Stinky trailer when traveling.

[Superdawg]

My trailer is 11 yrs old. After camping and dumping the black tank (not rinsing),there is still some residual sludge/few gallons of liquid in the tank. Is it normal for the inside of the trailer to reek after traveling for a while? We don't ride in the 5th wheel but when stopped for a break, we use the restroom or kitchen.

Am I the only one or is this normal? Maybe the venting is plugged.

I am now thinking I need to add a little water to the toilet bowl to prevent air from seeping up when not in use unless the air is entering from somewhere else.



If the pics are attached, it is the Mammoth Lakes basin in CA and a 17. 5" rainbow from Hot Creek this past week.

 

[HBarlow]

No, it is not normal. If you have checked the black tank vent and determined it is not blocked or broken/separated at the tank something else is wrong.

Are you using proper black tank chemical in correct amounts? Try increasing the concentration. Starting with an empty tank add three to five gallons of fresh water then dump a heavy dose of black tank chemical in.

You could have cross connected the black tank with the gray tank when dumping if not using the dump valves correctly. You should always dump the black tank first then close the dump valve. Never allow both to be open at same time. Then dump a full or nearly full gray tank to clean the hose(s).

Try filling both tanks 1/2 to 3/4 full and add diluted household bleach and tow it like that for at least an hour, all day would be better. That will allow sloshing and cleaning. Then dump each and refill with clean water and do it again.
A bar of soap or two can be flushed down the toilet with five gallons of fresh water. Tow and allow the bar of soap to slosh around and hopefully break up any hardened black waste on the tank bottom. (Edit: Some prefer dumping a bunch of ice cubes in to rattle around. Not sure how long it takes them to melt in summer weather. )

If these methods don't improve it you may have a ruptured black tank that has leaked under the floor but above the belly pan across the bottom of frame rails.

 

[BIGNASTY]

Or you could do as Harvey said but instead of using bar of soap (I never thought of that) you could fill the black tank about 1/2 full of water and throw in a bunch of CUBED ice and drive around or to your next layover. We have done this and couldnt belive the amount of stuff that came out. Our trailer has the wash out hook up from the out side to clean the tank I DONT THINK IT WORKS or at least not well enough for us. We do the old fashion way and have special BLACK hose that we rinse the tank with when we dump just stick it in the john and fill it up and empty out about 3 times add chem. thats how we do it but im sure there are many different ways

 

[Bill Stockard]

My trailer is 11 yrs old. After camping and dumping the black tank (not rinsing),there is still some residual sludge/few gallons of liquid in the tank. Is it normal for the inside of the trailer to reek after traveling for a while? We don't ride in the 5th wheel but when stopped for a break, we use the restroom or kitchen.

Am I the only one or is this normal? Maybe the venting is plugged.

I am now thinking I need to add a little water to the toilet bowl to prevent air from seeping up when not in use unless the air is entering from somewhere else.

I always travel with water in the toilet bowl. It helps to prevent odors from seeping up past the toilet waste dump valve.



Bill

 

[MChrist]

Being in the poop business and dealing with toilet odors... I'm wondering if your seal between the waste ball or sliding waste plate is bad. Does water in the toilet disappear after 5-10 minutes? If it is seeping, then tank odors will also seep back into your trailer. Also, check the flange between toilet and floor.

 

[B.G. Smith]

Also if you are traveling with any of the roof vents or windows not completely closed it can cause negative pressure in trailer and pull the fumes in instead of them going out the vent. bg

 

[mwilson]

Have been on vacation with the camper all week and this is the first decent wireless connection that I have had.



This is an interesting thread as my daughter and son-in-law's Coachman Travel Trailer does the very same thing every time they tow it.



I had already advised him as far as the black tank vent (It's not plugged), thorough rinsing of the black tank (been done several times with a high pressure device), toilet seal (changed it two weeks ago, no difference),bowl holds water while in transit.

If you start out with a freshly rinsed tank there is no smell. Use the facilities for a couple of days, dump trailer tanks before transit and drive it 5-10 miles, open door and trailer smells like an open pit sewer system.



Just called him and relayed the negative pressure idea, he does tow it with the vents open as it has Max-Airs on all three vents.





I will post the results tomorrow night after he tows it the 200 miles back home and let you all know if it makes any difference.



Maybe that will cure it.



On edit, I operate my Cougar under the same circumstances with a slight leak in the bowl seal and it never smells, go figure.



And yes, my you know what does smell... ... ... ...





Mike.

 

[BIGNASTY]

My trailer is 11 yrs old. After camping and dumping the black tank (not rinsing),there is still some residual sludge/few gallons of liquid in the tank. Is it normal for the inside of the trailer to reek after traveling for a while? We don't ride in the 5th wheel but when stopped for a break, we use the restroom or kitchen.

Am I the only one or is this normal? Maybe the venting is plugged.

I am now thinking I need to add a little water to the toilet bowl to prevent air from seeping up when not in use unless the air is entering from somewhere else.



If the pics are attached, it is the Mammoth Lakes basin in CA and a 17. 5" rainbow from Hot Creek this past week.

This pic of you and the kids is the best MAKE ALL YOUR TIME WITH THEM COUNT they grow up real fast! real fast!

 

[ata]

Also if you are traveling with any of the roof vents or windows not completely closed it can cause negative pressure in trailer and pull the fumes in instead of them going out the vent. bg

They make VENT-VANES that go on the vent pipes on top of your trailer. They always face into the wind (sitting or going down the road) and as the air goes past it makes a vaccum on the pipe-tank and pulls the air out. These are the only thing that I have found to fix the problem. Most trailer supply stores carry them. Camping World mail-order.

 

[HBarlow]

I can't say that is not true but I have traveled for years with roof vents open in RV bathrooms and never had the foul odor in the trailer.

 

[Superdawg]

As always, the helpful information provided by TDR members is greatly appreciated.

Water in the bowl leaked out sometime over 4 hours so I may have a seal issue.



I like the idea of the venturi? vents on the roof for the black tank.

I flushed the tank several times and almost overflowed the toilet into the trailer. I really dodged a bullet that time. Boy, would she have been mad.



Harvey- No belly pan, tanks are exposed on the bottom. I added two chemical packets and 5 gallons of water today.



Big Nasty- I am trying to make memories. I lost my dad when I was fairly young so I know life can be short. I have many fond memories of the camping trips I took as a kid. It's kind of like that country singer's song about fishing with his daughter: She thinks we're just fishin'.

 

[Gonzo 1066]

I had a VERY slight black water leak in my Alpenlite truck camper, maybe a few drops a day, This was just enough to stink like Suddam Hussains crocth, I pulled things apart and resealed and the problem was GONE.

 

[Barry]

Also, make sure you have run water in both sinks prior to travel. When the sink drains get empty, it will allow a foul smell to be drawn through the sink drains... ... ... ...

mi dos centavos... ... ... ...

 

[HBarlow]

Barry,

That's true but the gray water tank should not produce such a foul odor if it is kept reasonably clean.

If gray tank smells that strong it has probably been subjected to black water tank content intrusion and should be flushed with household bleach to clean.

 

[BIGNASTY]

Also, make sure you have run water in both sinks prior to travel. When the sink drains get empty, it will allow a foul smell to be drawn through the sink drains... ... ... ...



mi dos centavos... ... ... ...

Never have had this problem but we fill the fresh water tank and then run the water into the hot water and sinks and shower then refill the Fresh water tank again that way we have as much water as you can get. Some of the camps we go to have no water or the hose bib is to far away and we dont have enough hose to reach themm Question? do you have 2 gray water tanks? Our trailer has 1black 1 gray for shower 1 gray for kitchen no matter how well we clean off the dishes im sure that something goes down the kitchen drain. Like HB said we run bleach then drain. We have never used it but they do have tank deoderizers that are in the chem's

 

[BIGNASTY]

As always, the helpful information provided by TDR members is greatly appreciated.

Water in the bowl leaked out sometime over 4 hours so I may have a seal issue.



I like the idea of the venturi? vents on the roof for the black tank.

I flushed the tank several times and almost overflowed the toilet into the trailer. I really dodged a bullet that time. Boy, would she have been mad.



Harvey- No belly pan, tanks are exposed on the bottom. I added two chemical packets and 5 gallons of water today.



Big Nasty- I am trying to make memories. I lost my dad when I was fairly young so I know life can be short. I have many fond memories of the camping trips I took as a kid. It's kind of like that country singer's song about fishing with his daughter: She thinks we're just fishin'.

YOU BET YA that smile on the little ones face is worth all the work and BS you have to go thru in your daily life to have moments like that

 

[Bob4x4]

I tend to think there may be some design issues with some rv's. Some never smell without any maintenance. When I bought my TT I went all over the net reding advise from the self proclaimed experts as well as the chemical salesmen.

I found a very cool site from a long time boondocker who recommened never using any chemicals in the black tank as it killed the good bacteria. I am definetly not a Greenie but why contribute to the chemical waste if it is not needed?I've had this TT since 03 and it has never had any odor so it works for me... ... ... ... your mileage may differ. My trailer does go off road so the tank does get more than it's share of jostling around.

 

[Superdawg]

Bob,

I am using the biodegradable type mix. Are you adding nothing or do you add the natural enzymes?

I need to fix a slow leak in the fresh water connection at the back of the toilet. I will likely look into replacing the seals/flange gasket? or whatever it is at the base. Maybe they make a rebuild kit for John Crapper's invention.

 

[BIGNASTY]

Be careful of the water (plastic) pipe connections to tight is a BAD thing of all the CRAP on RV's the plumbing systems are the worst design. Even the Air Farce could do better than that.

 

[ata]

Barry,



That's true but the gray water tank should not produce such a foul odor if it is kept reasonably clean.



If gray tank smells that strong it has probably been subjected to black water tank content intrusion and should be flushed with household bleach to clean.

I have never dumped the black water with the gray water valve open or even had both open at the same time and the water that comes out of the gray tank really smells bad. The gray water comes out looking like clean soapy water but it stinks bad. Soap, tooth paste, spit, food, shave cream, and what ever else the wife dumps down the drain will make a bad smell. Oh after flushing the tanks and the trailer sitting in the drive for a month no smell ever comes out of either tank.