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Old 06-08-2022, 08:17 PM   #1
CooterB
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M.O.C. #28576
Galley sink/gray tank odor

There is an extremely malodorous stench coming from the galley vent on the outside of the RV. The sink has a traditional p-trap and does not have a ASTVD under the sink. I have found a waterless trap on the washer drain as well as the bathroom sink drain and assume there is one on the galley drain, but can not see that part of the plumbing without removing some of the under 'walls'.

Is there anyone here who may be able to shed some light on my situation? I assume there is a trap, but don't know where it is or how to access it. Does this valve seem a reasonable culprit?
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Old 06-09-2022, 06:30 AM   #2
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Perhaps I'm a bit confused here? You smell the stench outside the camper, correct? And you smell it at the vent, correct? The vent is on the roof, correct? Do you smell the odor inside the camper?
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Old 06-09-2022, 12:25 PM   #3
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If you are smelling odors from the vent on any tank, there are no traps on any vent line, as the lines are directly connected to the tanks. You probably should be adding the same tank treatment you use for the black tank because with the debris from washing dishes, there is a lot of stuff in the tank that will grow bad smelling bacteria, maybe at times worse than the black tank. You might also try draining the tank, filling with water and then draining again to help clean out whatever is growing in the tank. Maybe some bleach might help too.
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Old 06-09-2022, 05:50 PM   #4
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Dutchmen, sorry about the confusion. This vent is indeed on the outside and is on the outer wall directly outside the galley sink. Most of the odor is outside, but there is a definite stench inside, particularly under the sink immediately after we wash dishes or otherwise use the sink.

When I investigated my other drains, I found a waterless trap in the drain pipe going to the gray tanks. I assume there is a similar waterless trap in this drain pipe, but am unable to see the drain without removing some of the underbelly walls.
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Old 06-09-2022, 07:40 PM   #5
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Update.

It seems that the odor has lessened dramatically. Last night, I poured a mixture of vinegar and baking soda down the drain and this afternoon, I completely filled the gray tank and added some bleach to the drain water. I don't know which made the difference, but it seems that the odor is almost completely gone.

Thanks for everyone's suggestions.
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Old 06-09-2022, 12:35 PM   #6
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We keep drain screens in all of our drains, to keep hair (two long haired females), and food particles from making their way into the Gray Tanks. Cheap at almost any Flea m
Market, might not be highest quality, but cheap enough to replace regularly.
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Old 06-09-2022, 08:04 PM   #7
Daryles
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Check under your sinks for an " air admittance" valve. Sometimes they fail. Easy to replace.
To be sure it's bad put a ziplock bag over it and tape it closed. If the smell goes away, it's likely bad.
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Old 06-12-2022, 08:13 PM   #8
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We make a habit of pouring white vinegar in the kitchen sink.
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Old 06-13-2022, 06:54 AM   #9
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An outside vent will smell, if that the be on the roof or the side of the camper. The purpose for the vent is to prevent creating a vacuum in the holding tank. Air has to breathe in and out of the vent, along with that comes the odors. If the holding tank hasn't been flushed out in a while, food particles stick to the sides of the tank and after a short while can emit an odor that is worse than the black tank.

Sometimes these vents are located on the roof near the ceiling vent fans. When the wind blows the right direction, the odor coming from the tank vent will be pulled right back into the camper through the fan exhaust vents (mostly in the bathroom is seems to happen most frequently).

You did the right thing by flushing the tank out. When we travel, we always try to travel with a small amount of fluids in each holding tank, (like around 5 gallons), so when driving, the movement of the trailer sloshes that fluid around. It helps to pulverize the inside of the holding tanks and break free a lot of that build up on the inside of the tank and will flush out the next time you dump.

If you do that every time you move the camper, your tanks will stay much cleaner. But, occasionally they do need a good soap / bleach bath.

Glad you've got your problem solved.
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