Horrible black water stink

[Zoso]

Let me start off that I screwed up on my last camping trip. We boondocked for 15 days. At the end of the trip I drove to the nearest dumping station and dumped. There wasn't a good hose attachment so I didn't clean out the tank really well (no back filling or wanding). Also the road was off kilter, leaning the camper to the non hose side so I don't think the tank really fully emptied. We never had bad odors at any point on that trip or while parked at home for the next two weeks.

Flash forward to today. We just arrived and set up. Nearly immediately after using the bathroom, a horrible, overpowering odor is assailing the entire camper. Even the bathroom fan isn't helping much! There is a dump station here (no septic hookup in my site) but parking the camper was very tough and I really don't want to fold up the hybrid and dump again. I've used more of those orange packets but the smell is nauseating.

Tomorrow I plan to add 6 to 10 gallons of water. Any other ideas? I'm contemplating adding a quart of bleach despite reading two different schools of thought on bleach. The smell is that bad! I'm not inclined to go out and spend big bucks on a portable black water tank because we don't ever need it and it would just be another unnecessary and gross thing to haul around.

I've read a lot of tips on what to do next time but those won't help me now. Like I said, parking the rig was very tough and stressful (small site plus limited maneuvering areas plus uneven ground requiring lots of leveling blocks plus annoying wooden site number posts always in a spot where I can't see them). I really don't want to move it again until we leave. I'm not sure my marriage could survive having to repark this thing!

Any ideas?

[Weezer]

I'm not in any way the best person to be advising, but the first thing coming to mind is that if the seal on the toilet isn't sealing off, and the toilet bowl isn't holding water, then the bathroom fan is pulling that stench up out of the tank constantly.

[Weezer]

I say this because I've read here that the best way to know if the black tank is cleaned well is to hold the flush peddle down and turn on that fan. If it's not cleaned good you'll *know* it quickly!

I don't wanna offend you, you may be much more experienced with camping that we are, but *is* the toilet bowl holding water? Is tissue stuck in the rubber seal?

[Zoso]

The bowl is holding water.


My other thought was maybe the vent pipe wasn't working right. This is the first problem like this we've ever had in this camper so if the vent pipe got messed up it happened in the last few weeks of while sitting in my driveway. There were no odor problems during the last 15 day boondock trip. I really think this is a problem of a ripe tank due to not being flushed properly.

[Weezer]

I saw a thread discussing the non porcelain toilet with a shell within a shell, where ummm "black tank" flushes were leaking into the space between the walls of the toilet.

Try doing a search here on the forum for black tank odors up in the search bar above?

[Weezer]

You mentioned not wanting to buy a "honey wagon" that you'd only use once....often other campers will loan theirs to ya. Might try that, explaining you've an emergency?

I know *we* certainly would loan ours in such a situation and I've seen campers loaning theirs.

[Weezer]

Seeing as it's late, is there a WalMart near ya? I'd be sending someone there for incense, room spray...SOMETHING.

I feel for ya, not conducive to a decent night's sleep.

[Broadway Joe]

There is no easy answer to flushing your black tank. No chemicals are going to mask the problem, your only recourse is to get to the dump station with plenty of water in the black tank and a good thorough flush.

[Zoso]

This is no ones fault but mine . I don't think we have any mechanical or plumbing issues. Just a ripe tank an I'm not sure what to do in the meantime until I can properly flush it out next weekend when we leave.

Honey wagon. Ha. Love the term! I'll search the campground but most people have sewer hook ups. My wife booked this site late so we have have 1 of the 3 sites without a sewer. Still, some better prepared camper may have one!

We did hit up a Walmart and bought a smelly candle and a bathroom deodorizer. They're not helping!

I should have refilled the tank with more water and ice after the last dump and the reflushed it at my local rv store ($$)... But it has never been an issue before. I really am just hoping for a short term bandaid to get us through the week.

[Weezer]

Gray and Black water tank cleaning.


Baking soda?

[Zoso]

Anything is worth a try! The bleach thing scares me. Some people say it is fine but most Internet sources scorn it!

http://www.myoldrv.com/?p=600

This stinks!

[Weezer]

Being so inexperienced (we bought our RV 2 months ago and have only taken 'er out three times) I'm afraid to give you advise that might cause damage.

I just read here a *LOT*! Hope you get some relief. Again, try the search bar above.

[Zoso]

I appreciate the help and sympathy

[crunchman12001]

Most campgrounds have a mobile service that comes to your site to pump the tanks empty. That is the honey wagon. I would call the office to see if that service is available there?
crunchman

[DAISY BOYKIN]

You have to open a window (mine has a small one in the hall near the ceiling)
when you turn on the vent fan. If you do not open a window or ceiling vent when the bath vent fan running, you will simply draw gas odors from the black tank through the black tank vent that goes through the roof, especially when you flush the toilet. I think this may be your source of bad odors from the black tank. The black tank produces methane gas which is deadly to breath or explosive. Always open a vent or window when turning on the bath vent
fan for any reason.

This also has to be done when you are using the kitchen stove's vent hood fan to vent heat from the stove. This is the reason a window is installed just behind the stove for venting when cooking.

[Leathergypsy]

Originally Posted by DAISY BOYKIN

You have to open a window (mine has a small one in the hall near the ceiling)
when you turn on the vent fan. If you do not open a window or ceiling vent when the bath vent fan running, you will simply draw gas odors from the black tank through the black tank vent that goes through the roof, especially when you flush the toilet. I think this may be your source of bad odors from the black tank. The black tank produces methane gas which is deadly to breath or explosive. Always open a vent or window when turning on the bath vent
fan for any reason.

This also has to be done when you are using the kitchen stove's vent hood fan to vent heat from the stove. This is the reason a window is installed just behind the stove for venting when cooking.

X2! Close up that vent! Only good for after someone takes a shower and steams up the mirror.

[Herk7769]

X3 - running the bathroom vent fan will draw odors not only from the toilet, but from your traps as well. Just in case you don't know, gray water tanks stink as well.

Many "black tank odors" are actually gray tank odors. Make sure that your sink and shower traps have water in them.

Shut off your water and open the flush valve on the toilet. (Clothes pin on nose and wear rubber gloves). Look inside (under the flapper valve) for solids build up above the floor seal. Odors from there will not be helped by flushing the tanks. Only a shaped bowl brush and lots of elbow grease with 409 or other cleaner will break that stuff lose.

Worst case is toilet removal and take it to the dump station for a thorough cleaning.

[eshenderson]

Silly question, but did you put holding tank conditioner / deoderant in the black water tank?

[comfun1]

The tank will always smell bad, I would make sure your vent line has not come apart. Occasionally due to atmospheric conditions there is an air inversion and you may notice a foul odor around your camper but those conditions seldom persist. If your bowl holds water I'm betting on your vent.

[Larry Tiner]

It won't help the smell, but Calgon Water Softener will help beak down what's in the tank as well as coat the walls for future help.
Can you use a campground restroom? If so, perhaps a full tank of water will help deter the smell somewhat.