Grey Water

We have just got back from 5 days away,while we where away after 3 days there was a smell coming from the plug holes,i drained the grey water tank and it stunk.  

What do you use in your tank to prevent this ? 

Rich

In the search box above; type in sink smell and you will see several similar posts.  There are various remedies.  I had a similar problem but after all the help from the forum I'm pleased to announce that our sink is still sweet smelling!  Regards, Mald

Pour some of the cheapest orange squash down the plug holes and let it stand for awhile and the enzimes in the orange kill the smell.

John.

Hi there,

I agree and can recommend the real cheap stuff from Tesco ...   

.... don't forget the sink in the toilet and the shower drains ....    

.... and if you are ever really desperate you can even drink the stuff!!     

Best regards,
 

Dutto wrote:Hi there,

I agree and can recommend the real cheap stuff from Tesco ...   

.... don't forget the sink in the toilet and the shower drains ....    

.... and if you are ever really desperate you can even drink the stuff!!     

Best regards,
 

I really, really think the last line should have started ".... OR if you are really desperate . . . . ."

One situation where recycling is certainly NOT advisable!   

We use the cheapest disinfectant and pour a capfull down every plughole after I've drained the tank.  Also, ours smells mostly after draining as i think there could be some sludge on the bottom and this is exposed until we run more water.
Rich..

RML wrote:We use the cheapest disinfectant and pour a capfull down every plughole after I've drained the tank.  Also, ours smells mostly after draining as i think there could be some sludge on the bottom and this is exposed until we run more water.
Rich..

Rich,

To ensure controlled drainage we always take the plug out of the sink to allow air into the system as the waste-water drains out; but we leave the plugs in the shower drains.

Because nine times out of ten we are also refilling the fresh water tank at the same time, after the waste tank has stopped running, we fill the sink to the top with fresh water and leave the pump running as we empty it to flush the waste tank before closing everything off and introducing the orange juice down the sink.

The shower sink and the shower-tray drains only get a dose of orange juice about once a month.

The waste tank never smells and it's very rare that we get any black stuff out of it.     

Best regards,
 

Thank you for your replies,i have just bought some (not so cheap Robinsons)   orange squash.
So she will smell sweet for Malvern on Thursday.

Rich 

rich g wrote:Thank you for your replies,i have just bought some (not so cheap Robinsons)   orange squash.
So she will smell sweet for Malvern on Thursday.

Rich 

Aaaaargh!!         

I actually drink Robinsons!!      

Do you have any bio-laundry tablets, capsules or liquid??     

Both will do exactly the same job as orange cordial and it is a lot, lot cheaper than Robinsons!!     
 
If we are in France and run out of cheap orange cordial (just can't find it anywhere over there) we just use the bio-tablets that we use in the toilet cassette!   

Best regards,
 

I have noticed a shower drain smell in my 2012 Sussex EB. Found no drain traps fitted by AS as standard so drains will always smell!! £50k ++ purchase price but cant fit a couple of £4.50 drain traps in the spec. Poor quality build and lack of thought as this is, or was a common problem on earlier motor homes

Hi For what its worth ,we don' t have a smell from the grey water tank. However we empty it very frequently. Maybe if you stay on site for many days,it might be best to empty into a container,like the caravan people do, and empty that way.
Save your money for better drinks like beer.

regards

Mike

No probs here with smells either... but then I always empty after each trip and put some clean water in the waste with some Thetford tank cleaner in between trips! Notice quite a few of the motorhomes at the shows have stinking bathrooms, if you keep them clean I cant see how they get a chance to pong in the first place.

I agree with all the previous posts but, if the drain traps were fitted in the first place there would be no need for all the additional citric acid treatments and extra flushing through of pipes and tank.
We as the customers need to be more demanding and not accept second best from the manufacturers

Hi I agree about the drain taps. I think i posted before that i don't think A/S go motor homing .
You could try telling them. They don't watch this site. IMHO.

Regards

Mike

:allthumbz:The orange cordial tip sound like a good idea. Thanks for the tip.
 I'll pass it onto He who isn't going to be obeyed.

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WASHING POWDER   -  i never have smells from my grey waste tank.   I don't know where I got this great idea, but it definately works. When 'on site' I always use a black box to collect my waste water and then empty when necessary.   On the day I return home from a trip (before I set off on the drive home)  I dissolve (boil a kettle) 1 cup of very ordinary white washing powder (tescos cheapest) in my washing up bowl (or similar container) and then top up with cold to get hand hot. Make sure is your waste tank is empty.  Tip the water into the waste plug in the bathroon sink (I suppose the kitchen sink would be the same) and let the contents of the waste tank slop around on the journey home (make sure tap is turned to closed outside).   A couple miles from home either find a convenient place to dump waste or wait to get home and open tap over the drain outside your house.  Remember it's only washing powder water you are dumping - it's not offensive. 

I recently took my motorhome to have a small repair done and the man said he was amazed at how fresh my van smelt (no air freshners used).  The van had also been standing in my drive for 2 weeks after a trip.  The washing powder trick works for me.  And it's cheap.

I have now fitted a couple drain traps, total cost £12 including hose clips. 15 minute job.
So no more smells and no more tank flushing.
If you are unable to empty the grey water tank every day it will smell especially in hot weather.
Happy flushing!!