Head Odor

[Froggy]

Hi all,

Sorry I missed the BI rendezvous but my alternator was kaput.

I have a problem that whenever you flush the head, it smells like..s*** I originalyl thought the screen on the vent was clogged but puched that out. I then found a small drip in the Y valve but that seems okay. Any thoughts on this?

[Pitou]

When the head is flushed to the holding tank air must be purged through the vent as it is displaced with whatever. That displaced air is not pleasant and with the vent just outside the helm seat / uhhhh. Try installing a holding tank odor filter in line on the vent and you should have fresh air. They seem to last about 12 months and then just the filter need be replaced. An easy job with substantial reward . Sani-Guard is the brand I use.

[Capt Paul]

I had the same problem. I started adding more holding tank treatment/deodorizer and it seems have taken care fo the problem. I buy the RV stuff that Wal-Mart sells. Good price and it works great.

Paul

[chiefrcd]

Been there, done that too.... here's some ideas. Even though you have a micro tank by holding tank standards ( if you have a 28 ). It still will stink up your boat and the surrounding immediate area. This is what I found out after a lot research. First, a single vent is the minimum way to go and if it's the least bit stopped up then you won't get enough 02 to generate the " good " bacteria that breaks down the waste. You get lots of "bad" bacterial that will make your boat smell like....well, crap. So make sure you do have a really clean vent line. I even found some recommendations to install a second one...I didn't do that. Then you really should start with a clean tank and lines. My lines were 5 years old and stinking, so I replaced all the waste lines on my tank. I pumped the tank out..then flushed it twice with fresh water and pumped it out both times. Then I added odor-los which you can get from Boat US or probably most marine stores. I doubled the amount. I keep my head pumped out at least once every two weeks unless it's used a lot...then weekly. Each time I pump it out I run fresh water into it from the shower head and flush it again. Then add a double dose of odor-los. I've not had any head odor since. One other note....a lot of the smell you are getting may well be from the salt water intake side of the head. They sell a small inline chemical cartridge that is suppose to help with head odors and the saltwater odor. I've not done that yet, but if I start getting head odors, I'll add that to my list of things to do.

[RicM]

If you have a conventional head (not a vacu-flush) use fresh water from the sink sprayer to fill & flush. There is quite a bit of microscopic "life" in seawater, and when mixed with human waste bad smells happen. If that helps you may want to replumb the head for fresh water flush. Be sure to install a proper check valve so the fresh tank is not contaminated by back flow. That and doubling up on the blue stuff solved the problem on my other boat. (Present ride has a Vacu-Flush, definately worth the $$$). For all you would ever want to know see the forum called "The Head Mistress".
http://www.sailboatowners.com/forums/me ... o=31&uid=F

[Mariner]

I use Odor-Loss (the green stuff at West Marine), and it completely eliminates the smell. Cheap, simple, environmentally friendly solution.

[Froggy]

Thanks to all for your input. I thoroughly flushed out the holding tank ,punched out the clogged screens inthe vent line, changed from my existing head de-odorizer to Odor-los in a double dose and have had her pumped weekly. Voila! No smell! Thanks again.