We closed all the thru hulls when we left the boat 2 1/2 weeks ago. When we returned and used the head for the first time, whew, what a sulphur smell! After trouble shooting using your book (p. 27 in fact) we know we had critters die in there so we assumed the smell was from anaerobic decay. The smell disapated when we used the head. Now here's the question... is there anyway to "drain" the hose from the thru hull to the head? We follow all procedures you describe in your book and everything is great except on this last visit. We are concerned the sulphur smell will permeate the hose. The previous times we left were for only 2 or 3 days, and did not close the thru hull, then back to sailing we went - no problems. We are considering the following options: 1. Leave the thru hull open making sure the head valve is in the dry bowl position 2. Installing a t-valve with a fixture to permit drawing fresh water into the hose with the thru valve closed (head sink and head intake are seperate) Please advise. Thanks. Sandi
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Sandi, Install #2
I did it to mine according to Peggie and we always have no smell after returning to the boat. Jim S/V Java
I did it to mine according to Peggie and we always have no smell after returning to the boat. Jim S/V Java
How accessible is your head sink drain line?
Your option #1 is not only a good way to sink your boat if the wet/dry valve fails, but it won't work...'cuz sea water can still stagnate and stink in the intake line between the thru-hull and the waterline (which, if your toilet is at or below the waterline, would be all the way to the pump). If your option #2 is a plan to tee your head intake into a fresh water line, it's a very bad idea...'cuz that's an excellent way to contaminate your fresh water supply with e-coli AND sea water. Unless the head sink drain line and head intake line are so far apart as to make it totally impractical, tee the sink drain line into the head intake line so you can flush all the sea water out using a sinkful of water as described in my book. If that won't work, use a y-valve to tee short piece of hose into the head intake line that you can stick into a gallon milk jug of clean fresh water.
Your option #1 is not only a good way to sink your boat if the wet/dry valve fails, but it won't work...'cuz sea water can still stagnate and stink in the intake line between the thru-hull and the waterline (which, if your toilet is at or below the waterline, would be all the way to the pump). If your option #2 is a plan to tee your head intake into a fresh water line, it's a very bad idea...'cuz that's an excellent way to contaminate your fresh water supply with e-coli AND sea water. Unless the head sink drain line and head intake line are so far apart as to make it totally impractical, tee the sink drain line into the head intake line so you can flush all the sea water out using a sinkful of water as described in my book. If that won't work, use a y-valve to tee short piece of hose into the head intake line that you can stick into a gallon milk jug of clean fresh water.
The easy solution
We never open the head intake thruhull anymore. We just keep a plastic soda bottle in the head and fill it from the sink tap and avoid the problem.
We never open the head intake thruhull anymore. We just keep a plastic soda bottle in the head and fill it from the sink tap and avoid the problem.
Your "easy solution" is ok IF...
you have a manual toilet. However, if you have a macerating electric toilet, running the intake impeller dry destroys the impeller...and the impeller housing. That means you won't be able to use sea water to flush if you need to for any reason...in fact, just opening the seacock for longer than it takes just to "exercise" it ( which needs to be done every few weeks to keep it from freezing up) more than a couple of minutes will flood and overflow your toilet...'cuz there's no longer anything left of the impeller to block the flow of water. So if you you have an electric toilet that uses sea water and you want to use fresh water, replace it with one designed to use pressurized water...sell the raw water toilet on eBay.
you have a manual toilet. However, if you have a macerating electric toilet, running the intake impeller dry destroys the impeller...and the impeller housing. That means you won't be able to use sea water to flush if you need to for any reason...in fact, just opening the seacock for longer than it takes just to "exercise" it ( which needs to be done every few weeks to keep it from freezing up) more than a couple of minutes will flood and overflow your toilet...'cuz there's no longer anything left of the impeller to block the flow of water. So if you you have an electric toilet that uses sea water and you want to use fresh water, replace it with one designed to use pressurized water...sell the raw water toilet on eBay.
Easier option
1. Shut off the raw water intake. 2. Clean it with vineger and baking soda. 3. Keep a gallon of fresh water for flushing. 4. Refill jug from onboard water, keeps it fresh.
1. Shut off the raw water intake. 2. Clean it with vineger and baking soda. 3. Keep a gallon of fresh water for flushing. 4. Refill jug from onboard water, keeps it fresh.
What I do.
When I leave the boat, I usually close the raw water intake. Then I run tap water into the bowl and fill it nearly all the way. I then dry flush the fresh water so that the hoses are flushed or filled. This helps eliminate the odors when I'm away.
When I leave the boat, I usually close the raw water intake. Then I run tap water into the bowl and fill it nearly all the way. I then dry flush the fresh water so that the hoses are flushed or filled. This helps eliminate the odors when I'm away.
Sea Era Head
We had the same problem, the smell was horrible. So when it was time to rebuild/replace the hrad, we replaced it with a Sea Era head which uses preasurized water from our freash water tank. No smell, easy to use (especially for guests). Russell
We had the same problem, the smell was horrible. So when it was time to rebuild/replace the hrad, we replaced it with a Sea Era head which uses preasurized water from our freash water tank. No smell, easy to use (especially for guests). Russell
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