Hi Peggy (or others): My head smells nearly every time I flush, but mostly after hot days. I've read the archives and have tried the following: 1. I used muriatic acid and made the soup, pulling the sludge from the bottom of the tank. 2. Replaced the breather hose. 3. Stopped flushing w/raw water months ago, and now only use holding tank water. 4. Flush w/vinegar at the end of the weekend, and 5. Use the blue stuff. The smell isn't always there, but when it shows up it nearly knocks you off the boat! Any ideas? Thanks in advance. Matt
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Peggie Hall/Head Mistress
Odor out the tank vent? Or in the head?
If it's out the tank vent, read the article "Holding Tank Odor--Odor Out the Vent" in the HM forum reference library. You're actually working against yourself by using "blue stuff" in your tank. If it's in the head, sounds like stagnant sea water is still trappedin the intake...If you're pouring water from the sink or using a showerhead, nothing is going through the intake (if you plumbed your toilet to the fresh water system, you should NOT have! There's no way to connect manual toilet to the onboard system without risk of polluting your potable water). Try this: Close your head seacock...remove the head intake hose from the thrull and stick it in a bucket of water LIBERALLY laced with white vinegar...pump the whole bucketfull through the toilet. Follow that with some undiluted white vinegar. That should clean out the whole system. What muriatic acid "soup????"
If it's out the tank vent, read the article "Holding Tank Odor--Odor Out the Vent" in the HM forum reference library. You're actually working against yourself by using "blue stuff" in your tank. If it's in the head, sounds like stagnant sea water is still trappedin the intake...If you're pouring water from the sink or using a showerhead, nothing is going through the intake (if you plumbed your toilet to the fresh water system, you should NOT have! There's no way to connect manual toilet to the onboard system without risk of polluting your potable water). Try this: Close your head seacock...remove the head intake hose from the thrull and stick it in a bucket of water LIBERALLY laced with white vinegar...pump the whole bucketfull through the toilet. Follow that with some undiluted white vinegar. That should clean out the whole system. What muriatic acid "soup????"
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matt reed
thanks
Peggie - Thanks for the direction. I read the article b/c the source of the smell is the breather -- only happens outside the boat during flushing. I recently replaced the breather hose and don't expect that it's clogged; also, the 'soup' i made was to loosen the buildup at the base of the tank so that i could suck it out. it worked. also, w/the '34, the breather's fairly long and goes straight up the side of the boat. do you recommend just getting a 1' hose, or should i also add a vent hose to blow air thru?
Peggie - Thanks for the direction. I read the article b/c the source of the smell is the breather -- only happens outside the boat during flushing. I recently replaced the breather hose and don't expect that it's clogged; also, the 'soup' i made was to loosen the buildup at the base of the tank so that i could suck it out. it worked. also, w/the '34, the breather's fairly long and goes straight up the side of the boat. do you recommend just getting a 1' hose, or should i also add a vent hose to blow air thru?
Quit using the blue stuff.
Matt: Try switching to some other head chemicals. We have a H'31 and have had good luck with Odorloss. Most of those blue chems are crap (sort of like the stuff they are suppose to eat). The only time we have much odor is when we pump out. Otherwise no problem.
Matt: Try switching to some other head chemicals. We have a H'31 and have had good luck with Odorloss. Most of those blue chems are crap (sort of like the stuff they are suppose to eat). The only time we have much odor is when we pump out. Otherwise no problem.
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Peggie Hall/Head Mistress
Steve gave you good advice...Odorlos
However, you can't just switch from a chemical to a non-chemical product...the chemicals have to be rinsed out of the tank first. Read my reply to someone else that has the header "A VERY thorough rinse" for directions to do that. Now...About your fresh water flush: how ARE you putting fresh water in the toilet?
However, you can't just switch from a chemical to a non-chemical product...the chemicals have to be rinsed out of the tank first. Read my reply to someone else that has the header "A VERY thorough rinse" for directions to do that. Now...About your fresh water flush: how ARE you putting fresh water in the toilet?
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matt reed
jug
Don't worry Peggie -- I just use a jug of water that's next to the toilet. It does come from my holding tanks tho -- is that a problem? Also, what do you think about another vent -- will odorless do the job quicker and cheaper?
Don't worry Peggie -- I just use a jug of water that's next to the toilet. It does come from my holding tanks tho -- is that a problem? Also, what do you think about another vent -- will odorless do the job quicker and cheaper?
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Peggie Hall/Head Mistress
Try Odorlos before doing any more surgery
on the venting. You've increased the diameter of the existing one vent line...that should be enough to allow Odorlos to work, even if K.O. can't. If not, we'll tackle the idea of another vent.
on the venting. You've increased the diameter of the existing one vent line...that should be enough to allow Odorlos to work, even if K.O. can't. If not, we'll tackle the idea of another vent.
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