Holding tank odor

[Liquid Asset]

Went out in the boat this weekend and for the second time after running for a bit an odor from the holding tank made its way into the boat. I do not have leak, and everything is new incluing hoses and all fittings.

When the boat is in the slip, there is not any smell, but after running and shaking up the waste, it starts to smell in the boat. where could the smell be coming from? I need to fix this quickly. I don't want to have to worry about this everytime we go out in the boat.

by the way, the tank had some "headzyme" treatment in it and that was soposedly the best stuff. It had only been 2 weeks since I pumped out. I have since pumped and flused the tank with fresh water.

 

[luckydave215]

Lash a porta-potti to the swim step.

 

[Liquid Asset]

Thats what I would like to do, but you tell the women that for me ok?

 

[luckydave215]

Are you, THE CAPTAIN, saying you're outranked by a lowly Admiral?

 

[Liquid Asset]

I am not saying that I am outranked, but I am saying that I was told it was not liked very well when the entire boat smelled like rotting waste.

I told them that if I filled them up with poop, let thim sit around in the hot Florida sun for a week and then shook them up they would smell aweful too. This did not get me out of figuring out what the smell is from.

 

[jim rosenthal]

Pat, it is probably one of the hoses. Generally in the least convenient place. I think there is a trick where if you wrap the hoses with damp shop cloths you can figure out where the smell is coming from, or something like that. I will try to find the thread where it was discussed. The best waste system hose is the kind Sealand sells for their Vacuflush system, although it is expensive. The white Trident, I think it is, is good too. Generally the holding tanks themselves do not allow odors to escape- it is the vents, or the hoses, or the fittings.
FWIW, ventilating the boat and keeping a fan going will help this from occurring, in my experience. Then again, I am not in Florida.

 

[Karl]

I just read the following from Passage Maker website and may be of value to you:

"Have a question I thought you might have the answer to. I had to replace a short piece of sanitation hose this weekend. Not wanting to wait for something to be shipped, I bought 7'of Shield's sanitation hose and installed it. A notice on the hose carton warned not to put petrochemicals, bleach and other chemicals through the hose. It also warned not to use any antifreeze products, particularly those with alcohol in them, because doing so would cause the hose to be odor permeable. Is this typical of sanitation hose? While winterizing, many boaters pour antifreeze into their toilets and waste lines. Are they all ruining their waste lines or is this just a problem with Shield's hoses?"

This bulletin board thread says that various chemicals can ruin the sanitation hose and allow odor to permeate. I'll send the website address in another reply so you can read the whole thread, there is some very good advice given in it.

Karl

 

[Karl]

Here's the Passage Maker website thread I spoke of:

http://www.passagemaker.com/discus/messages/2/2443.html?1148981480

I hope you can access it.

Karl

 

[Liquid Asset]

I know it is not the hose, it is less than 6 months old, and it is Trident. Had it been a year from now, I would say ok. There has to be somehting that is not keeping the odor in the tank. How about the Y Valve? can those leak smell? I have one on my pump out side.

 

[Trojan]

I had the same trouble. I found it to be the joker valve in the outlet of the head. $10. bucks at West. It was a 20 minute job and 2 bolts. The admiral still likes me. My head is a raritan. They did not have the Raritan joker valve by its self. They only had the rebuild kit for $70. bucks. So opted for the Jobsco. They are a different shape but the same size $ 10. bucks. Works great no more smell. I think I won one and I could not beat the price.




BILL

 

[Liquid Asset]

Bill for lack of being able to actually smell where it is coming from. How did you determine what it was.

I smell it when it gets stirred up, but I have no idea what is actually leaking the smell.

 

[Karl]

You say, "When the boat is in the slip, there is not any smell, but after running and shaking up the waste, it starts to smell in the boat. where could the smell be coming from?"

After rereading your opening comment, this does not make sense to me since you have taken steps to upgrade and clean the holding tank. That's not my experience with holding tank odor, when it smells, it smells all the time. Are you absolutely certain the odor is coming from the holding tank?

I would not try to second guess you as to where the odor is coming from in your boat, but if it were me, I would start analyzing what other variables are coming into play when the boat leaves the dock. Is there something in the A/C that could be blowing an odor into the cabin? Is there something on the engine that could be heating up and giving off an odor when they are running? I once had a water pump that was giving off an odor when it had been left on by a mechanic after all the water was pumped out, however, the smoke from the overheated impeller finally gave it away, but I smelled it first. Just a thought.

Please post your solution once you figure out where the odor is coming from, and how you solved it.

Karl

 

[SKYCHENEY]

My forward tank used to leak at the inlet fitting when you "shook it up". I have since replaced all lines and use Odorlos now. No leaks, no smell.

 

[Trojan]

I could not tell where it was coming from. I flushed the head when I first came on the boat and everything seemed find about a half hour later the Oder was bad in the aft cabin. Turned on the fans. I flushed it again, again, and again. No Oder from the stool. I have new hoses and connection. A short time later the smell was back. So whats the deal. A shot in the dark. That was the only thing left I could think of. That was it and the valve looked OK.


BILL

 

[Liquid Asset]

How did you figure out what is was? I came over here to the boat tonight and now it smells just sitting here. It has never smelled before when we were just sitting here. The only time I have had the smell is when I ran the boat and it sloshed the waste around.

There has got to be a leak for the smell, but do yall have any Idea how to find out where it is coming from. All the hoses and fittings are either new, or they are bronze.

I have got to figure this out quick. Thanks.

 

[Beckytek]

Is it possible that when you changed to new hoses etc some of the efluent could have leaked into the bilge? Maybe while disconnecting one end something leaked out of the other end. I would use a fan to air out the bilge, then use your sensor (nose) to go over every connection and give a good sniff. If you can't find the source that way, I'd start cleaning the bilge real good. Lots a luck.

 

[Liquid Asset]

I FOUND IT! But I can not believe what it was. In one of the plates on top of the tank, there was a screw missing. The hole was all the way thru, so everytime somone flushed, or when the waste was stired up it allowed gasses to exit. Now to find another screw, but at lease I have found it.

 

[Genesis]

Ouch! Glad you found it tho!

 

[MikeP]

I know a boater, I'll call him Patrick to avoid any potential problems...

Patrick has no holding tank odor on his boat because he doesn't ever use the holding tanks. According to him, the holding tanks on his 20+ year old boat have never been used to hold waste. He has Lectra Sans on the heads and everything is pumped directly overboard.

Anyway, Patrick's contention is that his Lectra Sans treat the waste to levels that surpass the requirements for sewage treatments plant discharge. (I have read independent reports with bacteria counts that show his contention is correct.) Therefore, he claims he is supporting the marine environment far better than he would be by holding the waste, having it pumped out and then dumped back into the water by the treatment plant. THerefore, he feels he is eliminating any odor problems on his own boat while, at the same time, improving the environment.

I wish he was a senator or someboy useful instead of just another boater!

 

[34Hatt]

I wish he was a senator or someboy useful instead of just another boater!

Mike you always have good ones!!! LOL

But he is still breaking the law I am pretty sure in most case's it says no discharge at ALL. I also agree with the reasoning but the law is the law and I would not what to get caught. Last year I was Inspected for proper holding tank and valves closed in the peconic. It was Voluntary but I was glad to do it and be legit.