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Topic: Air Admittance Valves, aka "Stinky Coach Syndrome" (Read 1331 times) previous topic - next topic

Air Admittance Valves, aka "Stinky Coach Syndrome"

Quote from: George Stoltz –
we are going to replace rather than repair our Splendide.  There is an outstanding mobile tech less than a mile from where we are parked near Ocala, Florida. 

George,

I thought I'd mention that when you have the old machine out, it's probably worth your while to replace any air admittance valves that are located behind the machine, even if you don't have "stinky coach syndrome".  These valves are screwed into the ABS plastic plumbing stacks where P-traps can't be used, and keep sewer gas from coming into the coach.  Our coach has 2 behind the washer - one for the washer and one for the shower.  They're the black "cap" looking things you see in these photos:

Washer admittance valve

The selected media item is not currently available.


Shower admittance valve

The selected media item is not currently available.


The rubber/flexible diaphragm that seals the valve hardens with age and eventually the seal gets weak.  Much easier to replace while you already have the washer out than having to pull it back out when the coach gets stinky.

Oh, and the black pipe insulation was added by Steve to help quiet things down during washer operation.  The drain line made a tapping sounds when the washer was at it's fastest spin.  That's why we'd had our washer out at the time.

Michelle
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: Air Admittance Valves, aka "Stinky Coach Syndrome"

Reply #1 –
Michelle,

I am so very appreciative of this information.  We are going to Camping World in St. Augustine tomorrow to get our new Splendide.  Will they have these air admittance valves?  If not, where else would I find them?  Was the foam insulation the kind I see that fits around a single pipe or was it a larger diameter.  Your suggestions are so great. Thank you.
George Stoltz.  Retired from full-time living in a great Foretravel and now are back to living in a traditional sticks and bricks in Florida.

Re: Air Admittance Valves, aka "Stinky Coach Syndrome"

Reply #2 –
Thank you Michelle...we were having a heck of a time trying to find smell...seems worse when tanks start getting full..another job for "the list"..

Will be in Nac Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday...hope to catch up...will return following Sunday for a day or so...


We are only strangers until we meet; however, some of us are stranger than others

Re: Air Admittance Valves, aka "Stinky Coach Syndrome"

Reply #3 –
Quote from: George Stoltz –
Michelle,

I am so very appreciative of this information.  We are going to Camping World in St. Augustine tomorrow to get our new Splendide.  Will they have these air admittance valves?  If not, where else would I find them?  Was the foam insulation the kind I see that fits around a single pipe or was it a larger diameter.  Your suggestions are so great. Thank you.

George,

The air admittance valves can be found at Lowes, Home Depot, possibly Ace Hardware, definitely any plumbing supply.  Camping World *might* carry them, but I've never looked (and they'll be more expensive).

You probably have some under your sinks as well - look for those round black cap devices.  I think they're 1 1/2" diameter ones (but don't quote me).  We have one for each sink, one for the toilet, one for the shower, and one for the washer/dryer.

If you have "stinky coach syndrome" I'd also recommend checking the pipe that the valve screws into.  We discovered the one for our shower had a crack in it.  It was above the water line, so no water leak, but when the coach hadn't been used in a while, the first time we used the Fantastic Fan if the shower hadn't been run, the bathroom would get pretty stinky (I used to blame Steve  :P )

Look closely at the top of the open fitting in the photo below and you can see the crack

The selected media item is not currently available.

Steve cut it off The selected media item is not currently available.


and replaced it using a new length of pipe plus new threaded end plus coupler to join the two together, making sure to keep the overall height the same as the original.  It's ABS plastic so you need to use the correct pipe adhesive.  It had to have been cracked for years, possibly when the coach was built.  It never caused any problems other than the occasional smell.

Yes, the foam insulation is the kind that goes around a single pipe - just like you'd use on the water lines in your S&B house (if you had one).  Steve actually wrapped the supply lines as well, figuring he might as well since he had access to them.

Michelle
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: Air Admittance Valves, aka "Stinky Coach Syndrome"

Reply #4 –
Muchas gracias!
George Stoltz.  Retired from full-time living in a great Foretravel and now are back to living in a traditional sticks and bricks in Florida.

Re: Air Admittance Valves, aka "Stinky Coach Syndrome"

Reply #5 –
Here's an image Google found of an ABS air admittance valve (Oatey brand, about $2-3)



If you have room for the larger diameter (and have a much larger budget), Studor makes some higher quality ones



$40 apiece at Grainger...

Michelle
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: Air Admittance Valves, aka "Stinky Coach Syndrome"

Reply #6 –
Quote from: Steve & Michelle –
Here's an image Google found of an ABS air admittance valve (Oatey brand, about $2-3)



If you have room for the larger diameter (and have a much larger budget), Studor makes some higher quality ones



$40 apiece at Grainger...

Michelle

The image answered my next question.  I see the valves screw in place.  I am a little surprised that Foretravel did not go with the Studor brand.
George Stoltz.  Retired from full-time living in a great Foretravel and now are back to living in a traditional sticks and bricks in Florida.

Re: Air Admittance Valves, aka "Stinky Coach Syndrome"

Reply #7 –
Quote from: George Stoltz –

The image answered my next question.  I see the valves screw in place.  I am a little surprised that Foretravel did not go with the Studor brand.

Just a matter of space - the Studor ones are much larger diameter at the top and in our coach there's no way they would fit (and there wasn't room to have routed the plumbing to accommodate them, either).  The Oatey ones are barely more than the ABS pipe diameter itself.

-M
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320
 

Re: Air Admittance Valves, aka "Stinky Coach Syndrome"

Reply #8 –
Quote from: Steve & Michelle –
Just a matter of space - the Studor ones are much larger diameter at the top

BTW, I want to make sure and give Dave Head credit for the fact that I even know about air admittance valves, thanks to a post he made on the old group back in 2008

Check vents/air admittance valves link (Stinky coach syndrome)

Michelle
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320