martynwhiteley
Well-Known Member
The so called warmer weather's arrived, so parked the Eberspacher problem and its lack of wick, and started to work lower down the priority list.
The next issue should be to sort out the port AQ131B's tendency to stall when selecting reverse at the crucial moment whilst berthing, but the poor weather has made the 'static' issues move up the pecking order, as opposed the the 'moving' issues.
So now we get around to the bad smell.
Had the boat about 3 months or so now, and lived with a 'toilet smell' that never quite shifted. Had it pumped out, and inspected/cleaned all easily accessible black water services to no avail. Spoke to the previous owner who did acknowledge that he had had some 'back pressure' problems with the holding tank, and managed to discharge some 1&2's over himself when he undid something on the tank. Did his best to clean it up, but maybe missed some.
So we'd cleaned out the holding tank compartment pretty well, and all bilge hatches down the keel, nothing obvious.
I was a little curious as to the marked feel of back-pressure when pumping the manual Jabso, and the time it took to empty the bowl. It has had some work done on this a couple of years ago, with receipts to prove, and seems to be a newish head. It tried pumping with the cap off the pump out outlet, but no difference. Being as it's top entry into the tank, I guess there is quite a bit of head to pump, and maybe accounts for the fact that the bowl always fills back up so much after pumping. (not sure about any non-return valves etc.?) Never had a problem on previous boats (although little use of heads on short river trips!) so not much experience with Jabso's. Never felt so much back-pressure before though.
Anyway, yesterday (following the relaxing of the hose pipe ban in Lincs) took the new pressure washer to blitz the task, like Luke Skywalker in training. Washed all the accessible bilge sections at 120 bar or so, with Cilit Bang and Detol. Did find out that non of the auto switches work on the bilge pumps (now 213 on the priority list).
Sucked out all the surplus, mopped up the dregs, apologised to the next door neighbour for borrowing his hose, went for a can of coke, tried to dry my jeens with a hair dryer, then went back to the boat with nose on max sensitivity. Still smelt.
But, it was very localised to the galley area, and on further sniffing, around the fridge.
So took out the fridge (made that sound easy but there was a lot of huffing and puffing and cut fingers). Then OMG!
The fridge had its own little bilge, and it was full of 1's and maybe even a little 2, and ponged.
Use your imagination to cover the next bit, but much more Detol and Cilit later, plus extensive use or portable pump, it became a lot cleaner.
A bit odd, 'cos this little bilge didn't seem best connected, and though the black water hoses ran through it, there were no connections, or apparent leak.
So we left the boat feeling somewhat chuffed, seemingly having found a cause of such a smell, but confused as to what had happened and would it happen again. We'll monitor it over a week or so, and keep our fingers crossed (if not our legs!).
I guess it's too much to expect an expert to come forth with intimate knowledge of the bilges in a P286, but perhaps some help with back-pressure issues on the Jabso pump and the return of 'stuff' into the bowl.
T'other boats I ad, presented a choice by way of a 3 way valve as to where you discharged your effluent, but alas there is no such option atm. Me thinks such a mod will be necessary on the next lift!
The next issue should be to sort out the port AQ131B's tendency to stall when selecting reverse at the crucial moment whilst berthing, but the poor weather has made the 'static' issues move up the pecking order, as opposed the the 'moving' issues.
So now we get around to the bad smell.
Had the boat about 3 months or so now, and lived with a 'toilet smell' that never quite shifted. Had it pumped out, and inspected/cleaned all easily accessible black water services to no avail. Spoke to the previous owner who did acknowledge that he had had some 'back pressure' problems with the holding tank, and managed to discharge some 1&2's over himself when he undid something on the tank. Did his best to clean it up, but maybe missed some.
So we'd cleaned out the holding tank compartment pretty well, and all bilge hatches down the keel, nothing obvious.
I was a little curious as to the marked feel of back-pressure when pumping the manual Jabso, and the time it took to empty the bowl. It has had some work done on this a couple of years ago, with receipts to prove, and seems to be a newish head. It tried pumping with the cap off the pump out outlet, but no difference. Being as it's top entry into the tank, I guess there is quite a bit of head to pump, and maybe accounts for the fact that the bowl always fills back up so much after pumping. (not sure about any non-return valves etc.?) Never had a problem on previous boats (although little use of heads on short river trips!) so not much experience with Jabso's. Never felt so much back-pressure before though.
Anyway, yesterday (following the relaxing of the hose pipe ban in Lincs) took the new pressure washer to blitz the task, like Luke Skywalker in training. Washed all the accessible bilge sections at 120 bar or so, with Cilit Bang and Detol. Did find out that non of the auto switches work on the bilge pumps (now 213 on the priority list).
Sucked out all the surplus, mopped up the dregs, apologised to the next door neighbour for borrowing his hose, went for a can of coke, tried to dry my jeens with a hair dryer, then went back to the boat with nose on max sensitivity. Still smelt.
But, it was very localised to the galley area, and on further sniffing, around the fridge.
So took out the fridge (made that sound easy but there was a lot of huffing and puffing and cut fingers). Then OMG!
The fridge had its own little bilge, and it was full of 1's and maybe even a little 2, and ponged.
Use your imagination to cover the next bit, but much more Detol and Cilit later, plus extensive use or portable pump, it became a lot cleaner.
A bit odd, 'cos this little bilge didn't seem best connected, and though the black water hoses ran through it, there were no connections, or apparent leak.
So we left the boat feeling somewhat chuffed, seemingly having found a cause of such a smell, but confused as to what had happened and would it happen again. We'll monitor it over a week or so, and keep our fingers crossed (if not our legs!).
I guess it's too much to expect an expert to come forth with intimate knowledge of the bilges in a P286, but perhaps some help with back-pressure issues on the Jabso pump and the return of 'stuff' into the bowl.
T'other boats I ad, presented a choice by way of a 3 way valve as to where you discharged your effluent, but alas there is no such option atm. Me thinks such a mod will be necessary on the next lift!
