Peee-U holding tank--Help!!!

[Diane Leighton]

Dear Peggy, You are my only hope left to help with my stinky holding tank. We have a brand new C-400 with a stinky foreward holding tank. The head itself is not the problem, the problem is the area where the holding tank is (under foreward setee). We have checked all hoses--not one is leaking, they are all double clamped and are the good white odor resistant hose--they all passed the warm towel test! The vent hose is clear and working. We empty the tank when we leave the boat for more than a couple days and flush with fresh water and are using odorloss in the tank (were using KO but I've read your articles about poorly vented tanks in Catalinas) I've literally taken apart the setee (my husband cringes when he sees me with a screwdriver on the boat!) to get a good look at the holding tank and can see no obvious cracks. I absolutely cannot live with this stinky smell!! I know it is not the bilge because we have cleaned them as directed in your articles. The smell is only in the area of the holding tank but I can smell it sometimes just sitting on the settee. What are the chances we have a hairline crack in the brand new tank?? There are no vents on the tank--I checked. Could the macerator be causing the smell?--it sits right beside the tank and I can't tell because it all smells bad in there. Help me Peggy--I want to love this boat WITHOUT the smell!! By the way, the aft head is just fine--a very slight odor in the holding tank area that I would expect but you can't smell it at all with the area closed. Thanks and hope this wasn't too long!Diane Leighton s/v Magic

 

[Peggie Hall/Head Mistress]

Something has to be leaking

It could be the macerator...it could be a hose fitting in the tank. Check the tank first:Pump and rinse VERY thoroughly, then fill with clean fresh water and some food coloring--enough to be obvious--doesn't matter what color, but red is hard to miss. Plug the tank vent, and flush the toilet till the tank is pressurized enough to bulge just slightly...don't OVERdo it! Wait at least overnight. If the tank is leaking, you'll see red at the leak. But first...two questions: Describe the odor--is it soft or sharp? A definite toilet/sewer odor? a combination sewer/swampy odor? A strange combination sewer/sour/sweet/pungent odor that's hard to describe, just nasty? Have you EVER overfilled the tank? Has ANYthing happened that could have caused a spill, even a little one? If it's any consolation, I know how you feel. I've been there...solving it on my own boat is what led to accidentally starting a business!We WILL solve it...it just may take some detective work.

 

[Diane Leighton]

feedback for Peggy

Peggy,Thanks for your reply--we were out sailing over the week-end and I haven't had time to try filling the holding tank with food colored water but that is next on my list. In response to your questions:1) the odor is the strange combination you described--a chemical type sour, pungent odor thats hard to describe except just nasty. It is definitely not pure toilet/sewer odor and the way I know is that...2) When we got the boat we smelled that sewage odor when we flushed and realized after some detective work that the vent hose was never attached to the fitting out the boat--so it was venting inside the boat but the hose was run high enough I am almost sure no spillage ever occurred. Just to be sure, the dealer replaced that vent hose and attached it properly. I cannot say 100% we never overfilled the tank but I would think I would see some evidence of it(if it came out the vent while unattached).3) I seriously don't think it is the hoses that are permeated because they all passed the warm towel test. Thanks for your help Peggy, I will let you know how the tank filling goes. BTW, you said I should plug the tank vent BEFORE I start filling w/ red food colored water? I guess I won't be filling the entire tank then right? Also, in hopes of not OVERfilling it, when do I know the pressure is right--will I actually see the tank bulge?? Thanks again, and until we figure this one out, Stick-Ups have become a required item on our boat!!