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silverkid's avatar
silverkid
Explorer
Aug 26, 2013

Sewer odor in trailer

When I dump the holding tanks, there is a strong sewer odor inside the trailer. This only happens when the tanks are dumped. We can be parked boondocking for a week and there is no odor at all - even when the toilet flush valve (blade) is held open there is no odor. When I go to a dump station and open the black tank valve is when I get the odor.
This has just recently started - the trailer is 9 years old.
I'm wondering if a tank vent issue or maybe the toilet blade seal could be the cause.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated..

9 Replies

  • silverkid wrote:
    Tanks for the replies. I'm thinking vent problem also - that I'll check on tomorrow.
    I'm not ready for a '352' solution - it can't be for real.. can it??


    It is for '352'..he posts that 'solution' every time a black tank odor issue comes up.
  • Tanks for the replies. I'm thinking vent problem also - that I'll check on tomorrow.
    I'm not ready for a '352' solution - it can't be for real.. can it??
  • louiskathy wrote:
    I think it's a vent issue. You're dumping and that can cause the water in the "p" traps to be drained...allowing odors into your rig. More with the black tank than the gray I would guess. I put about 3" of water in the bathroom sink in our rig before we dump. That way, when we're done dumping, I just pull the stopper and put water back into the sink's drain.

    I make sure I turn off all the ceiling vents but opening a bathroom window when you are putting a hose down the toilet to hose out the tank will bring up some bad odors.

    Check under the kitchen sink - some rigs have a vent pipe there.
    Check the vent on the roof, make sure that's not clogged.

    That's about all the suggestions I can come up with from my experience and what I've read on this forum from others.


    Kathy is on the right track........

    The black tank doesn't have any 'P' traps......just the vent line to roof, dump line from toilet and drain line.

    You don't have odors in rig (normally) so your toilet bowl seal is good (holds water), the toilet floor gasket is good (no odors normally).
    So sewer odors could be coming from vent pipe on roof and getting sucked back in thru bathroom exhaust vent, open windows in rig, fantastic vents etc.

    Grey tank odors can be as stinky as black.
    Under the bathroom sink and kitchen sink could be an air admittance valve. They are installed on a short stub pipe (just screw on) downstream of 'P' traps. They are there to stop the water in 'P' traps from getting sucked out when draining grey water tanks.
    They are inexpensive and do fail. If they don't open properly the 'P' traps can get sucked dry allowing grey tank odors back inside.
    And if they stick open they provide a direct path from tank to inside of rig.

  • I think it's a vent issue. You're dumping and that can cause the water in the "p" traps to be drained...allowing odors into your rig. More with the black tank than the gray I would guess. I put about 3" of water in the bathroom sink in our rig before we dump. That way, when we're done dumping, I just pull the stopper and put water back into the sink's drain.

    I make sure I turn off all the ceiling vents but opening a bathroom window when you are putting a hose down the toilet to hose out the tank will bring up some bad odors.

    Check under the kitchen sink - some rigs have a vent pipe there.
    Check the vent on the roof, make sure that's not clogged.

    That's about all the suggestions I can come up with from my experience and what I've read on this forum from others.
  • 352 wrote:
    Sometimes stuff gets stuck down there. Reach your arm down the hole as far as you can. When down to the max feel around for anything chunky. Grab it and squeeze it between your fingers until it gets smaller then dump some water in it (After you pull your arm out of coarse}. Do this once a month for regular maintenance. Wash your hands before cooking. I do have a self help video available. Hope this helps

    Classic!!!
  • Is it possible (atleast on mine) that when I have the bathroom vent open that I'm actually "recycling" the fumes that go up black water vent pipe and then get blown back in bathroom vent? Just a thought.
  • Sometimes stuff gets stuck down there. Reach your arm down the hole as far as you can. When down to the max feel around for anything chunky. Grab it and squeeze it between your fingers until it gets smaller then dump some water in it (After you pull your arm out of coarse}. Do this once a month for regular maintenance. Wash your hands before cooking. I do have a self help video available. Hope this helps

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