Head smell every time Vacu Flush is used...

[suntansailor]

UPDATE:



All, thank you for all the suggestions. I found a "small" worker that was able to get down into that floor hatch at the lower helm. We located the vent tube from the holding tank, it was not blocked. There was no filter installed, so I installed the Dometic ECO filter and dated the install. Almost immediately the foul smell disappeared.



https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=2853136



The whole process took less that 20 mins to install and eliminated all the foul smells. I like simple solutions to boat issues...

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. S. As many have said already, toss the filter. It may have temporarily eliminated the odor BUT it is a band-aid fix. More air to feed the aerobic bacteria is the ONLY viable, long term solution.

[HeadMistress]

I like simple solutions to boat issues...


As long as you're ok with just treating the symptoms instead of curing the "disease." The cure is also pretty simple on most boats.



--Peggie
"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't completely understand it yourself." --Albert Einstein

[BYNW]

I have found that many boats have a screen in the vent outlet. The first time the holding tank vent line gets "stuff" in it ,the vent stops venting well. Pull the screen out and chuck it. This should allow more air/oxygen in.

[garychurch]

For what it is worth.... What are the conditions of your blackwater hoses? As they age they can get soft and sticky and allow orders to permeate the hoses. Worth checking and possibly replacing as you troubleshoot.

[foggysail]

Originally Posted by suntansailor

2000 390 MS with Vacu Flush toilet. Now I am getting a foul smell every time toilet is flushed. Anyone know where the air filter is located on this boat? And what kind of filter am I looking for? In line?


Any help is appreciated from fellow 390 owners.



Gordon

As you can tell from reading the very many posts on “stink” here in the forum there are those who strongly advocate curing the problem thereby eliminating stink and those who prefer to just eliminate the stink and ignor the problem. I am in the “just eliminate the stink” camp.

I chucked the original filter but the replacement cost was in the $90 range. I solved my stink by purchasing a water filter along with a replaceable charcoal cartridge and put that into my vent line. No more stink. I don’t care that there may be stink in my holding tank nor do I care that there may be stink in my home’s ceptic tank as long as we do not have to smell it. And we do use fresh water flushes both on the boat and of course at home.

[Bacchus]

Originally Posted by Comodave

It would be easy enough to make your own. As to drilling holes in your boat, I would not have any problems drilling...

Here's my DIY "Groco" tank aerator - see Holding Tank Aeration
Bacchus Projects

Only change is I replaced the copper tube w a PVC. I've also found a manifold w/ many small holes doesn't seem necessary - just get the air into the tank.
The 12V aquarium pumps are pretty cheap and reliable. This one has run 24/7 for several seasons. When it dies I'll just order a replacement.

[tiltrider1]

I tried the noflex on a really poorly installed vacuflush system. Both the boat owner and I were amazed. He said his boat has always stunk after a flush. After noflex there was no stink at all.

[dhays]

Originally Posted by Bacchus

Here's my DIY "Groco" tank aerator - see Holding Tank Aeration

Bacchus Projects



Only change is I replaced the copper tube w a PVC. I've also found a manifold w/ many small holes doesn't seem necessary - just get the air into the tank.

The 12V aquarium pumps are pretty cheap and reliable. This one has run 24/7 for several seasons. When it dies I'll just order a replacement.

Yours has been in the inspiration for trying to create one myself. I had already thought I’d use PVC instead of the copper and also thought that it wouldn’t need a lot of holes to provide enough O2.

I just haven’t figure out how to put a hole in the tank that I could seal well.

[NightCrawler]

Originally Posted by Drake

We’ve been using Noflex Digestor for several months. It’s a great product. Strongly recommend.

Paul

+1 on Noflex. Solved our odor problem very well. Also, if one owns a holding tank, Peggy's books are the bible. Lots of info surrounding all aspects of keeping the system healthy.

Sidebar - we used to flush the tank when getting pumped. We no longer do that. I think we were flushing all the 'good stuff' each time and had to dose the tank with extra Noflex. Now we just continue with the Noflex at a regular dosage. We live aboard and travel a lot. Thanks to Poseidon, we seem to get the tanks churned up a good bit along the way.

[HeadMistress]

...we used to flush the tank when getting pumped. We no longer do that. I think we were flushing all the 'good stuff' each time and had to dose the tank with extra Noflex.

Whether it costs you "extra" No-Flex or not, holding tanks should be thoroughly rinsed out every 2-3 months...and especially when preparing for winter or other extended layup.



--Peggie
"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't completely understand it yourself." --Albert Einstein

[Heron]

My Smell upon flushing (Standard electric head) was putrid water in the intake filter. When things get odorous I know it's time to clean that filter. This implies a seawater flush system. We're in brackish water so things start to grow in the strainer..

[Bacchus]

Originally Posted by dhays

Yours has been in the inspiration for trying to create one myself. I had already thought I’d use PVC instead of the copper and also thought that it wouldn’t need a lot of holes to provide enough O2.

I just haven’t figure out how to put a hole in the tank that I could seal well.

Dave
I'm very pleased w results mine although I think I have found a route to add a large vent/ hose from the bow and may attemp it.
I've seen another similar DIY bubbler and he simply put a T at the bottom of a dip tube inserted from the top.

Re cutting into tank...
I've seen fittings made for retro fit... forget the name brand but you simply cut the hole w hole saw insert a grommet and insert the tube / ftg into the grommet. Apparently the insertion provides the force to seal. Seems like the same concept used on the VacUFlush tank ftgs.

I don't think I'd have a problem doing that as long as it was from top or highest point on the side of tank.
I moved my air pump as it was noticable at night time when everything else was quiet and trying to sleep. I simply moved it opposite side of a bulkhead and ran the smalk tube up to the tank. Just do a trial before final mounting.

Any questions let me know

[Comodave]

Peggie can recommend a fitting that goes into the tank to install the air pump line. I don’t recall the brand name.

[HeadMistress]

Originally Posted by Heron

My Smell upon flushing (Standard electric head) was putrid water in the intake filter. When things get odorous I know it's time to clean that filter. This implies a seawater flush system. We're in brackish water so things start to grow in the strainer..

There's a solution for that problem that's very easy to use...IF you have easy access to the toilet intake line between the thru-hull and the strainer:
Put a y-valve in the intake line between the thru-hull and the strainer...run a hose to your head drain line, using another y-valve to connect it. To clean all the sea water out of the entire system--intake line, strainer, toilet pump and discharge line, fill the sink with clean fresh water and open the y-valves and flush the toilet. It'll pull the water out of the sink through the toilet and all the plumbing to the tank. You may have to fill up the sink a couple of times...just letting the water run may not create the volume needed to completely rinse out the hoses and strainer. And be careful not to flush long enough to let the impellers in the toilet run dry.

Simple to set up and a bit of a PITA to use, but has to be easier than cleaning out the strainer every couple of weeks.

--Peggie
"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't completely understand it yourself." --Albert Einstein

p.s. If you happen to have one of the very few power boats with sink drain thru-hulls below the waterline, there's an even easier way to do this.

[dhays]

From experience I can tell you that Peggie's idea works great. Did that on a couple of sailboats. Easy to do as all it takes is a couple of Y valves. Easy to use as it is only done when leaving the boat. Switch two valves, fill the sink and flush the head.


Unfortunately, I wasn't able to do it on one of the heads in my last sailboat because the raw water intake was a long way from the head and sink.

[HeadMistress]

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to do it on one of the heads in my last sailboat because the raw water intake was a long way from the head and sink.

The even easier way I mentioned above would have been to reroute the head intake line to tee into the head sink drain below the waterline as close to the seacock as possible. That allows you to flush with se water except when you want to rinse out the system. To rinse the sea water out of the system, just close the sink drain seacock, fill the sink with clean fresh water, flush the toilet. No y-valves needed. This also frees up a thru-hull for a washdown pump, central HVAC or anything else that appeals to you...or you can just plug it.

Whether you do it with y-valves or a tee, this also makes it easy to winterize a system that has a sea water toilet: just pour the antifreeze down the sink and flush it all the way to the tank.


--Peggie
"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't completely understand it yourself." --Albert Einstein

[Boat]

Anyone ever seen the Humanure Handbook?

[Boat]

Please tell me if this sounds like crazy talk or is it guided rambling?

We have the Bacchus aquarium pump, Groco sweet tank and Noflex Digestor. All are about getting oxygen in the blackwater to promote aerobic bacteria? Two mechanical systems to pump air and one chemical additive to oxidize the waste? Guessing peroxide, Bronstead acid?

I remember talking to a wastewater guy years ago who was headed to take a test. He was talking about air pumps and "bugs". Aerobic bacteria again?

Are we turning the holding tank into a sewage treatment plant or just doing a different approach to preserving sewage until we can dump it?


So what is the blue stuff for RV tanks? Is it still formaldehyde? It's a preservative? That's going to kill bacteria to prevent hydrogen sulfide formation?


I promise to get a book but curiosity is killing me.

[foggysail]

Originally Posted by Boat

Please tell me if this sounds like crazy talk or is it guided rambling?

We have the Bacchus aquarium pump, Groco sweet tank and Noflex Digestor. All are about getting oxygen in the blackwater to promote aerobic bacteria? Two mechanical systems to pump air and one chemical additive to oxidize the waste? Guessing peroxide, Bronstead acid?

I remember talking to a wastewater guy years ago who was headed to take a test. He was talking about air pumps and "bugs". Aerobic bacteria again?

Are we turning the holding tank into a sewage treatment plant or just doing a different approach to preserving sewage until we can dump it?


So what is the blue stuff for RV tanks? Is it still formaldehyde? It's a preservative? That's going to kill bacteria to prevent hydrogen sulfide formation?


I promise to get a book but curiosity is killing me.

You raise good questions that I am sure will be addressed by others, especially those who desire to prevent their holding tanks from developing odors. Personally, I have no desire to "save/treat" poop although I have a strong desire to prevent smell by other means.

Thank you for your contribution on this sometimes controversial topic.

Foggy