Heads inlet pipe smell

Putting anything in the toilet bowl will do nothing to help. The smell is just natural breakdown of (probably polluted) seawater in the inlet pipe. It goes as soon as the toilet is first flushed after a day or so of not being used. About the only solution is fresh water flushing, but most boats don't have enough spare water for that. I've noticed that the intensity of the smell varies by location, according to seawater quality.
 
pvb said:
Putting anything in the toilet bowl will do nothing to help. The smell is just natural breakdown of (probably polluted) seawater in the inlet pipe. It goes as soon as the toilet is first flushed after a day or so of not being used. About the only solution is fresh water flushing, but most boats don't have enough spare water for that. I've noticed that the intensity of the smell varies by location, according to seawater quality.
Click to expand...

Why is my solution not a solution? If you have a seawater filter, it's virtually free. If you don't have one they are a good idea anyway and, like Pyrojames, you can easliy fit one. This is mine http://www.asap-supplies.com/search/toilet+water+filter/jabsco-pumpgard-toilet-pump-strainer-509783

£10 from ASAP. Problem solved! :encouragement:

Richard
 
l'escargot said:
I
Which side of the syphon do you have it and do you have a vent loop?
Click to expand...

The anti-syphon vent can't be in the hose from the seacock to the toilet pump as you would never be able to pump any water into the bowl.

As Pyrojames says, the closer you can fit the filter to the seacock the better then the filter is best able to do it's job filtering out seaweed etc and the toilet block is purifying all the water throughout the system.

These size blocks http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/450-500g-...e&pid=100005&rk=2&rkt=6&sd=261762718951&rt=nc (there are many other sellers) fit into the ASAP strainer and you can retain the mesh as well so the strainer still operates as a strainer. Make sure you put the block in with the flat face pointing upwards otherwise the flat face will rest over the water vents and reduce the efficiency of the toilet pump.

Richard
 
Thanks for all the replies. To respond to some of the posts...I won't be installing a lavac given that I ripped out thousands of pounds worth of vacuflush kit to reclaim space / save power / save fresh water (pm me if interested in purchasing :-). Putting anything down the bowl won't help as this is an inlet problem and I recently stripped and serviced the pump which now works very smoothly. It could be simply that the water in this marina is particularly nasty and there are more nasties to break down and cause the malodorous effect more quickly than I've experienced it elsewhere. The inlet filter looks a possibility although having twice as many connections to potentially fail between the seacock and the bowl is a mild concern. I think I'll wait until we've taken the boat out into cleaner water and see if we still have a problem and if so replace the pipe between seacock and bowl initially, potentially installing one of those filters.

Certainly a £10 filter seems rather cheaper than the devices they push at boat shows for this.
 
laika said:
Certainly a £10 filter seems rather cheaper than the devices they push at boat shows for this.
Click to expand...

Absolutely! I looked at those and then decided to try the toilet block idea as I already had the filter installed. I first tried it with a water steriliziation tablet which works but only lasts a few hours so not really viable.

We are in Croatia and the water, even in our marina is crystal clear. My boat is at the end of the pontoon in 25 feet of water and I can still see the bottom but the smell was still there every time we left the boat for a few weeks.

Richard
 
RichardS said:
The anti-syphon vent can't be in the hose from the seacock to the toilet pump as you would never be able to pump any water into the bowl.

As Pyrojames says, the closer you can fit the filter to the seacock the better then the filter is best able to do it's job filtering out seaweed etc and the toilet block is purifying all the water throughout the system.

These size blocks http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/450-500g-...e&pid=100005&rk=2&rkt=6&sd=261762718951&rt=nc (there are many other sellers) fit into the ASAP strainer and you can retain the mesh as well so the strainer still operates as a strainer. Make sure you put the block in with the flat face pointing upwards otherwise the flat face will rest over the water vents and reduce the efficiency of the toilet pump.

Richard
Click to expand...
i don't think I would like to trust one of those (I have one in my freshwater system before the pump) to keep the sea out of my boat when the seacock is open.
 
l'escargot said:
i don't think I would like to trust one of those (I have one in my freshwater system before the pump) to keep the sea out of my boat when the seacock is open.
Click to expand...

That's what Jabsco designed them for and many boats have them fitted. I've never heard of one failing. Why would it? It's not under any significant pressure as the seacock is not far below the waterline.

Richard
 
RichardS said:
That's what Jabsco designed them for and many boats have them fitted. I've never heard of one failing. Why would it? It's not under any significant pressure as the seacock is not far below the waterline.

Richard
Click to expand...
I understood they are designed to go on freshwater systems and they are sealed with a thin o ring. I have had the clear cover crack on one. I think you are using it for a purpose It isn't intended for. Your choice but I wouldn't like to rely on one in the intake..
 
RichardS said:
Why is my solution not a solution? If you have a seawater filter, it's virtually free. If you don't have one they are a good idea anyway and, like Pyrojames, you can easliy fit one. This is mine http://www.asap-supplies.com/search/toilet+water+filter/jabsco-pumpgard-toilet-pump-strainer-509783

£10 from ASAP. Problem solved! :encouragement:

Richard
Click to expand...

Does anyone use a set-up like this with a Lavac? Presumably it further delays the release of the vacuum, as the water in the inlet pipe must drain back down past the filter and the cistern block, which will slow it to some extent. I wonder whether the additional delay is noticeable. Opening out the air vent to counteract this delay might then reduce the amount of water pulled in by the vacuum when pumping, perhaps?
 
LittleSister said:
Does anyone use a set-up like this with a Lavac? Presumably it further delays the release of the vacuum, as the water in the inlet pipe must drain back down past the filter and the cistern block, which will slow it to some extent. I wonder whether the additional delay is noticeable. Opening out the air vent to counteract this delay might then reduce the amount of water pulled in by the vacuum when pumping, perhaps?
Click to expand...
Logically it shouldn't make any difference. It will still only require the same amount of air to enter at the top of the loop to prevent syphoning. As soon as the 'bubble' has formed syphoning will stop.
 
l'escargot said:
I understood they are designed to go on freshwater systems and they are sealed with a thin o ring. I have had the clear cover crack on one. I think you are using it for a purpose It isn't intended for. Your choice but I wouldn't like to rely on one in the intake..
Click to expand...

From Jabsco website:

Toilet Pump Inlet Strainer - Hose
Protects manual or electric toilets
Connections: 19mm (3/4") ID hose
Dimensions: 120mm long, 70mm wide, 60mm high
Prevents unnecessary pump breakdowns caused by particles in the water.
Transparent housing allows instant inspection.
Screw off top allows quick in-place cleaning and removal of debris.

Why would there be "debris" in a freshwater supply.

It is indeed a plastic lid with a rubber O-ring, much the same as the engine raw water filter but smaller.

If you've ever pumped your toilet and had bits of weed or suchlike appearing in the bowl then you haven't got one fitted. :)

I'd better stop now as forumites will start thinking that I'm sponsored by Jabsco or ASAP or am a urinal block fetishist!

Richard
 
pyrojames said:
Someone here recommended putting urinal tabs or cistern blocks in the inlet system a month or two back. I fitted a jasco strainer, pulled out the gauze and stuck in a blue tablet for a cistern. Loo hasn't smelt since and it has cleaned out the lime scale. Highly recommended.
Click to expand...
Ooh I like that idea, next job coming up!
S
 
RichardS said:
From Jabsco website:

Toilet Pump Inlet Strainer - Hose
Protects manual or electric toilets
Connections: 19mm (3/4") ID hose
Dimensions: 120mm long, 70mm wide, 60mm high
Prevents unnecessary pump breakdowns caused by particles in the water.
Transparent housing allows instant inspection.
Screw off top allows quick in-place cleaning and removal of debris.

Why would there be "debris" in a freshwater supply.

It is indeed a plastic lid with a rubber O-ring, much the same as the engine raw water filter but smaller.

If you've ever pumped your toilet and had bits of weed or suchlike appearing in the bowl then you haven't got one fitted. :)

I'd better stop now as forumites will start thinking that I'm sponsored by Jabsco or ASAP or am a urinal block fetishist!

Richard
Click to expand...
Mine used to crack during the winter. It took a while to realise that they were freezing up.
S
 
RichardS said:
From Jabsco website:

Toilet Pump Inlet Strainer - Hose
Protects manual or electric toilets
Connections: 19mm (3/4") ID hose
Dimensions: 120mm long, 70mm wide, 60mm high
Prevents unnecessary pump breakdowns caused by particles in the water.
Transparent housing allows instant inspection.
Screw off top allows quick in-place cleaning and removal of debris.

Why would there be "debris" in a freshwater supply.

It is indeed a plastic lid with a rubber O-ring, much the same as the engine raw water filter but smaller.

If you've ever pumped your toilet and had bits of weed or suchlike appearing in the bowl then you haven't got one fitted. :)

I'd better stop now as forumites will start thinking that I'm sponsored by Jabsco or ASAP or am a urinal block fetishist!

Richard
Click to expand...

I get debris in my freshwater filter in the form of grit, it doesn't actually specify either way though does it? Engine raw water filters are generally mounted above the waterline too. I know I haven't got one fitted, as I said your choice but I wouldn't choose to.
 
Fill it with fresh water before you leave, pump it out then add some more, having closed the inlet seacock first ... then go to the chandler and buy some perfumed jollop specially made for marine loos thus ensuring there's nothing nasty in it to rot your rubber bits.
 
LittleSister said:
Does anyone use a set-up like this with a Lavac? Presumably it further delays the release of the vacuum, as the water in the inlet pipe must drain back down past the filter and the cistern block, which will slow it to some extent. I wonder whether the additional delay is noticeable. Opening out the air vent to counteract this delay might then reduce the amount of water pulled in by the vacuum when pumping, perhaps?
Click to expand...

alahol2 said:
Logically it shouldn't make any difference. It will still only require the same amount of air to enter at the top of the loop to prevent syphoning. As soon as the 'bubble' has formed syphoning will stop.
Click to expand...

Logically it will make a difference, the question is whether it's a significant difference. You are answering a different question to the one I asked. (But thanks for trying.) It's not the syphon breaking I'm talking/asking about, but the length of time it takes for the vacuum created by pumping (which pulls the water in) to release sufficiently for the toilet lid to be opened, or the water remaining in the bowl to be pumped out without just drawing in more water.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top