Sanitron Question

[Art Knapp]

Our 1983 Newell (Bettin) has a Sanitron electric odor control system. There are 12 volt wires connected to electrodes on the holding tank. The wires terminate in a small aluminum box in the holding tank compartment. The electrodes have become severely corroded. Some of the wires are broken and have been spliced or taped. The manual (1987) says there is a Sanitron control panel in the tankage compartment and that this panel has an on/off switch and a test switch. There is no such panel in my compartment. Can you give me some advice on restoring the Sanitron system and how to locate a Sanitron control panel?

Thanks for your help.
Art Knapp

[TechTalk]

In a word, we don't think parts are still available, but there is an easy, practical work around.

For many years, strong holding tank odors in the form of sewer gases vented into the interior of RVs when toilets were flushed. Therefore, most RV users added chemicals to holding tanks to suppress the formation of sewer gas.

From the early 1980s through the mid-1990s, Newell installed electronic odor control systems on the waste water holding tanks. With these systems, low voltage electrical current passes from electrodes on one side of the interior of the holding tank to electrodes on the other side. The production of sewer gas was substantially reduced and the need to use chemicals was eliminated.

In recent years, RV toilets featuring water barriers in the bottom of the bowls came into use. Because of these water barriers, sewer gas in the holding tank cannot vent to the interior as before. The use of odor control, either through chemicals or electronic odor control, has been eliminated.

Sanitron was the brand name of an odor control system Newell used in the early 1980s. Our recollection is that Sanitron did not have a control panel, although such a panel was furnished with later brand of odor control. While we are still checking our records for a telephone number or address, we do not believe that the company is still in business or that parts can still be sourced for Sanitron systems.

Our recommendation is to confirm that the system is not receiving power or is disconnected, and to use a good quality liquid chemical odor control product in the tank. We suggest Aqua Kem, a brand we have used most successfully through the years.

[Jody Larriviere]

We experienced similar problems with our 1983 coach.
Our problem was complicated by the fact that the coroded
Sanitron electrodes(which are no longer available from Sanitron)
were leaking from the holding tank. We used 2 1/4inch boat
transom plugs with the brass folding tabs that fold over 90
degrees. We abandonded the Sanitron system, pluged the electrode
holes, and everything is working just fine. This eleminiated
having to remove the holding tank & custom manufacture a
replacement.