Unpleasant Odor

rvhomecamp

Member
Hello,

We own a 2009 Bighorn 3055RL. Have had a reoccurring unpleasant order. Today we realized it seems to only occur during a windy day. Can't seem to locate the source. Don't know if it's could be black or gray water. We use use a black water tank chemical called Unique. Is it possible air is being forced down a roof vent to either the black or gray water holding tank and back into the RV? Has anyone else had this problem? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Dan@
RV homecamp
 

jimtoo

Moderator
Hi rvhomecamp,

Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum and Family. We have a great bunch of people here with lots of information and all willing to help.

There have been several times this subject has come up. Some say it comes in from the pot room vent. Some have had it come from the kitchen gray tank also. We had the vacuum breaker under the kitchen sink not working good and when the wind would blow we were getting odors from there. You might try wrapping it with plastic wrap and see if that does it. It is under the kitchen counter just to the left of the sink, it is screwed into a tee and usually just hand tight.

Hope this helps. I sure others will give some more advice also.

Enjoy the forum.

Jim M
 

lwmcguir

Well-known member
Try changing the vent cap to a vac-u-jet or a similar type. The wind will then pull a slight vacuum instead of blowing into the tank putting vapor back into the Coach.
 

Bob&Patty

Founders of SoCal Chapter
Dan, you can also get an odor if the "P" traps get dry. You did not say if you are fulltimers or not. Bob:D:D
 

kakampers

Past Heartland Ambassador
Yes, we had the problem with the galley grey tank...a Cyclone, rotating vent on the vent pipe took care of it...
 

rvhomecamp

Member
Hi rvhomecamp,

Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum and Family. We have a great bunch of people here with lots of information and all willing to help.

There have been several times this subject has come up. Some say it comes in from the pot room vent. Some have had it come from the kitchen gray tank also. We had the vacuum breaker under the kitchen sink not working good and when the wind would blow we were getting odors from there. You might try wrapping it with plastic wrap and see if that does it. It is under the kitchen counter just to the left of the sink, it is screwed into a tee and usually just hand tight.

Hope this helps. I sure others will give some more advice also.

Enjoy the forum.

Jim M

Thanks for the Welcome. I wondered what the vent under the sink was. I will try the plastic wrap trick.

Dan
 

Boca_Shuffles

Well-known member
Some people have attributed bad odor problems to running their Fantastic fans with all the other windows closed. Since the fan works so well, it creates a vacuum in the trailer drawing in the odor. They solved the problem by cracking open some of the other vents or windows.
 

caissiel

Senior Member
When we had no W/D, we always got a smell in the unit, after we installed the W/D, it disapeared, the P trap of the W/D most been dry.
 

tkdmike

Member
We had issues with the galley sink. Every time we used much water in the galley sink the whole trailer smelled absolutely horrible. I changed the vent under the cabinet - no help. The vent on the roof was not properly pulling fumes out of the tank. I changed to a rotating, wind driven vent cap and no more problem. We're full-timers, too and it was particularly bad in hot weather. Now we're good.
 

rvhomecamp

Member
Some people have attributed bad odor problems to running their Fantastic fans with all the other windows closed. Since the fan works so well, it creates a vacuum in the trailer drawing in the odor. They solved the problem by cracking open some of the other vents or windows.

Thanks, I will keep that in mind.

Dan
 

nscaler2

Well-known member
maybe a P trap

I don't know if the OP is leaving their gray tank drains open. If they are they could be getting sewer gas backup and passed along through the vents under the kitchen or bathroom sinks. We leave our open and have had the same problem. I learned that if you create a P trap in your outside slinky sewer line, the problem goes away. Hope this helps somebody.
 

Bobby A

Well-known member
Some people have attributed bad odor problems to running their Fantastic fans with all the other windows closed. Since the fan works so well, it creates a vacuum in the trailer drawing in the odor. They solved the problem by cracking open some of the other vents or windows.

Your right !!! I like to close all windows except for the bedroom window next to the bed and turn on the Fantastic fan and get that nice cool night breeze while sleeping, however I learned real quick that I must keep the vent in the toilet room cracked open or I get a bad odor in the toilet room.
 
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