New to Portapotty and question.

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K

KennyH

I have always had larger boats with marine heads. My Hunter 25 has a portipotty which has been fine until now. I visited my boat and found green water in the bilge which is normally dry. I checked the clean out for the potty and it was tight with no apparent leak. I am guessing the leak is between the top area and bottom storage. There was green water under the unit. May have left green water in bowl but I dought it. Maybe the green water seeped into the bowl. Maybe the bulb has a leak in it. Is there a gasket that goes bad? Could not seem to make it leak again so a passing boat may have rocked it causing the leak. Any ideas? Thanks.
 
Dec 2, 1997
9,011
- - LIttle Rock
If the portapotty is leaking anywhere...

there will be a green stain around the leak and on the floor in the head. No green stain, no leak... look for another source of the green water in your bilge. Start by smelling it.
 
Jun 12, 2004
1,181
Allied Mistress 39 Ketch Kemah,Tx.
and dont forget..........

And dont forget the taste test. It seems that everything in this world either tastes like chicken or tastes like sh**t. Sorry, couldnt help myself, LOL Tony B
 
J

Jack Hart

I can't risist either Tony b!

Hi Tony, you reminded me...I was at the bottom of the Grand Canyon last month looking at a Blue Heron in Bright Angel Creek. (Who would think you would see a Blue Heron at the bottom of the Canyon?) A Park Ranger came up and very uncharactoristically for a ranger said, "Did you bring your shotgun?" I didn't miss a beat...I said..."No, taste just like Manatee!" Jack Hart SEA-YA!
 
M

Mike

If its like mine

I have one of those two piece units, and it is impossible for "green water" to get into the bowl. The chemical treatment is poured directly into the bottom holding tank portion of the unit and never gets pumped anywhere. The only water that flushes through the bowl (and then into the holding tank portion) is freshwater that is stored in the top of the unit separate from the bottom tank. If your set up is similar, then the source of the green bilgewater cannot be water left in the bowl that somehow sloshed out. If the holding tank pump out fitting is tight and clean, you may have a crack in the bottom tank itself (yuck), or some bottom tank water may have sloshed out through a faulty fitting where the upper and lower portions of the unit connect. The gasket could be shot, or you could have just fit them together improperly. Take the upper unit off and inspect the gasket (on my Sea Land, the gasket is on the bottom tank). If it is shot, it should be apparent. If it looks ok, try carefully resetting the upper unit on the tank. Slosh the entire thing around and see if there are any leaks. Oh yeah, you might want to empty and clean the thing first.
 
Dec 2, 1997
9,011
- - LIttle Rock
Even if the bottom of the tank is cracked...

There's just no way for anything in the portapotty tank to go directly from the tank into the bilge...it would have to leak onto the head sole and then run to somewhere that provides access into the bilge...and that would have to leave a green trail. No green stain trail anywhere in the head, the portapotty cannot be source of the green bilge water. There is one logical possibility: the east coast has just had some torrential rainstorms...and no boat is 100% leak proof. That could account for the water in the bilge. If he stored a bottle of the green stuff in the bilge and it all leaked out, that would explain why the water is green. If that scenario doesn't fly, the first thing he needs to do is identify whatever has turned the water green. When he knows that, he'll have a better of idea fo where it came from.
 
K

KennyH

Yes there is a green stain underneath

I guess the responses bring up a few things I know and a few things I don't know. Yes there is a green stain underneath leading to the bilge cover so this is what leaked. My unit has green chemical mixed with water in the top unit which is used to flush the tolet which then goes into the bottom of the unit. This is not fresh water but a chemical solution mixed by the previsous owner. There is a seal between the lower unit and upper unit which allows the two to be seperated so the bottom can be dumped. This is the most likely place for the thing to leak in my opinion. Just thought there may be a seal or gasket you replace ever so often which can leak. I will disassemble this week to check it all out.
 
May 31, 2004
858
Catalina 28 Branford
A no-no with my unit

Putting the treatment chemical in the upper unit of my portipottie is a no-no according to the manufacturer. Fresh water only in the upper unit. If it turns out that you have a bad gasket, that might be a factor.
 
Jun 18, 2005
16
Oday DaySailer atlanta,ga
Mystery Stain

Put only fresh water in the upper part.Try some blue chemical in the lower("Honest John,etc")and see if blue stains appear.We had some green stains around the portipottie but traced them to corroded wiring in the steaming light connector......the copper based stains were dripping down around the pottie during rain storms.
 
K

KennyH

Sounds like the chemical in the top unit is wrong

Sounds like the chemical in the top unit is wrong. This may be the cause of the problem. I will report back after more research on the unit. I moved it to the main cabin and have a small green stain but that may be from the chemical not being cleaned up after moving it.
 
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