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Odor from my toilet / holding tank

Discussion in 'Technical Discussion' started by bernmee, Sep 26, 2009.

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  1. Bamboo

    Bamboo Senior Member

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    Dec 19, 2008
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    Palm Beach, FL
    I read thru the posts but failed to see anyone suggest replacing the holding tank vent filter. Perhaps someone did and I missed it.
  2. D.Bond

    D.Bond New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2008
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    9
    Location:
    Wickford, RI
    Head piping

    Hi,
    I've had great luck lately with standard PVC from the big box home stores.
    It will never become permeable and barbed connectors are available for the transitions to the sections that require hose. I use the 3 ply Trident hose as mentioned earlier because it lasts the longest. At $9/foot for hose vs $6/10ft section the economics are clear, even if you need to buy a bunch of fittings.
    Because the pipe is smooth inside, heads with longer runs and manual heads will pump more easily. Hinkley uses pvc in it's new builds, which I guess would be an endorsement. My most recent refit was a classic Grand Banks with a nearly 20ft run to the tank from the forward head which was holding sewage because of the hose angle. Needless to say, the boat smelled much better after replacing this long 20 year old hose with hard pvc.
  3. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Post #2:
  4. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Miami, FL
    since the smell is inside the boat, it's very unlikely to be the vent filter unless the smell comes in thru a hatch or porthole.
  5. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Actually not true. When the holding tank filter becomes clogged (usually by overfilling the holding tank one time), the tank cannot breathe as the vent is clogged and the tank will usually vent at a fitting on top of the tank, and usually it's the holding tank sender.............
  6. 54 Conqueror

    54 Conqueror New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 30, 2009
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    Location:
    Seattle area
    We have an old Chris Craft as well.

    Our smells came from not using the head enough. The raw water intake leaves standing lake/sea water in the bowl. Sometimes it sis there for a week. Are you getting staining in the bowl even when not in use? That's source 1.

    The second as mentioned is old waste sitting in your old style lines that allow odor to actually come through the line. It usually isn't the holding tank unless you have issues with that tank or lines.

    IMO An old manual raw water head and old lines will always smell once the lines age.

    We are in the process of switching to a freshwater vacuflush with all new lines. Less water used, fresh water used, saves holding tank capacity, costs a bunch :)
  7. dennismc

    dennismc Senior Member

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    Vancouver BC
    Have you pumped out the holding tank ?? , do that and then flush it well with clean water. On my saltwater heads I always pour a cupf fresh water down into the bowl after the salt water flush is done, reduces odor also.

    If you have a shower stall there close by, check the sump that holds the pump also, it may be full of stagnant water, clean it out as well.

    Good luck, those odors are miserable things. Make sure your house plumber does not use high pressure pumping to clear out lines, can blow apart hoses and no chemicals except raritan Ko and CP
  8. 88oc55

    88oc55 New Member

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    Nov 19, 2009
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    Location:
    Indian River
    Bad odor

    Found same problem in RV forum. A suggestion made was to put a water softner in the head followed by powdered dishwashing detergent. The logic is that the water softner makes the pipe and tank walls slicker and the chemical composition of the powdered detergent disolves the nutrients thus making the tankwalls also slick and the solids more fluid. So with a good pump out and fresh water flush a buildup should decrease. This also was good for valves and gaskets. An RV'r does this in a similar system and it works
  9. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    I'd be hesitant to use powdered detergent for fear it could clump and block the line or the filter. Keep it clean, pump out often, use HT deodorant and leave some in the bowl. Salt water heads smell though. Nature of the beast. Once the smells permeate through the lines replace them.
  10. Hattsoff

    Hattsoff Member

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    I know there are many different opinions on how to handle holding tank odors and I know the op is asking about a Chriscraft but for what it's worth Viking does recommend as part of their maintainence suggestions to flush a half cup of powdered laundry detergent down each head monthly. I would think you can apply this to other makes as well

    I haven't read Peggie Hall's book but as mentioned here by others I have heard it's an excllent resource to understanding and eliminating boat odors.
  11. yachts4fun

    yachts4fun New Member

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    Jan 26, 2010
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    Location:
    Jacksonville Fl.
    stop toilet odor

    I am very familar with this problem. First never try to kill bacteria in a holding tank, Instead feed it,yes make sure it gets fresh air and no toilet chemicals in tank. If you added some chemicals previously to your holding tank,flush it out .
    We used www.happycampersworld.com by flushing down the toilet. It lives off the bacteria and in about two weeks there will be no smell from your holding tank. Just add a few tablespoons of it every month.If your toilet flushes with salt water,change it to fresh. It doesn't take much to flush a toilet.
  12. Puddle Pirate

    Puddle Pirate Member

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    Location:
    Temporarily stuck in the great white north, Willis
    Stop toilet order!

    Stop Pooping!!

    But then moral begins to decline quite rapidly. lol !
  13. Marmot

    Marmot Senior Member

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    If it helps any, I will send you a long string of railroad tank cars. Please fill them with oil and call me when they are ready to pick up. :D
  14. YachtTech

    YachtTech New Member

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    Location:
    Vancouver
    Head stench

    With a vessel of that vintage with the original plumbing, it would be strongly recommended that you change all sani-lines. Look at the old lines, if they are sticky to the touch and/or discolored in any way they need to be changed out and will be a strong contributor to the smell. "Sea Land odor safe"hose is the best "hose" on the market. Most sani-systems use a 1.5 inch diameter hose for the transfer lines. Happy hunting!
  15. Fireman431

    Fireman431 Senior Member

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    Location:
    East central Florida
    A couple of thoughts that haven't been mentioned yet:

    1) I had the same bad smell on a 2001 Carver with a Vac-u-flush head. Exchanged the ball valve and gasket in the toilet. Voila! odor gone.

    2) A 1/4 cup of the blue camper Rv deodorizer on an empty tank does wonders.

    3) A teaspoon of baker's yeast (when using the head frequently) works like Rid-X does on a septic system. Helps break down the solids :)eek: ) into more of a loose sludge...eeewwww. And it won't harm the tank or fittings.
  16. Ormond Bert54

    Ormond Bert54 Senior Member

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    Ormond Beach, FL
    I think the Vac-U-Flush is a fresh water toilet. Highly recommended by the folks that have looked into the odor problem on my Bertram 54.
  17. Fireman431

    Fireman431 Senior Member

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    Correct. My Vac-u-flush is a fresh water head, but that doesn't mean that the contents are any less than "olfactory unpleasant".

    All I was saying is that the odor may be coming from the tank back through the toilet itself. The RP may be casing a leak that isn't there. If there isn't anu odor in the bilge, it isn't leaking down there (methane is lighter than air, therefore, it rises). If it only has an odor in the head itself (not in the gangway or outside), the leak is coming from somewhere in that area.

    Other than the ball valve/gasket, there is something else to try. Is the odor definitely raw waste? It is possible that it is stale gray water and the odor might be coming from the shower/sink drains. I keep the sink stopper in and the shower drain covered with one of the flat rubber tub stoppers. I have zero odors coming from the head. I kind of like it that way.:)
  18. Dave Stranks

    Dave Stranks Member

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    Try some Noflex Digestor
    Works Google it
  19. NCRhyne

    NCRhyne New Member

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    Location:
    probably Southport, NC
    I also thank you for the information
    as I also have a stench...
    Better after it's flushed a few
    times when we get down to the boat.
    Can any household cleaners be
    used to clean the toilet bowl
    Since we are to never put the
    Holding tank chemicals in the toilet?thx
  20. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    No harsh chemicals and definitely no bleach. They will destroy the hoses. Sealand makes good products for cleaning and deoderizing. If yours is a salt water head I'd recommend that you pour a bucket of fresh water in before leaving the boat and don't flush. You might even want to put a little Sealand with it.