Holding Tank Pump outs

D3B

D3B

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www.cutting-solutions.co.uk
Do you have the sea cock open or closed when getting a pump out of the holding tank?

Always managed to use the macerator offshore in the past but i think the impellor is knackered AGAIN so want to empty tank before i start taking it apart.
 
I had similar problem on one of my old boats


maccerator moved lower

and eggcup full of vegetable oil in the head once a pump out did the trick.


BTW Dougie, pump out will still leave a good bit in the bottom good luck !
 
See earlier thread about "swmbo for sale", which was the unfortunate consequence of several baby wipes that went down the sea toilet. I thought I had extracted them from the hose, but it turns out that several escaped, and found their way into the macerator, which didn't manage to macerate them.

In the S28, the macerator is mounted nice and low down.

With no stopcock of any sort between it and the tank.

So, off comes the pipe, and whoosh, 1 inch of black water sloshing around your feet before you can wedge an old chamois into the end and get the pipe into the bucket.

Possibly the worst job I have ever undertaken, on anything, anywhere. And yes, it was a hot day. But no, fortunately I had nothing to eat that morning.

The other reason impellors can die is if you run them after the tank has finished emptying. When you hear the bubbles, STOP!

dv.
 
Rick/Pete

thanks...

sealine non-priming? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
Jabsco 18590 = Self priming with RUN DRY protection. I quote from jabsco spec sheet "EXCLUSIVE RUN-DRY PROTECTION"
last time this happened was in Holland last year. Impellor was shredded! and its a special type with brass insert and keyway. had to have a makeshift repair done so we could empty the contents of the bowl before coming home in F4/5.....could have been yucky.


Have never used the pump out before. and will only be emptying the tank as much as it can. when we emptied it last year it was pretty empty. but plan is just to take the macerator apart which "should" be high enough to stop any losses from the pipes.

just been reading the Installation instructions and i need to check the dumb nuts have fitted it correctly.....says.....discharge through hull may be positioned below waterline only if the discharge hose has a vented loop installed at least 8" above waterline....from memory it hasnt!
 
Another good reason for using a diaphragm pump which can run dry quite happily. Though the toilets need to macerate before the tank in that case.

Rick
 
"While this unique feature protects
the impeller from catastrophic damage, the impeller life
will be maximized if the pump is shut-off just moments
after the tank is empty. Repeated reliance on the Run-Dry
Protection Device to shut-off the pump will shorten
impeller life"

i.e. when you hear that the tank is empty, it changes tune, and you can hear it blowing bubbles. Thats the time to stop.

Bit about the vented loop more applies to Sailyboats with wildly differing angles of heel, to prevent back syphoning. I think. Not sure.

dv.
 
perhaps i have been misunderstanding the noises.
i thought when it made bubbling/rumbling noice with change of tone it was mushing up the contents. when this sound changed to a constant note i would let go of the waste button.....not easy when you are running at sea either.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Can i run water from hose into deck suck out fitting to put some fresh water into tank before emptying with pump out to clean tank?

[/ QUOTE ]

Surely you'd be better advised to fill the loo with fresh water a few times and have someone repeatedly flushing it through to the tank as it is being pumped out.
 
Surely you'd be better advised to fill the loo with fresh water a few times and have someone repeatedly flushing it through to the tank as it is being pumped out.

[/ QUOTE ]

That`s the recommended way to do it, at least on FL boats which normally use pumpouts unless they are way off shore.
Vacuflush recommend putting a measure of washing powder in the bowl, filling with water, then flushing. We`ve been doing this for 13+ years and had no problems. To thoroughly clean the tank, keep filling with water at the deck fitting and pumping out until the effluent is clear. Hopefully the pumpout pipe has a transparent section so you can see when things are clear.
 
Don't mock, I am suffering the same problem as DV. Full tank, no shut of between tank and pump, pump mounted right at the bottom of the tank and pump not working.

I either pull pump off and plug hole ASAP, but will get alot of [--word removed--] in the bilge, or I get a long hose and suck /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
 
To make sure you get all the 'sludge' out of the tank I'd recommend getting an old hose pipe with a nozzle on the end set so the water comes out at high pressure, take the water level sender out and stick the hose in and waggle it about a lot. I cleaned mine out recently and was amazed at the amount or very thick 'sludge' that sits on the bottom.

Also, if your pump is in a similar place as mine, ie aft end of the tank and above the level of the bottom of the tank, I found you can empty it almost completely by emtying at a speed which gets the bow high (just before planning), everything runs to the back of the tank (thick sludge excluded).

Good luck.
 
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