Question What can cause a Strong Urine Smell in MH?

[Load um-up]

Yes we went to AK for Thanksgiving and on the way back hone we had a horrible sewer (poop) smell throughout our coach. When we stopped I recleaned sewer again, made sure everything closed up properly etc.. Next day same issue on and off. Stopped for night again rechecked everything. Next day thought was okay and then a very eye burning urine smell took over the poop smell. Finally got home and the smell is still in the coach, strongest in bathroom bathroom. Would appreciate any suggestions. I had already changed out the 2 air admittance valves under both kitchen and bathroom sinks. Our rig is a 2003 HR Admiral.

 

[TheLooks]

Sounds like Ammonia. Your fridge has likely failed. Open the outside hatches and look for a yellow liquid. Also, the gray tanks smell even worse then the black I am told. Make sure you have water in the p traps under the sinks.

 

[Load um-up]

Thank you, it's not ammonia as we had that issue with our previous Monaco Dynasty fridge going out. We have made sure traps have water etc. No smell traveling to AK just started on coming home. First strong poop smell 2 days and then last day was the Super strong urine smell.

 

[TheLooks]

I am at a loss. Glad it wasn't the fridge. $$$ I guess last resort is check the vents on the roof.

 

[Rich W.]

My guess is its the grey tank smell (stink) coming up through the shower P trap. Dump a couple cups of bleach down it then pour in enough water to flush the bleach into the tank and then slowly fill the P trap. The bleach should help kill the smell and the water in the P trap should seal it off. This is usually a summertime problem when its hot enough to evaporate the water from the P traps, specifically the shower P trap (I guess because its more exposed and lower?) but it could be the problem and if so its an easy fix.

If this does turn out to be the case, you can help cut down on grey tank odors by preventing any bio material form entering the tank (usually via the the kitchen sink) and occasionally putting a black tank pod (or tank treatment liquid) down the drain. I do this periodically via the bathroom sink. Also lots of long showers and loads of laundry keep plenty of clean soapy water flushing the tank frequently.

 

[TheLooks]

Some showers do not use a p trap. They use a duckbill kind of fitting. Hepvo fitting.

 

[Gizmo]

Ours smells come from our half-bath sink. I was told that the half-bath sink doesn't go into the Gray but dumps directly into the black tank. I didn't believe him until I emptied the black and turned on the water in the half-bath sink and saw it draining out the black tank dump hose. We tend not to use the sink in the half bath and the p trap dries out.

 

[TheLooks]

I have seen this in some rigs as well.

 

[Scotttkd2]

Check to make sure the roof vents are still connected to the tanks. Many threads on many forums about the vent stacks coming unhooked from the tank. Also there are known issues with some Dometic toilet models collecting urine underneath the toilet outside the main seal, but my bet is on the vent stacks.

 

[sanda]

I had to replace the waterless trap under the shower. Fixed the problem.