Keeping Head Odors At Bay

[markpj23]

OK - how do you folks deal with this problem?

Raritan Crown II heads work fine. I know I have some old black hose in the system that I need to replace. However, the problem I have is that when I leave the boat for long periods of time (say 4 weeks) all of the water in the bowl evaporates. This removes the water seal and opens the nice little macerator chamber to the cabin air. Needless to say, the boat smells like poop when I return.

I guess I'll need to find the right sized plug to place in the bowl before I leave? Or perhaps a ziploc bag full of water placed over the hole to form a seal?

Suggestions? (Yeah I know - stay on the boat more... )

[mike d.]

markpj23 i read somewhere on a site or something a that if you leave the boat for extended time to put a little white vinager in the bowl and then syran rap the bowl. this stops the evap. and also keeps the bowl smelling fresh when you return

mike d.

[Pblais]

The hoses are the worst problem. I have it myself. The hoses stink and when that happens they need replacement. Even the really good ones go bad after a while.

I'm about to start a program od 100% hose replacement. Should be fun.

[kornelia strangeboat]

vegetable oil. just pump thorugh some oil before you leave the boat, and then let some remail in the bowl. the fittings will be moisturized and the oil will not evap from the bowl. cheap sunflower oil is good.

[markpj23]

Ingenious ideas from this site.. I'll try the oil in one head and the water bag in another.

Paul - I also get to replace all hoses - even the white 'good' ones are weeping odor - wipe the outside with a rag and it stinks. I figure I'll need to buy an old dry suit then toss it out after the job is done


Many thanks to the forum!

[S/V Elusive]

I redid my hoses AND holding tank last time I rebuilt the head. They ARE nasty - even the intake hoses (those salt water critters seem to like them). When getting the hoses out, you'll want to plug both ends - use your tapered wooden plugs (you'll need new ones afterwards). I would also suggest that you tape a 1/8 to 1/4" line to the hose before pulling it out - this will make it easier to get the new hose back in. I found in my boat that the hose runs were snaked through some 'interesting' holes in a round-about manner. This makes it real difficult to get the new hose in. Practice patience and do not attempt to force something through - you'll want two people for this; one to feed and one to try and pull.

[SkiprJohn]

I don't know where I got this hint but it works very well. When running hoses in tight places or trying to tight fit hoses on any type of fitting or flange use a little bit of water soluble KY jelly or other suitable personal lubricant. It is very slick (as you may know) and comes off with water. Now that you think about it that really makes sense doesn't it?

Practical Sailor did an odor/hose test a few years ago and recommended the most expensive (unusual for PS) for odor free service. I believe it was SeaLand hose but it would be worth a search to do it right.

Regards, --JohnL--

[Rick]

After doing some internet research on how to get rid of cat urine smell in a rental we had (which I could only enter using a mask with dual organic filters) I discovered that there are expensive bottles of stuff which you can buy for a lot of money that doesn't work any better (or not as well) as ordinary white vinegar.

I bought gallons of the stuff and sprayed it all over with a garden sprayer and the results were amazing (yes I replaced the carpet and painted everyghing). Since then I have used some in my head also with good results. Vinegar is cheap! It is difficult to find yet concentrated vinegar can be had which minimizes the amount you have to carry onboard. I have only replaced the hose from the head discharge to the Y-valve with that expensive so-called no odor hose so still have some smell coming from the rest of the hose unless I use the vinegar.

[ssullivan]

Paul,

It's the best time you can possibly have on a boat.

Originally Posted by Pblais

The hoses are the worst problem. I have it myself. The hoses stink and when that happens they need replacement. Even the really good ones go bad after a while.

I'm about to start a program od 100% hose replacement. Should be fun.

[Latitude9.5]

well this topic caught my eye, I have a similiar issue, I've replaced the lines from the tank to the holding tank, replaced the vent hose and the vent itself, however everytime I flush the toilet the bilge fills with stink air. I've checked that there are no leaks and the vent is actually venting. Sooooo, i'm wondering if it is something i toilet is somehow dumping it.

[seafox]

I find that the water inlet (raw water) is what stinks the most when you first flush. It sits in the hose without air and rots. You get that sulfur smell when you first flush. Then if you are on the boat for a few days or a holiday it doesnt come back again until the boat has sat for 3 or more days.
I recently took the boat out for some work and when it was out replaced some seacocks. The exit hose water did not smell even though it had been sitting for a few weeks. The raw water hose backfilled into the seacock locker and stank. It is that intake water that stinks the worst.

[Alan Wheeler]

I pour into the toilets some of that liquid you pour into the holding tank. Pour a liottle in on leaving the boat and ti remains fresh.

[GordMay]

When docked with municipal water supply, we closed our head intake seacock, and only used fresh water (from flexible shower hose/head) for flushing.
When at sea, you flush often enough that the seawater doesn’t stagnate & stink. We also added a little salad dressing (oil & vinegar) to the bowl* (a cup or so, maybe twice a week, or as the pump “stiffens” slightly).

* Tho' Peggy Hall doesn’t recommend the practice.

[S/V Elusive]

I don't think that there is anything wrong with adding an occasional bit of vinegar to help clense the system. I also think that adding a bit of veggie oil is good for the valve (a couple of pumps to get it into the pump/valve and let sit for 1/2 an hour or so - then pump it all the way through). I don't think that you really want to do them at the same time. With the vinegar, you would want to pump twice and let sit 15 to 30 minutes, then pump twice more ... and so on until you have it through your system.

The two things perform different functions and require (IMHO) different methods of 'application'.

As a note - I rebuilt my head back in 04 and have had no problems with it in any way shape or form. I do, also, occasionally, use a little teflon spray on the external mechanical portion to keep them smoothly and noiselessly operating.

[coot]

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

Practical Sailor did an odor/hose test a few years ago and recommended the most expensive (unusual for PS) for odor free service. I believe it was SeaLand hose but it would be worth a search to do it right.

It was called SeaLand OdorSafe, but...

The hose that PS recommened is no longer for sale. SeaLand is now selling something called "OdorSafe Plus", which they claim is 20% more resistant to odor permation, blah blah blah. According to what I found on the web last February, what happened was that some Australian company was manufacturing OdorSafe for them and decided they wanted to stop doing that. SeaLand needed a hose to sell, so they designed a similar hose and marketed it under a similar name. I don't know if the new hose is better or worse, but it is not the hose that PS tested.

Because of the high price and uncertainty (the only data I have on OdorSafe Plus are the manufacturer's claims), I used the next best hose that I could identify, which was Trident #102. It was still expensive, but more like $6/foot instead of $9/foot.