www.iFourWinns.com

Guys - we've got a major stink problem coming from our boat when we flush the head. Major problem. We just pumped out after being very full but unfortunately, the problem still exists. First, I don't think I've been as diligent with the chemicals as I should have been, a problem I will correct. Second, I'm fearful we got the tank too full and actually got "waste" up into the filter. Is that possible? I don't know how else to explain the terrible smell after the pumpout. Does anyone know what carbon filter the boat uses? I'd like to just replace it. Thanks guys.

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"Foursome Fun" 2008 V358/Volvo 5.7 GXi Inboards
Lake Erie - Ohio

Previous Boat:
2003 Sea Ray 280 Sundancer

I do not know what filter your boat takes (the owners manual will have a part number or you could check with Four Winns) yes you can overfill the tank and saturate the filter, the owners manual talks all about that and the outcome (which is usually terrible stink).

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Brett DiMichele

You probably got the filter wet. It happened to me on my previous boat. Stinks real bad everytime you flush.
You need this: http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?pat ... &id=105209

The filter is on the starboard side of the engine room near the vacuflush pump. It takes a couple of minutes to change.

Once you get tired of buying these look here: http://clubsearay.com/forum/showthread.php?t=849

I built one as they show, from the last filter I changed on the old boat. I haven't tried it yet.

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2008 V358 Two-tone Blue V/P Dual Prop 320 HP
Lake Winnipesaukee, NH

Thanks jrcinnh, I put a bunch of chemicals in it and will now become much more diligent with the pump outs and chemical treatments. I looked for the pump and filter but couldn't find it. Really didn't know where to look. Can you describe where it is relative to the starboard gas tank? That I can find.

Thanks also for the tips on the links .. I'm reviewing now.

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"Foursome Fun" 2008 V358/Volvo 5.7 GXi Inboards
Lake Erie - Ohio

Previous Boat:
2003 Sea Ray 280 Sundancer

On a 348/358 the filter is in the engine room, on the starboard side, mounted on the box that sits around the fuel tank. It's about 20" long, 2" around and has a hose going into each end. Unscrew the hoses and it'll pop right out of the mounting clips.

Yes, if you let the tank get overfilled it can allow waste water to get into the filter. This will ruin it.

You can refill the filter yourself and save quite a lot of money. The filter is nothing more than a section of 2" PVC tube. As such you can cut it in half and glue in a threaded pipe fitting. This will let you refill the filter with aquarium charcoal. A half-gallon carton of it will usually refill the filter about three times. If the foam in the ends of your filter are ripped or worn you can replace them by cutting a section out of aquarium filter, or some other very open celled foam. The foam just keeps the charcoal in there while also letting the fumes pass through.

Go to a home despot store and get a male and female 2" PVC pipe thread fitting. It's the kind that slips onto the outside of a section of PVC. Also pick up some PVC glue. Cut the old filter in the middle, throw away the old charcoal and rinse the halves. Peel back the label on the two halves enough to allow the fittings to slide on fully. Once you're sure the fittings go on completely, back them off and wet both the outside of the halves and the insides of the fittings with PVC glue. (or follow whatever instructions are on the glue) Then slide the fittings onto the halves and let them set up. Once the glue has dried, put foam down into the ends, either the saved old pieces or cut new ones. Refill the two halves. Since you're threading one fitting INTO the other there's no need to overfill the charcoal; leave some room. Thread the two pieces together and you're done. Parts will be around $25, but subsequent refills will be around $5. Quite a savings over $80 for a whole new filter.

As for chemicals, be choosy. If you're going to use the toilet like the one at home then you might want to consider NOT USING the formaldehyde-based tank treatments. They only mask the smell. You'd instead want to use something like the green colored "Odorloss" tank treatment. It's designed to feed the bacteria in the waste and this allows it to greatly reduce tank smells. But the bacteria treatment types depend on their being more than just urine in the tank. If folks are using it for #2 then the tank treatments will work. Otherwise if it's #1 only the bacteria have nothing to feed upon.

I find it's unreasonable to think everyone's going to abide by "#1 only" regarding the toilet. My only rule is they MUST NOT put anything other than waste and the boat toilet paper down the toilet. The boat paper (or RV paper) is designed to break up. This is important. Regular toilet paper will end up clumping and clogging your waste system. This is way too messy a job to justify being cheap about the toilet paper. Get the right stuff.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

Bill - thanks for the good info as always. We have two young children that poop like geese. The boat head is fair game for Nos 1 & 2. I am going to work from the assumption that we have ruined the filter and change it immediately. I will likely use your method of splitting it with threaded adapters and go with the self fill method in the future.

For now, I've learned to be more diligent with chemicals and to not let the black water tank get anywhere near full in the future.

Thanks again.

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"Foursome Fun" 2008 V358/Volvo 5.7 GXi Inboards
Lake Erie - Ohio

Previous Boat:
2003 Sea Ray 280 Sundancer

Might also be a good idea to upgrade the tank monitoring system to the setup that uses metal strips on the outside of the tanl (Bill know's the brand name) as they are reliable.. Half the time I have no clue if my tank is half empty, half full, full, empty or anything inbetween. And it's never had poopies or Tee Pee in it, either!

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Brett DiMichele

Assuming the culprit is a filter contaminated by waste that migrated up from the tank, will replacing the filter be enough or should I try to purge the hose leading to/from the filter?

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"Foursome Fun" 2008 V358/Volvo 5.7 GXi Inboards
Lake Erie - Ohio

Previous Boat:
2003 Sea Ray 280 Sundancer

It's not a bad idea to rinse the vent hose. It's a regular hose type thread fitting. Just make sure NOT TO USE your regular drinking water hose. And since the hose has female fittings all you'll need to do is run a regular hose down into the engine compartment and attach it. Run a bit of water through it at a slow rate. Don't run it full strength and OPEN the main waste fitting up on the starboard gunwale. This is the vent hose INTO the tank and if you run too much pressure in here you'll run the very likely risk of bursting the tank or, at the very least, popping a hose. Either way would be a messy problem to correct. Having the main waste fitting open gives a way for pressure to get out of the tank. Be SURE to have it open. Yes, it'll be a bit stinky in the process. So don't do it when you've got guests aboard, or anyone's in the slip's down wind from you!

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

I would not give up on the factory monitor yet. I think they use the Sealand product now. I had one on my previous boat and it worked very well. There are only three floats in the tank so this is my translation based on experience in the previous boat.

All Floats dry - One light, empty, just pumped out.
One float wet - two lights, not empty, it stays here a long time.
two floats wet - three lights, close to full, emergency use only, find a pumpout
three floats wet - four lights, too late do not flush, don't take a bumpy ride to the pumpout

People look at the four lights and don't work about pumping until the fourth one lights but that top float is really close to the top of tank and boats rock and roll.

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2008 V358 Two-tone Blue V/P Dual Prop 320 HP
Lake Winnipesaukee, NH

Glad to hear the newer system works better, because mine sure doesn't... It amazes me that the floats stick even in the potable water tank!

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Brett DiMichele

Agreed, you cannot wait until the red light comes on. When the red light comes on it means PUMP OUT NOW. The rocking motion of the waves, along with the bow rise when coming up on plane, will cause the contents of the waste tank to shift. The vent line comes out the aft end of the tank. One could argue if this is a good location or not, and I might consider moving mine. When you have a relatively full tank there is a chance the fluid can run back into the vent line. If the fluid level in the tank is high enough this could lead to waste fluid getting up to the filter. The filter is about 4' (max) above the waste tank. Tilt the boat up a bit and that's not a lot of distance.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista