Black Tank Odor Problem Solved

[TnB]

Our new RW36FB, manufactured in January, 2015, had a major black tank odor problem during its maiden voyage. The problem occurred with the black tanks over 1/2 full and the temps around 88 degrees.

The odor was strongest near the shower stall when coming up the stairs. Since we travel with three Beardies, we even did butt checks and checked the bottom of our shoes.

Looking on the roof, the black tank vent is about 18 inches behind the shower skylight. This would put the vent pipe in the wall between the electrical closet and the shower stall.

First, I checked the access port in the closet near the shower faucet connections, no smells.
Second, I checked the basement area, no smells.
Third, I took the long screws out of the shower stall to see if they had penetrated the PVC vent pipe, no problems, just the back of the closet.

Finally, I took the pocket door latch panel off and looked in the small hole with a flashlight. There was the 1/8 hole in the vent pipe. It seems that when the factory used a paddle drill to cut the lock latch hole, the point of the drill cut into the pipe. The pipe is flush against this wall, by the stairs.

Since this was a vent pipe and not a fluid carrying pipe, the fix was super easy. I used a chaulk gun to put some silicone into the pipe and slowly withdrew the gun so that the outside of the pipe, inside the latch hole. also had silicone. Problem solved.

So if you have an odor you can't quite find, check your door latch hole.

[atom ant]

Wow! Good find and thanks for the explanation!

[4happyfeet]

LOL! We got rid of our Open Range for what was probably a similar problem that dealer could not find. But if we hadn't moved up to RW, we may have never know the answer! Thanks for possibly solving the mystery!