That smell

[Automobilist]

Apologies to Lynyrd Skynyrd...

Sewer smell increased incrementally on our first real journey. I'll pull the toilet and check the seal, and check the traps as well. Any other suggestions for a 2002 Journey? One weird thing, it smelled sewerish around the basement compartments, particularly on the right side.

[Midniteoyl]

Loose vent pipe/seal... at or near the tank...

[KIX]

I suggest that you check the dump valve connections at the black tank. There is a 3" short hose connector between the valve and tank that will dry out, crack and leak over time.

[Fakrwee]

Do you run with the roof top vent open? If so, close it. Sometimes it creates a vacuum and sucks the bad odors out.
Good luck
Tom

[Automobilist]

Tom,
The smell increased while we were parked for three days. Vent was open, but I doubt it sucked odor up while sitting. I'll check the other things suggested as well.
All said, we absolutely love our coach. Our second ebay diesel pusher purchase, and far, far less expensive than anything we found through other sources.

[ron55]

when mine get half full it starts to stink, so I dump at 2 light and I believe this is due to the vent being inserted to deep in the tank.

[AFChap]

The open roof vent is my primary suspect in the situation as described, perhaps with other multipliers. I have had the same experience, and found that when winds are just right, odor from the stack can come in an open roof vent, especially the one very near the stack.

[Martind4]

Our rig had a washer/dryer installed at the factory. It was removed by a previous owner and the drain pipe was never sealed. When the p-trap dried out, we started noticing a sewer odor inside the coach. I had to remove a back panel in the w/d cabinet to get at the pipe, once it was capped, no more smell.

[Stogie]

If you don't have one of these I highly recommend you get one. Not necessarily this model but one like it. I have them on both vents.

They cause a negative pressure in you tank and draw the odor up and out the top. They work even in a small breeze.

Since putting them on my coach I rarely have any sewer smell.

Camco Mfg Inc - Cyclone Sewer Vent - Vents - Camping World

[wa8yxm]

Any suggestions: No, just suspects
Seals in the toilet often get the blame for odor from other tanks.
P-Traps, shower, sinks and the like, Make sure they have water in 'em

Vacuum breakers, The above mentioned devices often have vacuum breakers on the pipe.. Make sure they are working properly.. one of mine is clearly NOT working properly by the way.

OTHER SOURCES... Yes, other sources.. One of the smells often attributed to the black tank, actually comes from the battery.. It can also come from bad water and/or heat loving bacteria in the water heater.... That being a sulfur (Rotten egg) smell.

[Hudsoner]

Has anybody ever installed one of these solar driven active vents?

[bjsheldon]

Originally Posted by Stogie

If you don't have one of these I highly recommend you get one. Not necessarily this model but one like it. I have them on both vents.

They cause a negative pressure in you tank and draw the odor up and out the top. They work even in a small breeze.

Since putting them on my coach I rarely have any sewer smell.

Camco Mfg Inc - Cyclone Sewer Vent - Vents - Camping World

This will solve your problem. It works. Iv'e used them on 2 rigs now and no more smell. They are less than $20.00 and take less than 1/2 hr to install.

[bjsheldon]

Originally Posted by Hudsoner

Has anybody ever installed one of these solar driven active vents?

I suspect they work great during the daytime, but a night (no solar) your back to the same issue and in fact may restrict the vent more if not running.

[Hudsoner]

Originally Posted by bjsheldon

This will solve your problem. It works. Iv'e used them on 2 rigs now and no more smell. They are less than $20.00 and take less than 1/2 hr to install.

Originally Posted by bjsheldon

I suspect they work great during the daytime, but a night (no solar) your back to the same issue and in fact may restrict the vent more if not running.

Your solar argument makes sense. What about those cyclone caps if no wind is blowing? The venturi effect is only present if air is moving by the vent. That would leave us with the active powered electric vent caps or inline fans, or what else?

[NO1RAINH20]

Have you checked the water in the house batteries,just aski'n

[stardalo]

Never a bad idea to give your tanks a good cleaning. When i first picked up my rv, I gave all my holding tanks a good flush and used the spray cleaner attachment. Now, no smell whatsoever.

[az bound]

Might also check the vent pipe for any obstructions. Found a wasp nest in ours, had the pipe completely pluged. %&^*(@ things will build a nest anywhere.

[Paul T]

Check that your batteries aren't boiling. Mine were about to melt as I searched elsewhere for that terrible rotten egg smell!

[a k]

Speaking of rotten egg smell, parked in the back lot of the French Lick Hotel and Casino in Indiana and when I got out I thought I boiled the batteries. Found out it is a Sulfur spring that runs along the parking lot.

[jimmccreary]

Automobilist,
I had the same problem in my 04 Journey. Seemed to come from the toilet area. I even thought of resealing the the toilet ring gasket. But from this forum I got the tip to check my washer dryer connection (hidden behind a plastic cover in my bathroom cabinet). The white washer drain tube was open and fumes were coming from it because the water trap had evaporated. This is the same as reported by Martind4 on this thread. I taped the tube with duct tape and the problem was solved. By the way, later I also changed the vaccuum breakers (air traps) and added cyclone vents as added insurance for the future.
hope this helps,
jim & debbie, 04 Journey 34H