Peggie, Thanks for your help over the past YEAR as we tried to solve the odor problems on our Hunter 40.5. In the response you pasted to us: "Holding tank is rarely if ever the source of odor inside the boat.....So you're chasing your tail by trying to get rid of odor inside the boat by taking extra precautions to eliminate odor inside the tank. " you asserted that holding tanks are RARELY IF EVER the source. Unfortunately, while following your advice to clean out all bilges, replace any leaky hoses with good hose, and replace the vent hose, our leaky tank became a LEAKY tank. When we found ourselves with a pool of sewage beneath the floorboard, we tried to get a pumpout so that we could remove the tank. They could not pump us out (maybe could not create the vacuum needed?)- and we had to rig our own system, by diverting a hose from the macerator to a bucket, and pumping out on deck, one bucket at a time. Please advise other boat owners that aluminum tanks ARE often the cause of the odor- 6 other people have orders in for our exact tank right now with Triple M plastics- and that the sooner they replace them, the better. Thanks again for your efforts.
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You only quoted part of what I've said 100 times..
You left out "UNLESS THE TANK IS LEAKING"... And how many times have I said that aluminum tanks typically start to leak at seam or fitting within 2-5 years and turn into a collander within about 10 years?
You left out "UNLESS THE TANK IS LEAKING"... And how many times have I said that aluminum tanks typically start to leak at seam or fitting within 2-5 years and turn into a collander within about 10 years?
please elaborate Matt
I understand it was a leaking tank, however, I don't understand why you couldn't pump out what the tank managed to contain. Was it just a leaking tank (which wouldn't explain why you couldn't pump it) of was it a leaking or defective pickup tube within the tank?
I understand it was a leaking tank, however, I don't understand why you couldn't pump out what the tank managed to contain. Was it just a leaking tank (which wouldn't explain why you couldn't pump it) of was it a leaking or defective pickup tube within the tank?
ANYONE...
with an aluminum holding tank that they even think is NOT leaking needs to take it out and replace it before it does. This is definitely a "when, not if" question. Peggie is right, 9-10 years seems about the max., even if they are flushed regularly and used very seldom. Get 'em out!
with an aluminum holding tank that they even think is NOT leaking needs to take it out and replace it before it does. This is definitely a "when, not if" question. Peggie is right, 9-10 years seems about the max., even if they are flushed regularly and used very seldom. Get 'em out!
aluminum tank
We replaced the aluminum holding tank in our 37.5 last year with a plastic Ronco. When we replaced it, it had a few very tiny pin holes in the bottom, but that was enough to create a very obnoxious odor when the boat was closed up. After we opened ports and hatches, the smell dissipated enough that we were confused about just where the odor was coming from. After some detective work, we did find the tiny leaks. Alice C.
We replaced the aluminum holding tank in our 37.5 last year with a plastic Ronco. When we replaced it, it had a few very tiny pin holes in the bottom, but that was enough to create a very obnoxious odor when the boat was closed up. After we opened ports and hatches, the smell dissipated enough that we were confused about just where the odor was coming from. After some detective work, we did find the tiny leaks. Alice C.
Honeyman
"What's not to understand" as you so eloquently put it is just as I stated. Regardless of whether the tank is leaking, pumping whatever remains through the pickup tube should still work. If it's not, then I presume the tube is also corroded which is what happened to mine and that is why I asked the question. Is that a problem for you?
"What's not to understand" as you so eloquently put it is just as I stated. Regardless of whether the tank is leaking, pumping whatever remains through the pickup tube should still work. If it's not, then I presume the tube is also corroded which is what happened to mine and that is why I asked the question. Is that a problem for you?
pumpout issues
The tank did still contain enough to fill the garbage can 4 times- so it was not leaking all of its contents. We had replaced the pumpout hose, and it did not make any difference- and pumping out from the tank through our macerator and into a garbage can worked, so hopefully it doesn't make sense that it was the pick up tube either.... maybe a bad connection at the deck fitting? I hope this is not a problem with our new tank... but cannot figure out why we were not able to pumpout.
The tank did still contain enough to fill the garbage can 4 times- so it was not leaking all of its contents. We had replaced the pumpout hose, and it did not make any difference- and pumping out from the tank through our macerator and into a garbage can worked, so hopefully it doesn't make sense that it was the pick up tube either.... maybe a bad connection at the deck fitting? I hope this is not a problem with our new tank... but cannot figure out why we were not able to pumpout.
FWIW, I have had issues with pumpouts....
due to a proceedure or equipment problem with the pumper. We hoist a flag for a pumpout and the harbormaster's pumpout boat comes around during the week while we are not there. One time I was left a note saying that "nothing came out". A follow-up call found that they later discovered a problem with their pump. And other times, I have gotten the same message or "not much came out" or "tank was empty". Now it really wasn't empty and when I went to a pumpout station and did the work myself it pumped out just fine. So what can I conclude? It is just a job and the pumpout personel don't really know how big your tank is or how much is in it. So if they don't get very much coming out, they assume that there wasn't much to begin with. I don't know how to improve on this situation except to leave a waterproof note that states how much contents to expect. The bottom line Matt, is possibly the operator didn't have the nozzle connected properly, or if he used a vacuum system instead of a pump maybe the vacuum wasn't charged sufficently. Who knows......
due to a proceedure or equipment problem with the pumper. We hoist a flag for a pumpout and the harbormaster's pumpout boat comes around during the week while we are not there. One time I was left a note saying that "nothing came out". A follow-up call found that they later discovered a problem with their pump. And other times, I have gotten the same message or "not much came out" or "tank was empty". Now it really wasn't empty and when I went to a pumpout station and did the work myself it pumped out just fine. So what can I conclude? It is just a job and the pumpout personel don't really know how big your tank is or how much is in it. So if they don't get very much coming out, they assume that there wasn't much to begin with. I don't know how to improve on this situation except to leave a waterproof note that states how much contents to expect. The bottom line Matt, is possibly the operator didn't have the nozzle connected properly, or if he used a vacuum system instead of a pump maybe the vacuum wasn't charged sufficently. Who knows......
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