Bad grey water smell

[gooiebob]

I've read all the previous posts I can find on this subject, tried many different things but can't find it.
2013 2703WS Emerald
The smell is under the kitchen sink when the shower is used.
Grey tank can be empty or have water in it.
Traps are full of water.
I have replaced the air admittance valve with new ones from Lowes that have a bigger rubber flap.
Vent is open to the roof. I have run water down and had it drain out.
I've seen behind the furnace and have found the bathroom sink and shower are plumbed together and go to the same drain as the kitchen sink. The part I don't understand is that the same pipe that is the drain is also the vent pipe to the roof. I've plugged the hold through the floor, but the smell is the worst under the sinks.
I've taped saran wrap around the air admittance valves to see if that makes any difference.
I've had to cut both pipe for the sinks in the kitchen and bath to get the drains to line up to drain properly and not leak. Its not coming from that rubber coupler.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Going to the dealer Tues. I've called him and made the appointment as our electric side of the water heater went out.
Bob

[OldCoot]

I would be hunting for a soured dish cloth, mouse, etc. if you are sure of all the plumbing.

[gooiebob]

Thanks for the quick reply OC. It's not that. I just can't get my head around the fact that the drain is the same pipe as the vent.

[gooiebob]

We've camped for a long time but this trailer is really starting to make me think otherwise. I love to change things to the way we want them but stuff like this really gets me. The dealer is being very cordial about the whole thing. He really understands that " it is the nature of the beast" that he is stuck with fixing everything.

[MMattox]

Do you know if the pipe traps under the sinks are staying full of water? the water in the traps keep the smell out of the tanks, I am sure that you know this but thought it was worth mentioning.

[Kaadk]

I don't think the vent being on the same stack as the drains is much of an issue. I see the same in houses all the time.

I'd start with flushing the grey tank really well. They do build up debris after all (hair, bits of food, etc..) Fill it all the way and then dump a few times the next time you're at a full hookup site or at a dump station with some time to kill. Then add some deodorizer, either the GEO method or some basic TST or whatever you happened to use for the black normally is probably fine. Drive that around until your next camping trip and then see if the grey still smells.

[gooiebob]

Thanks Kaadk
I took a shower this morning with the air valves in the kitchen and bath sealed and put water in all the sinks. No smell. DW took a shower and I unwrapped the kitchen valve and the sinks and no smell. I feel so stupid I can't figure this out.
We've been here since Sunday and have flushed as you suggested, had it sometimes, not others. Kind of hard to have the poor dealer find something that is there sometimes and not others.
I guess I just get to depressed about this stuff as I'd like everything to perfect for my wife. She's the one saying don't worry about it. Just baffles me because it seems like such a simple design.
Bob

[VinceU]

Try chlorine beach in the sinks and traps. Let stand for 10 minutes and dilute. May take a few asps but will stop the bugs-and odor. Works for me!


Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums

[gooiebob]

Thanks Vince. Can you explain how I could get the smell with the sinks holding water and the air vents covered. Like I said, it didn't happen at all today. Tank is pretty full right now, maybe I should empty it and see what happens. Don't know if I should leave the vents covered or not. Doesn't seem to have any influence on emptying the tank.
Bob

[Helmsey]

Have you noticed it worse if you have a vent fan running? We are chasing somewhat of the same thing. The issue with ours is when I have the fantastic fan in the living room running it pulls up some horrific smells!

[Kaadk]

Do you get more often the less full the tanks are? If so, that contributes to the idea it's something in the tank. As the tank fills up, the water level covers whatever it is that's rotting and masks the smell.



Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums

[gooiebob]

Doesn't seem to matter if the tank is empty of partly full. Its hard to tell because the gauges say the tank is 1/3 full all the time.

[VinceU]

Originally Posted by gooiebob

Thanks Vince. Can you explain how I could get the smell with the sinks holding water and the air vents covered. Like I said, it didn't happen at all today. Tank is pretty full right now, maybe I should empty it and see what happens. Don't know if I should leave the vents covered or not. Doesn't seem to have any influence on emptying the tank.
Bob

Sorry for delayed response. Both of my experiences was cause by crud trapped in the drain piping above the trap and tanks. I think you have pretty well rule out the opening from the tank to the living space. My problems were caused by hair and grey paste stuck on ledges and even the skin of the piping right up to and through the 180 deg traps. Normally it just stuck paste but if bacteria begin to grow it begins to give off odor. I treat with bleach and its gone for awhile. The 2nd kitchen sink often unused is the biggest offender. If nothing else works take the drain apart and clean the piping inside.

[gooiebob]

No problem with the response time Vince. I've got until I die to work on this. Or the dealer does on Wed. Took a shower this morning with the vents covered and no smell. That makes it even harder to figure now. Kind of thinking the pipe isn't all the way in the tank and if theres much water in there its coming thru the floor.
Thanks for everyone's suggestions.
Bob

[youroo]

Originally Posted by gooiebob

No problem with the response time Vince. I've got until I die to work on this. Or the dealer does on Wed. Took a shower this morning with the vents covered and no smell. That makes it even harder to figure now. Kind of thinking the pipe isn't all the way in the tank and if theres much water in there its coming thru the floor.
Thanks for everyone's suggestions.
Bob

Since you have been up on the roof to cover your Gray water vent,you can remove the Cap and measure to find out if the vent pipe is (In the tank). Most likely it is or liquid would be leaking out the Belly. You can also fill your (Gray tank) until water starts to come up the shower drain for leak checks there. Youroo!!

[gooiebob]

Sorry Youroo, I should have explained it better about the vents. I've covered the air admittance valves with saran wrap, not the roof vent. We did have a complete fill once into the shower, my fault, but I never noticed anything on the ground. I would have to remove the underbelly to see if any water has set in there. I noticed the over flow right away and emptied. This was a couple of trips ago.
I have measured before when it happened and their is about five inches difference from the bottom of the tank to the top. Seems right to me but that wouldn't tell me if its sealed well.
Thanks
Bob

[ChrisPlus3]

Have you tried removing the traps under the sinks and clean them out? It's possible something like sludge is built up or something else that is emitting the foul smell is in the traps

[B and B]

I had this happen once while showering, actually last night in Goshen. The culprit was never found but i summarize it was the air admittance valve under the bathroom sink. The smell was the same as the grey tank water smell when i dumped it.

[gooiebob]

Thanks Chris and B. I've filled the sinks to block the drains and still had it. If I find the problem I'll let everyone know. The traps had water this.morning. only thing different was the air valves closed off.

[awellis3]

Since you have exhausted all logical causes, let's get to the illogical ones (if they exist). Empty the grey water tank and close off everything you've sealed off before. Plug all drains with rubber stoppers or the like. Put a hose up and into the tank via the dump pipe or down the roof vent and put a "tracer" of some sort (e.g. perfume) into the tank. In other words, work the problem backwards. One-by-one, unplug and use each drain re-plugging as you move on. Which drain makes the trailer smell like a cheap floozy and under what conditions?
I mean ... you thought of everything else, haven't you?