Or is anybody else bothered when you go into a park and it smells like one of those porta poddys you use at festivals or construction sites? We haven't used them because I am sensitive to chemicals, especially formaldehyde. I find it ironic that I chose this lifestyle to get some fresh air and get away from all of the vocs in everyday life, and then people go camping and fill their tanks with this stuff thats harmful to you and your rv. I love open windows and fresh air coming in, not that porta poddy smell from the person next to me.Not here to preach, but we have been full timing 6 months and have not needed any chemicals. We did experience a clog once from using double ply in the beginning, and I cured that problem overnight with two pots of hot water.

Can't say I've ever experienced what you're talking about. Maybe you're smelling your own rig, lol. If I don't use those little packets in the black tanks (got 2) things can get ripe until I dump-n-flush.

I've only smelled something like that one time. The only thing I can figure out that it was the TT on our door side. They had all of their windows opened and when I walked the dogs away from theirs and our 5er I didn't smell it. When I walked the dogs back towards ours and past theirs, I could smell it. I figured it was isolated to just that TT.

Buy some Happy Camper powder, works better than anything I've tried. No smell what so ever, you'll like it.

I smelled that once. It came from an RV where the guy doesn't add anything to his tanks. It does smell like an out house. Was that your rig?

I had that happen to me at a park, it was the rig next to mine and it was a Four Winds 2008 Class C towing a Honda Fit w/ tow dolly and I wish he had used some chemicals.

Is it just me? | Good Sam Community

Walaby
Explorer II
Apr 14, 2016
2gypsies wrote:
Walaby wrote:
weathershak wrote:
Witnesses ?????

standing outside of my trailer, with me, while I was dumping (not taking a dump).

Mike

....that's another thing....why does the whole family have to get out of the truck or motorhome to watch the dump process? :)

They happened to be outside, doing other things prepping to depart. Not a hard concept to understand. It was at a FHU site.

Mike
dewey02
Explorer II
Apr 14, 2016
ol Bombero-JC wrote:
Here's the "poddy poll" (porta potty) - posts to the OP's rant/complaint up to the time of this post:

Three respondents = odor is from YOUR RV.

Seven = never smelled an odor.

Four = smelled an odor once.

Eighteen = other observations - what to use in your tank, improper sewer drain connection, dog urine, water only, don't use GEO method, parked too close to pit toilets in park, etc. etc.

A couple fell into more than one category.

BTW - The dog urine reply.........

Maybe fido is innocent - it's the *urea based DEF* from the diesel MH or pickup parked close by!..:W~

Well, since the OP asked the question "Is it just me?" Most of those seem like legitimate answers.
Odor is from YOUR RV = Yes, it REALLY is just you
Never smelled an odor = Yes, it is just you
Smelled an odor once = Maybe it is just you, maybe not
Other observations = No, it isn't just you because here is what causes it.
2gypsies1
Explorer III
Apr 14, 2016
Walaby wrote:
weathershak wrote:
Witnesses ?????

standing outside of my trailer, with me, while I was dumping (not taking a dump).

Mike

....that's another thing....why does the whole family have to get out of the truck or motorhome to watch the dump process? :)
ol_Bombero-JC
Explorer
Apr 13, 2016
Here's the "poddy poll" (porta potty) - posts to the OP's rant/complaint up to the time of this post:

Three respondents = odor is from YOUR RV.

Seven = never smelled an odor.

Four = smelled an odor once.

Eighteen = other observations - what to use in your tank, improper sewer drain connection, dog urine, water only, don't use GEO method, parked too close to pit toilets in park, etc. etc.

A couple fell into more than one category.

BTW - The dog urine reply.........

Maybe fido is innocent - it's the *urea based DEF* from the diesel MH or pickup parked close by!..:W

~
mich800
Explorer
Apr 13, 2016
American Roadtrip wrote:
I probably notice it more because I am sensitive to a lot of chemicals that don't seem to bother most people. The chemical solution that is commonly used in tanks contains formaldehyde. It is bad to breath, and bad for your tanks. In a few parks I smelled it pretty strong, and in others it isn't as bad. Some parks have a rule not to use those chemicals, but people do anyway. My guess is a lot of people just don't think much about it because they don't have allergies to the chemicals.

How do you know what you are smelling is formaldehyde? There are plenty of tank additives on the market that are formaldehyde free. Personally I have never smelled something like that at a campground unless it was actually near a portable outhouse.
paulcardoza
Explorer
Apr 13, 2016
X2!!!!!!!!!

weathershak wrote:
I guess it is true....Some can brag that their S### doesn't stink. Mine does. No geo method for me. No plain water, etc. I can prove those methods do not work. Of course I do not use 5 gallons of water to flush, and dump my black tank every 2 weeks. in the summer heat, its gonna stink. The blue stuff work for me.
Walaby
Explorer II
Apr 13, 2016
Oh, and to help clarify, I use LOTS of water when I flush, and I empty my tank after about 6 or 7 days, just before I leave. I don't leave the stinky slinky connected up to the sewer drain as I connect up on the last day to dump/flush and put it away.

Mike
Walaby
Explorer II
Apr 13, 2016
weathershak wrote:
Witnesses ?????

standing outside of my trailer, with me, while I was dumping (not taking a dump).

Mike
weathershak
Explorer
Apr 13, 2016
Witnesses ?????:E Slow day at the CG ??? :B
Walaby
Explorer II
Apr 13, 2016
Lynnmor wrote:
I have camped next to those "no odor" folks. Man do they stink when dumping!

Just dumped this past Monday. Was there "some odor", yes. Was it knock you on your butt, not even close.

Three witnesses, no complaints.

Mike

Forum Discussion

Is it just me?

About RV Tips & Tricks

Related Content

New to me

Tell me your horror stories (Diesel)

New one on me

Air conditioner repair near me

Tool Boxes - Show me yours please