings up a nuther totally different discussion. :W
Let the water evaporate in the bathroom sink p-trap on most RV's and you will get black tank sewer odor from there also. Leave your black tank open when parked and you will most likely smell all the mounds of fresh poo sitting on the bottom of a dry tank every time you flush also.
I'm a keeper of both valves closed when parked.:C- It doesn't make any difference what you think, I've seen it happen. The wind blows INTO open dump pipes or improperly designed or positioned main system vents. It blows OUT, or puts perssure on, the ones farthest down wind.
This likely is not a common thing but it does happen......and trailer vent system are not designed to handle it. Sam Spade wrote:
lanerd wrote:
And if your roof vent is not sufficient to keep odors from entering the rv, then you have a problem with a seal, AAV, or some connection. Any wind going across the roof vent will automatically create a vacuum and pull the odors out completely.
Alas you have no control over how the sewer pipes are laid out, now they are vented and how many of the unused inputs are left open......and how hard and from what direction the wind blows.If they have been installed correctly....it doesn't matter, how they are laid out or vented or how many unused inputs (????) there are nor which way the wind blows. If you have an odor, your system has been compromised and needs repair. And whichever way the wind blows (unless straight down) it's going to create a vacuum, not a positive pressure...
It is not that unusual for there to be positive pressure in the systemSorry, I just don't think this is possible.. Sometimes that pressure can be substantial and can get through places Again, I don't think positive pressure can happen. And also again, if seals are tight, connections secure, AAV operating normally, p-traps (or duck bills) in working order, vent open, there will be NO odor in the rv. where there really is nothing wrong.....under normal circumstances.Sam Spade wrote:
I thought the OP was making a reference to the gray water So in typical RV Net fashion we go off topic to create unnecessary conflicting info. The gray water in sinks, shower etc... is in fact protected by traps s or p at the individual drain areas. so leaving the valves open is not creating sewer gas smell. I have a saniflush type connection and each time I dump the black tank I use the sani flush tank rinse to clean the tank out. Every month I fill and rinse the gray water tanks. I have been doing this for many years with no problems.lanerd wrote:
And if your roof vent is not sufficient to keep odors from entering the rv, then you have a problem with a seal, AAV, or some connection. Any wind going across the roof vent will automatically create a vacuum and pull the odors out completely.
Alas you have no control over how the sewer pipes are laid out, now they are vented and how many of the unused inputs are left open......and how hard and from what direction the wind blows.
It is not that unusual for there to be positive pressure in the system. Sometimes that pressure can be substantial and can get through places where there really is nothing wrong.....under normal circumstances.- I leave mine open in the trwo places i hang out in SC and FL, but i am not going to get up on the soap box about it.
That is my opinion and I am sticking to it. :W lanerd wrote:
And if your roof vent is not sufficient to keep odors from entering the rv, then you have a problem with a seal, AAV, or some connection. Any wind going across the roof vent will automatically create a vacuum and pull the odors out completely.
Alas you have no control over how the sewer pipes are laid out, now they are vented and how many of the unused inputs are left open......and how hard and from what direction the wind blows.
It is not that unusual for there to be positive pressure in the system. Sometimes that pressure can be substantial and can get through places where there really is nothing wrong.....under normal circumstances.lanerd wrote:
Sam Spade wrote:
lanerd wrote:
When leaving the gray tank open, won't a p-trap or duck bill keep any insect from coming up the drain?
And shouldn't the black/gray roof vent keep any sewer odor from entering the rv?
Typically the large drain hose ( 4 inches ? ) does not have a P trap.
And sometimes the roof vent is not enough for odors coming in from the sewer or septic, especially if they are driven by a strong wind.
Sure it does, and any experienced rv'er knows exactly how to make a p-trap with your sewer hose (which by the way is only 3"...not 4"). And if your roof vent is not sufficient to keep odors from entering the rv, then you have a problem with a seal, AAV, or some connection. Any wind going across the roof vent will automatically create a vacuum and pull the odors out completely.
Ron
Well Ron; your going to confuse :? sam with facts again. :BSam Spade wrote:
lanerd wrote:
When leaving the gray tank open, won't a p-trap or duck bill keep any insect from coming up the drain?
And shouldn't the black/gray roof vent keep any sewer odor from entering the rv?
Typically the large drain hose ( 4 inches ? ) does not have a P trap.
And sometimes the roof vent is not enough for odors coming in from the sewer or septic, especially if they are driven by a strong wind.
Sure it does, and any experienced rv'er knows exactly how to make a p-trap with your sewer hose (which by the way is only 3"...not 4"). And if your roof vent is not sufficient to keep odors from entering the rv, then you have a problem with a seal, AAV, or some connection. Any wind going across the roof vent will automatically create a vacuum and pull the odors out completely.
Ron
