We left home for a 4hr trip with clean flushed tanks, and after setup we flushed the toilet, and the whole camper smelled like sewer. I always drain, and use the black water flushing system until it runs clear, and then add water, and chemical to the tank. The only thing I did different this time was using a different brand chemical, so I'm thinking there might be a loose vent stack somewhere.

Might not be your tank...it might be coming directly from the camp ground sewer..up through your hose and into your rig when you flush.See if the problem continues at a different camp ground on your next trip.

Did you check your grey water tank as well? They can stink as bad or worse as the black water tank!

could be the air admittance valve under a sink, when ours failed it stunk up the whole camper. link below to what they look like. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Oatey-1-1-2-in-ABS-PTC-In-Line-Cheater-Vent-39012/100204205

As others have said, I would check and replace the air admittance valveslocated near your sinks,they are cheap and can be found at most big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes as well as smaller hardware stores. If they fail they will let the smell from the grey tanks in and believe me they can smell just as bad as the black tank if not worse.Changed mine out and the smell was gone!

Never camp with sewer line left open into your camper. Always close valves and dump only when well over half full. Then close up again. Those tanks, both grey and black will have "stuff" that settles on the bottom and you need to flush all that "stuff" out. If you have full hookups use the most of it to clean your system as much as you can while hooked up.

Sewer smell overwhelming | Good Sam Community

25 Replies

Shadow_Grey
Explorer
Jun 22, 2014
Never camp with sewer line left open into your camper. Always close valves and dump only when well over half full. Then close up again. Those tanks, both grey and black will have "stuff" that settles on the bottom and you need to flush all that "stuff" out. If you have full hookups use the most of it to clean your system as much as you can while hooked up.
IAMICHABOD
Explorer II
Jun 22, 2014
As others have said, I would check and replace the air admittance valves
located near your sinks,they are cheap and can be found at most big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes as well as smaller hardware stores.

If they fail they will let the smell from the grey tanks in and believe me they can smell just as bad as the black tank if not worse.

Changed mine out and the smell was gone!
rav
Explorer
Jun 22, 2014
could be the air admittance valve under a sink, when ours failed it stunk up the whole camper. link below to what they look like.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Oatey-1-1-2-in-ABS-PTC-In-Line-Cheater-Vent-39012/100204205
Coach-man
Explorer
Jun 22, 2014
Did you check your grey water tank as well? They can stink as bad or worse as the black water tank!
downtheroad
Explorer
Jun 22, 2014
Might not be your tank...it might be coming directly from the camp ground sewer..up through your hose and into your rig when you flush.

See if the problem continues at a different camp ground on your next trip.

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Sewer smell overwhelming

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