Black tank smell?

[acritzer]

Camping this weekend we've started to feel like the trailer "smells" like black tank smell. Not sure if it's the usage, weather, dirty towels/socks, or an actual problem. In what mediocre problem solving I can do so far I've only come up with.....the furnace floor vent in the back of the trailer has a potent smell to it. Bathroom doesn't smell, other furnace vents don't really smell. No indications of leaks under the camper.

Gotten hints of this before but it always seemed to be when we first flushed or we just set up in blazing sun. Or maybe a little when we've fired up the furnace for the first time.

Does this seem semi normal? Or could there be a leak somewhere? Seems unlikely without visual evidence somewhere.

[acritzer]

At least I'm done with teaching for the summer! Still not sure if this is something I want to attempt on my own. Upside down, black tank goop, no strong confidence about success, etc etc. will have to weigh my options after I talk with the repair place. Time and $

[westend]

acritzer wrote:
Would starting by taking the toilet off offer me any chance of diagnosis or repair?

It will certainly show if the seal is leaking. You should have a new seal in hand before doing this.

There is no magic process for this type of repair. You will, most likely, have to remove the enclosing material underneath the trailer and try to follow the leak upwards.

[acritzer]

Would starting by taking the toilet off offer me any chance of diagnosis or repair?

[acritzer]

Even to drop the panel would be a huge job. It's fully attached all away around the entire frame. Attached at many many spots, under the jacks, etc.

[westend]

Could your toilet seal be leaking? Can you physically move the toilet so it is loose?

[acritzer]

That really sounds like a ton of trouble and/or just out of my skill set. Any idea what a local repair place might charge? Not full blown dealer prices but a smaller outfit.

I know it's not at the valve. It's further up the line than that for sure.

[TucsonJim]

I would never consider pouring in a leak fixer. You could gum up the valves and sensors. If you suspect a leak, drop the bottom panel and confirm where it's at. Then repair the leaking area.

[stickdog]

acritzer wrote:
This might be a log shot. But had anyone ever had luck with the pour in leak fixers? We used one on our hot tub and it worked really well.

It may freeze up your dump valve and nothing else.

Most likely leak in a black tank is at the top where it is connected or the dump valve itself which may be the valve seals. Those seals can be replaced.

[acritzer]

This might be a log shot. But had anyone ever had luck with the pour in leak fixers? We used one on our hot tub and it worked really well.

[acritzer]

I've now confirmed this morning that there does appear to be a leak somewhere from the black tank. I found a drip spot underneath and identified it as black tank material.

Very nervous to ask but any idea what it'll cost/involve to diagnose, repair or replace?

[wildtoad]

Grey water can smell rather rank too, and sometimes the bathroom sink is plumbed to the black tank to assure enough water is in there.

[acritzer]

What I don't get is that we just camped a week ago with no problems. And....isn't the black tank system pretty straight forward? Toilet to tank. Tank to valve? Not a lot of room for leaks and problems.

[acritzer]

MudChucker wrote:
do you have an enclosed under side ? any signs of moisture ?

the vents are usually one long sleeve along the floor, if you have a smell at one and not out the others, perhaps you have a dead critter in your vents ?

we had a baby wipe problem in a past 5ver and the smell was being sucked back into the trailer as we drove... was nasty.

after cleaning the black tank - removal, pressure washer etc etc reinstall I proved that there was no leaks by dumping an entire bottle of orange pine sol in the tank and waiting a few days to see if I could smell it anywhere but the roof...perhaps you might consider dumping and rinsing your black tank and adding some strong scent to it and then wait and see if you can smell it any place...

Its a closed up undercarriage. I see no signs of leaking.

[acritzer]

TucsonJim wrote:
A typical RV has an air admittance valve under the kitchen and bathroom sink. If the flap in AAV fails, it will let holding tank smells enter the coach, and it can be a bear to pin it down. Open your kitchen sink cabinet and your bathroom sink cabinet and see if the smell is stronger in that area. If so, remove the AAV and replace it with one from your local big box store. They run from $15 to $25. Put a couple of raps of Teflon tape on the threads to keep gasses from bypassing the AAV.


Here are two AAVs side by side. The black one had failed in my two month old FW. The new one was a replacement from Lowes. Once I replaced it, the smell disappeared almost immediately.

Jim

The kitchen cabinet has smelled a little in the past but this time it's definety not stronger than the back floor vent.