Smelly head

[further]

Hey all, 2004 Sunesta 234 - I've been noticing a really nasty sewer smell at the stern of the boat - while anchored and swimming after the head has been used quite a bit. It doesn't smell in the head compartment itself - only at the stern and in the cabinet beneath the sink which is adjacent to the head compartment - assuming the waste line runs under this.

This is my first boat with a head - there is one sea **** in the bilge which i assume is the inlet for the fresh water - hoping there isn't another that I don't know about that is letting the waste overboard and that's what i'm smelling.

The waste tank appears to be solid - no leaks and the hose clamps are tight and in good shape. I replaced the joker valve and seals in July because the head wasn't holding water. Anyone with the same setup that can shed light or tell me where there would be another sea **** that I'm not seeing?

Thanks in advance.

 

[tpenfield]

You might want to also check to see where the tank vent is located. You might be smelling the vent vs. discharge. You should have a holding tank that gets umped out. Follow the various hoses from your holding tank to get a better understanding of the system.

Are you using the chemical treatment for the head?

 

[tpenfield]

Here is the system diagram from the Chaparral Owner's Manual (available online)

 

[further]

You might want to also check to see where the tank vent is located. You might be smelling the vent vs. discharge. You should have a holding tank that gets umped out. Follow the various hoses from your holding tank to get a better understanding of the system.

Thanks for the info. Yes I've got a holding tank and have pumped it out once already - it's not used all that much but I like to have it clean.

Are you using the chemical treatment for the head?

Yes, i've used some liquid treatment stuff (forget the name) after pumpout.

Thanks for the diagram - will look into the vent - although wouldn't expect it to smell as bad as it does because of the vent.

 

[alldodge]

Chemicals help, but every time its flushed there will be a smell. The lines to/from can also start to smell over time. Once they start, only way to fix is replace them, but good thing is in normally takes several years for it to come back again

 

[garbageguy]

Furthur,
Maybe try pumping out/flushing with water a few (as many as you can) times, putting in an RV/marine toilet treatment tablet, only using it for liquids, not waste solids (if at all possible), pump/rinse/pump it often, put plenty of water in there after using it for waste liquids. I had a similar thing going on, the above plus a little "talk" with the Admiral has helped considerably...

Generally, try to keep plenty of liquid running through it, and put in one of those tablets in after pumping it out (often)

 

[Horigan]

I've heard of folks add a charcoal filter to the vent line to address this if the above recommendation doesn't work.

 

[TyeeMan]

You might have some waste build up in the holding tank. In the RV world this happens frequently. What people will do is after dumping their tanks when leaving a campground they will put "some" ice down the head, add 5 gallons or so of water, chemicals and hit the road. The ice will slosh around and loosen up the "stuff" that got stuck in the corners of the tank.

So you could pump out your tank, put some water and chemicals back in, add some ice and go for a boat ride.

I've also read that people dump some water softener salt down the head of their RV to accomplish the same thing. But I don't know how you could guarantee the salt is totally dissolved when it comes time to pump the head, possibly ruining the pump if you suck up a chunk of salt. RV's are gravity dump.

 

[Grub54891]

There are some pvc or plastic tanks that get permeated with the smell. The cure is replacement. Also replacing the lines helps a lot.

 

[eric102]

Try a vent filter, my boat came from the factory with one and you can really tell when it needs replacing.