Rick Jay
Greater Springfield area, MA
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You've received lots of good advice so far. I'm looking forward to seeing what you're able to find.
It looks like this is a new trailer, being a 2022. That is, no one else ever used it before you, and you said this problem began about a month after you took ownership.
It's fairly common for there to be "assembly errors" in the construction of all RV's, and I think perhaps yours might have an issue with the vent pipe leading to the roof. This might have been a problem since it was new, but it took about a month of use before the crud/bacteria/odors built to the point where they were noticeable.
Are your air conditioners ducted? If so, I'm wondering if there isn't a crack or improper seal on the vent pipe which is allowing the sewer gases into the A/C duct channels. Airflow through the ducts will create a low-pressure venturi effect which might draw in an odors "floating around" in that space. Kind of a long shot, but might be possible.
The vent pipe runs between walls. If you open a cabinet door or drawer which is very close to the run of the vent pipe, you might be able to detect a hint of an odor there, if there is a leak in the vent pipe. Closing all windows & doors and turning on your roof vent (exhaust) might help draw in such odors.
For what it's worth, we would on occasion have a gray-tank/sewer odor issue, usually if we were running our vent fan with windows open. We installed that "vane-type" vent cap linked to earlier in this topic and it cured that problem. It seems to make very efficient use of any breeze to create a lower pressure area at the top of the pipe and draw the odors out and away. So, I'd recommend one even if you solve this problem another way.
Good Luck, I'm looking forward to seeing what you find out.
~Rick
* This post was
edited 07/16/22 01:12pm by Rick Jay *
2005 Georgie Boy Cruise Master 3625 DS on a Workhorse W-22
Rick, Gail, 1 girl (27-Angel since 2008), 1 girl (22), 2 boys (23 & 20).
2001 Honda Odyssey, Demco Aluminator tow bar & tow plate, SMI Silent Partner brake controller.
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wa8yxm
Davison Michigan (East of Flint)
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Question: Many advise that when you are on a full hook up site to close your black tank (And they explain the reason I won't here) but leave the gray open till you are getting ready to leave.
NO. Close both valves and dump when you have to.
Why?
Ever see the ads for the RV Black Tank treatments that basically are a waste of money.. A Stinky RV that everyone is avoiding?
Well the Stink is not coming from the holding tanks ..it's coming from the park's sewer system up the 3" hose and into the GRAY tank via the open valve.> Close the valve to block the stink..
Home was where I park it. but alas the.
2005 Damon Intruder 377 Alas declared a total loss
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Wulrich
Texas
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Joined: 07/14/2022
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FIXED IT! There were one or two comments about the vent pipe not protruding high enough… after taking the vent cap off for the 5th time in the last several months, I noticed that it was under the roof line and that the hole that was cut out for the pipe was not done very well leaving large gaps of space between the roof and the pipe. I ripped the base of the vent cap out, and replaced the entire setup with a Cyclone https://www.homedepot.com/p/Camco-Cyclone-Plumbing-Vent-Black-40597/309587984?source=shoppingads&locale=en-US&&mtc=SHOPPING-BF-CDP-GGL-D25T-MULTI-NA-Multi-NA-SMART-NA-NA-NA-NA-NBR-NA-NA-NA-PortablePower_SmartShopping_HighOrganic&cm_mmc=SHOPPING-BF-CDP-GGL-D25T-MULTI-NA-Multi-NA-SMART-NA-NA-NA-NA-NBR-NA-NA-NA-PortablePower_SmartShopping_HighOrganic-71700000081625943-58700006942154417-92700062499001868&gbraid=0AAAAADq61UcTn6pCWXnwm7_gD2xgmJLE9&gbraid=0AAAAADq61UcTn6pCWXnwm7_gD2xgmJLE9&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIouHW_piA-QIVVMLCBB29kAGfEAQYAyABEgIO1fD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds#overlay) and it seems to be working just fine now, no smell!
Thanks everyone for the suggestions! My wife can finally be happy again!
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ktmrfs
Portland, Oregon
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wa8yxm wrote:Question: Many advise that when you are on a full hook up site to close your black tank (And they explain the reason I won't here) but leave the gray open till you are getting ready to leave.
NO. Close both valves and dump when you have to.
Why?
Ever see the ads for the RV Black Tank treatments that basically are a waste of money.. A Stinky RV that everyone is avoiding?
Well the Stink is not coming from the holding tanks ..it's coming from the park's sewer system up the 3" hose and into the GRAY tank via the open valve.> Close the valve to block the stink..
EXACTLY ON KEEPING VALVES CLOSED!!!! sewer lines doesn't have a P trap. I remember being at a park several years ago where one camper was complaining to the park about sewer smell at their sight. Cause.... dump valves open.
And a grey tank that is not occasionally cleaned can smell as bad or worse than a black tank. Occasionally before I dump I'll add some laundry detergent to the grey tanks, let it slosh around overnight then drain.
2011 Keystone Outback 295RE
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Itinerant1
Itinerant
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Excellent that you found the culprit. ![[emoticon]](https://forums.goodsamclub.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/wink.gif "wink")
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Rick Jay
Greater Springfield area, MA
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Glad to hear it! Thanks for posting your solution!!!!
~Rick
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dougrainer
Carrolton, Texas
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Joined: 06/11/2007
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ktmrfs wrote:wa8yxm wrote:Question: Many advise that when you are on a full hook up site to close your black tank (And they explain the reason I won't here) but leave the gray open till you are getting ready to leave.
NO. Close both valves and dump when you have to.
Why?
Ever see the ads for the RV Black Tank treatments that basically are a waste of money.. A Stinky RV that everyone is avoiding?
Well the Stink is not coming from the holding tanks ..it's coming from the park's sewer system up the 3" hose and into the GRAY tank via the open valve.> Close the valve to block the stink..
EXACTLY ON KEEPING VALVES CLOSED!!!! sewer lines doesn't have a P trap. I remember being at a park several years ago where one camper was complaining to the park about sewer smell at their sight. Cause.... dump valves open.
And a grey tank that is not occasionally cleaned can smell as bad or worse than a black tank. Occasionally before I dump I'll add some laundry detergent to the grey tanks, let it slosh around overnight then drain.
YES and NO. The stink will migrate back thru the BLACK tank via the toilet down tube to the black tank. IF, as the op found out, your GRAY tank system is not installed correctly, then ANY odor(valve open or not) will migrate back into the RV. BUT in a correctly installed GRAY system, the P traps STOP the backfeed of odor. Which is the purpose of P traps. THE MAIN REASON TO NEVER LEAVE VALVES OPEN IS BOTH THE DREADED POOP PYRAMID AND THE GRAY TANK SLIMY DEBRIS FROM GETTING IN THE VALVE CREVISES AND NOT ALLOWING A FULL CLOSURE AND THEN LEAKS. DOug
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ktmrfs
Portland, Oregon
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dougrainer wrote:ktmrfs wrote:wa8yxm wrote:Question: Many advise that when you are on a full hook up site to close your black tank (And they explain the reason I won't here) but leave the gray open till you are getting ready to leave.
NO. Close both valves and dump when you have to.
Why?
Ever see the ads for the RV Black Tank treatments that basically are a waste of money.. A Stinky RV that everyone is avoiding?
Well the Stink is not coming from the holding tanks ..it's coming from the park's sewer system up the 3" hose and into the GRAY tank via the open valve.> Close the valve to block the stink..
EXACTLY ON KEEPING VALVES CLOSED!!!! sewer lines doesn't have a P trap. I remember being at a park several years ago where one camper was complaining to the park about sewer smell at their sight. Cause.... dump valves open.
And a grey tank that is not occasionally cleaned can smell as bad or worse than a black tank. Occasionally before I dump I'll add some laundry detergent to the grey tanks, let it slosh around overnight then drain.
YES and NO. The stink will migrate back thru the BLACK tank via the toilet down tube to the black tank. IF, as the op found out, your GRAY tank system is not installed correctly, then ANY odor(valve open or not) will migrate back into the RV. BUT in a correctly installed GRAY system, the P traps STOP the backfeed of odor. Which is the purpose of P traps. THE MAIN REASON TO NEVER LEAVE VALVES OPEN IS BOTH THE DREADED POOP PYRAMID AND THE GRAY TANK SLIMY DEBRIS FROM GETTING IN THE VALVE CREVISES AND NOT ALLOWING A FULL CLOSURE AND THEN LEAKS. DOug
If the main dump valve(s) are open there is then NO P trap to keep sewer odor from going into the empty tanks, up the vent tubes and out the top of the trailer and then having an odor problem around the trailer like an open sewer pipe. Yes, the P trap in the sink etc. keeps the odor from coming directly through the sink etc. drain into the trailer.
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Bobbo
Wherever I park
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You can always put your own P trap in the stinky slinky if leaving the gray valve open.
Bobbo and Lin
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