holding tanks mandatory

[Appleyard]

Can you describe how your system works, if you don't have diverter valves, and yet you can empty the tank through the existing sea-cock. Have you installed an extra pump?

OK...The original waste pipe from the bog ran up in a loop ,along the inside of the hull( Hidden by a locker) and down to the seacock,
I cut the pipe just below the top of the loop,on the "downhill" side,and connected it into the top of the tank. I then ran a pipe from the bottom of the tank straight to the seacock. In othr words I made the tank part of the pipe run.
Then fitted a vent to the exterior & boxed in the whole shebang with a removable panel.
So in" open mode" with the seacock open,the waste runs straight through the tank into the sea via the seacock.
When the seacock is closed,the stuff stays in the tank ,until the cock is opened.
No pump,no diverter valve required it works on the KISS principle.
This system does of course depend on you being able to fit the tank above the waterline.


The only thing I id not do was to fit a deck access waste so that it can be pumped out to an onshore facility.I will remedy this soon.

 

[vyv_cox]

OK...The original waste pipe from the bog ran up in a loop ,along the inside of the hull( Hidden by a locker) and down to the seacock,
I cut the pipe just below the top of the loop,on the "downhill" side,and connected it into the top of the tank. I then ran a pipe from the bottom of the tank straight to the seacock. In othr words I made the tank part of the pipe run.
Then fitted a vent to the exterior & boxed in the whole shebang with a removable panel.
So in" open mode" with the seacock open,the waste runs straight through the tank into the sea via the seacock.
When the seacock is closed,the stuff stays in the tank ,until the cock is opened.
No pump,no diverter valve required it works on the KISS principle.
This system does of course depend on you being able to fit the tank above the waterline.


The only thing I id not do was to fit a deck access waste so that it can be pumped out to an onshore facility.I will remedy this soon.

Exactly the same as mine will be. Other users have described similar tanks as being flushed out when beating, as seawater enters the open seacock on one tack and drains out on the other.

 

[pheran]

Not sure what you are arguing about, it's easy enough to check that what Tranona and I say is correct.

I don't need to check - I don't need a tank! Nor am I arguing (no axe to grind) or saying you are misquoting prices. What is puzzling me is why prices have shot up from that which I paid 8 years ago for a totally custom-made, fully-welded tank, especially as yours appears to be one third of the size, yet three times the cost. I can't see why you don't think that more than a little odd! Praps it is 'cos you is loaded

 

[Tranona]

Both the tanks I have fitted are similar design. The first one had the inlet in the top and the outlet offset on the bottom. That has a ball valve to isolate the tank fully as I did not fancy sewage stored in the pipe. However the Bavaria does not have space for this but has the inlet at the bottom and an internal stack. Both have the pick up pipe for pump out already fitted but blanked off - no pumping facilities available where the boats are used. In both cases the inspection cover is above the outlet making cleaning easy if necessary. Both discharge through the original seacock.

As jamesmar says KISS.

Just to show the difference, I did not order the original Bavaria tank, partly because it was over £1000 extra, but mainly because the (small) tank was the other side of the boat and there was over 3 metres of pipe full of sewage running under the saloon - plus the pump and extra seacock. Not a good idea! Later Bavarias have a productionised version of my one off design. From what I see the same basic tank is used in all models so must be produced in the 000's and therefore a fraction of the cost of a one off - and installed when the furniture is built. Probably adds about £150 to the cost of each toilet.

 

[Tranona]

I don't need to check - I don't need a tank! Nor am I arguing (no axe to grind) or saying you are misquoting prices. What is puzzling me is why prices have shot up from that which I paid 8 years ago for a totally custom-made, fully-welded tank, especially as yours appears to be one third of the size, yet three times the cost. I can't see why you don't think that more than a little odd! Praps it is 'cos you is loaded

Just looked at your original post. £400 might be close for just the tank. I had a water tank made by TekTanks about 10 years ago - also 5 sided which cost around £300. Price is not linear to size, but is determined mainly by the shape (number of joins) and the fittings, which are essentially the same irrespective of size.

So, I don't think that prices have "shot up" as much as you think. however, as you say you don't need a new one so it is irrelevant anyway!

 

[vyv_cox]

I don't need to check - I don't need a tank! Nor am I arguing (no axe to grind) or saying you are misquoting prices. What is puzzling me is why prices have shot up from that which I paid 8 years ago for a totally custom-made, fully-welded tank, especially as yours appears to be one third of the size, yet three times the cost. I can't see why you don't think that more than a little odd! Praps it is 'cos you is loaded

If you want a tank, you have to pay the money. I doubt whether the size makes a lot of difference, most of the cost is in the labour, not the materials. It doesn't matter to me whether the price now is three times as much now as it was, or ten times as much. It's a hell of a lot but I have to pay it.

 

[samwise]

James, which Westerly did you fit it to. I am thinking off fitting a gravity system to a Fulmar with an aft heads.

I have recently fitted a holding tank system to a Storm 33 which should work for your Fulmar.PM me if you are interested.

 

[NormanS]

OK...The original waste pipe from the bog ran up in a loop ,along the inside of the hull( Hidden by a locker) and down to the seacock,
I cut the pipe just below the top of the loop,on the "downhill" side,and connected it into the top of the tank. I then ran a pipe from the bottom of the tank straight to the seacock. In othr words I made the tank part of the pipe run.
Then fitted a vent to the exterior & boxed in the whole shebang with a removable panel.
So in" open mode" with the seacock open,the waste runs straight through the tank into the sea via the seacock.
When the seacock is closed,the stuff stays in the tank ,until the cock is opened.
No pump,no diverter valve required it works on the KISS principle.
This system does of course depend on you being able to fit the tank above the waterline.


The only thing I id not do was to fit a deck access waste so that it can be pumped out to an onshore facility.I will remedy this soon.

OK, thanks for that, well described, and as you say, simple. The only drawback for some boats would be finding a position for the tank, that was adequately above the WL, without becoming an unwanted feature.
The system fitted in my boat is horrendously complicated, with miles of hose and two diverter valves, and an electric macerater / pump. I've only tried to use it once, having just bought her, and found one of the diverter valves completely stuck. Managed to shear the spindle, then found that the discharge valve in the electric pump had been fitted back to front, by the previous owner---not a good day!
I now have the system able to work, but have never needed to use it in earnest, but I do now excercise the valves regularly.

 

[Clyde_Wanderer]

Years ago the best and biggest mackerel caught off West Bay (Dorset) were to be found off the end of the sewage outfall.

Earlier this year the Harbour Master in Barmouth (N. Wales) recommended fishing off the sewage outfall pipe a mile or so up the coast!

Now what does that tell us?

I rest my case (which was getting heavy anyway!).

That Mackeral are sh*te eaters

 

[roger]

Porta potti ??

Porta pottis use a very nasty chemical solution which can ruin a biological wate treatment tank and I dread to think what it does to the sea. I have seen many notices on marina toilet blocks forbidding emptying porta pttis down the loos.

 

[V1701]

Porta pottis use a very nasty chemical solution which can ruin a biological wate treatment tank and I dread to think what it does to the sea. I have seen many notices on marina toilet blocks forbidding emptying porta pttis down the loos.

That's useful info, is it because of the chemicals that they don't like people emptying Porta Pottis down the toilet or because it's a large quantity going in at one go and could cause a blockage? I will try to research the chemicals side and see if there are less environmentally damaging chemicals that can be used as am planning to use a Porta Potti...

 

[vyv_cox]

That's useful info, is it because of the chemicals that they don't like people emptying Porta Pottis down the toilet or because it's a large quantity going in at one go and could cause a blockage? I will try to research the chemicals side and see if there are less environmentally damaging chemicals that can be used as am planning to use a Porta Potti...

I believe it's because the formaldehyde in the treatment chemicals kill the bacteria in the septic tank used for conventional sewage treatment.

I bought some stuff at the Boat and Caravan show a couple of years ago. The seller used a bucket full of treated horse poo as a demo, which didn't smell at all. It was supposed to kill the smell of sewage as well as the formaldehyde based ones but be environmentally friendly. I used it in the camper van toilet where it proved to be useless. I also tried it in my holding tank on the boat, also no good. I now know that horse poo is particularly easy to treat!

 

[V1701]

I believe it's because the formaldehyde in the treatment chemicals kill the bacteria in the septic tank used for conventional sewage treatment.

I bought some stuff at the Boat and Caravan show a couple of years ago. The seller used a bucket full of treated horse poo as a demo, which didn't smell at all. It was supposed to kill the smell of sewage as well as the formaldehyde based ones but be environmentally friendly. I used it in the camper van toilet where it proved to be useless. I also tried it in my holding tank on the boat, also no good. I now know that horse poo is particularly easy to treat!

Yeah that's cheating isn't it, horse poo would be mostly partially digested grass. There's another thread started on Porta Potti issues where a couple of posters mention less damaging chemicals...