Foul stench from vent after flush ?????

[Teakfreak]

A foul cloud of odor envelopes my boat from back cockpit to flybridge after every flush.
Not only are my guests considering abandoning ship, the boats around us seem to be pulling anchor.
If I can't solve this problem I'm thinking of buying a case of Depends, and avoiding the head all together.
HELP !!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Steve Dion]

1. Have you back flushed your vent to be sure that it is getting proper air flow?

2. What chemicals are you using?

3. Is this something new or have you been experiencing it for a period of time?

 

[Bill Roosa]

tank is full of something exceptionally nasty, pump it out
vent clearly is working

 

[Teakfreak]

I pump out on a regular basis because the holding tank indicator lights are always lit.
I use some blue liquid treatment after each pumpout. (Forgot the brand but its supposed to break down waste and deodorize.)
I honestly can say solid wast is a rarity. 98% of the waste is liquid.
The vent is obviously clear. That is obvious with each flush.
The problem is new but I can't see what we have done any different than before.
I think I need a super enzyme eating jug of "Something or Other" but I don't know what.
BTW: In an effort to dislodge what I'm guessing is a sludged up sending unit, I've been filling it with water softeners and detergents and running it in heavy seas to free it up. I pump it out and add the blue stuff so it should be reasonably clean. (However the 3 lights still never go out)

 

[LuzSD]

Your symptoms were ours a couple years ago and Peggy advised it was our vent.... and she was right, though it was very difficult to unclog it. Our vent comes from a tiny opening at a stanchion on our port side. I used everything I could think of to chip the clog our of ours... and finally managed to clear it. It was not a matter of a full tank, the wrong enzymes, it was just a matter of a clogged vent.

Along the way though we did settle on Odorlos and CP as our go to products and ever since, we have a very sweet smelling head.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Luz is right.

The blue stuff you're using is part of your problem.

Here are some of Peggie Hall's Greatest Hits

Head Odors 101 http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5755.0.html

Head Odors 101.1 - "T" into sink drain: http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5755.msg38216.html#msg38216

Head Odors 101.2 The Difference between KO & Odorlos (scroll up to Reply #2) http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=890493&highlight=odorlos

Head Hoses 101 http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5738.0.html

Buy the book, too.

 

[Mariner356]

We use CANNDURE to keep our head smell eliminated. It's Canadian and costs about $20 USD/$21. CDN plus tax and or shipping. The active ingredient is 10% Bronopol. It's a clear liquid with no odor. It meets Canadian Environmental standards. I've used it two years on my 2000 Hunter410 on the Great Lakes and North Channel.

 

[Herrick18911]

We use a saniguard charcoal vent filter which eliminates 100% of all odors from the vent. You can find it on eBay at 50% of the cost of the same product, but different manufacturer, at a marine store.

 

[Scotty C-M]

Another thought - perhaps you already do this - is after you pump out, fill the tank with water, then pump it out again.

 

[seadaddler]

Vent Filter

I added a vent filter years a go and works great and no worry what chemical to use and vent last years.
Nick

 

[thinwater]

I added a vent filter years a go and works great and no worry what chemical to use and vent last years.
Nick

Over 2 years, zero odor, even right at the vent during a flush. Just air.
http://sail-delmarva.blogspot.com/2011/04/holding-tank-vent-filter.html