Grey water smell? - Page 2 - Escape Trailer Owners Community
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×

Go Back   Escape Trailer Owners Community > Escape Tech > Problem Solving | Owners helping each other
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 09-06-2017, 04:19 PM   #21
J&G
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: East TN, Tennessee
Trailer: Escape 19
Posts: 40
Grey Tank Odor

Noticed a bad smell from the kitchen sink occasionally on the last trip. What is happening is this: if I pour the dishpan water too fast in the sink, it makes a loud sucking sound as the sink empties. It is suctioning the water out of the trap and the odor comes into the trailer. If I pour the water slowly, that doesn't happen.

Before I go out on a trip again, I plan to fill the grey water tank and add bleach as I would in the freshwater tank when I sanitize. Is that okay to do? Any reason bleach would harm the grey tank? How much bleach should I add to a 28 gallon tank?
J&G is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-06-2017, 04:31 PM   #22
Site Team
 
rbryan4's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canyon Lake, Texas
Trailer: 2015 19 "Past Tents", 2021 F150 Lariat 2.7L EB
Posts: 10,222
No, it wont harm it. The usual ratio is 1/4 cup of bleach to 1 gal of water. You could probably make it stronger, but there's really no need.
__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
rbryan4 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-06-2017, 04:34 PM   #23
Senior Member
 
Ron in BC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,744
You're correct. The water is being "sucked" out of the trap because it is an "S" trap, not a "P" trap. In residential plumbing an "S" trap isn't permitted for exactly the same reason. If it's empty of water then there's nothing to prevent sewer gases from escaping.

Several of us, in doing other mods have eliminated the "S" by creating a horizontal waste arm and therefore creating a "P" trap.

It's not a major problem in normal use but dumping a lot of water into the sink fast makes the emptying of the trap more likely.

Ron
Ron in BC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-06-2017, 04:46 PM   #24
J&G
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: East TN, Tennessee
Trailer: Escape 19
Posts: 40
It took a while to figure out what was happening because we didn't smell it every time I washed dishes. Then I remembered hearing something about the suctioning years ago, so we experimented and sure enough, that was the problem. I know now to pour water more slowly, but with the strength of the smell, I thought sanitizing occasionally couldn't hurt. Then I read that bleach is harmful to seals, so I thought I should check with you guys before I do anything.
J&G is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-06-2017, 04:56 PM   #25
Senior Member
 
gbaglo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
The same treatment used in your black tank can be safely used in grey tank. I use Odorloss.
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
gbaglo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-06-2017, 05:50 PM   #26
Senior Member
 
thoer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Galesville, Wisconsin
Trailer: 2017 21 "Blue II" & 2017 Highlander XLE (previously 2010 17B "Blue" & 2008 Tacoma)
Posts: 4,232
Quote:
Originally Posted by gbaglo View Post
The same treatment used in your black tank can be safely used in grey tank. I use Odorloss.
I tried these last time and seemed to work very well too. Elemonate
__________________
Eric (and Mary who is in no way responsible for anything stupid I post)

"Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance." George Bernard Shaw
thoer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-06-2017, 06:28 PM   #27
Senior Member
 
gbaglo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
Of course there is always Coca Cola, which also works to remove silicon, black streaks and bugs and tar. Works best with rum.
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
gbaglo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-06-2017, 07:06 PM   #28
Senior Member
 
tdf-texas's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Baytown, Texas
Trailer: 2017 21' Escape - upgraded version
Posts: 2,697
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron in BC View Post
You're correct. The water is being "sucked" out of the trap because it is an "S" trap, not a "P" trap. In residential plumbing an "S" trap isn't permitted for exactly the same reason. If it's empty of water then there's nothing to prevent sewer gases from escaping.

Ron
If it's like my sink, it doesn't have a vent either. That is another required item to prevent the trap from sucking out

It should look like the pic below - it doesn't.
Attached Thumbnails
Air admittance valve for P-trap.jpg  
tdf-texas is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-06-2017, 08:49 PM   #29
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Trailer: 2012 Escape-19
Posts: 383
A Hepvo valve will fix the odor problem and no need for extra chemicals.
The attached links explains the trap issue you have and the Hepvo valve operation with no extra venting required.
http://hepvo.com/wp-content/uploads/...sign-Guide.pdf
Note 1: Do not order Hepvo valve from Amazon some 1 1/2" valves are being shipped without the input adapters.
Note 2: Lube all black rubber seals with plumbers silicone to prevent leaks.
Eddie
elongest is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-06-2017, 10:46 PM   #30
Senior Member
 
Ron in BC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,744
Quote:
Originally Posted by tdf-texas View Post

It should look like the pic below - it doesn't.
Yup, that works but just to be clear, depending on where you live, don't use it in a home renovation that's going to be inspected. Around here we call them "cheater vents".

Ron
Ron in BC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-06-2017, 10:53 PM   #31
Commercial Member
 
tractors1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21 - "Felicity"
Posts: 2,945
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron in BC View Post
Yup, that works but just to be clear, depending on where you live, don't use it in a home renovation that's going to be inspected. Around here we call them "cheater vents".

Ron
In many states of the USA they are acceptable according to code when servicing single sink or toilet installations, but not on multiple drains. Saved me a lot of grief when remodeling a 1902 house.
__________________
Charlie Y

Need custom storage to your design? Don't drill holes!
www.RVWidgetWorks.com
tractors1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-06-2017, 11:10 PM   #32
Senior Member
 
Ron in BC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,744
Quote:
Originally Posted by tractors1 View Post
In many states of the USA they are acceptable according to code when servicing single sink or toilet installations, but not on multiple drains. Saved me a lot of grief when remodeling a 1902 house.
Yup, some jurisdictions allow them, some don't. But I know they're in widespread use even in jurisdictions that don't allow them. Most homeowner reno's don't get inspected.

In the photo shown with the vent there is a major difference to the trailer situation. The sink drain is an "S". The vent shown is used with a waste arm which does a lot to break the "slug" of water that creates the vacuum that pulls out the water from the trap. In my case I modified the pipe route and I have a waste arm and the situation is a non-issue.

Ron
Ron in BC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-07-2017, 05:19 AM   #33
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Southwick, Massachusetts
Trailer: None, sold my 2014 5.0TA
Posts: 7,124
We use a 1/2 dose of whatever chemical we're using at the time. Don't know if I have room for a Hepvo valve as we have a double sink. So far it hasn't bothered me enough to look into it.
__________________
Happy Motoring
Bob
padlin is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Escape Trailer Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:59 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2023 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.