Metal holding tank smell

[bcollis]

There has been lots of conversation on this topic, and I plan on following some of the direction, specifically with moving to a poly tank in the future. In the meantime though, I'm curious to see I anyone else has thoughts on my situation.

I just purchased an 88 hunter 30, and it has a stainless steel holding tank in the compartment by the bathroom sink. It smells badly of stainless steel. I can taste stainless steel for hours after I leave. Its like having a bit of aluminum foil stuck in your teeth. Neither the surveyor or I saw any leaks, but there are small rust spots on top of the tank. The previous owner said the tank was empty, but I doubt that, because I ran the macerator once with the raw water valve closed and ended up seeing waste flow up into the bowl. The boat has sat for several months.

I'm hoping to try pumping out for the first time tomorrow. Can I then flush the tank from the waste port on deck, or should I run a hose into the bathroom and run the macerator? Is it ok to run it continuously for any amount of time?

Is the metal taste/smell indicative of the black water eating a hole in the tank? Should I be concerned about health issues with the smell?

Thanks!

Brian

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

What you're tasting/smelling isn't "stainless steel"...

It could be permeated hoses, it could be any of several things including sewage from a pinhole leak in the tank.

The previous owner said the tank was empty, but I doubt that, because I ran the macerator once with the raw water valve closed and ended up seeing waste flow up into the bowl.

WHICH "raw water" valve--toilet intake thru-hull? Macerator overboard discharge thru-hull? Y'valve? Whichever it was, it was most likely stagnant water that wasn't flushed out of the system before the boat sat...'cuz there's no way the macerator could have pushed tank contents back to the bowl...it's not even in the same hose as the hose from the toilet to the tank!

I'm hoping to try pumping out for the first time tomorrow.
Make sure the tank vent is clear first..the boat has been sitting and dirt daubers just love to build nests in waste tank vents.

Can I then flush the tank from the waste port on deck?

Yes...you'll find directions for doing that among the discussions in this forum

or should I run a hose into the bathroom and run the macerator?

Noooo! For one thing you can't flush the toilet fast enough to keep up with a running hose...for another, water needs to go into the tank via the deck pumpout fitting.

Is it ok to run it continuously for any amount of time?

I wouldn't...'cuz if you let it run for more than few seconds without anything going through, you'll destroy the impeller.

You're gonna have to go through some methodical time consuming steps to recommission the system...don't try to short circuit the job...that'll just about guarantee problems.

 

[bcollis]

WHICH "raw water" valve--toilet intake thru-hull? Macerator overboard discharge thru-hull? Y'valve? Whichever it was, it was most likely stagnant water that wasn't flushed out of the system before the boat sat...'cuz there's no way the macerator could have pushed tank contents back to the bowl...it's not even in the same hose as the hose from the toilet to the tank!

The thru hull ball valve that supplies raw water to the toilet. With it closed, no water came in, and after I stopped pushing the button, some pretty nasty floaties came up from the toilet. Suffice to say, I figured out pretty quick not to flush without that valve open.

I'm hoping to try pumping out for the first time tomorrow.
Make sure the tank vent is clear first..the boat has been sitting and dirt daubers just love to build nests in waste tank vents.

I'll have to first figure out where that vent is, but will do.


You're gonna have to go through some methodical time consuming steps to recommission the system...don't try to short circuit the job...that'll just about guarantee problems.

Thank you for the advice. I'm really looking forward to not having that smell permeate everything. I have some foul weather gear that I brought home from the boat... a week later, I can still smell it on the jacket. Thanks again!