vacu-flush - holding tank location on a 10m mid cabin?

[BobCT]

another nagging issue that I would like to sort out before winter. My boat has an unbearable smell while it's closed up. Not too bad when it's open but no way you could sleep on it w/the windows closed.

It's an original (20 years) vacu-flush that's functional. It pumps fine and the toilet holds water. I just had the tank pumped which probably wasn't done in over a year but the boat wasn't really used either.

I removed the burned our macerator pump and about 3' of hose. I capped it for now. When I posted this a few weeks ago I forgot to mention that I have a vacu-flush system. A few of you replied back about changing the hoses which sounded reasonable. In talking to a few people, they said that the vacu-flush hoses are usually not the problem because they get flushed out every time it's used.

Some of them are discolored and sticky though which I understand is the tell-tale sign.

I guess I want to start at the tank and work my way back. I'm getting some water in the bilge right in front of the head. I'm not sure if it's rainwater or not so I figured I start at the tank.

I'm not exactly sure where the holding tank is on a mid cabin though? It looks like the hoses run up to the v-berth where the fresh water tank is located. Is the holding tank underneath the fresh water tank?

I also read that a clogged "vent" can cause this type of problem. Where is that on my boat?

Does anyone have a schematic? It's definitely the system I know least about at this point.

thanks,
Bob

[S.A.M.]

It's under your forward stateroom bed.

[BobCT]

are they stacked or is the freshwater somewhere else?

[S.A.M.]

Sorry I didn't throughly read your post.

The fresh water tank is under the salon deck, forward of the midcabin. Your vacum pump for the head is under the deck in the stateroom just forward of the stateroom door.

Some water in the bilge is normal.

Pour some holding tank treatment in the head, then turn off your head pump switch and flush. Let the treatment sit in the line for about 30 minutes. Then turn the pump back on and flush again. This will push the treatment thru the pump. And let it sit again for 30 minutes. The treatment will help breakdown the build up and also it lubricates. After that, flush a generous amount of slightly soapy water thru the system and have the tank pumped out. Make sure they flush the tank with fresh water and pump it again.

Always after your pump outs put the treatment in the tank.

Give it a try, it worked for me.

[BobCT]

the boat sat basically unused for a season. I pumped it out a couple of weeks ago and swear the smell got a little worse.

I didn't flush afterwards though or try the soapy water trick. I'm going to try the holding treatment suggestion now.

thanks

[sluggo]

in my 10 meter the holding tank for the head is under the v berth bed. I had to clean it out 1 time, and to do so I had to take the bed off of the frame and underneath it, you could see the holding tank for the head. It was a little bit of a PIA but not too bad. The holding tank had a clean out hole so I opened it and pumped everything out of it etc. It may have some algae build up in it and you may be able to get a brush and clean it out better then the chemicals. Worse thing is you get to see how everything is put together.

[Dennis Weisberg]

I agree with the clean out recommendations above. Additionally, in the bilge area next to the vacuum tank you will have an in-line T that splits the pump out line between the deck pump out and the macerator overboard discharge into a through hull. Our overboard line and macerator seemed to collect waste that did not get cleaned out well during pump out. We refuse to overboard any waste into the Chesapeake, illegal anyway. I removed and eliminated the macerator and overboard line as well as the T connection, inserted a straight line connector in the space and substantially reduced any odors.
You can also purchase an in line filter for your vent line that reduces the smell when the tank vents. Around $80 at West or most supply stores. Easy to install. The line runs from the tank through the head compartment to the vent hole below the porthole in the head. Good boating!

[BobCT]

I also elminated the macerator, it was burned out anyway. Would adding a filter only help the smell if you had the windows open and it came back INTO the cabin?

My issue is after it's been closed up for a few hours. If I open everything, it becomes bearable but not 100%.

Since I need to re-work the macerator connection (I just capped it for now), I'm tempted to just replace the hoses. Cleaning the tank doesn't sound like fun but if I have to, I will....

Bob

[RWS]

after replacing the macerator 3 times on my 10 meter, I switched it over to a vacuum pump exactly the same as the vacuflush.

Works like a dream, quiet, doesn't get stopped up or stuck and runs dry.

I can fill up the waste tank with soap, run the boat on a rough day and pump her out (3 miles out of course) and have a really nice clean holding tank.

no worries with the vacuum pump and it could be a spare if the main pump failed during a trip.

RWS

[BobCT]

if the hoses are 20 years old, change them as they're way past life expectancy.
Do the mid cabins have a vent filter? If so, where is it?

He said to check that otherwise it's a good thing to add.

[Peter]

I had a situation once where I thought I had a holding tank smell, turned out to be standing water in the forward bilge from a bilge pump that had failed. really smelled bad. Before you go tearing things apart, pumpout that standing water. If the water's just sitting there it can smell really bad

[BobCT]

I ordered 30' of hose and going to replace it all. I was able to order it direct from Sealand for under $7 a foot which is $3' less than West Marine.

I've got to do this 1st, it has all the telltale signs combined with age. I ordered the inline vent filter too.

Bob