Smelly Heads

[JamesS]

I've long had the problem of smelly heads when the sea cocks are first opened at the week-end.

Tried all sorts,scrubbing the pump, disinfectant, in-line anti smell fluids - all without success.

Couln't change the piping due to boat construction so gave up as a bad job.

For a completely unconnected reason, I changed the hand pump out last week as the old had become leaky and beyond repair.

Guess what - the smell has gone!!!!

Cheers,

 

[ccscott49]

The smell will be back! It's caused by the sea water in your inlet, not outlet and as far as \i know cant be stopped, the water goes "funny" in the pipe between the seacock and the heads, thats where the smell comes from. Once youve ppumped it through a few times the smell goes away. The only way to stop it would be to ensure the pipe from the seacock to the heads is dry when you leave the boat, haven't figured out how to do that yet.

 

[chippie]

I have a Lavac and dont get that problem.

 

[ccscott49]

What are you doing to stop it? Because I've tried all kinds of things and cant get the pipe dry, it's just the way it's installed. You will get that awful smell, if theres sea water left in the pipe. (for a while) I was told by a guy, that whjen I'm in a marina, to have an extra valve, just after the sea cock and flush with fresh water, it stops the smell and of course stops the build up of limescale and gunge in the pipes that flushing with sea water produces.

 

[VMALLOWS]

This problem seems to have had a lot of 'airing' recently. I've never had any problem in my Sadler 29 even though its 1985.

I'm wondering if it has to do with the presence of an 'anti-siphon' loop in the inlet hose as almost unanimously advocated in mags/books. I have nothing more than 9 inches of pipe between inlet and pump. Yes, if you leave the inlet cock open, the bowl may fill up! .. but you should've closed it ! (in fact the hull level is such that it doesn't overflow)

 

[longjohnsilver]

I think you can buy some sort of filter to go inline on the inlet side that kills/gets rid of the decomposed bugs which cause the smell in the first place.

 

[ccscott49]

John, haven't seen one of those, but I would be interested, leaving the boat for three weeks at a time and you need to wear a gas mask before pummping the heads for the first time! Phewwwww!

 

[billskip]

S¤#"tron?? <G>

Bill
www.aegeansailing.co.uk

www.macsyachting.com

 

[Guest]

we replaced our head last season, the smell returned.

Someone on this board recommend a saucepan of freshwater pumped through the head just before you leave it, to flush the seawater out. Worked like a dream.

 

[DoctorD]

This would work. It's the algae in the sea water which cause the smell when left in the pipes.

 

[dickh]

The only answer is to flush out with fresh water - I'm going to add a small tank and another tap so it can be done easily. Lee Sanitation now market a kit to do this. I also found the in line deodorants don't work. Also look at www.boatered.com forums, there is a lot of info on smelly heads.

 

[romany123]

seem to remember somebody talking about using swimming pool cleaner for flushing the heads. Will try to find it


Dave

 

[romany123]

found it...cant remember who wrote it ..I just kept a copy for my use.Thanks whoever you are and im sure you wont mind me passing it on


We also suffered 'pongy' heads, the smell of H2S (rotten eggs) was really bad after the boat had been standing for a week or so and the heads were first flushed. We tracked it down to stagnant water in the inlet pipe - no amount of pumping through with fresh water or vinegar was going to shift that!

We fitted one of those little capsule containers that go in the inlet line and contains an exhorbitantly priced blue tablet ( we got ours from West Marine in the States) but found that it didn't really improve things. made the water a pretty colour but didn't stop the smell.

I finally solved it by picking up a swimming pool chlorine block in the Auchan supermarket in Cherbourg for about 9 francs, breaking it up with a hammer and putting a piece about the size of a pea in the inlet capsule container.

This fixed the problem instantly, the treatment lasted about 3 weeks and the heads smelt very slightly when first flushed, just like a swimming pool. The treatment needed repeating every 6 weeks or so.

Before anyone tells me this will rot the heads valves and seals, I can only comment that I first did this treatment 18 months ago and the valves and seals are still fine.

Not only that but I still have enough of my 9 Franc tablet left to last about another 20 years!



Dave

 

[ccscott49]

Right! Perfect, where's this france place!

 

[bedouin]

Re: Where\'s france?

Just turn left at the needles - can't miss it

 

[billskip]

Re: Where\'s france?thanks bedouin

I got that to..thanks bedouin..just approaching needles now ..can see them off stbd bow..turn left you say?...

Bill
www.aegeansailing.co.uk

www.macsyachting.com

 

[bedouin]

Re: Where\'s france?thanks bedouin

You obviously started from the wrong place

 

[BrianJ]

Sounds like one of those Pommie backpackers in OZ
BrianJ

 

[Budgie]

We had the same problem and seem to have cured it by taking the inlet pipe off the seacock and placing it in a bucket of disinfectant. The disinfectant was pumped through the system, left overnight, and flushed out the next day. So far - about five months later - all appears to be well.