hotbyte
Barnesville GA
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Joined: 08/31/2004
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So, you plan on still using the camera for family pics?!? 
Good luck with your repairs!
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For pulling...2005 Chevy 2500HD LT D/A and 1998 Dodge Durango SLT 5.2L
To be pulled...2002 Glastron GX205 and 2005 Pilgrim 276BH-5SS 5'er
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LAdams
Northern Illinois
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I was wondering how long the post would run before that question came up  ... Yes, I do still plan on using the camera... For those wondering it is a Casio Exilim and was washed throughly in alcohol after being in the black tank even though it didn't touch the walls, top, etc of the tank...
I also might try this solution that I found while researching the problem...
http://www.lslproducts.com/MK-IVPage.html
Even if I get the vent lifted it still looks like a worthwhile addition to the bathroom plumbing...
Polishnurse - yeah, I know the the Fan-tastic fan has a lot of power but the odor occured AFTER the toilet was flushed and THEN the fan was turned on... I have a friend on this forum (crappie_fisherman) who is having the same problem with his Jayco... Jayco just did some work on his so we'll see what happens there...
Les
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JJBIRISH
Butler, PA, USA
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Joined: 10/06/2002
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Les
after seeing other tanks that have been cameraed, your tank is exceptionally clean...
I chose to not install the tornado due to it's mechanical nature... and yours appears to be installed in the side of the tank as is mine, instead of the end opposite the drain...
unless your tank was full or near full when the problem occurred I doubt the vent had any thing to do with it... you will have to watch if you lift it... the slip fit will usually move almost uncontrolled once the lips on the seal reverse directions and you may have problems reinstalling it if it comes the whole way out... especially since the seal is already not seated squarely with the pipe and the tank...
I thought about a power vent a while back and decided against it...
my unproven reason is the odor is always in the tank, that is where it should stay and the vent allows for draining and sudden pressure changes... with the power vent cap you will be drawing some odor all the time from the tank... if you have a roof vent open down wind you may have more problems than you do now...
this is only my thoughts about this and may not be how it works at all... just thought I would throw it out there for you to consider, before spending your money on one...
not something that will make friends with the guy next to you neither...
Love my mass produced, entry level, built by Lazy American Workers, Hornet
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Wally_Gator
Phillips Ranch, CA
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Joined: 06/05/2007
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Black tank smell...
On a recent trip we had a similar problem. Every time we turned on a fan (stove or bathroom) we would get that wonderful aroma...
Being 1500 miles away from my dealer and on vacation, I investigated.
It turned out to be the seal on the flush handle. The handle has a seal that prevents the odor from coming out. It is a Thetford Aqua Magic V.
I had to take the thing apart and only to discover the seal was goey and broken.
Mind you, I am not talking about the flap seal, that was intact and holding water just fine.
It is now in for service and the toilet should be replaced..
2001 Chevy Silverado.
2007 Fleetwood Mallard BHS
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Campinfan
Washtenaw County, Michigan
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Polishnurse wrote:Note you mentioned fantastic fan running. I hate to bust you bubble somewhat, but those fans have been know to suck the hair off a flee if it happens to be sitting on the thrown when valve is opened. It will cause such a back draft down the vent, and up thru the ball valve bring all that nice gas and methane and a hole weeks worth of meals. I believe it would be wise to have the fan off before flushing. Just my Honest Opinion and experience.
Not that vent hasn't dropped some, but that tank would have to be almost filled before the height of that vent pipe had any real effect.
I have heard this about many fans. I find if I keep the fan off while flushing, there are no odors. Good job on the post and the ingenuity to see what was wrong. Hope it was a borrowed camera 
________
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BillyW
North ID
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I, for one, am thankful the pics are in black and white!! 
'97 F150 4X4
'04 Pioneer 18T6
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BurbMan
Long Island, NY
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Joined: 09/20/2001
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I agree, the tank would need to be nearly full for the bottom of the vent to be blocked. What DID catch my eye is the angle at which the vent pipe is stuffed into the black tank. So, issue #1 is whether that seal around the vent pipe is tight to the pipe all the way around.
Issue #2 is the pipe dropping down. Since you were up on the roof with a garden hose, I assume that you didn't see anything out of the ordinary up there regarding the mounting/sealing of the pipe where it exits through the roof. So, if the pipe didn't slip down through the roof, the only way for it to slip into the tank is for a joint in the pipe to separate.
I had the same observation for crappie fisherman....it's likely that one half of a splice joint on that pipe was either not glued or not glued properly. The top half of the pipe can't drop since it's loaded with caulk where it exits the roof. Since the bottom half is only "held" by that rubber boot where it enters the tank, vibration from driving could allow the bottom section of pipe to drop out of the unglued joint.
Grabbing it with a strap wrench and pushing it back up will only be a temp fix if you can't secure that fitting.
Option B here is that the joints are fine and the pipe was cut too long when it was installed, but that shouldn't produce the odor your are describing unless you fill the tank to max regularly, but I will refrain from further personal commentary here.....
I'm not familiar with the Fantastic fan per se, but we use the regular 12V fan that comes in the OEM bath vent and it has yet to draw fumes out of the tank when the flush valve opens.
Let us know as the investigation continues.....
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jplunkett
Virginia
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We have a Fantastic Fan in the head. Running it with the trailer closed up will pull a bit of black tank stink into the head. It another vent is open or a window this doesn't occur. DW is fond of leaving it running but I'm training that habit out of her.
The fan, though, is very nice - quiet and moves a lot of air.
safe travels,
John & Elizabeth Plunkett
Louisa, Virginia
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LAdams
Northern Illinois
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Well, a little update on the tank odor problems... Being the personality I am I ended up ripping out the toilet and bathroom wall, removing the old vent and reinstalling a new one the way it should be (read straight and in the sleeve)... I didn't take any pictures while doing this but the red dotted line in the photo below represents where the new vent pipe now resides...
Whike I was at it, I replaced the neoprene toilet seal with a standard household type wax seal... I also installed the Lil Stanker power vent fan that I talked about before... Photo below...
I'll snap a few photos of that installation and post them in a day or so...
We don't go out camping again until late August so I'll report back on how things woirked... We're dry camping at the local SP then so we'll be holding for a few days and I'll be able to see if things are working out...
Les
* This post was
edited 08/02/08 11:04pm by LAdams *
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LAdams
Northern Illinois
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Here's the update guys... Sorry the pics are in B&W - I goofed and had the BW filter on in my preferences on my digital camera...
Here's a few pics of the rerouted water lines of the toilet - the supply line ran on the floor before... I also installed a shutoff valve just in case of future problems...
You'll also see the pics of the Lil Stanker control switch as well as 2 views of the unit mounted on the roof... And a bonus pic of where I park my TT just to make those of you jealous that have to park in a storage lot
Les
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