Head Chemicals

[CliffA]

How long between pump outs for you guys? I've used a couple different products from Walmart, don't know if one is any better than the other, my shit don't stink. The only thing I do special is flush a cup of Tide once in awhile if I know the seas will be rough enough to slosh things around real good.

it all depends on frequency of use...all of the men on our docks will find an isolated spot on a finger dock between two boats and 'check the dock lines'......it just so happens the timing of this perfectly matches the time they need to relive themselves of '#1'.........the women on the docks will usually use the boat heads for both #1 and #2 but most men and some women will use the marina facility for #2......

we (the Admiral and I) follow the practice of....'if it is yellow let it mellow but if it is brown it must go down'.....by letting the liquid build up in the bowl before flushing it significantly increases the time in between pump outs.....just a very small sprinkle of Noflex in the bowl while the liquid is building will keep any smell away and it works well to clean the top side of the bowl seal....

our waste tank is 28 gallons and I use Noflex....by following the measures above and by using the boat only on WE's we can usually go 4 - 6 weeks before needing a pump out....sometimes longer....

cliff

 

[THJeff]

Should be no problem adding it directly to the tank if you always use a pump out, but if you go out in the ocean to use the overboard discharge, then I might hold off on the Dawn all together.

Always pump out. We don't dump in the Great Lakes.

 

[JVM225]

How long between pump outs for you guys? I've used a couple different products from Walmart, don't know if one is any better than the other, my shit don't stink. The only thing I do special is flush a cup of Tide once in awhile if I know the seas will be rough enough to slosh things around real good.

I usually pump out every couple of weeks. It’s pretty easy around here. There is a free town pump out boat that comes to one of our local spots where lots of boats anchor, there is another free pump out boat at the transient marina at our town beach where we sometimes go for an overnight stay, and if I go out in the ocean I make sure to dump out there too.
There are also free pump out docks at some local municipal marinas, but those are usually hit or miss. I don’t know if it’s because they are unattended and boaters mistreat them that make them break down all the time, or the municipalities don’t maintain them properly.

 

[sea hare]

CampaChem works good... from Wallyworld

 

[Woody]

I usually pump out every couple of weeks. It’s pretty easy around here. There is a free town pump out boat that comes to one of our local spots where lots of boats anchor, there is another free pump out boat at the transient marina at our town beach where we sometimes go for an overnight stay, and if I go out in the ocean I make sure to dump out there too.
There are also free pump out docks at some local municipal marinas, but those are usually hit or miss. I don’t know if it’s because they are unattended and boaters mistreat them that make them break down all the time, or the municipalities don’t maintain them properly.

I'm thinking the guys that are afraid to use the head are actually contributing to their stinky problem. Why let the waste ferment in the tank for a month or two and hope bugs are eating it...use the system, pump out and rinsing more often has gotta help. I pump out often enough that I wonder if any waste treatment even has time to do anything. I pump out everytime I fuel, and everytime I leave to go somewhere, the tank is sometimes only 1/3 or 1/2 full. If I don't do this I have a full tank right exactly when I don't want to deal with it.

 

[carterchapman]

I'm with you Woody on the frequent pump out/rinses...

 

[JVM225]

CampaChem works good... from Wallyworld

That’s what I used on my old boat. It works pretty well and the price is right. No stink in the cabin. But, I changed the macerator on that boat and it was a really smelly job. I could also smell the waste when I removed the deck cap for pump-out.
I started using the Noflex when I got this boat. No more sting when I remove the deck cap, and when I changed the filter this year the old one had no smell after a year of use so it seems like the anoflex is doing a better job.

 

[Todd320]

How often do you change your filter, and do you use the 130$ west marine, 200$ From Dometic, or 50$ Knock-off? (I quickly checked pricing this morning, so maybe I’m off a bit). I have noflex now, and will start it on Saturday. Thanks for all the information, extremely valuable! Found a video comparing noflex and happy camper. The happy camper is a slow process, the noflex works immediately and the poo just disintegrated (they used dog poo to do the test, don’t search for the video until after lunch!)

 

[dwna1a]

I'm with Woody on this one, I pump out every time I get fuel.

Water and waste equel weight. More weight causes more fuel consumption.

 

[bbwhitejr]

How often do you change your filter, and do you use the 130$ west marine, 200$ From Dometic, or 50$ Knock-off? (I quickly checked pricing this morning, so maybe I’m off a bit). I have noflex now, and will start it on Saturday. Thanks for all the information, extremely valuable! Found a video comparing noflex and happy camper. The happy camper is a slow process, the noflex works immediately and the poo just disintegrated (they used dog poo to do the test, don’t search for the video until after lunch!)

I bought the $50 knock off for the first time and it looks and feels essentially just like the $130 one. Went in fine. As long as tank is not overfilled and no odor, I do not change. The only reason I changed this time was I could tell PO had overfilled and there was a small amount of odor at times. Now, none.

Bennett

 

[wayne0]

I bought the $50 knock off for the first time and it looks and feels essentially just like the $130 one. Went in fine. As long as tank is not overfilled and no odor, I do not change. The only reason I changed this time was I could tell PO had overfilled and there was a small amount of odor at times. Now, none.

Bennett

I "roll my own". Cut the old one 2 inches from the end, dump the contents, and refill with activated carbon (that's all that's in there) from Petco. Re-attach the two pieces with a "no hub" connector. Done on the cheap and refillable.

 

[JVM225]

How often do you change your filter, and do you use the 130$ west marine, 200$ From Dometic, or 50$ Knock-off? (I quickly checked pricing this morning, so maybe I’m off a bit). I have noflex now, and will start it on Saturday. Thanks for all the information, extremely valuable! Found a video comparing noflex and happy camper. The happy camper is a slow process, the noflex works immediately and the poo just disintegrated (they used dog poo to do the test, don’t search for the video until after lunch!)

I use the knock offs.

 

[Dono10]

Where is this filter you speak of located and how often should i change it?

 

[b_arrington]

Where is this filter you speak of located and how often should i change it?

It's going to be a cylindrical tube with hose fittings on each end. It's generally located on top of the holding tank. You can look for the air vent fitting and trace that back to the filter.

Change frequency rather depends on how much you use your head, IMO. You should change it when you get stinky air out of the vent, or if the filter gets wet from an overfill condition. Wet filter media doesn't absorb odors. For reference, I think I've changed my filter twice in 11 years of owning the boat. One was because the filter got wet. Others will likely have different ideas.

 

[b_arrington]

I guess I'm one of the few that use a "traditional" head chemical. I've tried a few things over the years starting with the thick blue stuff. I tried some type of beneficial bacteria stuff that didn't work so well for me.

The last few years I've been using Odorlos liquid and am satisfied. A couple ounces in the head when empty seems to do really well. We don't use the head heavily so maybe that's a factor? Usually we pump out 1 or 2x a season. I do always make sure to use plenty of water when flushing, and keep the pedal down for a bit so the waste clears the lines.

 

[Blkbird]

Did you properly flush the tank to remove all of the blue stuff before using the Noflex? Any remnants of the blue stuff kills the good bacteria that makes Noflex work. Make sure your vent hose is clear as you need oxygen in the holding tank to keep the bacteria alive. Nothing wrong with crap in your holding tank as that is what the good bacteria eats.

This I did not know. Sounds like the blue fluid my wife likes to use is incompatible with the Noflex that I put into the toilet?

 

[bobeast]

Where is this filter you speak of located and how often should i change it?

They can be a bit expensive. Google 'Captain Stinky' for a replacement filter that is re-usable. Just replace the charcoal in it as opposed to the entire filter. I changed mine when I bought the boat, because I prefer my own stink-ness.

 

[bbwhitejr]

This I did not know. Sounds like the blue fluid my wife likes to use is incompatible with the Noflex that I put into the toilet?

Hey Christopher-Any kind of disinfectant in the bowl will kill the Norflex bacteria. Sprinkle a teaspoon or so of Norflex in the bowl, swish it around, and let it sit for a while. Done!

When I was using it, I would put it in the bowls as we left the boat after a weekend and flush when we came back next week. No real cleaning involved. I also put it in my bilges, added a little water, and clean!

Bennett

 

[Mittens]

I use Camco Tst orange. Liquid. Poor a shoot in tank and flush a small amount from head.. but if I do crap on the boat it’s normally pumped out in less then 2 weeks. I try not to leave crap for long periods of time. If only pee, don’t care then at some point I have to crap and use the head.

Also when I pump out. I pump out, fill with water, pump out. I do this filling with water and pumping 3-4 times...so I am seeing CLEAR water coming out. Then add chemicals like I stated. Zero issue.

 

[wayne0]

I use Camco Tst orange. Liquid. Poor a shoot in tank and flush a small amount from head.. but if I do crap on the boat it’s normally pumped out in less then 2 weeks. I try not to leave crap for long periods of time. If only pee, don’t care then at some point I have to crap and use the head.

Also when I pump out. I pump out, fill with water, pump out. I do this filling with water and pumping 3-4 times...so I am seeing CLEAR water coming out. Then add chemicals like I stated. Zero issue.

We have a pump out boat and I can't see him waiting around for all that BS. I'd fill his tank!