trinnypi
New member
I have a 1988 Cruisers Vee Express and the (waste) holding tank is full and I have absolutely no idea how to empty it or even where it is - I can't find it!
Help!
Help!
Holding Tank mystery
- Thread starter trinnypi
- Start date
sarabande
Well-known member
Welcome to the Forum.
Have you looked round the deck for a small (about 2inch diameter) plug, usually marked PUMP OUT ?
Are there any switches anywhere for a Pump Out ?
What is telling you the waste tank is full ? Something on a Control Panel ? Large amounts of waste products in the bilge ?
Do you have easy access to the heads unit ? Can you see any pipes heading down towards the bilge which is where waste tanks usually go.
Have you looked round the deck for a small (about 2inch diameter) plug, usually marked PUMP OUT ?
Are there any switches anywhere for a Pump Out ?
What is telling you the waste tank is full ? Something on a Control Panel ? Large amounts of waste products in the bilge ?
Do you have easy access to the heads unit ? Can you see any pipes heading down towards the bilge which is where waste tanks usually go.
trinnypi
New member
My sink won't drain, nor will the toilet. I haven't been able to spot anything relating to "pump" or similar. Could there simply be a stopcock somewhere that I haven't noticed?
hlb
RIP
There should be two stop cocks, a pump for discharging at sea and a pump out discharge fitting on the deck. You may have some or all of these.
Tank and cocks will be as close as possible to bog, under the floor probably.
Sinks normally go straight over board, less your in a river maybe??
Tank and cocks will be as close as possible to bog, under the floor probably.
Sinks normally go straight over board, less your in a river maybe??
sarabande
Well-known member
I think you need to undertake a thorough review and asset plan of your boat, along the lines of "what am I doing playing with expensive machinery, if I can't be bothered to find out where all the bits and pieces go". It's a safety first culture, before the pleasure bit, you know.
If you have serious problems and want some serious help, shove a few details on your bio pages, and we'll all wade in with ideas and suggestions, otherwise, get down in the bilges and apply a bit of common sense.
/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
If you have serious problems and want some serious help, shove a few details on your bio pages, and we'll all wade in with ideas and suggestions, otherwise, get down in the bilges and apply a bit of common sense.
/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
Wiggo
New member
It's unusual for the sink not to drain, unless you have a grey water tank as well. If you have a black water holding tank, it will have a breather hose, and I can tell you from bitter experience that if the tank backs up, the toilet pump will get a bit stiffer, and the contents of the tank will get sprayed at high pressure out of the breather. Sometimes over your own side decks, sometimes over the pontoon, sometimes over the boat next to you.
If you aren't seeing this effect, then it's odds on you are trying to pump out to sea against a closed seacock (the pump will be very hard work indeed), or the pump is easy but the water doesn't go down. If it's the former, then lift all the floor hatches till you find a 2" hose going to a seacock. Odds on that's your toilet outlet. If it's the latter, then your pump needs servicing - a 15 minute job.
If your sink won't drain, it may well just be a simple blockage. They tend not to have U bends like domestic sinks, and discharge via a very sharp bend under the plughole through small bore piping. It may be bolcked with food, hair or any other sort of crap. I've cleared them before now by hooking stuff out from the skin fitting outside the boat with a wire coathanger...
If you aren't seeing this effect, then it's odds on you are trying to pump out to sea against a closed seacock (the pump will be very hard work indeed), or the pump is easy but the water doesn't go down. If it's the former, then lift all the floor hatches till you find a 2" hose going to a seacock. Odds on that's your toilet outlet. If it's the latter, then your pump needs servicing - a 15 minute job.
If your sink won't drain, it may well just be a simple blockage. They tend not to have U bends like domestic sinks, and discharge via a very sharp bend under the plughole through small bore piping. It may be bolcked with food, hair or any other sort of crap. I've cleared them before now by hooking stuff out from the skin fitting outside the boat with a wire coathanger...
mjf
Active member
Have to agree about knowing your boat before you put yourself and others at risk.
I think you will find that the galley and head sinks will drain without a pump direct O/B unless the boat is river based.
Shower will drain down or be pumped to a grey water tank which will have a bilge pump that automatically discharges O/B too.
The bog will have a pump that will direct the bowl contents either O/B or to a holding tank via a Y valve.
Lift up all the floor inspection hatches even the ones under beds etc and work it out.
I think you will find that the galley and head sinks will drain without a pump direct O/B unless the boat is river based.
Shower will drain down or be pumped to a grey water tank which will have a bilge pump that automatically discharges O/B too.
The bog will have a pump that will direct the bowl contents either O/B or to a holding tank via a Y valve.
Lift up all the floor inspection hatches even the ones under beds etc and work it out.
trinnypi
New member
THanks for the constructive comments and helpful suggestions they will be useful to me and the marine engineer who is also struggling to resolve this problem.
I have to say that I don't appreciate the pompous suggestions that I can't be bothered to find out how the boat works (that was kind of the point of this posting) or that I am putting others at risk - I am employing the marine engineer from my marina to rectify this problem and even he is mystified.
Why such an agressive and condescending tone? Did you think you'd spotted a newcomer and thought you could scare him off?
I have to say that I don't appreciate the pompous suggestions that I can't be bothered to find out how the boat works (that was kind of the point of this posting) or that I am putting others at risk - I am employing the marine engineer from my marina to rectify this problem and even he is mystified.
Why such an agressive and condescending tone? Did you think you'd spotted a newcomer and thought you could scare him off?
DAKA
Well-known member
My American boat of that era had a tank that everything went into.
The macerator switch was in the Toilet (head). or could be with other switches ?
Look for a switch in the loo somewhere.
Press it and you should here a loud grinding noise, fuse could have gone circa 20/30 amp.
My outlet was above the water line so ne need to look for a seacock.
Otherwise you need a pumpout station.
The macerator switch was in the Toilet (head). or could be with other switches ?
Look for a switch in the loo somewhere.
Press it and you should here a loud grinding noise, fuse could have gone circa 20/30 amp.
My outlet was above the water line so ne need to look for a seacock.
Otherwise you need a pumpout station.
DougH
Well-known member
TrinniPi
Don't worry they are only Grumpy Old (and young) Men and whilst they may bark they do not bite.
They are also a great source of help and infomation even if sometimes you may get some harmless flack.
Don't worry they are only Grumpy Old (and young) Men and whilst they may bark they do not bite.
They are also a great source of help and infomation even if sometimes you may get some harmless flack.
sarabande
Well-known member
I think what was needed was re-assurance that TP had actually done some work to identify layouts and points of failure. The mention of the engineer comes a bit late in the sequence, and I wonder WTF he's doing if HE can't find a waste tank. IS there one ? Is it a standard boat type installation, or a caravan type cassette which needs disconnecting and emptying separately.
TP; the more info you give us, (e.g. pictures ?) the better we can respond. And I do mean, welcome to the Forum. You probably have some different skills that will be useful to someone else here oneday. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
TP; the more info you give us, (e.g. pictures ?) the better we can respond. And I do mean, welcome to the Forum. You probably have some different skills that will be useful to someone else here oneday. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
ms1
Member
Dumb question.
Is it possible that there is no holding tank, and that the sea cock for waste outlet to sea is closed ?
Is it possible that there is no holding tank, and that the sea cock for waste outlet to sea is closed ?
mjf
Active member
Rubbish!
Nothing further from the truth!
Why would I bother in offering advice and now responding further?
Nothing further from the truth!
Why would I bother in offering advice and now responding further?
franky
New member
Hi Trinny
Welcome
If you entered your location the forumites would be able to direct you to a suitable expert who they could recommend.If your engineer can't sort it out get a new engineer.I was speaking to a guy recently who replaced the 14 (yes fourteen) sea cocks on the boat he was refitting.A week later the boat sank ....he had not located number 15.
Welcome
If you entered your location the forumites would be able to direct you to a suitable expert who they could recommend.If your engineer can't sort it out get a new engineer.I was speaking to a guy recently who replaced the 14 (yes fourteen) sea cocks on the boat he was refitting.A week later the boat sank ....he had not located number 15.