Tank Smells, But Not From The Tanks Themselves

[wantahertzdonut]

Trailer is a 2001 All American Sport.

Problem- We get a wretched tank smell every time we run water down the sink, and to a lesser extent toilet flushes. I can't find the source, it's not coming from either of the sinks nor the toilet. It just hangs in the air. It's primarily in the living area, not the bathroom. The traps are clean and don't smell or have any debris.

We're in Phoenix in July, and the A/C is running a decent amount. I noticed we only catch the smell when the A/C is on, and there is no smell when it isn't.

I'm beginning to wonder if the A/C unit has a fresh air intake near enough to the tank vents, that it can draw in the tank smell when it's pushed out by the incoming water? If so that strikes me as another glaring design flaw, but I'm not sure what I can do about it. Has anyone else experienced this? Is there another source of tank smell that I should investigate?

[HarrynSally]

Vent pipe that goes up in the walls that vent outside might be disconnected ?

[wantahertzdonut]

Does that mean cutting a hole in the wall to check?

[jtstromsburg]

Look under the kitchen sink for a little vent in that drain line. It's probably the culprit. Cheap to replace.

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[wantahertzdonut]

Do you mean this vent?



This is under the sink right next to the wall. The pipe leads down into the tank. I don't smell anything under the cabinet when I run water down. I really only smell it around standing height and further back from the sink area, almost right up against the door leading to the garage. Right under this thing:



Anyone know what this is? It's definitely not speakers as far as I can tell. But I have no idea how this could be intertwined with the drains. Is it some sort of air intake for the a/c?

[wantahertzdonut]

Never mind, that's just a speaker box that was conveniently disconnected by the previous owner. Back to square 1.

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[johnleann]

If you smell a foul odor only when the A/C is running, maybe the A/C needs to be checked for mold. It might also be possible that the condensate drain is plugged on the roof, under the big cover over the A/C.

Carefully get up on the roof and check things out.

[wantahertzdonut]

It's definitely not the A/C unit. When it runs, there is no smell provided we aren't running water. We get the smell when water is going down the sink, chiefly the kitchen sink. The A/C unit just spreads it around as we get the smell to a lesser extent when we're running water but the A/C isn't running.

What is the structure in the vent pipes like? I see two little pegs sticking out of the roof which I assume are the black and gray tank vent outlets, is there a way for those to get blocked? I'd like to check them out.

Since I've never been on my roof, is it safe to walk on? Should I avoid stepping in certain spots, or is the whole thing capable of supporting 175lbs?

[jtstromsburg]

I still would try changing that little air valve out under the sink. I've had one or two times where the wind was just right and was blowing the "stink" back down the side of my camper, but that was outside.

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[wantahertzdonut]

Where do I find the valve? Is it a universal item or is there a specific part number?

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[fonzie]

Your local HomeDepot, Lowes etc should have similar device. Just need to know proper size pipe, probably 1 1/2 inch....

Sewer Smell from Vent under RV Sink

http://www.homedepot.ca/product/abs-...adaptor/968663

[MtnGuy]

Any time you run water into the sink or shower, or flush the toilet, an equal amount of air needs to come out of the vents. I am just wondering if somehow you are getting odors from the vents themselves. I noticed just last weekend that I could the black tank while outside when the missus flushed the toilet.

[oxcamper]

Check out my recent post in the plumbing forum. We had an elusive smell in our 282RK and found it was a leaking pipe joint from the black tank dripping raw sewage in the underbelly.

[oxcamper]

Originally Posted by oxcamper

Check out my recent post in the plumbing forum. We had an elusive smell in our 282RK and found it was a leaking pipe joint from the black tank dripping raw sewage in the underbelly.

It wasn't the toilet at all. the smell would be most noticible in the under sink and bathroom cabinets, the bedroom wardrobe, anyplace where there was a hole through the floor for pipes or wiring.

[TSB]

Anyone figure this out yet? Mine is under kitchen sink and all the time. It is awful.

[wantahertzdonut]

Still haven't found the source. I'd like to check if the tank vents are blocked but I don't have access to a ladder to get up on the roof.

About checking the pipes themselves, where are they routed? I assume through a wall, but I don't know which one. I'm not interested in pulling walls out only to find I removed the wrong one.

Anyone know of any detailed technical drawings for a 2001 AASport 28FB that might be available online?

[wantahertzdonut]

Originally Posted by oxcamper

Check out my recent post in the plumbing forum. We had an elusive smell in our 282RK and found it was a leaking pipe joint from the black tank dripping raw sewage in the underbelly.

I found your post, but we have no leaks under the trailer. The tanks are out in the open on mine. I've been under mine several times to push up on the bottom of them (they're a little droopy) in order to get the rest of the water out. Never saw any signs of leaks on either tank.

Now I've noticed sometimes when flushing the tank, I can smell the smell outside the trailer. It's odd too, because what we're smelling doesn't smell like the grey or black waters' usual smell. This is like a stink bomb; it's really sulfury. Almost like being near Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone NP. And I only smell it around head level when inside the trailer, not near or under any of the drains, sinks, or cabinets. Definitely not from the grey tank, and flushing the toilet does not bring out the stench. I'm beginning to think something came disconnected in the vent pipe.

I'm at the point where I want to start tearing into things because the surface sources aren't looking like the culprit. But I'd really like to get my hands on some design plans for this trailer since I want to work in the right places, not guess and create new problems.

[wantahertzdonut]

Originally Posted by fonzie

Your local HomeDepot, Lowes etc should have similar device. Just need to know proper size pipe, probably 1 1/2 inch....

Sewer Smell from Vent under RV Sink

OS&B | ABS Air Admittance Valve With Threaded Adaptor | Home Depot Canada

The HD link is interesting as the vent that's in my trailer is a $2.92 cheapie. I shouldn't be surprised they opted for the cheapest thing on the market. For that price I'll try a replacement as they're in stock at all the nearby stores, then I'll tear into the external venting system in the event these are not the problem.

I have one in the kitchen and another in the bathroom. I'll swap them both since they're $6 total.

[oxcamper]

Did you pull off the toilet just to make sure the seal is still in place? You mention that the tanks are a little "droopy", if the top of the tank is concave, the seals from the toilet or where the vent pipe is attached could have come undone. Sure would hate to start ripping into things, but sometimes that's the only alternative, Good Luck!

[wantahertzdonut]

Well I replaced the air introduction valve in the kitchen, but can't replace the one in the bathroom because the geniuses who built this thing didn't allow enough room to unscrew the valve under the counter.

We've noticed we get the smell more as the tank fills more. We've left the grey tank open and that has left us odor free, so we may just continue doing that until I find the source.