Holding Tank Vent spitting black vapor out the vent on port side

Jessica Gardner

New Member
Aug 4, 2022
23
Louisville, KY
Boat Info
2000 Sea Ray 340 Sundancer
Engines
7.4 454 Mercruiser with V drives
I am new here and we just picked up our 2000 sea Ray 340 sundancer last weekend. We had it out in the cove and the toilet had only been used and flushed with Pee 1 time. We noticed the vent on the port side of the boat was blowing out air and there was black air/vapor blowing out of it. can anyone tell me what would be causing this? We did just order a new holding tank vent filter.. any help is appreciate
 
I am new here and we just picked up our 2000 sea Ray 340 sundancer last weekend. We had it out in the cove and the toilet had only been used and flushed with Pee 1 time. We noticed the vent on the port side of the boat was blowing out air and there was black air/vapor blowing out of it. can anyone tell me what would be causing this? We did just order a new holding tank vent filter.. any help is appreciate
Has you holding tank been pumped out(emptied) since you've got it? If so and you know it's not full now then I think it has been overfilled before. What you're seeing is the 'stuff' that is trapped in the vent/filter because it has been over filled.
 
It was pumped out by the broker the day before we took delivery of the boat. We plan to put the new filter on it once it comes in. Thank you!
 
It was pumped out by the broker the day before we took delivery of the boat. We plan to put the new filter on it once it comes in. Thank you!
Maybe you witnessed it, I don't know. Brokers and salespeople sometimes say things but they don't get done, I'll be nice and say even they can forget occasionally. If you don't know for a 'fact' then I'd double check to make sure it's empty.
 
It reads empty on the gauge. And appears empty. Hopefully the filter fixes the issue
If ever you go to full on your holding tank and encounter rough water it could back up into the vent filter, once that happens you gotta replace the filter.
 
Makes sense.. we did take. 7 hour boat ride down the ohio river to bring the boat back, so even tho it was empty we were using the toilet the whole way (#1 only) but still could have roughed it all up some.
 
Welcome to the group! If your gauge is working correctly, your tank obviously was empty, and in a 7 hour cruise two folks would not fill the tank. Your tank is probably 20 gallons, no way you filled it. I’m with Woody, probably had been overfilled by PO, you should be good once you’ve replaced the filter. :cool:
 
Check out how to rebuild your filter for $10 rather than replace @ $100+. Several posts on here and very easy to do. We even carry a spare in case we have a spill over accident. The ounce of prevention rule. We have been refilling ours every 2 years since 2005 on 2 different boats. No issues. Savings $800.00
 
I quit using a filter 2 years ago. Every time I would rebuild it I noticed it soaked with moisture. I tested it buy refilling with new charcoal an empty tank and two weeks of week end use which is 1/4 tank of waste. Pulled the filter (which is up high above any waterline) and found it all wet. That to me showed with the humid air here in SoFlo and the moisture being forced out of the tank that a filter is useless. Plus if you read the No-Flex site they will tell you that venting the tank correctly is the way for the good bacteria to grow and prevent smell. Since then I dumped the carbon out of my filter and gone straight pipe with no smell or issues. Plus one less thing to maintain.
 
Hey @ocgrant, sounds great! I’m gonna try that, too!
 
I am new here and we just picked up our 2000 sea Ray 340 sundancer last weekend. We had it out in the cove and the toilet had only been used and flushed with Pee 1 time. We noticed the vent on the port side of the boat was blowing out air and there was black air/vapor blowing out of it. can anyone tell me what would be causing this? We did just order a new holding tank vent filter.. any help is appreciate
If it is black "vapor" its possible that it is charcoal dust from a new "Fart filter" that was installed recently. I have had some pretty nasty holding tanks periodically and have never seen black vapor come out of the vents. Your digestion may differ LOL!
 

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