Black tank venting or lack thereof

[_nelsonc]

I have a 2013 Coachmen Mirada 35DL. One of the problems I have had with the unit since new was a very stinky half bath on occasion when flushing the toilet. The problem does not occur at any other time and is not consistent. I am staying at a park for the summer this year and they pump the tanks out a couple times a week. The guy running the pump told me that there is an issue with my tank vent as the tank started to collapse when he pumped it out last week. I climbed up on the roof and ran so up water down the vent. The pipe completely filled with water and has not drained. I tried snaking the pipe and it feels like the bottom of the vent is not open at all and ends in hard plastic based on the sound. There is no way to actually see down the pipe or see the top of the tank so I can't really tell what is going on. My warranty just expired, but I did have the unit in for this once before and was told there is nothing wrong. I think that the fact that the vent holds water proves quite the opposite.

So two questions for you:

1) Has anyone encountered a vent pipe that was just glued to the top of the black tank and not actually entering the tank?
2) Has anyone had any experience with finding an issue after the warranty had expired and getting Coachmen to correct the problem? I imagine this is not going to be cheap to fix as there seems to be no way to remove the tank.

Thanks for your assistance!

[Wiscampsin]

Go back on the roof, take off the tank vent cap, and see if you can pull the pipe up a little. There have been a few instances where the pipe fell down into the tank creating a seal which would block air flow.

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by Wiscampsin

Go back on the roof, take off the tank vent cap, and see if you can pull the pipe up a little. There have been a few instances where the pipe fell down into the tank creating a seal which would block air flow.

I agree.

TURBS


"Sabre owners united"

[BamaBob]

X3 the post by Wiscampsin. One "gadget" I have seen some other RV'ers use is this:

Products | Drain Master

Maybe it will help you.

[Roll]

Originally Posted by HSVBamaBob

X3 the post by Wiscampsin. One "gadget" I have seen some other RV'ers use is this:

Products | Drain Master

Maybe it will help you.

That looks interesting. I'm not having a problem but might consider the cap regardless.

Roll

[_nelsonc]

Originally Posted by HSVBamaBob

X3 the post by Wiscampsin. One "gadget" I have seen some other RV'ers use is this:

Products | Drain Master

Maybe it will help you.

Well, I already had one of the Camco vent covers on there that move with the wind, but no kind of vent is going to work if the vent tube is full of water due to a blockage or a manufacturing defect.

[BamaBob]

Originally Posted by _nelsonc

Well, I already had one of the Camco vent covers on there that move with the wind, but no kind of vent is going to work if the vent tube is full of water due to a blockage or a manufacturing defect.

We had the Shark on our TT - Again my guess is your pipe has "Settled" and blocked

Originally Posted by Roll

That looks interesting. I'm not having a problem but might consider the cap regardless.

Roll

Yeah me too - FR did a nice job capping ours but we are thinking...!

[_nelsonc]

Latest Update - Coachmen has stepped up and agreed to repair the vents at their expense. My appointment is on June 17th at the local dealer where I bought the unit.

The obstruction is 90" from the top of the vent pipe,which is just about where the top of the black tank would be. My theory is they just glued the vent to the top of the tank and did not open up a hole into the tank.

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by HSVBamaBob

X3 the post by Wiscampsin. One "gadget" I have seen some other RV'ers use is this:

Products | Drain Master

Maybe it will help you.

Interested in how this works when the black tank is a closed system.
Except when you flush.


TURBS


"Sabre owners united"

[Ford Idaho]

Originally Posted by _nelsonc

Latest Update - Coachmen has stepped up and agreed to repair the vents at their expense. My appointment is on June 17th at the local dealer where I bought the unit.

The obstruction is 90" from the top of the vent pipe,which is just about where the top of the black tank would be. My theory is they just glued the vent to the top of the tank and did not open up a hole into the tank.

That would be very shoddy work.

[_nelsonc]

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

Interested in how this works when the black tank is a closed system.
Except when you flush.


TURBS


"Sabre owners united"

Basically it stinks really bad when you flush as the only way for the air in the tank to be displaced is for it to come up though the toilet.

[Kaadk]

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

Interested in how this works when the black tank is a closed system.
Except when you flush.


TURBS


"Sabre owners united"

It looks like there's a market for these things:

Cyclone Sewer Vent - Camco 40595 - Vents - Camping World

or

Solar-Powered Plumbing Vent Fan - Ultra-Fab 53-945001 - Vents - Camping World

I personally just go by some information I got from the forums when I started TTing last year:

"Turn the fan off when you flush so it doesn't suck the stink back into the trailer."

Never had a problem with odors.

[OldCoot]

For no longer than it takes to flush, why bother turning the fan off? It will just suck the stink on out the fan vent.

[_nelsonc]

Originally Posted by Kaadk

It looks like there's a market for these things:



Cyclone Sewer Vent - Camco 40595 - Vents - Camping World



or



Solar-Powered Plumbing Vent Fan - Ultra-Fab 53-945001 - Vents - Camping World



I personally just go by some information I got from the forums when I started TTing last year:



"Turn the fan off when you flush so it doesn't suck the stink back into the trailer."



Never had a problem with odors.

I have one of those on there, but it only works when the vent is connected to the tank and mine isn't. How do I know? The vent pipe is filled with 72" of water.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by _nelsonc

I have one of those on there, but it only works when the vent is connected to the tank and mine isn't. How do I know? The vent pipe is filled with 72" of water.

Going to take a L O N G drill bit to open that sucker up!

[_nelsonc]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Going to take a L O N G drill bit to open that sucker up!

Yep, one at least 91" long!!!

[OldCoot]

1-1/4" Forsner bit welded to an 8' pc of pipe.

[_nelsonc]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

1-1/4" Forsner bit welded to an 8' pc of pipe.

I think it will come to that if they determine if it is glued to the top of the unopened black tank. If it is connected to the bottom they are going to have to break it loose somehow then cut it to fit.

[Vern]

just to be sure that is the TOP of the black tank you are drilling through!

[Ford Idaho]

Originally Posted by Vern

just to be sure that is the TOP of the black tank you are drilling through!

Let the vent stack be your guide.

:Okay Joe, park the drill rig over there!