Holding tank question (Peggy are you there?)

[jfm]

Ravings of a seacock hater

Thanks Peggy. I was trying to find out if there was a specific "puree" related reason not to use a non-return valve and shut the seacock, but I think you're advising shut-the-seacock on the general good-seamanship rule that seacocks should be shut.

Please dont take this part the wrong way, I sincerely appreciate the advice and help you can offer on this whole topic and I always read your posts. But I just refuse to sit in the close-all-seacocks camp. I know that's a higher risk strategy, but it's also a more fun strategy because closing them is a PITA. I'd rather enjoy my boating and carry a slightly higher risk of it sinking. I figure that if it sinks there are plenty more boats, but if I do not eliminate all PITA chores and so have less fun I can't extend my life to include some extra weekends. My aim is to enjoy my boating; preserving the boat is just a sideshow.

So, I think I'll fit the non return valve, entirely personal choice. They were so cheap (£20 or something) I bought two so I have a spare. It's an experiment - if the valve doesn't seat because of the puree it's no big deal, I will just buy a new length of pipe and put the boat back to how it was. I promise to fit double jubilee clips

Thanks again.

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[jfm]

Re: Come on Peggy !!

Yup I'm gonna kill you!

You know I hate closing seacocks. I need hypnotherapy if I'm gonna change my views on that. Maybe could google for some bolt-on electric actuators, surely someone makes these? With proximity switches wired to LEDs so you know the lever moved the full 90deg.

Re other thread, is Rod in France over summer? Let's fix a sailing day when he can come too?

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[PaulF]

Re: think I\'ll have to give in and close the seacock

I too found a problem reaching seacocks until I fitted a couple of ball type 90 degree lever jobs. Now I use a 3ft handle with a peg in the end. End of struggling!

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[jfm]

Re: think I\'ll have to give in and close the seacock

Eeek Paul, I'm now embarrassed to admit, all ours are 90deg ball types and I'm still too lazy to close them......

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[PaulF]

Re: think I\'ll have to give in and close the seacock

My engine seacock were gate valves but I had to lay flat on the deck to reach them, and if there was any oily water in the bilge, (which of course there never was,!) the job was at full stretch into a hot engine room right between the turbo chargers. I now opt for the wimpy stick with a peg, and dont get messy shutting things off.

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[Alpha22]

Re: Electric sea cocks

I think Vetus do an electric sea cock. Leds in the switch.
With a bit of trickery i'm sure you could wire all your sea cocks to one switch. Even less of a PITA. One button!!

D.

<hr width=100% size=1>Last weekend was shopping darling........ so this weekend is boating. (Duck!)

 

[halcyon]

Re: think I\'ll have to give in and close the seacock

Funny thing, we have recently desgined a control unit for one boat builder, to run waste tank pump out. Press button, solenoid valve is opened, pump started, if it starts pumping correctly it runs till the tank is empty, pump stops and the valve is then closed, if the pump fails to prime it shuts down. Display has LED's for status, and for posh boats, a bar graph of pump load.
Nothing new!!!!


Brian



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[Jim44]

Sorry, mental block by me, thought the Squad was a Sunseeker for some unknown reason, now you have pointed it out i feel v stupid

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[stefan]

Obviously the reason for your problem is the Johnson pump. On several boats w. Sealand gear never had any problems like this. Not even on present one with non-factory installed twin loos. (PS. never closed a seacock at summertime during 40 years of boating. I check them annually though)

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[HeadMistress]

It depends on where the pump is mounted and whether the thru-hull is above or below waterline, Stefan. Any pump including the SeaLand will allow water to seep back through it at least as high as the waterline if it's mounted below the waterline. Because the SeaLand pump is a diaphragm pump, and therefore can run dry without harm while taking longer to prime, it's often mounted high--even above the tank--for easier access (and often to save the builder the cost of a vented loop).

A y-valve in the tank discharge line that's kept in the direction of the deck pumpout fitting except when dumping the tank would also block the flow of water back up the line into the tank no matter what type of pump is used or where it's located.

<hr width=100% size=1>Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987

 

[jfm]

Re: Electric sea cocks

Alpha, thanks. Didn't realise. they do exactly what we need, pic below. I think I'll fit one of these in the line about 6inches back from the existing seacock - that way I can do it without liftout, and if it turns out to be rubbish I can chuck it out and put the boat back how it was just by buying a new lenght of hose. Alas they aren't cheap, £400, and the dashboard switch is ugly retro-fit looking stuff with screw heads showing ugh. Like much vetus gear, good engineering bad aesthetics. But fortunately our boat has a special lift up/down panel built in by the dash specially for installing retro fit gear and hiding it out of the way behind an "original" looking panel. Thanks again.

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