Bad odour comming out of toilet at first flush!

compie1

compie1

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We always have after a few days bad odour comming out of the toilets at the first flush (sea water flush) because of the forming of rot in the standing water in the hoses, if we could add some (very small %) Chlorine to that standing water the rotting process could be stopped and the smell could be gone, now by fitting a Y valve and connect to a chlorine container (small) or non sea water (wich contains by itself some chlorine) we could solve it BUT if we could do it with a small electronic device (retailprice +- €50) and a 9v battery or 12/24V connection wich would remove permanently the odour in the seawater inlet would the market have interest in this type of device or does it already exist?
 
There's something available in the US called something Lectra Sans or Electra Sans that may work on a similar principle. It sanitzes waste and means you can discharge without falling foul of the holding tanks regulations. Also prevents odours.
 
How about one of these ....

HEAD CLEANING SYSTEM - A neat little unit that easily mounts on the inlet pipe between the pump and the toilet. It keeps the bowl clean and deodorised and also helps break down waste with every flush. Lasts up to 400 flushes, fits 3/4 hose."

Steve
 
I am sure I have read somewhere about the idea of making a "T" into the inlet pipe right after the sea cock to permit flushing with fresh water before leaving the boat for a while. Valve on the fresh water "T" is normally closed, just open (while you are down there anyway to close the sea cock,,,,which you do anyway dont you,,,always!!!!) to clean the pipe through, leaving fresh water in there and thats it. Only costs a few pence. I am sure it was an article in one of the boaty mags earlier in the year. On our boat we find a good pump through, meaning 4/5 minutes on first arrival does create the pong initially but it very soon dissipates as you clean the system through and pump out the smelly microbes or whatever. It so quick, easy and effective I never even bothered with the fresh water connection. If the pong has got into the pipes then no gizmo will improve it untill the pipe is changed. Dont get me wrong here I am all in favour of gizmos but it may not sell if there is a simple solution that costs pence. If you are like me its a case of - If you dont sell you dont eat...
 
Replacing the inlet hose and fitting leesans HTS kit solved the problem for us. Now have nice blue rinse water too!!
 
Trick is to turn sea cocks on. Shut the door and pump like hell for a minute or two, so the sea water goes down the pan before much smell can come off it. Leave toe window open and door shut for a while after.
 
David,
You are right on the fact that a T or Y connection and flush it with fresh water is a good solution but that costs more than a few pence and safetywise I prefer not to have to much T or Y connections on the thru-hull side of my boat, the solution i am thinking of is a 8 cm cylinder you put in between the hose to the inlet of your toilet with some electronics inside connected to a power source,simple but good.
 
How to cure or prevent seawater intake odors depends upon what kind of toilet you have and several other factors. But no matter what type of toilet, just pouring something down the toilet doesn’t help, because nothing poured into the bowl ever gets into the intake line or inside the rim of the bowl where the worst of the odor is coming from.

Adding chlorine to flush water to eliminate odor from sea water left to stagnate in the line is not recommended...chlorine is highly destructive to the rubber parts in the toilet and also breaks down hose resistance to odor permeation.

I don’t recommend using the "inline" chemical devices sold for this purpose either. Some only reduce the problem, they don’t completely solve it; the chemicals used in some of them can be harmful to rubber and neoprene parts in the toilet; others may be incompatible, or even produce toxic gasses, if combined with other chemicals used in the holding tank or treatment device. They should never be used if a Lectra/San is installed, because the chemicals in them can damage the electrodes.

The only filters are for use in the holding tank vent line...so filters aren't a solution either.

But there are a couple of simple inexpensive solutions to the problem:

On many sailboats, the head sink drain already shares the same through-hull with the toilet intake. Although most powerboat sinks drain through a separate through-hull above the waterline, there’s certainly no reason why the sink on any sailboat or powerboat can’t share the same through-hull, provided the toilet and sink are on the same side of the boat, and the head intake through-hull is close to both.

If they are, it’s a simple matter to tee or wye the sink drain hose into the head intake hose next to the seacock; both hoses are typically the same size: ¾” ID. After you’ve closed the head intake seacock in preparation to close up the boat, fill the sink with fresh clean water and flush the toilet. Because the seacock is closed, the toilet will draw the water out of the sink, rinsing the sea water out of the entire system. If your toilet is electric, be careful not to let it run dry…doing so can burn out the intake impeller. After rinsing out the system with clean water, flush a cupful or two of undiluted white vinegar through to prevent sea water mineral buildup in the hoses. Make sure to flush the vinegar all the way through the system...do not rinse afterward.

It will also be necessary to keep the sink plugged except when in use, either by installing a conveniently located shut-off valve in the drain hose or with a rubber sink plug. Otherwise the toilet will pull air through the sink, preventing it from priming.

Or, if you carry enough fresh water to spare for toilet flushing, you can install a separate flush water tank. The easiest way to do that: stuff an unvented bladded into any convenient location. Connect the head intake to the bladder, the fill line into the head sink drain using a simple garden hose y-connector. When you need to refill the bladder, open the y to the bladder, run water in the sink. You could even have it both ways--flush with sea water in open ocean where sea water is clean, flush with fresh water at the dock--by installing a y-valve in the head intake that allows you to switch between the thru-hull and the flush water bladder.

NEVER connect any toilet designed to use sea water directly to the onboard fresh water system...it cannot be done without risk of contaminating the potable water supply with e-coli, damage to the toilet or both, and every toilet mfr specifically warns against it in their installation instructions. A sink drain that either supplies the toilet directly or supplies a separate flush water tank is the ONLY safe way to convert a toilet designed to use sea water to fresh water flush.
 
With option 2 and the y valve, you can close the inlet seacock and leave it closed all the time - one less risk of the boat sinking, but could open the y-valve if you run out of water in an anchorage and flush with sea water.
 
I think aqua spec do an inline filter which adds chemicals - I'll ask chris, However I would be careful about putting large amount of bleach down as it may damage pump. I use a toilet lubricant which is harmless and we pump that out but leave some in the system. I think that one is Starbrite
 
I think we may be using different definitions for the word "filter." Some of the the inline devices may include strainers (filter?)...but isn't a filter of the kind used in water lines. The only filters used in sanitation systesm is a tube of activated charcoal that goes in a holding tank vent line...and immediately becomes toast if it gets wet.

Speaking of water plumbing filters, don't even THINK of using one of those in your toilet intake...it'll clog with salt and sea water minerals in a heartbeat.
 
Re: Bad odour coming out of toilet at first flush!

[ QUOTE ]
Adding chlorine to flush water to eliminate odour from sea water left to stagnate in the line is not recommended...chlorine is highly destructive to the rubber parts in the toilet and also breaks down hose resistance to odour permeation.

[/ QUOTE ]

Are you sure?

I have many rubber seals on my hot tub which after 5 years are still in good condition. Hot water, chlorine and many other chemicals and always in that environment.

Not trying to get one up on you Peggy, but often, the way you write about everything being corrosive to boat toilets it is wonder you do not insist that it would be better if you use a bucket instead.

So far we can not use chlorine or bleach, how are we supposed to clean the heads properly and minimise the risks of e-coli and other such nasties to the crew.

This is not meant to be bitter, just confused as to what we can use, if anything.
 
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