Odors When We Flush

[ESCAPE X]

2006 HUNTER 33, recenttly acquired, month old manual basic Jabsco toilet, all new sewage hoses last summer we were told by the selling broker, by best quality available. everytime we flush no matter if tank is full or freshly emptied, the thru hull vent line exit hole releases an unbearable odor, we use Captain Phab and other recommende products, did a fresh water tank clean up and multiple flushes but still the flushing odor persists, the head is 11 feet away from tank on this boat ( 6-9 feet would be ideal according to manufacturer of toilet and you I believe) so we have to pump many strokes everytime, ( just purchased and read your book) since then, we are trying to flush only enough to empty bowl during day and do complete flush at night as per your suggestion, still with only 2 of us on board we can fill the 25 gal tank in 3 days or so which is our regular outings and we pump out everytime we return to mooring no mattter how little we have used it as we lave the boat one full week at the time
so the question is : IS IT NORMAL TO HAVE THIS TERRIBLE ODOR EVERYTIME WE FLUSH OR IS THERE SOMETHING WE ARE OVERSEEING?

 

[Lee Coller]

That is not normal. Holding tank treatments will not get rid of odor, they are designed to prevent them from happening. Once you get odor, the only way to get rid of it is to completely flush the tank (pump it out, fill it with water, pump it out again, repeat until water is clear).

Then review what you are using. You said you are using "Captain Phab and other recommended products." I'm not familiar with that one, but the various products aren't compatible with each other, so its not a good idea to mix them. If what you are using isn't working, try something else. I recommend Odorlos (and if I remember correctly Peggy does too).

 

[Steve Dion]

Never heard of Captain Phab either. Try Odorlos. You need to treat your tank immediately after pumping out. You may want to add some treatment before you leave the boat for the weekend too.

Be sure that your vent line is back flushed after pumping. You will want to get the max. airflow into the tank.

I suggest you purchase "The Book" regarding toilets by Peggie Hall from this website too.

http://shop.hunterowners.com/books/category-books.htm?cat=1304&nop=T

 

[ESCAPE X]

TKS for the quick replies you guys, I understand that we must not mix the different products and we did not. and so far we have done twice a separate fresh water fill and left for one week to slush around ( boat at a mooring) with the product( also trying to clean up the tank level indicator which works only past half full it seems). end result this odor when flushing seems worst sice we did those 2 flushes with the Captain Phabb
our previous boat did not have any odor when we flushed (1986 mirage 25)

 

[Scott B]

I use Ordorlos in ours with fairly good results. Smell you are getting is from the vent since you're pushing air out of the tank. Not sure I'd just flush to empty the bowl as it will leave fluids in the hoses and eventually permeate the hose and cause even more smell. We typically pump 6-8 times after the bowl is empty to get everything to the tank.

Maybe the tank has sediment on the bottom and needs a good rinse and flushing.

If you're only getting 3 days for two of you, you're using too much water to flush the toilet. Are you using water to flush everytime or just for solids, don't need it for liquids. We can get 5 days for two of us and have even gone 6-7 days, but by then it was full and backflowing.

 

[Scott B]

TKS for the quick replies you guys, I understand that we must not mix the different products and we did not. and so far we have done twice a separate fresh water fill and left for one week to slush around ( boat at a mooring) with the product( also trying to clean up the tank level indicator which works only past half full it seems). end result this odor when flushing seems worst sice we did those 2 flushes with the Captain Phabb
our previous boat did not have any odor when we flushed (1986 mirage 25)

Other problem is the vent is right at the back of the cockpit, so will vent into the cockpit area.

My tank indicator has not worked in 4 years. Previous owner left the tank partially filled so probably stuck the indicator level with gunk and has not cleared. Only way to fix that now is to remove and clean...

 

[ESCAPE X]

forgot to mention to Steve that we do have the BOOK and i have read it very religiously

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Hoo boy...

We CAN solve your problem..but other people took this discussion so far down the road that I don't have a place to jump into it to advise you where to start any more . So I'm gonna ask you to email me (click on my name above my photo at the left of this post to do that) so I can give you a phone number and a time that we can talk.

 

[Scott B]

We CAN solve your problem..but other people took this discussion so far down the road that I don't have a place to jump into it to advise you where to start any more . So I'm gonna ask you to email me (click on my name above my photo at the left of this post to do that) so I can give you a phone number and a time that we can talk.

OK,well at least let us know what you find, I'm curiious.

 

[Stu Jackson]

What you ought to add is that Peggie suggested that filters are among the worst things you can add to a vent line.

 

[bobtigar]

Thats what she says...But it solved the problem without and detremental affects. Bob

 

[Steve Dion]

Thats what she says...But it solved the problem without and detremental affects. Bob

Bob: What happens when you over fill your tank if there is a filter in place? No one has answered that question for me yet. I will speculate that their will be a major eruption when the deck fitting is removed.

 

[ESCAPE X]

Tks Peggy, I have sent you a private e-mail as you suggested with my travelling e-mail address, waiting to hear from you

and by the way Scott B, rest assure that I will be happy to share my newfound knowledge talking to the HeadMistress

 

[bobtigar]

I have never overfilled the holding tank. However, activated carbon is porus (sp). You have not packed it in the filter, just poured it in for a loose fill. Their is nothing to keep the excess waste from flowing out the vent. Bob

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Bob, it's YOUR boat...you're welcome do anything to it that isn't illegal or dangerous to others.

But I cannot recommend holding tank vent line filters...For several reasons:

1. They actually help to create the problem they're sold to solve by impeding the free exchange of air needed to maintain the aerobic condition in the tank needed to prevent odors;

2. They are expensive...even your "bargain" version. Lifespan is only a year at most...toast immediately if they get wet.

3. Because sailboats heel, vent line filters on most boats WILL get wet due to waste in the tank spilling out the vent. If filters only ceased to trap odors when they get wet, it would only be an expensive solution that shouldn't be necessary if the system is correctly vented...but the charcoal swells up and completely blocks the vent, which causes REAL problems.

And btw...the first time you jumped in to sell your "leftover" filters, I didn't have a problem with it. But when you start trolling other threads to jumping in to sell 'em, it starts to look suspiciously like spam. I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt, but our moderators may not...and you wouldn't want to be banished from here to forever roam the seas all alone, would you? :naughty:

 

[ESCAPE X]

Odors From Ventline When We Flush

As promised Scott B here is a quick resume of my phone conversation with the HeadMistress about our problem
IMMEDIATE ACTION SUGGESTED TO STOP ODORS FROM VENT LINE WHEN WE FLUSH:
1- use Odorlos in waste tank every 5 days for now to start and maintain the process of oxygenation and pump out everyweek, full or not
2- new, shorter vent line, even if it means climb angle of more than 45 degres ( mine is longer and sweeps around in a wide arc to avoid steep climb I assume) to be replaced asap by larger, ideally 1 1/2" diam. with new larger thru-hull and and tank fitting as far from edge of tank as possible, in the center would be best spot I think, where it would be the least to spill out in vent line when heeling on either side)

BEST PRODUCT TO REMOVE PERSISTING ODORS IN BOAT
assuming the bilge is clean and there is no residue from previous spill during main sewage hose replacement (miss Peggie mentions that the black hose with green stripe that was used is the best that can be had) during this conversation I mentionned the older original sewage hose from tank still in place to the macerator and thru-hull for pump out at sea that could have hardened waste in it an be responsible for some of the lingering smell inside boat, (even though all cushions and matresses were cleaned professionnally this spring, by selling broker) she suggested that we remove and discard this older line completely as we are on Lake Champlain where we cannot use it anyway and plug the tank with a 1.5" plug with plenty of teflon tape available from most hardware store.
The product which she recommends is PURE AYRE available from Petco, Rite Aid, to use in all compartments and recesses and anywhere else that we might suspect as a source for odors, it is a food base product unharmfull to pets, humans and kids. she says expensive but definitely worth it it is not a mask like Feebreeze, it destroys and remove the odors accordind to the manufacturer.
FINALLY A SHORT STORY TO ILLUSTRATE HOW BAD VENT LINE ODORS CAN BE
Miss Peggie says, picture 2 man standing with water up to their chest enjoying a glass of wiine near shore directly behind a shoal draft boat
when one of the ladies who just used the toilet walks into the cockpit after flushing and pumping and looking in the direction of their 2 mates, only sees 2 glasses of wine being held at arm's lenght over the surface of the water while their owner not being able to stand the smell had chosen as a solution to immerse their heads under water while holding their glasses of wine above water and no doubt their free hands pinching their noses. it would make a good commercial.
tks Peggie for this little wink, which reflects very well, what we are talking about in this post.