Foul Head Odor

[clockwork orange]

Just removed all the hose and re plumbed with 1.5" PVC pipe, no more stink, just temporary though, i will end up with a composter one day.
Steve.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by JoeBink

I need advice, badly. I have a Catalina 42 with a forward and aft head. Each head also has its own black water tank which have been completely emptied. Anytime the aft head is used, the smell of sewer is so bad, everyone on board has to flee topside. In addition, boats docked close by can also smell the sewer smell. As I said, both tanks are emptied, and have blue tank deodorizer in them. I have poured the blue deodorizer directly into the toilet when flushing to see if I can detect leaks in the system, and none are found. What am I missing?

You may need new hoses. The impervious ones are more expensive but I would go for it.

My boat had a very strong urine smell. The dockmaster suggested I flush with fresh water. I use about half a bucket to make sure it gets through the hose, and I also add enzymes. You'd never know my boat wasn't connected to the city sewers. It works really well.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

Bingo. Yes, the vent hose may be an issue, but white vinegar is essential. Of course, an electric head that flushes with fresh water is nice, if you have adequate tankage or a watermaker.

I'm not sure why salt water toilets smell so much worse than fresh water toilets, but they do.

You don't need an electric head. Just keep a bucket of water in the head. Shut off the sea water. Wet the sides with a little water, tend to business, and then pump it by hand using fresh water.

[fgraham]

The local chandlery says over the years the effluent permeates the wall of the hose and smells. Changed out the hoses and voila no smell and no deodorizers.

[Privilege]

Another source of permanent smell is the cheap white sanitation hose. Try this as a test... get an old rag, soak it in hot water, wrap it around the sanitation hose and leave it to cool. Unwrap it, take it outside and smell it. If it smells, then your hoses have become permeable and must be replaced. That white hose is rubbish. Use the expensive grey stuff.

[Curmudgeon]

1. Replace the hoses.
2. Replace the tank vent.
3. The smell the neighboring boats have noticed did not come from the hoses. Even though you think your tanks are clean, they probably aren't. Adding deoderant to your holding tank is perfuming the pig. The tanks need to be flushed with lots and lots of water. Go to the pump out dock, fill the tank with fresh water, and then pump it out. Repeat about 10 times until the water you are pumping out looks completely clear.

[fgraham]

Thats interesting Sextons Chandlery only offered the White for $4.50 a foot.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by fgraham

Thats interesting Sextons Chandlery only offered the White for $4.50 a foot.

In my opinion for the trouble and work of doing the hose job that white $4.50/ft hose is a waste of time! I did my hoses last year year and never plan to have to do it again, which is why I used the good hose that for the 2 heads cost me over $600.

[Paul54]

Had the same problem on a Catalina 36. Holding tank had been very full. After it was pumped out and rinsed there was still an intense odor more noticeable "outside" the boat whenever the head was flushed or pumped.

Solution was to rinse the vent line for the holding tank by squirting a garden hose into the vent hole on the stanchion. Problem went away almost instantly. Took very little water, just a quick rinse. No need to replace hoses or add chemicals.

[SeaWings 38]

Hi Guys, I have just a quick question on preference of tank chemicals. It looks like everyone recommends "Odorlos" however I was wondering what the general preference was Liquid or granules

[Doug Brown]

We have been using Tide liquid laundry detergent as an experiment.

We put a few drops into the toilet bowl and leave about 2 cup fulls of water in the bowl. So far it has kept the bowl clean and everything smells pretty nice.

Might be worth a try - certainly cheap enough.

If you use white vinegar to clean the bowl and it is made out of porcelain, don't leave it in the bowl for long periods of time as it will "eat" (etch) the surface. Vinegar is an acid.

[bensolomon]

I use Odorlos liquid AND granules. I empty the tank, then put 2 minutes of fresh water back in via the deck fill. Then empty again (I get 5 minutes of vacuum when I pump out). Then, I put liquid Odorlos via the deck fill, and I use one packet of granules via the toilet bowl. I fill up the bowl with one gallon of water and flush it down. No stink!

So you can compare apples to apples, I use fresh water from the sink to flush with every time, and I do not allow anything other than urine or poop in the bowl (no paper!). I have a Jabsco pump toilet.

Sent from my XT1254 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[MarkSF]

My boat used to smell terrible when I flushed. The main reason was just that the vented gas was re-entering the boat through open windows. I installed an odor filter in the vent line, and this fixed it.

I also had a spell when the vent fitting was blocked - right where it passed through the hull. Very bad news, you should check for this. Damn near exploded the holding tank. As it is, there is a crack in it, repaired with epoxy and glass. Yikes.

[Garreth]

Hi, i have heard of a product being used in the heads in the charter fleets in the caribbean and it is working very well. Its called the commoderiser.