After dumping the tanks from camping this past labor day w/e, I noticed a really funky smell inside the trailer when I went in to add water and chemicals to the black tank. Almost a sewage smell.Ive never had any odor issues inside the trailer before.(its only 2 years old) I was still parked at the dump station when I went inside and noticed it. Couldn't smell anything outside. The smell was definitely coming from inside the trailer.Any thoughts on where it may have come from and why it happened? Maybe other have experience this too.

Did you have a vent open with a fan on?? If you did, when you opened the drain in the toilet, it will suck the vapors out of the tank into the bathroom.

No vent open, no fan on. I noticed the odor as soon as I walked into the trailer. Wasn't even to the bathroom yet to add water to the black. The place where I dump is an RV Dealer about 10 minutes from my house. It's about 20 miles from where I stayed this past w/e. (I like going there because there is hardly anyone there when I go and I can take my time and do a real thorough job rinsing the black tank.)

Make sure that you run a little water in all your sinks and shower. If the water in the drain traps has evaporated, any stink from the dump station will work it's way right back up into your rig through the plumbing if you open the gray water dump valve.

There should never be any sewer odor inside. Because you just used it, I will assume the traps have water. So I would check to see if you have check valves under the sinks instead of through the roof vents. They are notorious for causing problems like this. I hope you find it and its an easy fix.

powderman426 wrote: Because you just used it, I will assume the traps have water. So I would check to see if you have check valves under the sinks instead of through the roof vents. They are notorious for causing problems like this. X2 on the check/vacuum breaker valves... but I wouldn't assume all the traps had water. I recall hearing about an instance where a vacuum breaker stuck in the closed position and dumping would suck the water out of a couple of traps...

wheres that smell coming from? | Good Sam Community

29 Replies

DE88ROX
Explorer
Sep 04, 2013
Thanks I will check the valves. We used the shower, bathroom sink as well as the galley sink so there should've been water in all traps. The thing is, there was no odor prior to dumping. Only after I dumped did I notice the smell.

I haven't gone a season (2 so far) without having some issue(s) with this trailer since I bought it new, so having another issue pop up wouldn't surprise me at all.

Thanks again!
CincyGus
Explorer II
Sep 03, 2013
liveneasy wrote:
powderman426 wrote:
Because you just used it, I will assume the traps have water.

So I would check to see if you have check valves under the sinks instead of through the roof vents. They are notorious for causing problems like this.

X2 on the check/vacuum breaker valves... but I wouldn't assume all the traps had water. I recall hearing about an instance where a vacuum breaker stuck in the closed position and dumping would suck the water out of a couple of traps...

X3- Especially if you didn't use your shower and/or took showers at campground shower house if they had one. Gray tank can stink nearly as bad as the black tank. I always leave a little water in my fresh water tank and about monthly, go run some water in the sinks and shower to make sure they all have water in the trap.

Learned this by not doing it the first year I had the trailer and everything dried up. When I turned on the vent fan one day working inside, I got smelled out very quickly from the odor coming from the shower drain.
powderman426
Explorer
Sep 03, 2013
liveneasy wrote:
powderman426 wrote:
Because you just used it, I will assume the traps have water.

So I would check to see if you have check valves under the sinks instead of through the roof vents. They are notorious for causing problems like this.

X2 on the check/vacuum breaker valves... but I wouldn't assume all the traps had water. I recall hearing about an instance where a vacuum breaker stuck in the closed position and dumping would suck the water out of a couple of traps...

Hmmmmm. I didn't think of that. Good detective work. So yes check that the traps are filled.
TyroneandGladys
Explorer
Sep 03, 2013
TucsonJim wrote:
Make sure that you run a little water in all your sinks and shower. If the water in the drain traps has evaporated, any stink from the dump station will work it's way right back up into your rig through the plumbing if you open the gray water dump valve.

X2
liveneasy
Explorer
Sep 03, 2013
powderman426 wrote:
Because you just used it, I will assume the traps have water.

So I would check to see if you have check valves under the sinks instead of through the roof vents. They are notorious for causing problems like this.

X2 on the check/vacuum breaker valves... but I wouldn't assume all the traps had water. I recall hearing about an instance where a vacuum breaker stuck in the closed position and dumping would suck the water out of a couple of traps...
powderman426
Explorer
Sep 03, 2013
There should never be any sewer odor inside. Because you just used it, I will assume the traps have water. So I would check to see if you have check valves under the sinks instead of through the roof vents. They are notorious for causing problems like this. I hope you find it and its an easy fix.
TucsonJim
Explorer II
Sep 03, 2013
Make sure that you run a little water in all your sinks and shower. If the water in the drain traps has evaporated, any stink from the dump station will work it's way right back up into your rig through the plumbing if you open the gray water dump valve.
DE88ROX
Explorer
Sep 03, 2013
No vent open, no fan on. I noticed the odor as soon as I walked into the trailer. Wasn't even to the bathroom yet to add water to the black.

The place where I dump is an RV Dealer about 10 minutes from my house. It's about 20 miles from where I stayed this past w/e. (I like going there because there is hardly anyone there when I go and I can take my time and do a real thorough job rinsing the black tank.)
eHoefler
Explorer II
Sep 03, 2013
Did you have a vent open with a fan on?? If you did, when you opened the drain in the toilet, it will suck the vapors out of the tank into the bathroom.

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wheres that smell coming from?

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