Horrendous Odor

[Craig_B]

We have an absolutely awful stench coming from god knows where.
Hoping someone here can give us some guidance.
Here is what we know and suspect.

The aft bilge (not the engine bay) had some standing water that seemed to be the source of the smell. Hosed it out and scrubbed it using some bilge cleaner. Smell still there.
The engine bay seems to be seperate and not connected to the bilge area of the cabin. Engine bay bilge smells fine.

The toilet is the pump style with electric assist. We think the seal at the bottom of the bowl must not be sealing properly since water does not stays in the bowl. Or perhaps the tank and hoses may be due to be replaced?

The smell is just about everywhere but seems to be the absolute worst under the v-berth. When you open the access door you almost want to pass out.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[ColRon]

Craig_B, where is you holding tank located? Mine was under the hatch in floor directly in front of the galley sink and stove. My a/c was located under the v-berth, but yours is under the starboard seating, so you holding tank my be under your v berth. The bulge pump for the entire cabin area should be located under the port side seating by the sliding door. Should be a hatch in the storage area there. The bilge pump is under there. Everything drains to here from forward.

[Craig_B]

Holding tank is between the head and the galley. Right at the threshold to the v-berth.

forgot to mention that we have pumped out the holding tank and flushed with water and re-pumped.
Also have added tank treatment that is supposed to help eliminate odors.

[ColRon]

That’s the same location where
Mine was located. Your pump out hose and vent hoses run forward from there under the berth. The tank vent should go to the starboard side while the pump out hose should run to the port side and up to the deck. Did you notice the smell before you pumped out? I’m thinking maybe a bad hose or leak, especially since you said the small is worse under the berth.

[Craig_B]

Yes smell has been there from the beginning.
At first we thought it was due to the boat sitting since last July.
Cant see most of the hoses but I suspect you are correct. A bad hose under the plywood under the bed area.

[mjk1040]

Any standing water will smell like a head problem after a time. Got to dry out the bilges, wash with bleach and keep them dry. Standing water in the AC drip pan will smell if left in there over a period of time. PS-there's a product called Zero Odor that I have found very effective in removing smells.

[bud37]

The shower sump if you have one can get pretty bad.....

Regarding the water not staying in the bowl.....if that is the electric macerator that pulls water from the lake as well as discharges the waste, they have an internal shaft seal that if bad, leaks from the dirty side to the clean side and will drain the bowl , loop or no loop in the discharge line unless your toilet is below the waterline.

If this got way worse after the pumpout you may have a waste tank with a cracked fitting or worse a crack that opened up from the vac suction,.....unfortunately you will have to open up the area to investigate, brown water in the bilge will be bad.......good luck man and stay clean..........maybe buy a cheap wet dry vac that you can throw out after.

There is an easy test for permeation on hoses and tanks......warm wet cloth wrapped around the hose, leave for a while then take outside and smell the cloth....you will know.

[Craig_B]

Thanks for all the help.
Had thought about a bleach/chlorine dose or 20.
I was concerned however that those products may damage some of the hoses or worse the thru hull fittings.
I guess a good flush and rinse would be a good idea after the bleach treatment.
Or should I leave a little in there as a preventative measure?

Thanks again.

[Craig_B]

Source of the post . Standing water in the AC drip pan will smell if left in there over a period of time. PS-there's a product called Zero Odor that I have found very effective in removing smells.

Any idea how to access that drip pan? I can see the A/C unit under a panel under a couch cushion on the S.B. side.
But its crammed in there and I cannot see a way to get underneath it. Perhaps remove the air intake grill?

Thanks

[ColRon]

A/C unit should be mountered on the drip pan and should have a hose to drain it. Now where it’s drains could be a big question. I would hope it drains to you shower sump, which I assume is underunder the hatch to the aft of your holding tank area. It may however drain directly into the bilge, which you would need to go under storage compartment under the port side seating as I mentioned above. You should have only two bilge pumps, one in the engine room and one under the seating.