Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 07-15-2014, 12:28 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 141
Again my 36CKTS has a problem. This time it's with with sewer odors under sink

We did find the problem under the kitchen sink the vent was faulty. However the pipe under our bathroom sinks is hooked directly to the outside vent. Any suggestions??
Jokerbgood is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-24-2014, 06:34 AM   #2
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 67
We had a problem with the same issue. Discovered the vent was faulty. We replaced the existing vent with a filtered vent from Lowes. Fits fine and we have had no odors since. When you leave the drain valve open on the grey tank in a full hook-up scenario the tank is susceptible to gases backing up from the entire sewer system. I think the cost was around $25.00 for the filtered vent. Good luck!
__________________
Steve & Lee
Jacksonville, FL
2013 Cedar Creek 36 CKTS Touring Edition
2012 F350 King Ranch, Reese Elite 18 and Air Bags
Elkrun is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-24-2014, 06:40 AM   #3
Site Team - Lou
 
Herk7769's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,268
There is a rubber flapper in there that is supposed to reseal after the air has been sucked in during use. It may be faulty.

Had a sour smell under our sink last year and could not figure it out until we cleaned it out after a trip and found "someone" had put a wet dishrag in there that got moldy and very smelly. Rag gone; smell gone.
Attached Images
   
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
Herk7769 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-11-2014, 09:24 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Carrollton
Posts: 184
I am having the same issue with my 29RE silverback I have looked for one of these vents and can not find one. Does anyone have any ideas where it may be located. It looks like the vent for the sink goes to the roof. i thought maybe there could be one for the bathroom sink or shower. I had the issue last year also and thought there may have been a dead mouse or something under the cabinet but this year I am sure it is septic odor. Any help would be appreciated. By the way the odor is strongest in the basement under the trailer and kitchen cabinets which are open to the basement.
brokenaxle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2014, 03:12 PM   #5
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 76
Our 35QB4 has a vent under the bathroom sink for the bath tank and one behind the oven for the galley tank. Any time we have a fantastic fan on and a tank valve open, we need to have a couple windows open. Otherwise the fan pulls hard enough to suck the sewer smell past the cheap vent valves. Closing the tank valves helps, but I'm hoping that a vent check valve upgrade will fix the problem.
__________________
2014 Silverback 35QB4
2018 Ram 3500 3-pedal dually
MIFarmer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2014, 03:27 PM   #6
Site Team - Lou
 
Herk7769's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,268
Quote:
Originally Posted by MIFarmer View Post
Our 35QB4 has a vent under the bathroom sink for the bath tank and one behind the oven for the galley tank. Any time we have a fantastic fan on and a tank valve open, we need to have a couple windows open. Otherwise the fan pulls hard enough to suck the sewer smell past the cheap vent valves. Closing the tank valves helps, but I'm hoping that a vent check valve upgrade will fix the problem.
Keeping your tank dump valves open is a recipe for stinky tanks. Doing this allows solids, soap scum, hair, food particles, and slime to dry on the tank walls and, well, smell.

Leaving the tank valves open also allows an odor path from the sewer to your camper since sewer gases can enter your camper through P traps that have "sloshed" empty during travel and the toilet valve when flushing. The bathroom vent fan complicates matters by actually pulling the sewer gases out of your empty traps.

I keep my dump valves closed when not actually dumping them.
I don't think the plastic vent is your problem; though changing it to another one will eliminate that as a source.
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
Herk7769 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2014, 03:42 PM   #7
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 76
We've been full-timing for the last 3 months - no dry P traps here.
Valves open + fan on = smell
Valves closed + fan on = no smell

With the valves open and the fan on I can hear the vent valve under the sink fluttering. I don't think the lowest-bidder check valves are doing their job.
__________________
2014 Silverback 35QB4
2018 Ram 3500 3-pedal dually
MIFarmer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2014, 03:53 PM   #8
Phat Phrog Stunt Team
 
TURBS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Iowa
Posts: 34,507
As stated above your valves should ONLY be open when your tanks are FULL or near full.
They should NEVER BE LEFT OPEN.

TURBS

"SABRE OWNERS UNITED"
TURBS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2014, 04:51 PM   #9
Site Team - Lou
 
Herk7769's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,268
Quote:
Originally Posted by MIFarmer View Post
Valves open + fan on = smell
Valves closed + fan on = no smell
Exactly...

Quote:
Originally Posted by MIFarmer View Post
We've been full-timing for the last 3 months - no dry P traps here.
Meaning all your traps have had water run in them and you still get odors.
Close your dump valves...

Quote:
Originally Posted by MIFarmer View Post
With the valves open and the fan on I can hear the vent valve under the sink fluttering. I don't think the lowest-bidder check valves are doing their job.
The check valve should only admit air from the camper into the soil pipe when there is lower pressure in the soil pipe (like when you are dumping your gray tank); this prevents a vacuum in the pipe that will suck water out of your trap.

The rubber disk can dry out and not seal at all; but then it would not be opening and closing as air would just go past it on the way to the sewer.

Same when the pressure is greater in the pipe than in the camper (fan on high); the disk should seal and no sewer air should flow into the camper. If the seal is damaged, it is possible it might buzz as long as the fan is on, but it will most likely just lay there and let the sewer gases just get sucked into the camper through your open valves.

What water are you using when you hear the "flapper flapping"?
Is it the vanity in the bathroom, the shower, or the kitchen sink?

Where is the vent that is "malfunctioning"?
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
Herk7769 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2014, 06:45 PM   #10
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 76
You're trying to troubleshoot something that's already been troubleshot: I have two bad air admittance valves. Turn on a single fan on the lowest setting with the windows closed, and that small amount of pressure differential will pull air from the tanks the wrong way through the check valves (the AAVs). Those are what make the fluttering sounds (no water flowing, just the air flow). They're clearly faulty. If they were working properly the status of the tank drain valves would be irrelevant.
__________________
2014 Silverback 35QB4
2018 Ram 3500 3-pedal dually
MIFarmer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2014, 09:23 PM   #11
Site Team - Lou
 
Herk7769's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,268
Quote:
Originally Posted by MIFarmer View Post
You're trying to troubleshoot something that's already been troubleshot:
My apologies...
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
Herk7769 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2014, 09:40 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
B and B's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 10,833
Send a message via AIM to B and B
But i have the same Problem with closed tanks., fan on, smell. I replaced the galley air valve last year, need to do the bathroom next.

Brian
__________________
B and B
2022 Venture RV SportTrek STT 302 VRB Travel Trailer
2018 Heartland Landmark 365 Louisville 5th Wheel
2015 Heartland Bighorn 5th Wheel
2013 FR Rockwood 8289WS 5th Wheel
2012 FR Rockwood 2703 SS Travel Trailer
B and B is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-13-2014, 06:50 AM   #13
Site Team - Lou
 
Herk7769's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,268
Quote:
Originally Posted by B and B View Post
But i have the same Problem with closed tanks., fan on, smell. I replaced the galley air valve last year, need to do the bathroom next.

Brian
Brian, these valves typically work great. I am willing to bet you have a different issue going on. I wish you had mentioned it at the rally, as I (or the tech team) could have looked at it.

Things to check:

Buildup between the toilet base and the flush valve plate (pressure wash or remove and clean - use new rubber seal to reinstall)
Bad seal between toilet and black tank fixture (reseal with new gasket)
Moldy damp hand towel under sink (found mine after an odor search)
No (or low) water in shower trap
No (or low) water in vanity sink trap
Slow water leak causing rot and mold
Cracked holding tank plumbing (not enough antifreeze in traps during winterization)

Running the fan creates a negative pressure in the camper that will pull air from whatever source there is. In a sealed plumbing system, the negative pressure should pull the flapper closed in the valve; not open it.

They are pretty simple devices and it stretches the imagination that you have (had) two bad ones in a year.
Herk
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
Herk7769 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-13-2014, 10:16 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Carrollton
Posts: 184
Herk7769 I have checked all those things several times the last two years I didn't have this issue the first year and a 1/2 we owned this rig. I also never had the issue with My old camper. I have tried to keep the grey tank valves closed and open it makes no difference. the odor is definitely coming from somewhere under the sink compartment or the basement area where the plumbing is. I searched for leaks and found none I even used mirrors in areas I couldn't reach. Is there anywhere we could get a plumbing blueprint of this rig. My rig is a 2012 silverback 29RE. It is there weather or not we run the fan. It is definitely a rotten cabbage septic odor. If there isn't one of these vents under the cabinet there has to be something else causing this issue. I am a full time seasonal camper and live in the rig from may until sept. every summer. I pulled all the drawers out of the kitchen cabinet and couldn't find anything and the vent pipe seemed to run up along sid eof the shower enclosure. I also am anal about winterizing and usually use 4 gallons of the pink stuff to winterize my trailer dumping most of it in down the drains so the traps are full and the valve are under the antifreeze so if there is water it may not freeze hard. Also i didn't see a trap under the shower drain but some kind of check valve I'm assuming. But the odor doesn't come from the shower either.
brokenaxle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-13-2014, 10:18 PM   #15
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Carrollton
Posts: 184
Oh yes I did find of of these vents under the bathroom sink but there is no odor there either. So I am assuming it is working properly.
brokenaxle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-14-2014, 07:49 AM   #16
Site Team - Lou
 
Herk7769's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,268
Quote:
Originally Posted by brokenaxle View Post
Oh yes I did find of of these vents under the bathroom sink but there is no odor there either. So I am assuming it is working properly.
This sounds like it could be a "dead critter" odor.

You may need to look under the belly covering/heater vents for the source.
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
Herk7769 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-19-2014, 09:22 PM   #17
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Carrollton
Posts: 184
I contacted my dealer and he hooked me up with his service person. Got on the roof checked all the roof vents. Wanted to make sure they were all connected properly at the factory. He told me to run a 5 gallon pail of hot water down the tub. I removed the wall that covered the plumbing and mechanical components. I found a small leak in the shower the drain pipe was loose. The was no pop- vent in the kitchen nor were there any dead animals. I don't believe the shower was the source of the odor because it was just seeping and not even a drip of a leak. The odor has mysteriously disappeared as fast as it appeared.
After doing all the dealer told me to do I called him back and he returned my call. He had several other cedar creek trailers with the same issues. He contacted cedar creek about it and even though there are several posts on this site and several others I know personally that have had the same issue they told him they had no knowledge of this issue. He told me if it comes back to list all the thing done before and after the odor appears. and log everything. During my search I found several interesting things that would have given me future issues. Most on the roof where quality was lacking in assembly.
brokenaxle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-19-2014, 09:32 PM   #18
Senior Member
 
B and B's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 10,833
Send a message via AIM to B and B
Quote:
Originally Posted by Herk7769 View Post
Brian, these valves typically work great. I am willing to bet you have a different issue going on. I wish you had mentioned it at the rally, as I (or the tech team) could have looked at it.

Things to check:

Buildup between the toilet base and the flush valve plate (pressure wash or remove and clean - use new rubber seal to reinstall)
Bad seal between toilet and black tank fixture (reseal with new gasket)
Moldy damp hand towel under sink (found mine after an odor search)
No (or low) water in shower trap
No (or low) water in vanity sink trap
Slow water leak causing rot and mold
Cracked holding tank plumbing (not enough antifreeze in traps during winterization)

Running the fan creates a negative pressure in the camper that will pull air from whatever source there is. In a sealed plumbing system, the negative pressure should pull the flapper closed in the valve; not open it.

They are pretty simple devices and it stretches the imagination that you have (had) two bad ones in a year.
Herk
Herk,
Happened at 11:30 on Friday night, never had the smell before. it was the Grey Tank, I went and dumped it at midnight after my shower so it is possible while the fan was one and I was showering the valve was open and the fan pulled air out. Earlier in the week we did fill the shower thank up so it is possible that back pressure had done something. The issue I had last year with the kitchen sink was the valve was loose had fallen off and I replaced it as I had a spare in the shop. I did not look at this when I got back from goshen, just cleaned up the trailer and stored it till September. I did load the soap and softener before we left and flushed the tank when i arrived home 400 miles later. Was clean, no smell.

Brian
__________________
B and B
2022 Venture RV SportTrek STT 302 VRB Travel Trailer
2018 Heartland Landmark 365 Louisville 5th Wheel
2015 Heartland Bighorn 5th Wheel
2013 FR Rockwood 8289WS 5th Wheel
2012 FR Rockwood 2703 SS Travel Trailer
B and B is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-22-2014, 09:44 AM   #19
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Carrollton
Posts: 184
I believe my problem may have been coming form the shower drain since I tightened it the odors are gone. the only other thing it could be is if one of the vent pipe couplings was loose and walking on the roof my have reseated it. If that is the case I may have to run a portable camera down the vent pipe. But looking under the camper I was amazed at the mess that they left under the mechanical area that it would have only took a couple minutes to hit with a vacuum before sealing everything up. If or when you have a plumbing leak all that sawdust will be much harder to clean up.
brokenaxle is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Forest River, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:27 PM.