Bad odors, waste holding tanks?

[Mity]

Hi everyone,
I need your help!
I have a bad odor in the boat, at first, it was coming form the waste hoses. The boat is. 2001 and they were never changed. i replaced them all, air inlet, toilet, pump out.....
The old hoses were really bad and I taught theyr were the only caused of the odor, now after a feww weeks, the oder is back. What i do not understand is that the boat was on the ber for 5. Months, whent over winter, the tank was washed 3 times! Not it is filded with antifreeze and i still have that bad odor!

Any idead?do i have to replace the holding tank?

Thanks for your advise

Michel

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

I wouldn't think the tank has permeated.

What kind of hose did you install this last time ?

If the hose is good sanitation hose, I would suggest looking for a small leak, from a joint, in a hidden location.

Are you sure this is not just the smell of new rubber. This can be an unpleasant smell.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Unless the tank is leaking, it's unlikely to be the source of odor inside the boat. Permeated sanitation hoses are the most common source of odor inside a boat...you've replaced yours, but if you used single wall flexible pvc, it could already have permeated even within a matter of months...I had that happen on my own boat.

A wet bilge in serious need of real cleaning instead of just dumping more bilge cleaner into it is another likely source. Hunter are notorious for a "grid" under the cabin sole that doesn't have the necessary limber holes to let trapped water drain...wet dirty bilges or and trapped water can make a whole boat smell like a swamp or even a sewer.

It's impossible to get rid of any odor unless you eliminate the SOURCE of that odor. Odors are always strongest at their source, so start lifting hatches and opening lockers using your nose. Once you've found the source, I'll be glad to help you figure out what's necessary to eliminate it, and therefore the odor and prevent it from recurring.

Meanwhile, there's quite a bit of information on various sources of odors and how to get rid of them in sanitation forum archives.

 

[padetorejr]

anaerobic gas?

Hi everyone,
I need your help!
I have a bad odor in the boat, at first, it was coming form the waste hoses. The boat is. 2001 and they were never changed. i replaced them all, air inlet, toilet, pump out.....
The old hoses were really bad and I taught theyr were the only caused of the odor, now after a feww weeks, the oder is back. What i do not understand is that the boat was on the ber for 5. Months, whent over winter, the tank was washed 3 times! Not it is filded with antifreeze and i still have that bad odor!

Any idead?do i have to replace the holding tank?

Thanks for your advise

Michel

Hi Michell.
I feel your pain. Also replaced everything except built in holding tank. The last thing I replaced was the air vent outside on the forward hull. It was clogged and creating pressure that was causing leaks. Once pressure was released no more leaks.

I've come to realize anaerobic gas leaks back into the head if I don't pour a little water into the bowl after flushing. My new electric head also has a seawater flush. This is another source of a nasty odor as the seawater sits and rot in the pipes. I've just shut my seacock of and leave it turned off. We keep a gallon jug of fresh water handy in our head to rinse the bowl and provide a water seal. I still pour a small amount of pinesol in the head from time to time.

So, I wouldn't replace the holding tank unless you can actually see a Crack in it. Even then a fiberglass repair sounds a whole lot easier to do.

Good luck. Hope this helps.
Peter
For Elise

 

[centerline]

Hi everyone,
I need your help!
I have a bad odor in the boat, at first, it was coming form the waste hoses. The boat is.
The old hoses were really bad and I taught theyr were the only caused of the odor, now after a feww weeks, the oder is back.

Any idead?do i have to replace the holding tank?

Thanks for your advise

Michel

I had the same problem when i bought our boat..

I flushed the system good with water, sanitized it with a good chemical to kill the stink and make it more pleasent to work on... replaced all the hoses and thought it was all repaired....

But it wasnt.
What i found was the actual vent fitting where it exits the boat was plugged up, solid.

as i was replacing the vent fitting, i realized that if the vent was plugged there was no way for the plastic tank to vent and it was probably damaged due to constant pressure and vacuum during incoming and outgoing effluent/waste.
So i removed the tank and did find it to be split at the top corners...

I had it rewelded by a plastic tank repair shop and reinstalled it, but this time i used better hose during the install.

The problem was solved.

I will offer a bit of advise... initially i used the white trident brand sanitation hose, but during the disassembly two weeks later to do the tank repair, i found out how poor of quality the white plastic stuff actually is.
I would recommend that if you have to pull the tank to inspect it for a possible rupture, during the reinstall use top quality rubber hose and the sysrem should last 10yrs+ rather than the 3-5yrs you will get with the white trident junk hose...

 

[Charles Erwin]

I am pretty sure you are thinking of some other brand - possibly Shields maybe some unbranded spa hose.

Trident 101 sanitary is a superior hose. In fact - all trident hose products are first rate.

Charles

 

[centerline]

I am pretty sure you are thinking of some other brand - possibly Shields maybe some unbranded spa hose.

Trident 101 sanitary is a superior hose. In fact - all trident hose products are first rate.

Charles

what im referring to is NOT the 101 series hose. But it has the trident name all over it like its something to be proud of, and it isnt. But at 4-5 bucks a foot, unsuspecting people buy it rather than getting the quality stuff that will last
It may be a spa quality hose, but you can find it on the rack at West Marine being sold as marine sanitation hose.

You are correct that the trident 101 is a very high quality rubber hose.. it is what i would recommend everytime.