hitchup wrote: We flush the black tank every 2 wks. The Tank additives all say it's only good for 7 days. So before flush day, it always tends to smell unless we're in really cool weather.
I don't think I have ever seen a chem that said it is only good for 7 days.
I stayed thru the summer in Florida last year at a friends house with no hook ups in hot, hot weather and dumped every 3 weeks and NOT ONE SMELL from my tank! All I used was what you are supposed to use for holding tanks. CampaChem does the job.
I think if you could poll the RV'ers that consistently have questions/complaints of sewer smell, clogs, etc. you would find it comes from owners that do not use the tried and true chemicals for holding tanks that have been around for years and work.
OR they are hooked up'd to a sewer and leave their lines open. All this does is create a mountain of poop in the tank. Even though you have full hookups you leave the blades closed and only after the tank fills up with sewage AND WATER you dump.
"We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned,
so as to have the life that is waiting for us".
I wouldn't worry about the poo monster growing up the stack, nor would I put a long handled brush/chain down it. I'd hate to see a future post like "How do I get that stuck chimney brush out of my vent pipe?"
I guess you're referring to my post, and my support of the idea that the place to start is with the ventpipe.
If anyone has a better suggestion should the O.P. find birds/mud wasps/whatever have nested in there, I hope they'll post it.
Hi Francesca Knowles,
No disrespect meant. I read your suggestion and envisioned the worst that could happen. You, I, and most of us, post, trying to help, often, a stranger. We know little of their knowledge nor abilities.
I saw the new member status of the OP and assumed he/she may have the RV knowledge that I had, when I got my first TT. Gawd, if weren’t for my father-in-law, I would have been the water cooler topic of quite a few fellow campers/neighbors, after the first several times, I setup the TT or took it to the dump station, let alone repair/work on it.
I’ve had, young men aka “DW’s Orphans“, come to work for us and if your first post was their task instructions, they would be on the roof of the unit, forcing a chimney brush down the vent. Heck, 1 or 2 of them would get a large hammer, to make the job easier.
I agree that a nonworking tank vent will cause added unwanted odor and should be checked.
After a visual inspection, if I felt the need to chase the RV vent. I’d use little more, than a slightly stiff, 5/8 garden hose with the metal end cut off. Some RV’s have straight down to the tank vent lines and some are more convoluted.
No vent stack cover = god knows what all could have gone down it!
You'd be surprised how many RV's vent stack "covers" are missing. I see it all the time. A new person buying a used RV is not going to think about checking if it has one because they don't know (when they are newbies) if it even is supposed to have one!
They get knocked off all the time by low branches pulling into CG sites. All that holds them on is a clip. I've had mine knocked off several times and I'm here to tell you I've got it put back on or replaced in nano seconds. Branches, squirrels and/or their nuts you name it can go right down that opening. Anyone know if there is a screen somewhere between to top and tank?
Regarding using 'odoban' stay clear of THAT stuff once you use it on anything you will NEVER get the smell of it out and its a gagger.
If you use REAL RV chemicals, use plenty of water and everything is working correctly there should NEVER even be a hint of sewage smell anywhere in a MH.
Dude, it's time to replace the tank. You can put as many chemicals as you want in there but it's not going to clean up 5 years of dried- up encrusted poo.
The process I use between full hookup sites, fill tanks half full, add 1 cup powder laundry soap (I use cheapest from dollar store), dump when you get to destination. Acts like washing machine.
Dan & Sharon & Kasey (Our Yorkie)
2012 Winnebago Journey 36M
2006 Jeep Liberty, Blue Ox Aventa II, SMI Silent Partner
hitchup wrote: We flush the black tank every 2 wks. The Tank additives all say it's only good for 7 days. So before flush day, it always tends to smell unless we're in really cool weather.
I don't think I have ever seen a chem that said it is only good for 7 days.
I stayed thru the summer in Florida last year at a friends house with no hook ups in hot, hot weather and dumped every 3 weeks and NOT ONE SMELL from my tank! All I used was what you are supposed to use for holding tanks. CampaChem does the job.
I think this is something new over the last year. I know it's not the first time I ever read the pkg. It says right on the front of the bag CAMCO TST Ultra Concentrated. "Stops Odors up to 7 days" Says it on SOB's as well.
* This post was
edited 02/23/12 10:05am by hitchup *
2009 DRV Mobile Suite 38TKSB3 (38RSSB3)....our custom home w/2011 upgrades
2010 Ford F450 KR CC 4x4......his office
Working Fulltimers since 3/2005
"Shoot for the Moon! Even if you miss it, you will land among the Stars."
hitchup wrote: We flush the black tank every 2 wks. The Tank additives all say it's only good for 7 days. So before flush day, it always tends to smell unless we're in really cool weather.
I don't think I have ever seen a chem that said it is only good for 7 days.
I stayed thru the summer in Florida last year at a friends house with no hook ups in hot, hot weather and dumped every 3 weeks and NOT ONE SMELL from my tank! All I used was what you are supposed to use for holding tanks. CampaChem does the job.
I think this is something new over the last year. I know it's not the first time I ever read the pkg. It says right on the front of the bag CAMCO TST Ultra Concentrated. "Stops Odors up to 7 days" Says it on SOB's as well.
Well you all know by now that I am a steadfast advocate of using the ole blue chemicals for holding tanks that have been the standard for years before 'natural' treatments came on board.....that said.
Camco TST is a bacteria/enzyme treatment, THAT is why it only lasts 7 days. Sounds to me like someone called stick on the labeling to tell the truth that this natural product only lasts 7 days! And that's probably only if all conditions match their testing.
Holding tank, RV's have holding tanks they are NOT septic fields that need bacteria to move thru a septic field. Our RV stuff just 'sits' and 'waits' in a 'holding tank', till we dump it!!
This info on the labeling of this enzyme based additive should maybe open the eyes of the RV'ers that are always posting about sewage smells in their MH's that use products like these.
I'm thinking the RV'ers that are new that have just entered the camping market don't realize that there are 2 types of holding tank additives;
1. the standard holding tank chemicals
2. and sadly a plethora of "natural" holding tank additives which were designed to suck in a portion of the public that has a 'green' mindset, and do not know the difference between the workings of a septic field versus a holding tank.
You might try something like this. Connect the hose to it and clean out the tank if you still have the pyramid.
You could make your own with a length of PVC pipe and some fittings. Cap the end in the toilet and drill a 1/4 inch hole for the water to jet out of.
Class C, 2004/5 Four Winds Dutchman Express 28A, Chevy chassis
2010 Subaru Impreza Sedan
Camped in 45 states, 7 Provinces and 1 Territory
hitchup wrote: We flush the black tank every 2 wks. The Tank additives all say it's only good for 7 days. So before flush day, it always tends to smell unless we're in really cool weather.
I don't think I have ever seen a chem that said it is only good for 7 days.
I stayed thru the summer in Florida last year at a friends house with no hook ups in hot, hot weather and dumped every 3 weeks and NOT ONE SMELL from my tank! All I used was what you are supposed to use for holding tanks. CampaChem does the job.
I think this is something new over the last year. I know it's not the first time I ever read the pkg. It says right on the front of the bag CAMCO TST Ultra Concentrated. "Stops Odors up to 7 days" Says it on SOB's as well.
Well you all know by now that I am a steadfast advocate of using the ole blue chemicals for holding tanks that have been the standard for years before 'natural' treatments came on board.....that said.
Camco TST is a bacteria/enzyme treatment, THAT is why it only lasts 7 days. Sounds to me like someone called stick on the labeling to tell the truth that this natural product only lasts 7 days! And that's probably only if all conditions match their testing.
Holding tank, RV's have holding tanks they are NOT septic fields that need bacteria to move thru a septic field. Our RV stuff just 'sits' and 'waits' in a 'holding tank', till we dump it!!
This info on the labeling of this enzyme based additive should maybe open the eyes of the RV'ers that are always posting about sewage smells in their MH's that use products like these.
I'm thinking the RV'ers that are new that have just entered the camping market don't realize that there are 2 types of holding tank additives;
1. the standard holding tank chemicals
2. and sadly a plethora of "natural" holding tank additives which were designed to suck in a portion of the public that has a 'green' mindset, and do not know the difference between the workings of a septic field versus a holding tank.
X2. RV holding tanks are not "septic" systems, they are considered "chamber pots". Big difference.
Offline
