Odor from black water vent

Dalehelman

We  rarely  have odor coming from our black water vent. While sitting here in Lake Havasu the temps ore in the 80s and 90s (no complaints). With little or no wind theres an occasional unpleasant wiff in the air. Since our T@Bs vent so low to the ground it can create a problem. So as a  solution I temporarily removed the vent cover. There was enough 1 1/2" abs pipe there to allow me to extend the vent up and over the trailer. Which has eliminated the problem. This is not a permanent fix just while parked if the problem occurs.

  

Nomad

Presume you're using tabs or treatment of some kind - Not doing the job evidently.
Was just south of Lake Havasu till yesterday - fled the heat to higher ground.

jkjenn

Also, make sure it isnt actually your P trap. Drop a little water down your shower, to make sure.

Nomad

Ya - if you smell it indoors, the shower trap has deceived many into thinking it was the black tank.

Dalehelman

You mean i am suppose to use chemicals in that thing?

Nomad

Well, you don't have to but then you'll definetly be adding a snorkle :-)
So what brand do you use? - Just so we all know what not to use.

Dalehelman

Never found anything that will totally eliminate oder. Sometimes the chemicals are worse. Pine scents usually smell like someone took a dump under a pine tree.

sherm2954

I have a houseboat in No. California with a 100+ gallon black tank. Outside temps regularly hit high 90's to 100's. We use Happy Camper RV tank treatment. Organic, biodegradable and does a phenomenal job!
Here's a link

Ratkity

The snorkel you put on looks like it's at the fresh water fill. That's not the black tank or even remotely connected to the black tank. There is no black water vent. The vent on top of the camper is the air exchange for the air conditioner. What you are showing is the gravity fill for the fresh water tank. Perhaps one or two tbsp of bleach per 11 gallons of water will clean out the tank (the emptying valve for the fresh water tank is on the left side of the step on the other side). Then rinse 2-3x. The overflow for the fresh water tank is run right below and to the left of the gravity fill (normally). 

Just regular water down the p-traps is enough. You don't need chemicals there. That odor would be from the gray water tank. It can smell icky, mostly from food particles fermenting. You can put some of the same chemicals in the gray water tank. If you have plenty of water in the p-traps, you probably don't need any chemicals. Vinegar also works to rinse out some of the ick that can accumulate in the gray water tank. Sherm's Happy Camper stuff is great. I've used it too if you want to put some in the p-traps and then rinse some water into the gray tank.

There's also one other thing .... if you filled up your fresh water tank locally, there could be odors (like sulfur) that don't affect the water, but smell like rotten eggs. A one-season water filter on your water hose while filling the fresh water tank is a must (remember to let it run a little when you first attach it to get rid of initial loose carbon - like a Brita filter).

Dalehelman

boo said:

You should not be having this problem except in rare circumstances. We use chemicals from Walmart for the black tank. Do not have a problem with odors. Make sure you have water in your sink and shower traps.
Another tip if I may. Fill the commode with fresh water, then flush. The extra water helps clean the black tank when you dump. When you get ready to dump your waste, let the gray tank fill almost all the way up. Dump the black tank completely then, dump the gray water to flush everything good. Rinse hoses good.
ps: Your poop might stink more than others. Ha.

We regularly do all of the above. This is the first time it has been an issue. Even at that it has been a minor one.  In 40 plus years of RVing and boating our T@B is the only one I have ever seen vented out the side and not from the roof. Even if you control the odor there is still some gassing going on. 

Nomad

Ratkity - There is a blackwater vent on the side right where he has it - right above the handle molding, right below the cable hookup. The fresh water intake is below that trim.

db_cooper

There's a vent on our roof, and one on the side. I figured the one on the side was grey water vent, and roof was the black tank vent.   Don't know why I think that,  but it would make sense.  Separate tanks need separate vents,  hopefully they put the stinky one higher up.

Ratkity

What year is Dal's T@B? For some strange reason, I thought he had a 2016 Outback. My bad. The 2015s didn't have vents for the black water or gray water.

PS Strange place to put a BW Vent!!

Edited again: What would happen if you just blocked the vent completely? Seems like it was eliminated.

Nomad

My 2015 has the blackwater vent.

db_cooper

My 2015 definitely has vents.

Ratkity

The only vent I had on the roof of the T@Bitha was the AC vent. I had been on an 8 ft ladder several times to put on solar, vent cover and the roof rack. I'm trying to visualize any other venting. Maybe I'm daim bramaged and have blocked it out!

jkjenn

PXLated said:

Ya - if you smell it indoors, the shower trap has deceived many into thinking it was the black tank.

Before you do -anything else, put some water down the shower drain. The fact that you are in Havasu has me suspicious that you have a dry P trap.

db_cooper

Correct me if I'm wrong please.   I understand Dalehelman has a different T@b,  just want to confirm my suspicion.

Ratkity

I remember that thing, but can't rem exactly where it was - it was still on the T@B's side (driver's). 

I know for water to go down the sink and the shower, it needs a vent or there is a vacuum and the water won't drain. That's why I didn't think there was a black water vent for the little RV potty. There's no p-trap, but I guess gases have to go somewhere!

Nomad

db - That's what mine has - the top is the air intake for the AC and the one one the side is blackwater - the freshwater vents thru the intake. At least that's what I was told and read on the forums at some point.

Ratkity

I can definitely see combining the black and gray water vents, but the AC vent far away from the blackwater tank and when someone showed pictures taking out the AC unit, I didn't see any other venting there.

db_cooper

Yep, the freshwater has a small vent hole right above the fill hole.  The side vent I pointed at must be the blackwater vent.   I'm surprised there's not  a separate vent for gray.

If the top thing is for the AC,  that is amazing.  Huge vent on side for exhaust, plus that thing on top,  plus a separate AC fan inside for something  I'll probably never use here in the PNW.   If I'd special ordered, I'd have made that a microwave spot, or extra cabinet space, and reduced the number of extra holes in the camper.

Ratkity

YAY! We derailed the odor issue.... sorry @Dalehelman - do what Jenn and others have said. Water in p-traps (kitchen sink and shower). Use one of the less heavily scented black tank chemicals for the potty with about a half gallon of water when you put it in. I always used the pods. Easy to pick up and toss in.

Dalehelman

Ratkity said:

The snorkel you put on looks like it's at the fresh water fill. That's not the black tank or even remotely connected to the black tank. There is no black water vent. The vent on top of the camper is the air exchange for the air conditioner. What you are showing is the gravity fill for the fresh water tank. Perhaps one or two tbsp of bleach per 11 gallons of water will clean out the tank (the emptying valve for the fresh water tank is on the left side of the step on the other side). Then rinse 2-3x. The overflow for the fresh water tank is run right below and to the left of the gravity fill (normally). 

Just regular water down the p-traps is enough. You don't need chemicals there. That odor would be from the gray water tank. It can smell icky, mostly from food particles fermenting. You can put some of the same chemicals in the gray water tank. If you have plenty of water in the p-traps, you probably don't need any chemicals. Vinegar also works to rinse out some of the ick that can accumulate in the gray water tank. Sherm's Happy Camper stuff is great. I've used it too if you want to put some in the p-traps and then rinse some water into the gray tank.

There's also one other thing .... if you filled up your fresh water tank locally, there could be odors (like sulfur) that don't affect the water, but smell like rotten eggs. A one-season water filter on your water hose while filling the fresh water tank is a must (remember to let it run a little when you first attach it to get rid of initial loose carbon - like a Brita filter).

Wrong

Ratkity

Yup @Dalehelman - I thought your pic was below the trim. My bad. An interesting observation, it looks like you have a periscope. I also see the cablevision/antenna cable now too.

Dalehelman

db_cooper said:

Correct me if I'm wrong please.   I understand Dalehelman has a different T@b,  just want to confirm my suspicion.

Ours is.  2015 fill and vents are like yours.

Nomad

db - Yep, the black vent on top is where the aux fan for the AC draws in it's air. It's up there so out of the way of the hot air the AC expels.

Ratkity

Many apologies for the misunderstanding Dal - your periscope is inventive to say the least. 

Dalehelman

Using the vent for the gray and black together is know different than venting in a  residential home.

Dalehelman

jkjenn said:

PXLated said:

Ya - if you smell it indoors, the shower trap has deceived many into thinking it was the black tank.

Before you do -anything else, put some water down the shower drain. The fact that you are in Havasu has me suspicious that you have a dry P trap.

Both the shower and the sink are used daily.

Ratkity

Dalehelman said:

jkjenn said:

PXLated said:

Ya - if you smell it indoors, the shower trap has deceived many into thinking it was the black tank.

Before you do -anything else, put some water down the shower drain. The fact that you are in Havasu has me suspicious that you have a dry P trap.

Both the shower and the sink are used daily.

Well, that blows that theory!! You've RV'd for 40 yrs and know about the chems. Fill up as far as you are comfortable with - the black and gray with water containing a small amount of bleach or vinegar and do several black tank then gray tank draining sessions (I saw you had hookups). That's all I can think of right now. PXL confused the one brain cell that was functional lol (easiest to blame it on him even if he didn't do it).