Aquador Waste Tank

[Farmer Piles]

I bought an Aquador 32C, 1999, last winter and had no real handover or guidance on her foibles and systems. We have been day boating since April but did our first trip away last week - back home before the weather broke. Anyhow, got most things sussed just not the waste tank yet. We went ashore rather than send floaters around the anchorage.
So, two switches in the heads, one lights up and switches on the contents gauge, the other is a macerator. In the locker under the helm position there is a lever or manual switch and the pump-out pump. The lever: up is off, then arrows but no labels at 3 o clock and 9 o clock.
I am planning totake something like cheap orange juice down for a dye or colour and try various combinations but any help or guidance appreciated. Not sure if the macerator just shreds in the tank line or the direct to sea as well.
Cheers

 

[harvey38]

I would go to a pump out to remove the contents, check the contents gauge to see what reads afterwards. Fill the waste tank at least 50% with water. Do you have electric flush toilets? If so, they macerate as the bowl is emptied so you'll just open the sea cock and turn the pump on, overboard it all goes, monitor the tank contents gauge and hopefully that should drop although they are not 100% accurate or reliable.

Play around with the settings/switches, not sure why two switches, maybe one to power up the toilet motor, the other the overboard macerator.

 

[Farmer Piles]

Thanks Harvey. The gauge is showing empty, or as good as. As you say, it is just going to be a process of trial and error. It's a manual loo so the macerator is not integral. Our mooring is such that I can try the lever in different positions and flush the tank through on an ebb tide. Equally with the macerator: put a bit of bog paper in the loo and turn it on and see if it is shredded when flushing straight to the sea. Or if it just macerates to the tank.
I think that the two switches are one for the macerator and the other is just to switch on the backlit gauge so that it is not constantly on and draining the batteries.

 

[Bigplumbs]

Some photos would be useful

 

[Farmer Piles]

Will do.