sewer smell

[Rooksfive]

Is anyone having sewer smell inside the RV? We have a sewer smell whenever we put water into the sink or into the dishwasher. Could it be because we leave the sink tank closed until it is full. Any suggestions. We pour hot water down sink, and we put bleach in sometimes. Any other suggestions?

[atom ant]

Leaving the tank closed shouldn't cause the smell. I don't know enough about the Redwood yet to give you any advise on what it might be.

[Tobys Home]

Rooksfive, we put a tank solution in all our holding tanks and it seems to work. We are stationary campers for the time being so we have no sloshng around while traveling. Soap is your enemy in an RV, as it attaches itself to the walls of your tanks. Good luck. This summer we're going to use Dave's sensor cleaner if we can find it. Our Wal marts aren't well stocked in the camping areas.

[homeguy]

you shouldn't have any smell from the sewer. The p-traps are what prevent it from entering the coach, just like in your house. The water in the p-trap works as a block to keepany smell from goinginto the coach/house.Check them to see if there is waste in them. If they are clean, it could be a vent gone bad. I haven't looked under the sinks but I bet they use some sort of "studor' vent on them. That could be defective and allowing the smell to come in.

[Dave&Ginny]

Originally Posted by homeguy

you shouldn't have any smell from the sewer. The p-traps are what prevent it from entering the coach, just like in your house. The water in the p-trap works as a block to keepany smell from goinginto the coach/house.Check them to see if there is waste in them. If they are clean, it could be a vent gone bad. I haven't looked under the sinks but I bet they use some sort of "studor' vent on them. That could be defective and allowing the smell to come in.

You're right! there is a "mechanical" vent under the bathroom sink (I was told).

[TXRVProfessor&LadyE]

Originally Posted by Rooksfive

Is anyone having sewer smell inside the RV? We have a sewer smell whenever we put water into the sink or into the dishwasher. Could it be because we leave the sink tank closed until it is full. Any suggestions. We pour hot water down sink, and we put bleach in sometimes. Any other suggestions?

Just thinking....when in transit...sometimes those p-traps can
loose their 'water' from all that movement which allows for smells to come through. We noticed
it more so when setting up camp after moving. I pack plenty of tank
chemicals purchased from the RV supply store to help with the smells and then
get that fresh water back in the p-trap. Doing those two things
eliminates the problem for us.



Lady E Cooper

[UNDRPSI]

Funny this subject comes up. My wife asked me today why is there sewer smell coming from the bath room sink? Well sure enough its coming from the vent they have under the bathroom sink! Seems Redwood cheeped out on us and did not run the vent to the roof. Instead it looks like the incorporated it in the drain. The sink trap is their but it goes into a tee and then its vented out of the top of the tee under the sink. This is where the smell is coming from in our case. Toby whats Dave sensor cleaning secret? Does this help on the smell of the gray tanks? Or does someone make a additive to put into the gray tanks to take care of the smell like we do the black tank. We are only a month into our full timing experience and the wife ask me today about it and what to do.

[Dave&Ginny]

I have put the toilet chemical in the grey tank as well. It won't hurt a thing and it helps break down the food particles.

[Tobys Home]

I use biochem from camping world. They also sell it at all boating stores.

[spindrift]

You can't be serious...venting a tank into a living space? What is it with these "engineers"?

[lillyputz]

Originally Posted by spindrift

You can't be serious...venting a tank into a living space? What is it with these "engineers"?

Our whole rig, inside and out smells like the black tank.

Lillyputz

[Dave&Ginny]

Originally Posted by spindrift

You can't be serious...venting a tank into a living space? What is it with these "engineers"?

It's really not being vented. A mechanical vent is roughly a cap on the end of a pipe with a rubber flapper in it. As liquid flows down hill it causes a vacuum. At that time the rubber flapper lets air into the line and then it returns to it's normal state of not letting air out of the pipe.

You have to remember that after a while the grey water tank can get almost as nasty as the black water tank because of the food particles and soaps. In real hot weather, every now and then I put the toilet chemical in the grey tanks when I start smelling them and then all is fine.

[jpdunc]

When staying in a location for several days or more, we leave both gray tank valves open and close them the day prior to departure to use to somewhat clean the hose after dumping the black water tank, which remains closed until it needs emptying or departure, whichever comes first.

We, do use chemicals in the gray tanks if they will be closed for any length of time.

[BradPAjax]

The new soaps combined with exfoliated skin from hand washing and showering is just as nasty as black water. Use cleaner in both tanks to break down the soap scum or it will affect grey sensors too.

[UNDRPSI]

Thanks Guys!!
Chemicals have been added.

[par]

Originally Posted by spindrift

You can't be serious...venting a tank into a living space? What is it with these "engineers"?

This is not possible... any interior vents that I saw are basically spring loaded and operate under vacuum. When the water flows, the spring collapses and opens a small valve allowing air to be sucked into the pipe. When the flow stops the spring retracts and closes the flap preventing any foul air from getting into the room. If that pipe allows fumes into the space then either this contraption is faulty or perhaps it was never installed???

[spindrift]

Thanks for clarifying. I was speechless thinking that there was interior venting.

[Dave&Ginny]

It might just be me but I find there's less smells from the grey water tanks when I'm not hooked up to the sewer lines. In hot weather I keep my valves closed and chemicals in the tanks so my rv isn't the vent to the sewer system. I think we get fumes up from the parks system, so I just drain the tanks when they are full.

[Sailorman]

I am trying to understand how people are getting bad smells out of the grey water tanks. The items that drain into the grey water tanks, the sinks, shower, dishwasher, and washing machine are all connected to the grey water system usingP-traps. The P-trap fills with water and does not allow smells from the sewer system to get into the trailer.



This is set up the same as a brick and morter home. The only difference is a brick and morter home does not have holding tank. However, the drain traps are in place before the holding tank, therefore, smells from thegrey water holding tank should not get into the trailer.



The black water is a different story. There is not a P-trap between the toilet and the black water holding tank. You can get smells from the black water holding tank.



There is one way the smell from the grey water system could get into the trailer and that is if you have a washer hookup that is not being used. The solution would be to either plug the end of the drain or pour water into the drain to fill the P-trap every so often.



The sink and shower drainswould be used often enough to keep the P-traps filled with water.



Could it be the smell is coming from a different source?

[Dave&Ginny]

that's a good point