Hymer stinking grey tank (1 Viewer)

[Basildog]

Having not really used the van with the tank valve closed we had to at the weekend as we were parked on a car park.
After about 4 days the stink has started so am guessing that Hymer is yet another European manufacturer that doesn't fit venting to the roof or decent traps or pipework .
We don't let food waste or grease etc into the tank and have been playing at this game for years so do know what we are doing.
Must only be the Americans who fit proper drains then ?
Why do people rate these products that are actually in my mind poor quality.

 

[JJ]

Controversial...

JJ

 

[138go]

Our Laika has proper water traps under the sinks and even in hot weather does not smell. Mind you when you get over a drain to empty it there is a bit of a wiff

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[Basildog]

Our Laika has proper water traps under the sinks and even in hot weather does not smell. Mind you when you get over a drain to empty it there is a bit of a wiff

My first motorhome was a Laika and we had the same along with a proper black tank, I was told by a Laika dealer that unfortunately when Hymer took them over the quality has gone down.

 

[scotjimland]

oh dear

 

[Rob and Val]

We had this when we first acquired our Talbot Express (then eleven years old). The smell was not originating from the tank but from a clogged waste tube. We replaced the tube with one of the same size that was actually intended for a water butt and purchased from our local garden centre. Smell eradicated!

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[Lenny HB]

Hymer do fit traps on all the outlets, like any van you do sometimes get a pong in hot weather. If you are careful about what you let go down the sink not much of a problem.
In hot weather best to empty the tank daily, thats what we do.

 

[Basildog]

Hymer do fit traps on all the outlets, like any van you do sometimes get a pong in hot weather. If you are careful about what you let go down the sink not much of a problem.
In hot weather best to empty the tank daily, thats what we do.

But like I say then basically a system that doesn't work if it stinks in hot weather !
A bit like British vans that only freeze up in cold weather
Not rocket science to make it work properly.
Sadly I am now seriously fed up with this van as I am now seeing little things wrong every time we use it .

 

[Pausim]

The traps work fine on my hymer but they can sometimes dry out, particularly the shower ones. Might be worth slowly tipping a small amount of water down each one just in case.

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[Lenny HB]

But like I say then basically a system that doesn't work if it stinks in hot weather !
A bit like British vans that only freeze up in cold weather
Not rocket science to make it work properly.
Sadly I am now seriously fed up with this van as I am now seeing little things wrong every time we use it .

I take the view it's OK for the price to get anything better I wiould have to pay over a 100k, not brillant but OK for a mid range van.

 

[Basildog]

I take the view it's OK for the price to get anything better I wiould have to pay over a 100k, not brillant but OK for a mid range van.

I understand what you are saying but it is pretty bad that we have to compromise at this price point but having looked at a mates Concorde plumbing and seeing he has the same crap fridge does make me feel slightly better.
You are more honest than most owners who tend to worship the brand and won't have a bad word said about the Hymer's or their fittings.

 

[BobtheBass]

French supermarkets sell a range of tablets for cleaning and adding a sweet smell to waste systems and we buy a few own brand packets each time we go. They are very cheap and we pop one in the waste tank each time we empty. I haven't seen them for sale over here?

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[Richard n Ann]

At least you know it's ready for a clean, if you had traps you'd be non the wiser. We put a gallon of hot water and a dissolved dishwasher tablet down and after a run it has a good clear out

 

[funflair]

Having not really used the van with the tank valve closed we had to at the weekend as we were parked on a car park.
After about 4 days the stink has started so am guessing that Hymer is yet another European manufacturer that doesn't fit venting to the roof or decent traps or pipework .
We don't let food waste or grease etc into the tank and have been playing at this game for years so do know what we are doing.
Must only be the Americans who fit proper drains then ?
Why do people rate these products that are actually in my mind poor quality.

Do you mean that you get the smell inside or is it just outside when you drain the tank, the waste tank should be vented to stop anything coming back through the traps.

Soapy dirty water will start to stink if left in a tank in hot weather no matter how much you have spent on your van.

Martin

 

[Sundowners]

It would be so easy to vent the tank through the roof , the yanks have been doing it successfully for many years------they also fit better U traps------ IMHO fridges would be more efficient if they too followed the yanks and vented through the roof, ----- just my view after owning/travelling in both!!!
Nigel

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[Basildog]

Do you mean that you get the smell inside or is it just outside when you drain the tank, the waste tank should be vented to stop anything coming back through the traps.

Soapy dirty water will start to stink if left in a tank in hot weather no matter how much you have spent on your van.

Martin

Yes inside the van .

 

[mfw]

I've got a grey waste water wheelie tank which i can use if necessary no vent so wont smell and can dump water into it daily if required up to about 40lts i suppose but at least i can leave drain open then

 

[Basildog]

It would be so easy to vent the tank through the roof , the yanks have been doing it successfully for many years------they also fit better U traps------ IMHO fridges would be more efficient if they too followed the yanks and vented through the roof, ----- just my view after owning/travelling in both!!!
Nigel

Yes we have owned both and have to agree as I said earlier it's not exactly rocket science but why do we as customers put up with the crap that they produce as it's not like a roof vent would cost more than a few pounds.
Again with the fridge we live in one of the colder countries in Europe, just imagine a Spanish or Southern European guy in his new Hymer with a useless fridge .

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[Dorset Diver]

Our Carthago has traps but left for a few days in hot weather they can dry out and the smell from the tank gets into the van. The answer is simple, pour a bit of fresh water into the traps.

 

[peterc10]

We find the smell is worse when we have not used it for a while. Drain never gets everything out so there is always some standing water in it. And the shower trap dries out and lest the smell in. When we are using it we empty regularly and shower every day do shower trap does not dry out.

 

[Bobby22]

Yes inside the van .

Your problem has been caused by never closing the valve. When you do this residue from your waste sits at the bottom of the tank. There is no flush effect when you empty. Stick some Fenwicks pipe and tank cleaner down the system with a few litres of water and drive home. Your tank and pipes will then be clean with no smell.

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[peterc10]

Y
Again with the fridge we live in one of the colder countries in Europe, just imagine a Spanish or Southern European guy in his new Hymer with a useless fridge .

Our fridge and freezer works fine in all weathers. Just fitted a fan to keep the rear cool, which cost about £50 all in.

 

[JJ]

My grey water stinks and I am proud of it...

Keeps undesirables from parking too close.


JJ

 

[Pausim]

Not sure I would want it vented through the roof, smell might just drift back in through open roof light.

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[funflair]

Yes inside the van .

Need to check your trap's and make sure the tank vent is clear I would say. Ours stink when I dump it but not inside

Martin

 

[DavidG58]

Our Hymer has push down plug / strainers in each outlet, we always keep the shower ones pushed down as they are most likely to dry out with less use

We have issues similar to yours, but also have a black tank although I thought we could easily tell which pong was which I am no longer convinced, or black tank is vented on to the roof but I don't think the grey water tank has a vent, but in theory it must or it wouldn't empty

I also think you have made the problem worse by not filling and flushing benefit of full tank emptying, but that said we do fill and empty and still have a smell if we dont close the plugs

edit - as others have said, once in use we rarely get issues, if left unemptied for a while it is much worse

 

[chaser]

cant really see its the fault of any manufacturer , the sinks in houses smell if you dont put bleach or something down occasionaly, stick a bottle of cheap coke down and go for a drive, thatel heep it sweet

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[Basildog]

cant really see its the fault of any manufacturer , the sinks in houses smell if you dont put bleach or something down occasionaly, stick a bottle of cheap coke down and go for a drive, thatel heep it sweet

I still blame the manufacturers as others have said the yanks fit roof vents and use decent traps/pipework,it just seems most owners are prepared to put up with problems on European vans and always find an excuse for the manufacturers.

 

[mfw]

Think people will find faults with all vans irespective of make or model just got to find which one you are most happy with

 

[Hettie's Crew]

When we went to to view our B544 it was a year old and parked around the back, unprepared, at Lowdhams. We were also considering a new Rapido 9048DF, in the showroom, at Brownhills.
When we saw the B544 it was a bit grubby compared to the immaculate Rapido in the showroom. We were immediately put off the B544 as soon as we stepped inside as it smelt like a sewer. Much deliberation went on between the two and we eventually, for a variety of reasons, decided on the B544 on the condition that they sorted out the ‘smell of the drains’.
When we picked it up it was immaculately prepared but still smelled, though less than previously.
The salesman insisted they had done the tanks and could detect no smell, we decide we would do it ourselves when we got home. When we opened the tanks they didn’t smell.
Anyway, the point of all this rambling is that the smell was the leather upholstery which after a year still smelled like new and was still venting off. When the van was left closed up it would stink when we first entered it. Thankfully, now it’s four years old it’s worn off, though still detectable in hot weather when it’s been shut up.

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