Powered Tank Vents

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

I replaced the aerodynamic style tank vent caps recently with caps that have solar powered exhaust fans. After about a month of traveling, we find them very effective. With the previous vents we would sometimes get a black tank odor when staying stationary for a few days. I rebuilt the toilet but that didn't help. The new vent caps seem to have solved the problem.
http://www.ultra-fab.com/new_detail2.cfm?productid=96

Steve

[Jerry Carr]

Steve the new caps look great!
I have never had an issue with sewer odor in the 06 thunder but I think the cause is normally a leak in the vent pipe.

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

I checked mine and couldn't find any leaks or plugs.
Steve

[Joel Ashley]

Sometimes the auto vents above the plumbing traps fail.  When we drain the waste tanks, it often sucks the trap water out of our shower drain, allowing gray tank smell to enter the living area.  In theory, the roof vent should prevent that suction, but it doesn't.   I just add a cup of water to the shower drain, and it stops the odor.

Joel

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

Joel,
I do the same. The odor I was fighting was specific to the toilet box.
Steve

[Keith Oliver]

I had a black tank odor that I isolated to the open vent hatch just forward of the head.  In calm conditions the odor would be pulled into that vent if the fan was on in the head.  The black tank vent is just too close to those hatches.

I solved that particular problem by putting a pipe on the black vent pipe, in place of its cap, and running that pipe to the rear of the coach.  When I am too lazy to rig that diversion, I just make sure that I never turn on the fan in the head without also turning on the fan on the other vent, or keep that one closed.  Haven't had an odor since.