Foul Smell

[ad meliora]

Hi good evening, I have (family has) a hunter 49 and it sits more than she sails - I just recently recieved my basic training and learned on a harbour 20, I am terrified to dock the hunter, my intermediate is next summer I know I should practice but I don't want to cause any trouble so I will wait to learn with the professionals until then I will just visit and maintain her and learn the ashore knowledge and her inside workings anyway sorry I was rambing... I came to the Marina to stay on for a few days to check stuff out and there is a foul smell in the main cabin. It is a pee/puke smell that I cannot find the source for? I thought matress so I cleaned it and bought a cover, I thought bilges so I cleaned and drained them, I did bathrooms, showers, I am thinking maybe the A/C filter? Are they repacable? I say this because it seems when the a/c comes on the smell is coming through the vents in the main cabin the rest of the boat is fine... Sorry I am very, very new to this ... Thanks for any feed back!

 

[Shaun21366]

Yes it could be the water condensate in the on of the AC unit. Flush the pan with running water and then add some bleach cleaner and let it sit for a while.

 

[Shaun21366]

That would be the pan of the AC unit. Got to love autocomplete ...

 

[ad meliora]

Thanks for the info I will try that tonight and let you know if it works, I've closed all of the vents in the main cabin for now and it seems to have helpd... But I want it gone not just stopped for now

 

[onecoolair]

Thanks for the info I will try that tonight and let you know if it works, I've closed all of the vents in the main cabin for now and it seems to have helpd... But I want it gone not just stopped for now

DO NOT USE BLEACH ON YOUR A/C UNIT!!! BLEACH IS CORROSSIVE AGENT! AND THE FUMMES CAN ALSO DAMAGE YOUR LUNGS!
Key word think Dollar Store....large 40oz bottle one dollar.
Go to the "dollar store" and buy some pine'o'pine. Pour some in the bildge,shower sump, etc. You can Put some in a spray bottle and spray your a/c condensing coil. You can do this while running a/c but not to much as too much will start spraying out your vents. Just a little does not hurt though you just don't want to be getting things wet out the vents.
Now the Fix...
Find your holding tanks throughly investagate,check the hoses and all connection for leaks. Make sure you flush from leak source to bildge.
I had this happen before. Found that a hose connection was loose and sewage was leaking out draining to the bildge.Then when turning on a/c it would pull fumes from bilge It only takes a small amount. I also had to move the outside holding tank vent that the hunter factory mounted right next to cockpit farther away and down just a little lower. The fumes would fill the whole boat while away. And the cockpit everytime someone flushed head or if tank decided to fart!.
fyi....another hint...To keep my 3 a/c concendation pans dry with a 20 dollar venturi screwed to seacock at discharge fittings.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Try KO (Kills Odors). Highly recommended by Peggie Hall.

 

[ad meliora]

Thank you for the tip re: bleach, oder killers, pan cleaning, etc... (For them all!)I got in late tonight and won't have anytime to get into anything tonight, I am thinking I will save it as a weekend project as its only now 2days away.... can you help with where the pan is located? I tried finding it online via an online manual but had no luck... I am scared to remove any vent screens and such as I am very inexperianced...

 

[Stu Jackson]

Get a screwdriver out and remove a grille and find some way to access it, from either the top or the side. The pan is underneath the coil, looks like a small car radiator.

 

[ad meliora]

Ok got it the plan is for me to grow some... "courage" and just try things, if it seems too tricky I will ask for help, I worked in the automotive industry for 11 years I'm sure I can figure this out I just need to try! Thanks for all the patience... I'm sure I'll have more questions throughout the weekend while I tackle other things I've notice in the last few days... Tons of mould in the engine compartment, leaking port in bathroom, leaking sink in same bathroom etc... I'm going to have a long weekend litterally

 

[John T1594]

AC deodorizer

Once you have the AC unit cleaned, you can use one of the spray AC deodorizers that they sell in any automotive supply store. Just spray it into the return grill. I have used Ozium with much success on my boat.

 

[ad meliora]

Oh thanks! I have to make a trip to West Marin, Canadian Tire and Walmart, I will make a list to take with me!

 

[anchorclanker]

I would be concerned if there is mold in the engine room, and other areas, there is also quite likely mold in the vent ducts, etc.. While I wouldnt spray bleach on the AC unit, and wouldnt use it full strength to clean large areas, a mild solution with adequate ventilation can be safe. If the AC has mold growing inside of it, it would probably be wise to remove it off the boat to get it clean and disinfected, it likely has to come apart to reach all the internal areas. Living within a mold and mildew infected environment is not healthy. Lysol can go a long ways toward getting under control too.

 

[ad meliora]

Yes I am very concerned as well, this boat is very rarely used and so I asked to stay on it over the summer however I just recently was able to make it down here and the boat was in the water since April 17th no one has really kept her maintained, I am now trying to get her up to living standards and finding so many things to do. I guess it will be a great learing experiance for me and an annoyance for all of you experianced people out there as I bug you with sometimes silly and well sometimes important questions ...

 

[anchorclanker]

Whatever you do keep it well ventilated. If your working in areas with heavy mold or mildew, consider a respirator with biological filters.

As exciting as having someone hand over the keys to a 49 footer would be, It isnt worth getting sick. Or worse.

 

[ad meliora]

Good morning, yes I know I am starting to think I should Just tell them they need someone in here before it is invaded with mould and its too late... anyway I found the pan "a" pan in the stbd aft cabin I think there is another in the dining area and one in the fwd cabin. Wow there is a ton of gross chunky mould both green and black in the pan some of it has attached it self to the plastic on the bottom of the mattress none on the wood though (good I guess) worse news is the pan is not removable and I dont have a shop vac/reverse suction vac to suck up the grossnes does the water drain it self if so why is there mould and if not if I remove all of the water manually do I add water or leave it dry? do I add any solution to the water to keep the mould gone or well at bay?

 

[RWSlater]

I also had an odor coming from the use of the A/C. My forward A/C unit was not draining the condensation as it was supposed to (the unit is sitting to level and water collects in the pan and then gets really yucky mucky rust colored slime). I tilted the unit up on one end and washed out as much of the crap as I could, then put some hydrogen peroxide in the pan and let it foam up and do it's thing, then washed that out. It solved the odor problem very well. NOW I have to figure out how to tilt the unit so it drains properly. The tolerance is so small that if I tilt up the unit on one end, even 1/4 inch, then seat lid does not close all the way because it hits the top of the unit. I suspect your drain pans aren't draining properly. You can also get some 50/50 Hydrogen Peroxide and water in a spray bottle and spray it onto the condenser and onto the fan if you can and it helps with residual smell. Hope this helps. Good luck

 

[ad meliora]

Good afternoon, thanks for the tip re: hydrogen peroxide is it safe for metals? I cleaned the aft stbd cabin pan yesterday, it took me hours it is such a tight squeeze that not even a small cup worked I had to cut a small water bottle in half and use it as a scooper and that only work a few times the pan is about 2/3 inches thick but about 1 foot long I eventually had to use rags soak up water sqeeze it out and repet, took me about 3 hours to get it to ok condition and there is still mould in spots not even a rag at the end of a butter knife can get too, I sprayed those spots with some mildew spay a sales guy at West Marine told me to by to help prevent it from coming back but I need to get to what was left over still and do know how I don't want to force anything and chance breaking anything... I also have to do the one in the fwd cabin that is a similar situation but a tad (beileve it or not) tighter to get too I also have one I need to get to but it was placed under the floor under the table that is bolted to the floor in the dinning area.... I am starting to think I should just find a professional to come in and get rid of the rest for me.... the rest of the boat got a good cleaning and disinfecting I did outside and inside from 12pm to 5am... exhausted doesnt even describe how I feel :'( and yet I have to tackle the pesky mould still ...

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

FYI

Mermaid builds a condensator that is attached to the Air Conditioner condensation pan and sucks the water up and puts it into the discharge overflow from the AC unit to outside thu hull and it works.

Sometimes smells can immenate from the hose from the head to the waste tank. White vinegar works to neutralize that.

 

[onecoolair]

FYI

Mermaid builds a condensator that is attached to the Air Conditioner condensation pan and sucks the water up and puts it into the discharge overflow from the AC unit to outside thu hull and it works.

Sometimes smells can immenate from the hose from the head to the waste tank. White vinegar works to neutralize that.

Well your almost right...I wasted 250 bucks once on that fancy condensator thingy...worked for about 10 months and then it died.. Then a friend turned me onto one of these. Please read posting number #5 ...I got mine online from a salt water aquarium store. I would also like to add not get to far off keeping drain pan dry topic..I also discovered the little gaint raw water a/c pump is the way to go....I have one little gaint pump that is about 10 years old....will suck the chrome off a buick and has required no mantenance.

 

[LaColla]

Onecoolair- I purchased the same venturi that you are showing in your link- 3/4 inch- to use on my mermaid ac. I haven't hooked it up yet, because when I tested it on a garden hose it created a lot of back pressure. I'm worried it will over burden the water pump. Does your pump have to work overtime now to support the back pressure. Also, the venturi didn't seem to create much suction.