Another head question

[Omatako]

I have dual heads on my boat and have a problem of odours in the boat on occassions. Nothing overpowering but just a hint of sewage that sort of makes guests look around suspiciously.

My holding tanks are bags, one under the V berth and one under the stern cabin bunk and they both look in good shape. I have traced all the pipes to ensure that they are all sanitary grade and they are. I have checked all the Y valves and other possible areas where there could be leakage and can't find any traces of black water leaking into the boat. All connections are double clamped.

Every now and then one opens a locker and gets a whiff of sewage and then I immediately start looking for a leak and never find one. It also doesn't only happen directly after flushing the head.

And no, I'm not confusing the smell of stale seawater, this is definitely a lavatorial smell . It is of considerable interest to me that it happens at both ends of the boat so I make an assumption that there is something perhaps age-related that is at the root of it. I just don't want to have to replumb the entire system to find it doesn't solve the problem. Where I shop, sanitary grade pipe is not cheap!!

Has anyone had any experience with the bags or the sanitary grade pipes degrading over time and letting odours permeate through?

Andre

[erps]

Even the best sanitation hose gets stinky after a while. Experts say wrap a damp rag around your hose, especially a low spot and let it set for a while then remove the rag and smell it. It if stinks, your hose is letting the odor out.

I replaced all our hose last year and it made a big difference.

[camaraderie]

Omatako...erps has it right. You might try the same trick on the bags...but the hose is usually the culprit.

[sailingdog]

The rag should be soaked in hot water first... Works much better that way in terms of detecting whether your hoses are permeated or not. Sealand's OdorSafe hose is a bit more expensive, but well worth it if you're going to be replacing the hoses.

[Omatako]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

Sealand's OdorSafe hose is a bit more expensive, but well worth it if you're going to be replacing the hoses.

SD, with the amount of work it will take to fully repipe two heads on my boat, the cost of the hose is really moot. I just don't know if that particular product is available in my part of the world. I'll know by tomorrow

Thanks for the advice all, looks like I'm into a re-pipe. At the same time I shall redirect the piping and incorporate macerators into both systems because pump-outs in our area are seriously unreliable and nothing spoils my day like a maxed-out black-water tank.

Andre