Head smells after flushing

[silvercreek]

Bought Peggy’s book already

Looking for some guidance on this issue…. One of our heads has recently developed a STRONG sulphur odor only noticeable after flushing. I assume some sea life or material (seaweed?) has worked its way into the intake line filter and is decomposing, creating sulphur dioxide.

However, I’m not sure WHERE in my system to look? I have a Tecma electric flush head with a seawater intake seacock located at the head. Where to start?

There is another similar head on board that has no odor, so something has gone awry with the one.

I am not aware of a screen or similar filter to check?

[StuM]

Trace the line in. There will be a filter bowl with a mesh screen somewhere between the through hull and the pump (odds are you've got a dead fish or something in there.

[ilCigno]

The hoses, no matter how good they are, will after say eight years (give or take a few years) going to let the smell through. The solution is as simple as daunting, change them for new ones.

[ItDepends]

Where to start? At the seacock! Take everything apart and clean it. Your assumption about the source is correct. But… it could be as simple as a change is use patterns, or a change in local biology with water temperature or salinity. More stuff growing, means more stuff dying, means more stink.

Heads that are flushed multiple times a day don’t usually have this problem.

[peghall]

Sea water, especially coastal sea water, is full of micro--and not so micro--animal and vegetable life that, when allowed to sit and stagnate, die, decay and STINK. The easiest cure: remove the intake hose from the thru-hull (close the seacock first!) and stick it into a bucket of water to which you've added a quart of distilled white vinegar...flush the entire bucketful all the way through the system. If you're seeing black flakes in the bowl when you flush, remove the intake line from the bowl, stick a hose nozzle against the inlet fitting on the bowl and rinse out the channel in the rim of the bowl.

But first....I'm guessing that by "filter" you're actually referring to a strainer...if not, that's what it should be. Remove, clean it, and replace it before flushing the bucketful of vinegar water through it.Strainers should be installed above waterline in a location that's easily accessible to remove for cleaning...something that should be done on a regular schedule to get rid of the no-so micro animal and veggie sea life that's decaying in it before it can stink. As with most things, prevention prevents the need for cure.

--Peggie

[silvercreek]

Originally Posted by StuM

Trace the line in. There will be a filter bowl with a mesh screen somewhere between the through hull and the pump (odds are you've got a dead fish or something in there.

Thanks, I did some light searching but will trace it thoroughly and hopefully find the strainer.

Originally Posted by ilCigno

The hoses, no matter how good they are, will after say eight years (give or take a few years) going to let the smell through. The solution is as simple as daunting, change them for new ones.

The hoses are less than 1 year old.

Originally Posted by ItDepends

Where to start? At the seacock! Take everything apart and clean it. Your assumption about the source is correct. But… it could be as simple as a change is use patterns, or a change in local biology with water temperature or salinity. More stuff growing, means more stuff dying, means more stink.

Heads that are flushed multiple times a day don’t usually have this problem.

Thanks, will do!

Originally Posted by peghall

Sea water, especially coastal sea water, is full of micro--and not so micro--animal and vegetable life that, when allowed to sit and stagnate, die, decay and STINK. The easiest cure: remove the intake hose from the thru-hull (close the seacock first!) and stick it into a bucket of water to which you've added a quart of distilled white vinegar...flush the entire bucketful all the way through the system. If you're seeing black flakes in the bowl when you flush, remove the intake line from the bowl, stick a hose nozzle against the inlet fitting on the bowl and rinse out the channel in the rim of the bowl.

But first....I'm guessing that by "filter" you're actually referring to a strainer...if not, that's what it should be. Remove, clean it, and replace it before flushing the bucketful of vinegar water through it.Strainers should be installed above waterline in a location that's easily accessible to remove for cleaning...something that should be done on a regular schedule to get rid of the no-so micro animal and veggie sea life that's decaying in it before it can stink. As with most things, prevention prevents the need for cure.

--Peggie

Yes, I should have said strainer. I have not been able to find one in the head intake system yet but will look again.

Will also use the vinegar bucket approach - thank you!

[mojoman2]

This is normal. Depending on how frequently you use the head, it will smell better or worse. The issue is that microbes get sucked in to flush the toilet and they sit in the hose where they die and start decomposing. When you flush the head, these dead microbes and their stink get flushed through the toilet. The best solution that I have found is to keep a spray bottle handy with some essential oil of mint of lavender mixed with 95% water. Spray a little of this in the toilet when you are done and the oil will make a film that contains the stink. Even better is to put about 20% cooking oil in to the mix. This gives more oil to cover the water surface plus it will lubricate the pump O-rings making it easier to use.

[silvercreek]

Believe it or not I traced it this afternoon and there’s no strainer! Straight from seacock to pump, then into head. Then again this is more of a racing boat than a cruiser.

I’ll try the vinegar bucket trick still.

[gonesail]

what they said: seawater in a hose will get rancid and smell bad when you flush. I doubt a strainer is going to change that but it might help a bit.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by silvercreek

Believe it or not I traced it this afternoon and there’s no strainer! Straight from seacock to pump, then into head.

In that case, I'd instal a strainer

[El Pinguino]

If my boat has been sitting for a bit in a marina - with the seacock closed - the flush water will stink upon re-activation. I simply pump the whole line through - maybe 40 strokes of the pump.
Then I ventilate the area for a bit.
I don't have probs for the remainder of my time on the boat.

I am also a great believer in the 40 stroke routine - none of this 'just pump 'til it's out of sight' nonsense.

[more]

install after seacook over waterline
https://www.amazon.co.uk/LALIZAS-BOA.../dp/B07BJ9KDPC

[SVTatia]

This is also called hose cholesterol. Depending how thick the "cake" inside of the hose is some of the tips above will work, if not, the only way to remove the calcium build up is to take the hoses that are under the waterline off the boat and beat the hell out of them, the solid stuff will fall off.
Also check this from Maine Sail.

https://marinehowto.com/vinegar-in-t...-does-it-work/

[peghall]

Originally Posted by silvercreek

Believe it or not I traced it this afternoon and there’s no strainer! Straight from seacock to pump, then into head. Then again this is more of a racing boat than a cruiser. I’ll try the vinegar bucket trick still.

A strainer doesn't prevent sea water from stagnating and stinking in the toilet intake line...it just keeps the not-so-micro sea life out of the pump and channel in the rim of the bowl and needs to be cleaned regularly The "vinegar trick" washes the stagnant sea water out of the system and "deodorizes" the intake line and pump.



--Peggie

[El Pinguino]

I'm rather bemused by some of what I am reading in this thread.

A strainer on the heads intake?
I have three seawater intakes on my boat - only one has a strainer and that is the cooling water for the engine - which does need straining as it goes through a smallish impeller pump.
The heads? I have to ask myself why? Those jabsco pumps can handle blind mullet well above the legal minimum so why do I need a fine mesh strainer?

What I do have on the head inlets is something like this https://www.go2marine.com/Perko-Bron...tity=1&size=95
The engine intake has something similar but fancier.

I'm also rather puzzled by the 'take the discharge hose out of the boat, give it a damn good thrashing and then put it back'.
Why not, if you feel you have a problem , simply take it out and replace it with new?