head shut off valve...why?

[Diversion]

Hi all, I will be putting my new to me C 34 (1989 trwk) in the water, (Bayfield Wisc.) for my second season.  I have redone the DC side with new house batteries and reserve battery, as per this forum, learning so much!!  I will be pulling the mast and rewiring it and checking all the standing rigging, also advised here, I don't think this has been done for many years!! 

Now to the head odor problems....I will be replacing all the hoses, but noticed the PO had installed a large shut off valve in the locker aft of the nav. table.  I felt this is a good collection place for things to turn green, so to speak, so I am planing on removing it.  But, looking for some wisdom, is there any reason I shouldn't remove this, not sure why the PO installed it in the first place...

[Stu Jackson]

Without knowing the total head system piping layout, it's hard to say.  You're in the Great Lakes, where overboard discharge is illegal and where macerator pumps are usually either not found or decommissioned.  But we don't know where your boat may have been in its previous life.  Please help us to help you by more fully describing your installation.  Is this the ONLY hose from the toilet output to the holding tank?

[Diversion]

It is the original equipment with the macerator, but the wiring is disconnected with the output from the macerator capped off.  The through hull where the macerator would connect, remains, and the through hull is in the closed position.  The boat has always been in the Great Lakes.

I assume the hose from the head should go right to the holding tank, but this large PVC valve is in the middle of that hose. 

[Jim Hardesty]

I assume the hose from the head should go right to the holding tank, but this large PVC valve is in the middle of that hose.

Don't think the valve is original or serves a purpose.  Unless the p.o. thought was needed with an overfilled tank.  One thought is a faulty joker valve that was back filling the bowl and the p.o. tried to correct with the valve. 
I too sail the Great Lakes, pump out before 3/4 full, rarely had a problem finding a pump out.
Jim

[Dave Spencer]

I agree with Jim.  The valve was certainly not OEM and it serves no purpose other than the thought Jim noted in his comments.  Clean up the run from the head to the holding tank with an uninterrupted run of hose.  This is not a place to try to save money.  Buy the best sanitation hose you can find and odour permeation will be minimized.

[Diversion]

Thanks guys, it is reassuring to know that and I will be using quality material!!  I hope to get a lot of that job done while it is still near freezing!