VERY strong sewer odor

dave17352 wrote:

mtofell1 wrote:
Thanks everyone - OP here. I'm too tired to go back read everything I wrote but never meant to imply I don't use chemicals. After a trip I typically dump and then fill with a few gallons of water and a bag of blue powder. This has worked for the last 10 years. After dumping I don't put any waste in the tank until the next trip out.

As for the big problem at hand it seems to be taken care of for now. Before leaving today I filled the black tank with fresh water to wash around while driving then dumped upon arrival, filled with a few gallons of water and a bag of blue powder. The smell is gone. I don't know what caused it but am suspicious of one of my kids dropping something before we got home 6 weeks ago or while the RV was parked. I've never smelled anything like this...... it wasn't a poop smell at all. It was more a sharp gassy smell. Maybe I need to get my kids to the doctor :)

It brings up an interesting question though - how do you leave the black tank when stored? I've just always thrown a few gallons of water in it with a bag of chemicals. I never knew they lost potency. Even if they do, with no waste what's the harm?

I always do as you do and have no problems. Before I winterize I do completely drain and flush the tanks and leave them dry because of freezing. If I didn't have to worry about freezing there would always be water in my holding tanks.

You do realize that you only have to winterize your water supply lines. Your waste water tanks can have some water in them as long as they have some head room for freezing. There really is no need to completely drain all water out of tanks during cold weather. Just like putting a glass half full of water in the freezer.