BAD smell..Sewer hook up with/standard toilet

[Sstoner]

Hi! I’m relatively new to the permanent site camping world, still trying to figure things out. Camper sat unused for a few months this past winter. We’ve had a couple short visits since March, then a couple week long visits. Just yesterday I could smell an odor that we couldn’t place, but there suddenly were gnats around the sink and there were no dirty dishes or food out. then today it’s much much worse.
I have a house toilet, and I just put together that it has been flushing very slowly and now hardly flushing at all after there’s a big “burp”. However the smell is stronger in the living area next to the bathroom. I don’t know if it’s sewage smell or not, I’ve never had to know I guess lol
It is connected to the campground sewer but I don’t think it’s hose I think it’s a more permanent pvc if that matters.
I put some bleach in the drains and sealed them with water baggies. Still smells after I was gone for a few hours.
Any suggestions? I don’t know where to start

 

[SeilerBird]

Have you been leaving the black tank valve open?

 

[Rene T]

Have you been leaving the black tank valve open?

Tom brings up a very good point. My question is Do you even have a black tank or did they bypass the tank so that the toilet water goes right down a pvc pipe. You’ll Have to get under the trailer and try to figure it out.

 

[Dreamsend]

but there suddenly were gnats around the sink and there were no dirty dishes or food out.

They may in fact be sewer flies you picked up from a campground.. They live in the sewer lines that you hook your drain hose to when dumping. If you leave your hose hooked up and valves open, they can migrate into your drain lines and tanks. They feed on and lay eggs in the gook that lines the sewer drains.

Google sewer flies to learn more. Sounds like some serious cleaning of drains is called for.

Linda

 

[Babe2201]

Yikes I hope someone can give you a solution so you can fix your problem. Does not sound pleasant.

 

[Utclmjmpr]

Sounds like they got lazy and left the tank drain valves open and the drain line still attached to the sewer during storage,, that will get you every time..>>>Dan ( Permanent is not all that permanent )

 

[Rene T]

Sounds like they got lazy and left the tank drain valves open and the drain line still attached to the sewer during storage,, that will get you every time..>>>Dan ( Permanent is not all that permanent )

We don’t know if they even have tanks so no need to jump to conclusions.
As far as sewer flies, can they swim? I would think that the traps, having water in them, would have stopped this from happening unless the water evaporated

 

[Rene T]

To the OP, you stated that you just put together a house toilet. Does that mean that you removed the RV toilet and installed a regular house toilet? Very critical that you give a answer

 

[Utclmjmpr]

Even tho they may have a "house" toilet,, if it has not been used for many months the trap can be empty of water,, so back to the fly's and smell.. To the OP,, when leaving the rig for extended periods, pour some baby oil into the sinks and toilets to seal the traps..>>>Dan ( Open the windows for a day,, it will take more than a couple of hours..)

 

[Rene T]

Even tho they may have a "house" toilet,, if it has not been used for many months the trap can be empty of water,, so back to the fly's and smell.. To the OP,, when leaving the rig for extended periods, pour some baby oil into the sinks and toilets to seal the traps..>>>Dan ( Open the windows for a day,, it will take more than a couple of hours..)

Or vegetable oil works good also. Just a 1/4 of a cup in the toilet and a couple of teaspoons in the sinks

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

If it is indeed a standard "house toilet", the black tank would normally be removed or bypassed and the dump valve left open or removed. House toilets have a built-in trap.

 

[Sstoner]

From what I can tell the valve is open and a PVC pipe is connected to the black tank going directly to the sewer hole.
Actually I am not lazy, I'm learning more and more each day. I just bought the camper and I did not set any of it up not put the toilet in, it was this way when I bought it. Idk why they left the tank or why they left the valve open.
I still need to go thru the other responses, I have not been able to till now. Thank you all for offering helpful info.

 

[Sstoner]

Tom brings up a very good point. My question is Do you even have a black tank or did they bypass the tank so that the toilet water goes right down a pvc pipe. You’ll Have to get under the trailer and try to figure it out.

Yes, the tank is there.

 

[Sstoner]

To the OP, you stated that you just put together a house toilet. Does that mean that you removed the RV toilet and installed a regular house toilet? Very critical that you give a answer

Sorry, I mistyped that, I meant for it to say I just put two and two together, the smell and sewer/toilet

 

[Rene T]

You have a situation where you will have to keep that drain valve closed all the time until you’re needing to dump the tank. Because it’s a house toilet, you may have to dump every two or three days if there are two people using it. Remember if you leave that valve open all the time, the liquids will drain out and much of the solids will stay in the tank causing a poo pyramid and plugging up the system.
What you describe right now is sounds like the tank drain is plugged up. You may have to remove the toilet and break up the blockage. If you plan on being away for a couple of weeks, you could shut the valve, fill up the tank with fresh water and add a septic tank chemical like RidEx. It may dissolve what you have in the tank now.
If it was me, I’d go with removing the toilet and do a thorough cleaning. It won’t be fun but at least you’ll know what you’re up against. Good luck and keep us posted please.
With the toilet removed, you could probably find someone with a porta potty business who could come out and pump the tank dry and clean it out real good.

 

[whiteva]

After hurricane mickey, FEMA brought in hundreds of TT for folks to live in. The training they received was "here's your keys".

PVC was used as a connection to the sewer so the installers just left the valves open (great idea in theory). It did not take very long before the tanks filled with solids including baby wipes. A few of the un-trained maintenance men from FEMA just installed residential toilets as a solution. Since the tanks remained in place the problem returned even quicker. FACT: Flush water runs out leaving the solids behind to settle and pile up in the tank. Don't believe the old addage %#@#^ always runs down hill.

Just FYI: Black tanks must be maintained and drained properly or removed/bypassed.