Inline Plumbing Vent - Stinky Smell in Bus

[truk4u]

If all of a sudden you start getting a stinky smell in your bus and your positive Jdub isn't anywhere around after a Taco Fest, you could need new vents under your sinks.
These are mounted on a vertical pvc pipe at various locations in your bus. They let air in, but not out if they're working properly.

IMG_4163_1.jpg
5.87 at Home Depot

[GDeen]

Good call Truk. Kevin Erion pointed those out to me a couple of years ago when we were stinky...

[Jerry Winchester]

That was way harsh.

[michaeldterry]

We're heading to Home Depot today! This happens in Evangeline intermittently and gets bad enough to make your eyes water sometimes!

[charlesebrownjr]

JDUB, it is a really good thing you are a sizable fellow or they would really pic on you way harsher than what I have seen to date!!!!!!!!!!!!! Give em H....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[merle&louise]

Instead of buying that vent, just join the PP. I have heard that their $!@* doesn't stink!

[Denny]

Drain traps going dry from lack of use can also cause odors in the bus. I recently had a problem with odor and ran the dishwasher and washing machine and odor problem was solved.

[rahangman]

For all of us (those) who have a Microphor elec toilet, be advised that there is an overflow drain just under the lip of the rim of the porcelin. It is designed so that a small amount of the fresh flush water finds its way into the hose that leads from it directly to the black tank. It loops down through the back of the toilet and can and will (if not used) dry up and allow some smelliness into the bath. When I add my "Additive" through the toilet, I fill the bowl up and observe a water flowing down the tube to enable a block inside the hose. Also, as a note, when the air trap fails, notice that if you pressurize the bus (running AC's or the bath Fantastic Fan) bringing air into the bus, the smell is then reversed to a point (till you can get a new valve). Just my past experience, now we are stinky free all the time (?)

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Our coaches and possibly all motorhomes are not built to the same plumbing standards found in almost all jurisdictions around the country. The air admittance valve Tom shows is one example. Most plumbing codes only allow their use under very limited and clearly defined circumstances because if they fail (actually when they fail) they do admit sewer gas into the home. Our vent systems would likely never be accepted by the local plumbing inspector.

As Denny clearly explains we can minimize the presence of sewer gas by insuring all traps are filled. But the air admittance valve used typically at end locations such as a kitchen sink must also work properly and if the spring or check fails to work they do need to be replaced.

The drain side of our coaches is also non-compliant with codes and we have several points of possible cross contamination which is the single biggest concern in any plumbing installation. Our converters have in some cases created opportunities for cross contamination such as in holding tank clean out provision, but there are other less obvious opportunities for our fresh water to be contaminated with waste. This is not to alarm anyone but to suggest we all become familiar with our coaches and note where our converter has located provisions for back flow prevention such as a check valve. Those devices, like the air admittance valve need to be checked periodically to verify they work. Unlike the odors from a bad admittance valve, cross contamination will not be so obvious.