Head Mistress Godess, can you help

[Arnie Hoffman]

Peggie:I need your expert opinion as I've checked everything I can think of. My boat has a traditional marine head with holding tank under the V-berth. The tank vents through a plastic tube connected to a breather vent inside the hanging storage locker. As of late, when I pump the toilet, I get a vile, sulpher smelling, swamp gas, terrible odor that drifts back to the cockpit. I've tried:1. Pumping and cleaning the holding tank.2. Adding fresh deodorizor to the tank.3. Checked that the vent outlet is not plugged.Any suggestions.

 

[Peggie Hall/HeadMistress]

Need more detail about the tank vent

What do you mean by a tube connected to a "breather vent inside a hanging locker?" The tank vent line should go straight from the tank to a thru-hull in the hull.

 

[mark]

head smell

your smell is coming from the intake not the holding tank.close intake thruhull,remove hose at valve,flush intake hose by pumping white vinager into toilet.let it sit in hose.after reassembly flush toilet more often so biological material doesnt grow in intake hose.

 

[Peggie Hall/HeadMistress]

I don't think intake odor is his problem, Mark

If it were, the odor would be in the head, not wafting back to the cockpit. But I need more information from him before I can be sure what the problem is.

 

[Arnie Hoffman]

Answer to Peggie

What I meant by the tube with a breather is that there is a clear plastic hose running from the top of the holding tank to a thru the hull just below the rub rail. It appears to be open, not blocked.

 

[Peggie Hall/HeadMistress]

What product are you using in the tank?

How long is the vent line? Straight, or bends/loops in it? Have you ever flushed out the tank after pumping out?

 

[Arnie Hoffman]

More answers for Peggie

The vent line is probably somewhere around 7' long, original O'Day equipment. There are gradual curves to it as it makes its way from under the V berth to the hanging locker seawall on the Port side of the boat.