Holding Tank yuk

[PaulRainbow]

Finally once it's working, chuck the macerator away. The impeller will set you back £30 quid and won't last. Look at a 12v vacuum pump. No cutting blades or impeller..

My last boat had a macerator, never missed a beat in four years and was still working well when we sold the boat. That said, it was noisy enough to wake the dead. If i had to fit a new one now i'd fit the diaphragm pump, would work nicely, in line with my Lavac hand pump.

 

[Habebty]

I used a Pela pump to clear my sink drain - brilliant because it sucks and blows so frees any blockage. I reckon it's a good chance that it is the dip pipe that is blocked so if you can remove the tank fitting for the outlet pipe and use a Pela pump that might do it.

Man up Neil.

Please video any use of pressure and or vacuum and post here for our entertainment oops education


Seriously though, I don't envy any sewage work. Good luck. :encouragement:

 

[MoodySabre]

Doesn't that rather depend on the tank? The deck pump-out fitting would surely be the dip tube. The macerator pump will just be connected to the bottom of the tank.

All the connections on my Tek tank are on the top so pump out and outlet via macerator both have dip pipes.

 

[FullCircle]

All the connections on my Tek tank are on the top so pump out and outlet via macerator both have dip pipes.

Same with mine....

 

[Saguday]

No Tek tank. Holding tank is custom made by IP and built into the boat.

Vent pipes on top of tank but main pipes in and out are on the side, one above the other.

I do have a Pela pump, a big one, for engine oil changes. Maybe it's big enough to empty the entire holding tank... hmmm...

 

[Sheff]

Would suggest Pela pump is your first approach.

If you manage to extract anything I believe Tollesbury has a portapotti type disposal point which you could use until you've extracted all you can.

I do voluntary work for the Tall Ships Youth Trust and always fall for unblocking heads/holding tanks and rule number one is always extract as much as you can before breaking into the system.

Oh, and please wait until this weekend before you make any attempt as I'm only two boats away from where you're currently berthed and would love a ringside seat

Paul.

 

[Saguday]

You're always welcome to come along and share the benefits of your experience,

Not sure I want to pump poo into my Pela. Now the fuel cleaning soap opera has concluded the engine servicing is next and then I can dash over to Brightlingsea and avail myself of the facilities.

Are you downwind or upwind of us at the moment? Just asking...

Edit: ah, you're on Moonshine! Saw you come in on Sunday meant to have a word. It's rare for us to be allowed to mingle as we're usually exiled on J pontoon as you know.

 

[Bru]

Elysian blue! That's the second good chuckle I've had on here tonight

 

[pvb]

Elysian blue! That's the second good chuckle I've had on here tonight

Don't be cruel!

 

[Bru]

Don't be cruel!

I know, I know! I'm sorry! But you;ve got to admit it's a good one!

 

[Sinbad1951]

It's Elsan blue.. Mr Apple does strange things to spelling. However it's formidable stuff . We always put a dollop in the holding tank.

 

[Bru]

It's Elsan blue.. .

I know! But Elsyian blue sounds heavenly

 

[pvb]

It's Elsan blue.. Mr Apple does strange things to spelling. However it's formidable stuff . We always put a dollop in the holding tank.

I'm not sure it's such a good idea to dump that stuff into the sea. Thought of using their green Organic stuff instead?

 

[Saguday]

We always used Odorloss when we were full-time live aboard on the boat and it seemed to work fine.

Apparently water softener will loosen things up a lot as well, not sure how environmentally friendly it is though.

 

[galeus]

If you have a deck pump out point could you fill the pipe with water and reverse the electrics on the pump ( mine is a vacuum pump not a macerator ) my pump is between the hull/deck exit points and the suspended pipe in the tank.
Obviously the diverter valve needs to be towards the deck pumpout.
Just a thought....

 

[Saguday]

There's a pipe from the tank to the deck pump out point, which assumes the use of an external (vacuum) pump on shore to suck the sh*te out.

The macerator/discharge pump is from the tank out to a seacock and is *only* for overboard discharge where permitted.

There is a Y diverter between the two, so off the top of my head (and 200 miles from the boat) I'm not sure how I could make that work.

 

[PaulRainbow]

If i recall, you can't run the macerator backwards.

Still the the easiest and cleanest way is to force water in with the seacock open and the pump running. If the hose is securely fixed to the vent or the deck pumpout you can't get messy.

 

[Saguday]

I agree in principle, but I don't know how to achieve this:

1. To flush water into the tank at reasonable pressure via the deck pump out I need to be near a water supply i'e. moored and near a shore tap

2. To run the macerator and have the seacock open I would need to be out at sea, preferably way out in open waters

I don't think Tollesbury or, say, Brightlingsea would be too pleased if I flushed the contents of our holding tank out into the harbour :disgust: I suppose I could rig a hose from the galley tap out and into the deck pump out out at sea but the cold water pressure isn't very high on the boat and I doubt it would be very effective.

This is where I was hoping there'd be a mobile tank cleaning service who'd be able to siphon it all out and clean the tank. There's some around for big industrial and agricultural type of tanks but can't find anyone who might do this for a yottie.

 

[pvb]

I don't think Tollesbury .... would be too pleased if I flushed the contents of our holding tank out into the harbour :disgust:

I've been told by someone who used to berth in Tollesbury that raw sewage is quite a problem there, with many liveaboards who don't leave the marina.

 

[Saguday]

I'm sure it's a problem anywhere there are boats and people and a pool of relatively still water... I don't think it justifies me adding to it though