Vacu Flush problems

I have a problem with odors from toilet system. I seems whenever the toilet is flushed a nasty odor goes through the whole cabin. Almost like a forced vent comes from the holding tank through the toilet.
While rafted my neighbor observed a bad discharge out of the vent up high on the hull.
Anybody have an idea as to what is going on?

I'm shooting from the hip here with only what you've posted to go on..

It sounds like you have a partial vent blockage that isn't allowing air in the tank displaced by incoming waste to escape out the vent, so it's escaping where it can--back through the toilet. If your tank is full, it may be pressurizing with each flush, which would account for the discharge out the vent. If you've pumped out the tank, a blocked vent would cause the pumpout to pull a vacuum that would only allow a gallon or two to be pulled out. If there's a filter in the vent line, it would be the culprit if it's ever gotten wet...and a discharge out the vent is a strong indication that it has. If there is no filter, without more to go one, my money is still on a pressurized system due to a blocked tank vent and an overflowing tank.

Discharge out the vent, like Peggie said, sounds like a full tank. If that's not the problem, go with Peggie's other suggestions.

Tank is pumped out. I'll check the vent.
Thanks so much

there may be a filter in the vent line that is plugged or wasp nests in the vent outlet.

As others have said, "if the vent filter has gotten wet, it MUST be replaced" as it will no longer work to remove odors.

When your neighbors say you smell, 99.9% of the time it is the filter needing replacement.

Each time you flush you will get a volume of tank gas out your vent. If you are concerned about your neighbors or if you have open hatches get one of these:
http://bigorangefilter.com/products/big-orange-filter

Yukon said:

Tank is pumped out. I'll check the vent.
Thanks so much

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You may have been to the pumpout, but unless your tank level indicator shows the tank to be empty, it may still be full. Your symptoms indicate that to be highly likely. If so, it's not a VacuFlush problem, it's a holding tank problem.

The tank vent has two functions:

1. It's the escape route for air in the tank displaced by incoming waste. If air can't escape, the tank--the whole system-- becomes pressurized...increasingly pressurized as the toilet is used. Air in a pressured system will try to escape wherever it can...back through the toilet (count your blessings if it's only air and not a geyser!)...or in extreme cases, it'll blow out a hose connection or even explode a tank.

2. It provides a source of air to replace tank contents as the pumpout or overboard discharge pump pulls them out. When no air can come in, the pump can only pull out a gallon or two before it pulls a vacuum that won't allow it to remove any more. A particularly strong pumpout pulling against a blocked vent can even implode a tank.

So I strongly recommend that no one use the toilet again until you locate and cure the problem.

HeadMistress said:

So I strongly recommend that no one use the toilet again until you locate and cure the problem.

Click to expand...

Well that takes all the fun out of it.

Yukon.


You couldn't ask for better advice than those above.............

Had the same problem recently. Got the wasp (? critter, in any case) nest out of my vent line. Works like a champ, now. Took me a weekend to figure it out. Should have asked Peggie to begin with.