Holding tank

[mjk1040]

[cpoint]

I am still confused about the holding tank went filter. on our 2000 356, the back one makes a fould smell first time when we turn power on to aft head. Kinda embarrassing when people are around. I may have asked about this filter in the past in this forum. I find nothing on my documentation if I have one or where it is. Last week I did order a filter for that purpose, but have not been at the boat to see where it will go yet. Hopefully there is one that I can see and just replace it. If not one on there, I guess I have to cut part of the went line and insert the filter in there. Our aft head also goes on regularly maybe every 10-15 minutes even if not used but power is on. I am assuming that its loosing pressure somewhere? Any ideas where I should start looking for that? When I open the hatches in the back, there is no foul smell, so there is no leaks. The foul smell comes as I said when I turn the power on, and sometime when aft head is flushed. But smell comes strongest at the aft deck.

[mjk1040]

Say all, don't know if I mentioned this before or not. Some of our smell issues may be self made. First we all try to conserve water when using the heads, so we don't have to pump off, but we are creating the smell issue. If you do some research I think you will find that you should be putting about 2 gallons of water into our empty black tanks along with your choice of chemical. Also, when flushing the head, we should be holding the flushing valve open for 5-6 seconds, to add enough water along with the bowl contents. Diluting is part of the process. Also, shower sumps will cause smell issues too. Research has suggested that after using the shower, to let the water run for about 5 minutes to help flush out the soaps, etc. We probably should all get the manuals out and do some reading!

[g36]

cpoint
most likely no filter inline now so you will probably be cutting the vent line if you install one. make sure you never over fill the waste tank if you install a filter if it ever gets wet it will no longer work. many on here including me have been using noflex digester to help with the holding tank issues.

if the vacu flush is loosing suction probably be the duck bill valves if the bowl is holding water. they are something that has to be replaced periodically

Dometic-385310076-Black-Duck-Valve they have them on amazon too.
also
https://www.hodgesmarine.com/Dometic-Du ... iramsegdoh

[jcoll]

There's a book written by Peggie Hall - The Head Lady- as she calls herself, titled Get Rid of Boat Odors. It explains everything you need to know about sanitation systems on boats regardless of the water you're in or the type of system you have. I don't believe Carver installed filters on many boats, at least I know mine didn't have it, and from what I understand from reading this book a good working system won't need one.

[mjk1040]

cpoint, our 355 manual mentions black tank vent filters, suggest changing them annually. I have them and to date have not traced out the vent lines to the thru hauls to see if we have them or not. I think the aft black tank vent line heads behind the TV cabinet. I just haven't taken the time to dismantle it to see if its there or not. You state the smell starts when you turn the power on. Do you mean the A/C aft unit is turning on? If so, are you sure the smell isn't coming from the shower aft sump and when the A/C unit kicks on it circulates the aft bilge air giving you the smell. That was our issue, now we flush the sump after taking a shower, no more odor issue. Hope u find ur issue soon. Check aft bilge net time before turning power on and see what u find. Good luck!

[tomschauer]

Vent filter or not, you should not have holding tank odor in the boat unless you have a leak, or permeated hoses. The vent filter is to keep your marina neighbors from crying foul.
As Mike stated, the shower sump has been an issue for me also. Its not sealed, or externally vented, so it vents to the bilge. Also, it easily gets clogged with hair and soap, then it drains into the bilge as well, rather than over board.

[cpoint]

Mike, there is no smell in the bilge. Basically when we power up the aft head (which is off during the week), smell comes from outside, so you get it in the aft deck. Not inside the cabin, or aft cabin, or bilge in the aft cabin. So pretty sure there are no leaks. We do try to keep it clean, but soon as there are guest, they love to use the heads , so we end up with dirty tanks again. We try to get it pumped out often, but it does not help with that initial power on for some reason. Since I did buy the filter, I will install and see if it helps. Also interestingly the forward head does not have this issue. I did purchase the duck valves yesterday, I will install those, hope they will help with the vacuflush going of every 10-15 minutes as some one wrote as a fix.

As tom mentioned marina neighbors may start crying foul, so hope filter will stop them from crying

[mjk1040]

Sounds like u have a leak somewhere in the system. Duck valves and bowl ball valve seal are the most common wear parts. Check vacuum tank lines. U are loosing vacuum in the system somewhere. Is there water still in the bowl when u first turn them on after u have been away? With the water off and bowl empty, I open the ball valve and lube bowl ball valve seal with vegetable oil. Hope u find ur issue soon.

[bud37]

[quote="cpoint"]Source of the post Mike, there is no smell in the bilge. Basically when we power up the aft head (which is off during the week), smell comes from outside, so you get it in the aft deck. Not inside the cabin, or aft cabin, or bilge in the aft cabin. So pretty sure there are no leaks.

I smell a fix here This may be caused because waste is caught in the line between the vacuum pump and the tank itself and when you turn it on the pump cycles to build vacuum and pumps the waste that is in the line to the tank.That would give you the odor at the tank vent outside.Try , before you leave the boat or shut that system off for the week, flush it good and add the digester someone has already mentioned to make sure there is no waste in that line.Once the duckbills are in good shape it will pump much more efficiently..........