Gas

[thehippie]

Whats that gas like smell when i enter my rv trailer? This happens especially when i havent used or entered my trailer for a month.

The propane tanks are all off.

No alarms from my gas detector.

[Grit_dog]

I have gas.....Sonic chili cheese fries. Think that's the cause!

[thehippie]

Tvov wrote:
Could be from your black tank. When I am not going to use my trailer for more than a few weeks, I rinse out the black tank and "sanitize" it by filling it with water and adding a good amount of chlorine bleach, let it sit for an hour or so, then drain it. If you can't fill and drain like that, try just pouring a cup or so of bleach down the toilet, don't really need a whole lot.

Septic tanks can give off a "gas" smell, so it is something to think about.

thanks for the info

[thehippie]

myredracer wrote:
Formaldehyde is in plywood, OSB, the glues in cabinets doors and in a few other materials in RVs. It's quite common in building materials. Here's a little info. for example. here.
Google RV + formaldehyde and you'll find lots of info.

thehippie wrote:

myredracer wrote:
Could be as simple as a failed air admittance valve under the kitchen or bathroom sink. Could also be the shower p-trap has no water in it. Grey tank odor can be pretty foul and not unlike a gas sort of smell. We've had to replace our AAVs 3 times and eventually got Oatey commercial grade ones (not cheap though).

If it was a propane leak, you'd expect your CO/propane detector to go off but your propane is off and no alarm.

How old is the RV? Formaldehyde definitely has a distinctive odor of it's own. It's usually dissipated after a few years. IIRC, some people are more sensitive to the odor.

Bought it brand new 2018. I thought formaldehyde are used to preserve dead bodies. Didn't know it's used in trailers.

thanks for the info.

[myredracer]

Formaldehyde is in plywood, OSB, the glues in cabinets doors and in a few other materials in RVs. It's quite common in building materials. Here's a little info. for example. here.
Google RV + formaldehyde and you'll find lots of info.

thehippie wrote:

myredracer wrote:
Could be as simple as a failed air admittance valve under the kitchen or bathroom sink. Could also be the shower p-trap has no water in it. Grey tank odor can be pretty foul and not unlike a gas sort of smell. We've had to replace our AAVs 3 times and eventually got Oatey commercial grade ones (not cheap though).

If it was a propane leak, you'd expect your CO/propane detector to go off but your propane is off and no alarm.

How old is the RV? Formaldehyde definitely has a distinctive odor of it's own. It's usually dissipated after a few years. IIRC, some people are more sensitive to the odor.

Bought it brand new 2018. I thought formaldehyde are used to preserve dead bodies. Didn't know it's used in trailers.

[thehippie]

myredracer wrote:
Could be as simple as a failed air admittance valve under the kitchen or bathroom sink. Could also be the shower p-trap has no water in it. Grey tank odor can be pretty foul and not unlike a gas sort of smell. We've had to replace our AAVs 3 times and eventually got Oatey commercial grade ones (not cheap though).

If it was a propane leak, you'd expect your CO/propane detector to go off but your propane is off and no alarm.

How old is the RV? Formaldehyde definitely has a distinctive odor of it's own. It's usually dissipated after a few years. IIRC, some people are more sensitive to the odor.

Bought it brand new 2018. I thought formaldehyde are used to preserve dead bodies. Didn't know it's used in trailers.

[Grit_dog]

Ole hippie smoked 1 too many spleefs again and forgot he had gas....

[myredracer]

Could be as simple as a failed air admittance valve under the kitchen or bathroom sink. Could also be the shower p-trap has no water in it. Grey tank odor can be pretty foul and not unlike a gas sort of smell. We've had to replace our AAVs 3 times and eventually got Oatey commercial grade ones (not cheap though).

If it was a propane leak, you'd expect your CO/propane detector to go off but your propane is off and no alarm.

How old is the RV? Formaldehyde definitely has a distinctive odor of it's own. It's usually dissipated after a few years. IIRC, some people are more sensitive to the odor.

[Grit_dog]

Yo hippie...
What kinda gas?
Farts, propane, gasoline from your tank that is full but won’t run the generator ?

Gots to be more specific bruh.

[drsteve]

Terryallan wrote:

Optimistic Paranoid wrote:
According to the Wikipedia article, Formaldehyde is mainly used in the production of industrial resins, eg: for particle board and coatings.

Yes. It was used by "most" not all RV manufacturer's for years, and years. In Jaycos. The smell of a new one, was so bad you couldn't stand to stay in one long. Had to be aired out.

X2. I bought a new Jayco in 2003, and for the first five years, leaving it closed up for a few weeks would bring out the formaldehyde smell.

[wa8yxm]

SoundGuy wrote:

wa8yxm wrote:
Propane.. I'm told the odor is "Essence of skunk" but I've smelled it. and I'd not describe it that way. Alas I know it when I sniff it. but... I can't describe it.

Propane is a colourless, odourless gas - what you smell is the mercaptan added to propane which contains sulphur and is the smell you detect as "propane".

Actually save I can never remember the chemical name I know that.

But did not type it out to avoid confusion

[opnspaces]

I have one of the Jayco's that had Formaldehyde outgassing. The smell was so bad after the unit was closed up during the summer that I would get a sore throat and burning eyes during a rapid dash to open all the windows and let it air out. Once aired for an hour or two the smell would be gone for the duration of the trip.

If you have a propane leak it is supposed to smell like onions. Personally I don't identify that smell as onions, but that's what I read on the internet so it must be true.

It could also be the air admittance valve under the sink is stuck open. This valve breaks vacuum when the sink is shut off so the tank doesn't siphon out the trap. Look under the sink and there should be a vertical spur sticking up off the drain pipe. Unscrew it and see if the flapper works in one direction only. (air flowing into tank only) If it's bad you can get a new one for a few dollars at Home Depot. Just unscrew the old one and replace it. Link to valve

If you have kids you might want to look in the cabinets and under beds and furniture to see if there is some rotten food or something.

Aside from that can you describe the gas smell? Does it smell like something you're familiar with like gasoline or propane or sewer?

[SoundGuy]

wa8yxm wrote:
Propane.. I'm told the odor is "Essence of skunk" but I've smelled it. and I'd not describe it that way. Alas I know it when I sniff it. but... I can't describe it.

Propane is a colourless, odourless gas - what you smell is the mercaptan added to propane which contains sulphur and is the smell you detect as "propane".

[2oldman]

Gray water, garbage, leaking propane, generator

[ppine]

Off gassing of adhesives and some materials used in the construction of your RV. Leave some windows cracked open.