Pong

[david_e]

My boat, First 31.7, new in 2002, has just developed pongy heads when left for a week or so. We put some boaty type dissinfectant down there but we now have to give a good megga flush to get rid.

The heads is a Jabsco unit of the type fitted to many Beneteaus

What can we do?

also, what supermarket type stuff can we pour down as oppose to the megga pricey stuff in the chandlers - £8 a bottle?

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[BrendanS]

Do a search on username 'Headmistress'
Peggy is the expert on all things heads and whiffy, and you'll see she has adressed this issue many time.

Cue Peggy......

<hr width=100% size=1>Me transmitte sursum, caledoni

 

[Jools_of_Top_Cat]

As well as cleaning we have just bought one of those new glade anywhere airfresheners with its own batteries. Seems to be working well so far.

<hr width=100% size=1>Julian

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[HeadMistress]

Your problem is caused by seawater left to stagnate in the head intake, channel in the rim of the bowl and the pump...the first couple of flushes after the boat has sat awhile can knock you off your feet!

Nothing poured into the bowl will cure it because nothing poured into the bowl is circulated (thank God!) through the intake...if it did, so would waste in the bowl, which you don't want!

There are only a couple of viable cures...the easiest and least expensive works on most boats...in fact, some boat builders do this to eliminate a thru-hull: tee the head intake hose into the head sink drain (or vice versa). After closing the the thru-hull, fill the sink with clean fresh water...flush the toilet. Because the thru-hull is closed, the toilet will pull the water out of the sink, rinsing all the sea water out of the whole system--not only the intake, but also the discharge hose. Follow that with a cupful of white vinegar flushed ALL the way through the whole system...that will help to prevent sea water mineral buildup in the hoses.

If the plumbing on your boat won't allow you to do that with any practicality, the alternate solution is a y-valve in the head intake line...one side to the thru-hull, the other to a length of hose you can stick into a bucket or gallon milk jug of clean water. Not quite as convenient, but better than being knocked cold every time you come back to the boat.

Btw...the simplest most effective cure for those "temporary user generated" odors is a book of matches. Strike one, blow it out...the odor is GONE!

<hr width=100% size=1>Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987

 

[Miker]

Re: Pong - where can I get a Y valve?

I've this problem too. Jabsco advertise Y valves for 25mm pipes but my sea water intake is 19mm. I suppose I could fit reducers but that is more plumbing in a confined area.

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[billmacfarlane]

David, you've got a problem that's common to all boats with that type of loo. Ther's bacteria breeding in the inlet pipe before it gets to the pump so disinfecting the loo won't get rid of it. I get it when I first use it on the boat but after that it's OK with regular use. There's a couple of proprietary devices you can install, Force 4 sell one to counteract the problem.

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[Spacewaist]

The most practical short term fix I know if wd be to replace the inlet hose - I do it at least once every season. By throwing away the hose you are throwing away the bacteria - and the smell with it.

True there are some bacteria left in the seacock and inlet on the loo; thats why it comes back quicker than than it did from new.


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[dickh]

As Headmistress says - the ONLY cure is to flush fresh water thro'. I have a Tee piece as close to the inlet seacock. with a ball valve in the 'leg' bit with a hose on the end which I put in a water container nearby. Close the inlet seacock; open the ball valve, flush thro'; close the ball valve; close the outlet seacock - works every time - Guaranteed! I did fit new 'No Smell' Hoses before this mod and an 'In-line deodoriser) - neither cured the pong.
The new white hoses look good.
also flush thro some cooking oil occasionally to lubricate the pump(I also have a Jabsco).

<hr width=100% size=1>dickh
I'd rather be sailing... /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[tcm]

lazy git option

with wiffy heads, and a fairly useful yet mixed-sex crew (as i know you have, david_e) i find the best idea is to get others to attend to the matter. Do this by exclaiming and announcing the pong at the top of your voice "jeez! who's been flippin', well i just don't know what..." then accuse someone (prefereably the least likley suspect) and they all scurry along guiltily to fumigate. Obviously, it's important to be first to dish out the accusations, otherwise you end up as one of the scurriers...

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[dickh]

Re: Pong - where can I get a Y valve?

Or use a 'Tee' piece like I did - but not the cheap white plastic ones you see in chandlers - I made up a 'Tee' piece with bits from ASAP Supplies - ¾" barbed hose fittings & the Hose clips.


<hr width=100% size=1>dickh
I'd rather be sailing... /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[dickh]

Re: Pong - where can I get a Y valve?

Or use a 'Tee' piece like I did - but not the cheap white plastic ones you see in chandlers - I made up a 'Tee' piece with bits from ASAP Supplies - ¾" barbed hose fittings & then Hose clips.
I suppose you could fit a tee piece directly to the seacock but that would make it very tall and potentialty vulnerable to damage.......


<hr width=100% size=1>dickh
I'd rather be sailing... /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[Miker]

Re: Pong - and the ball valve?

Thanks. I browsed through the ASAP catalogue and other chandlers but didn't find anything suitable for the ball valve.

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[charles_reed]

Toilet Duck

but if the pong is caused by sunlight on the (probably clear) inlet water feeding a colony of bacteria it won't have any effect.
You can tell it's a rotten egg smell and the only simple answer is to replace the clear plastic with some that doesn't allow the little b**s to practice photosythesis.

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[HeadMistress]

Re: Pong - and the ball valve?

It's often easier--and a LOT cheaper!--to find plumbing bits, valves, tees etc at plumbing supply houses and hardware stores (at least "hardware stores" as we know them here) than at marine supply stores. In fact, I rarely buy ANY fittings at marine stores.

<hr width=100% size=1>Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987