Sewer smell in cabin - R-pod Owners Forum

Even if you add water to the shower pan drain and it solves the problem, add it every trip after arriving. We've found with our current camper the water sloshes out bouncing down the road.

Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

Also try using a liquid sewer treatment. I've found the blue aqua kem stuff helps. Powders not so good. I do one bottle at the start of each trip and again after I dump (unless heading home).

2016 r-pod 180

+1 to what Charlie said.

Most likely, there is not enough air coming into the pod through windows, so the fan is creating a negative pressure. When flushing, that negative pressure pulls from the black water tank. The black water tank has a vent on the roof that is supposed to vent outside the pod. However, with negative pressure, air is pulled into the vent, through the tank, and out the trap along with the odor. Turn the fan off temporarily, and no smell. Note that even if enough windows are open, the openings at top and bottom of the door are not enough to keep the airflow at the pace of the fan, especially if it is set to anything more than the lowest speed. You can demonstrate this by watching the fan pull the bathroom door shut if it is only open a little bit. If the shower and/or sink trap is dry, sewer fumes can be pulled back in there as well. Make sure there is water in the traps. If you don't use the shower, it is likely dry. Pour a couple of cups of water into the drain to make sure it has water and will stop the odors.

StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...

ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS

First question is do you have the sewer line connected and is the gray tank valve open? One observed problem is a bad Air Admittance Valve (AAV). This is a device associated with each sink (two per Pod) to prevent emptying of the P-traps. A bad AAV will let sewer gasses from the campground sewer be sucked back into the Pod if the gray tank valve is left open.

Another cause is the fan sucking bad air directly from the black tank when flushing, but this is only transitory. This is worse with the Pod windows and door closed because the fan will suck from any available air source.

Charlie
Northern Colorado
OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD
PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD

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shroomer Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 24 Aug 2013 Location: New Haven, CT Online Status: Offline Posts: 236	Calendar Event: Sewer smell in cabin Posted: 02 Aug 2016 at 9:21pm
	Also check caulking/sealant around the toilet vent stack on the roof. It can loosen up and let odors in.
	Larry and Debbie w/Rosie the mutt. Old: '13 177, '06 Silverado V6 New: '15 Whitehawk 20MRB '14 Silverado V8

techntrek Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9062	Posted: 02 Aug 2016 at 6:31pm
	Even if you add water to the shower pan drain and it solves the problem, add it every trip after arriving. We've found with our current camper the water sloshes out bouncing down the road.
	Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

Swhisler Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 25 Jan 2014 Location: Springfield, MO Online Status: Offline Posts: 8	Posted: 29 Jul 2016 at 8:19am
	Good idea. We'll give that a try. Thank you.
	HarryPodder

Patriot Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 27 Jun 2016 Location: PA Online Status: Offline Posts: 18	Posted: 29 Jul 2016 at 12:48am
	Also try using a liquid sewer treatment. I've found the blue aqua kem stuff helps. Powders not so good. I do one bottle at the start of each trip and again after I dump (unless heading home).
	2016 r-pod 180

Swhisler Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 25 Jan 2014 Location: Springfield, MO Online Status: Offline Posts: 8	Posted: 26 Jul 2016 at 11:02pm
	Thanks so much for the useful advice.
	HarryPodder

StephenH Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6418	Posted: 26 Jul 2016 at 10:47pm
	+1 to what Charlie said. Most likely, there is not enough air coming into the pod through windows, so the fan is creating a negative pressure. When flushing, that negative pressure pulls from the black water tank. The black water tank has a vent on the roof that is supposed to vent outside the pod. However, with negative pressure, air is pulled into the vent, through the tank, and out the trap along with the odor. Turn the fan off temporarily, and no smell. Note that even if enough windows are open, the openings at top and bottom of the door are not enough to keep the airflow at the pace of the fan, especially if it is set to anything more than the lowest speed. You can demonstrate this by watching the fan pull the bathroom door shut if it is only open a little bit. If the shower and/or sink trap is dry, sewer fumes can be pulled back in there as well. Make sure there is water in the traps. If you don't use the shower, it is likely dry. Pour a couple of cups of water into the drain to make sure it has water and will stop the odors.
	StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS

Swhisler Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 25 Jan 2014 Location: Springfield, MO Online Status: Offline Posts: 8	Posted: 26 Jul 2016 at 9:36pm
	Thanks so much for your quick reply to our concern.
	HarryPodder

CharlieM Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Nov 2012 Location: N. Colorado Online Status: Offline Posts: 1797	Posted: 26 Jul 2016 at 9:06pm
	First question is do you have the sewer line connected and is the gray tank valve open? One observed problem is a bad Air Admittance Valve (AAV). This is a device associated with each sink (two per Pod) to prevent emptying of the P-traps. A bad AAV will let sewer gasses from the campground sewer be sucked back into the Pod if the gray tank valve is left open. Another cause is the fan sucking bad air directly from the black tank when flushing, but this is only transitory. This is worse with the Pod windows and door closed because the fan will suck from any available air source.
	Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD

Swhisler Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 25 Jan 2014 Location: Springfield, MO Online Status: Offline Posts: 8	Posted: 26 Jul 2016 at 8:24pm
	When we run the bathroom exhaust fan, we get a strong smell of sewer as though the black tank were open. Of course the toilet itself has a water sealant place so we cannot determine the source of the odor. Any ideas out there?
	HarryPodder

Sewer smell in cabin - Event Date: 26 Jul 2016