Forum Discussion

wmoses's avatar
wmoses
Explorer
Aug 22, 2014

AC recirculation mode ... like in your truck

Just set up in a Good Sam-affiliated campground in Clovis NM (Traveller's World) and even before we got to the CG the DW said that the area smells like a sewer. I figured that it must be manure being used in nearby fields and thought no more of it.

After we set up and had the AC on for a while I could not understand why my BW tank was smelling so much then I figured that it was the "perfumed air" from ourside coming in via the air conditioned air and also into my bathroom vent when my Fantastic Fan was off. :(

At times like this I wish that the AC in the RV had a recirculation mode like in the truck.

To add insult to injury, there is an Air Force base next door so this should make for an interesting night. Good thing I am just passing through.

One good thing - their Internet connection is excellent!
  • 8iron's avatar
    8iron
    Explorer
    Aug 22, 2014
    Your ac should not be pulling outside air into the TT. It does recirc the already cooled air from inside. Just like a home ac unit
  • Golden_HVAC's avatar
    Golden_HVAC
    Explorer
    Aug 22, 2014
    I once stayed at a Camp Coast to Coast or another park in Hemit CA, and it was also in the middle of a cow patty. . Also near March Air Force base too. .

    And they wanted to sell me a membership at that park, when it smelled to the high mountains!

    Your rooftop A/C should not be taking in outside air. It is just drifting in all the cracks and openings in the RV walls.

    Fred.
  • wmoses's avatar
    wmoses
    Explorer
    Aug 22, 2014
    That is good to know. Maybe that is why it stopped after a time. I thought I was just "getting used to the stench". ;) We have closed the bathroom vent and left the FF in the living room exhausing out so between that and the AC (which you now advise is on recirc by design) I should not have the stink tonight. My RV is pretty well sealed overall. You should feel the suction which wants to keep the piston-loaded door from flying open when the FFs (I have 2) are on exhaust mode.
  • Huntindog's avatar
    Huntindog
    Explorer
    Aug 22, 2014
    The FF running on exhaust will pull outside air in thru the MANY air leaks that ALL RVs have. This will bring the outside smells inside.
    Your TT has weep holes in every window. The stove exhaust fan is never a perfect seal. There are many protrusions for plumbing and electrical under the unit. These holes though hidden from view can be quite large and WILL let air in.

    In short the FF will make the situation worse.
  • Boband4's avatar
    Boband4
    Explorer
    Aug 22, 2014
    Just to confirm, a/c is recirculating if it is truly a/c. When I was much younger our family had a truck camper with an evaporative cooler (swamp cooler), it worked well in the dry desert southwest of NM; however it did pull in outside air. BTW I used to live in Clovis NM and worked at Cannon AFB. You are right about how "aromatic" it is near those cattle feed lots.
  • valhalla360's avatar
    valhalla360
    Navigator
    Aug 22, 2014
    wmoses wrote:
    That is good to know. Maybe that is why it stopped after a time. I thought I was just "getting used to the stench". ;) We have closed the bathroom vent and left the FF in the living room exhausing out so between that and the AC (which you now advise is on recirc by design) I should not have the stink tonight. My RV is pretty well sealed overall. You should feel the suction which wants to keep the piston-loaded door from flying open when the FFs (I have 2) are on exhaust mode.


    As others have said, it does recirculate but trailers are not sealed up nearly as well as you might think.

    Reality is you probably did just get used to the stench. After a while all the receptors in your nose related to a particular smell get filled and your brain stops registering them. Unless you get away from that smell for a while, you stop smelling it.
  • wmoses's avatar
    wmoses
    Explorer
    Aug 22, 2014
    Huntindog wrote:
    The FF running on exhaust will pull outside air in thru the MANY air leaks that ALL RVs have. This will bring the outside smells inside.
    Your TT has weep holes in every window. The stove exhaust fan is never a perfect seal. There are many protrusions for plumbing and electrical under the unit. These holes though hidden from view can be quite large and WILL let air in.

    In short the FF will make the situation worse.

    Thanks Huntingdog.

    Like I said when my FFs are running there is a good suction inside the RV suggesting that it might be tighter than many out there. I do know that there are many orifices - good point on the range hood vent, as mine was open and flapping in the breeze last night. Anyway, the smell was gone by the time I went to bed. Just had to deal with the aircraft and trains all through the night.
  • Bumpyroad's avatar
    Bumpyroad
    Explorer
    Aug 22, 2014
    Huntindog wrote:
    The FF running on exhaust will pull outside air in thru the MANY air leaks that ALL RVs have. This will bring the outside smells inside.
    Your TT has weep holes in every window. The stove exhaust fan is never a perfect seal. There are many protrusions for plumbing and electrical under the unit. These holes though hidden from view can be quite large and WILL let air in.

    In short the FF will make the situation worse.


    x2
    bumpy
  • Campfire_Time's avatar
    Campfire_Time
    Explorer
    Aug 22, 2014
    valhalla360 wrote:
    Reality is you probably did just get used to the stench. After a while all the receptors in your nose related to a particular smell get filled and your brain stops registering them. Unless you get away from that smell for a while, you stop smelling it.


    Yes, this is why people can go without showering for long periods of time. They just don't smell themselves after a while! :B

About Travel Trailer Group

44,029 PostsLatest Activity: Jan 20, 2025