Pumping out - DIY

[Bigplumbs]

Nice Subject this but someone gotta do it

On our Sealine on the Norfolk Broads (which has a holding tank and switch over valve) it is not good to pump your poo into the river as many do at sea (and many on the broads for that matter!) We don't use our boat that much on the broads so it only needs a pump out once in a very long while. It is also a 2 hour plod in the boat to the easiest pump out station that is I think £20. Also it is an issue not really knowing how full your tank is. I know you can fit a gauge which ours has but it don't work. I was wondering if in these circumstances you are actually better off with a cassette bog rather like in our Motor home and Caravan. Then I thought DIY.

So here is the question. Does anyone know of a DIY Solution with perhaps a 10 gallon can and a pump that would fit the deck fitting. This way you can pump out the tank yourself responsibly ever say 3 uses of the boat. Take it home and either sell it on ebay or some other better method of disposal ?

 

[Bigplumbs]

That might do the job.

12V SURGEFLO MARINE MACERATOR BOAT PUMP TO EMPTY YOUR HOLDING TANK | eBay

 

[MoodySabre]

I use one of those (different make same thing) to empty my holding tank. The outlet is smaller size hose to the input side.

I have seen, in Holland, bags that hang in the loo bowl so as to permit fluids to go into the pan but catch solid stuff for disposal elsewhere.

 

[Bigplumbs]

I use one of those (different make same thing) to empty my holding tank. The outlet is smaller size hose to the input side.

I have seen, in Holland, bags that hang in the loo bowl so as to permit fluids to go into the pan but catch solid stuff for disposal elsewhere.

Thanks for your input. Does not make me sound completely mad

 

[kashurst]

As the boat gets relatively little use and the loos even less, I would go with a planned trip to a pump out station and try and use on shore loos at pubs etc when out and about. Messing about with human waste is not nice and it carries all sorts of nasty viruses and bugs. I made myself pretty ill just rebuilding a macerator pump, and I wore gloves and a paper face mask - if I ever do that again it will be with full face mask etc. Pumping out into a container to then take somewhere else to dispose of it just sounds like a recipe for a very nasty spillage and/ or a dose of something very nasty. I would fix/replace the tank sensor too.

 

[Freebee]

I think you better keep us up to speed with this thread I foresee lots of fun to be had moving 10 gallon containers of mixed contents back and forth from the boat.

 

[stelican]

With your name you should know better!!!

 

[Bigplumbs]

As the boat gets relatively little use and the loos even less, I would go with a planned trip to a pump out station and try and use on shore loos at pubs etc when out and about. Messing about with human waste is not nice and it carries all sorts of nasty viruses and bugs. I made myself pretty ill just rebuilding a macerator pump, and I wore gloves and a paper face mask - if I ever do that again it will be with full face mask etc. Pumping out into a container to then take somewhere else to dispose of it just sounds like a recipe for a very nasty spillage and/ or a dose of something very nasty. I would fix/replace the tank sensor too.

I am afraid where we boat it will not work like that. Further I am not fearful of a little messy work. After all someone has to do it

 

[Bigplumbs]

I think you better keep us up to speed with this thread I foresee lots of fun to be had moving 10 gallon containers of mixed contents back and forth from the boat.

In reality there will be far less than 10 gallons and it will be possible to make a small cart. I am not the sort of person who shy's away from doing things myself

 

[Momac]

That might do the job.

12V SURGEFLO MARINE MACERATOR BOAT PUMP TO EMPTY YOUR HOLDING TANK | eBay

Do you not have one of those fitted already between the holding tank and an outlet sea cock?

 

[Bigplumbs]

Do you not have one of those fitted already between the holding tank and an outlet sea cock?

Not that I know of. Is that what you have in your sealine

 

[stelican]

Do you not have one of those fitted already between the holding tank and an outlet sea cock?

Careful or we will have a cloud of shite over Suffolk

 

[Momac]

Not that I know of. Is that what you have in your sealine

Yes
On my F33 the toilet flushes to the holding tank and the macerator pump is between the tank and the outlet sea cock. Or the tank may be pumped out via a deck fitting. But some boats have a diverter valve so the tank is bypassed allowing the toilet to discharge direct to the sea.
But a holding tank would have been an optional extra so no two boats may be the same.

I had a s23 which did not have a holding tank but it did have a 'macerator' switch for operating the Jabsco version of the pump you have shown in the event that a holding tank was fitted..

I would be surprised if you have a holding tank but no macerator pump but anything is possible. You almost certainly have an outlet sea cock but it is possible the loo waste is no longer connected to it as would usually have been the case when the boat was new.
The sea cocks were to the stern side of the mid cabin bulkhead on my S23 - accessed by removable panels in the bulkhead . But that could be different on a S24.

 

[Bigplumbs]

I certainly have a holding tank and a deck fitting. I also have a diverter valve that allows the waste to be sent via the toilet pump to either the holding tank or direct to sea. Obviously as I am on the Norfolk broads sending it to the river is not in my view acceptable even though many do. My idea is to buy the pump linked above and after a few uses of the toilet just pump the waste via the deck fitting into a say 40 ltr can and dispose of off site

 

[Momac]

I certainly have a holding tank and a deck fitting. I also have a diverter valve that allows the waste to be sent via the toilet pump to either the holding tank or direct to sea. Obviously as I am on the Norfolk broads sending it to the river is not in my view acceptable even though many do. My idea is to buy the pump linked above and after a few uses of the toilet just pump the waste via the deck fitting into a say 40 ltr can and dispose of off site

Lets hope the flow rate is not too fierce.
45litres per minute = 0.75 litres per second is a fair rate .
For comparison an old style bath tap delivers about 15litres per minute

 

[henryf]

First of all ignore @kashurst , he has no sense of adventure….

So I’m imagining the pump you linked to mounted securely and fed from the holding tank. A cut off valve will allow the pump to be changed and will also ensure any seepage past seals in the pump won’t result in a bilge full of effluent.

On the outlet from the pump you fit some flexible reinforced clear hose which can be put into your poo jerry can prior to switching on of the pump. The fine slurry will flow nicely through possibly 1 inch internal diameter pipe which will also be small enough to fit in the poo jerry can.

45 litres per minute is a good flow rate and certainly enough to cause great mirth should things go wrong. You have 28 seconds to brim a 25 litre jerry can.

Please video the whole thing so everyone can learn.

I’m looking forward to the bit where you manage to switch the pump off in time and also avoid any blow back from from the jerry can fill hole but then realise you've got a clear flexi hose full of mashed up poo and a pump primed of the same ready to go. At this point you’ll wish you’d put a diverter valve in place of the shut off valve which is fed by a 25 litre tank of clean water. This would have allowed you to flush the whole system out into a second jerry can.

THEN it would occur to you that one 25 litre poo jerry can of the good stuff, not the back wash isn’t enough, you need 4 or 5 lined up ready to receive their organic goodness. Then you would wonder why the family deserted you when time came to load up the family car or “Honey Wagon” as it would now be called.

At the sanitation station a brief conversation would ensue negotiating the rate per jerry can and you would also realise that you should have brought a hose pipe to try and clean the jerry cans out. 10 minutes of spraying, glugging and splashing later it will also dawn on you that you should have bought a spare set of clothes and some covers for the car seats. £140 down but to the benefit of Roys of Wroxham resplendent in your new clobber you spot a pool of what you hope is water in the boot of the Nissan Almera. Back to Roys for some Jeyes fluid just in case, you don’t want to piss the family off or give them any ammunition. You buy fish and chips to try and cover the fact you’ve been away for nearly 3 hours but they see through your ruse and the food goes uneaten.

Next time you just think sod it. Tie up on a deserted spot, put the hose out of your second cabin window, flick the switch and fertilise Norfolk.

Unfortunately you failed to gauge the wind direction and now have a brown boat. The family, quite rightly go ballistic in particular the eldest daughter who was sunbathing whilst posting to Tick Tock. #faketan goes viral………

Are you a man or a mouse. This is your watershed life moment.

Henry ?

 

[Momac]

Its your choice but I think a cassette type toilet would be a better solution for your occasional use of the boat if it will fit in the available space .
The removed toilet retained and the pipe work/holding tank flushed clean in case of future need.

 

[Momac]

First of all ignore @kashurst , he has no sense of adventure….

So I’m imagining the pump you linked to mounted securely and fed from the holding tank. A cut off valve will allow the pump to be changed and will also ensure any seepage past seals in the pump won’t result in a bilge full of effluent.

On the outlet from the pump you fit some flexible reinforced clear hose which can be put into your poo jerry can prior to switching on of the pump. The fine slurry will flow nicely through possibly 1 inch internal diameter pipe which will also be small enough to fit in the poo jerry can.

45 litres per minute is a good flow rate and certainly enough to cause great mirth should things go wrong. You have 28 seconds to brim a 25 litre jerry can.

Please video the whole thing so everyone can learn.

I’m looking forward to the bit where you manage to switch the pump off in time and also avoid any blow back from from the jerry can fill hole but then realise you've got a clear flexi hose full of mashed up poo and a pump primed of the same ready to go. At this point you’ll wish you’d put a diverter valve in place of the shut off valve which is fed by a 25 litre tank of clean water. This would have allowed you to flush the whole system out into a second jerry can.

THEN it would occur to you that one 25 litre poo jerry can of the good stuff, not the back wash isn’t enough, you need 4 or 5 lined up ready to receive their organic goodness. Then you would wonder why the family deserted you when time came to load up the family car or “Honey Wagon” as it would now be called.

At the sanitation station a brief conversation would ensue negotiating the rate per jerry can and you would also realise that you should have brought a hose pipe to try and clean the jerry cans out. 10 minutes of spraying, glugging and splashing later it will also dawn on you that you should have bought a spare set of clothes and some covers for the car seats. £140 down but to the benefit of Roys of Wroxham resplendent in your new clobber you spot a pool of what you hope is water in the boot of the Nissan Almera. Back to Roys for some Jeyes fluid just in case, you don’t want to piss the family off or give them any ammunition. You buy fish and chips to try and cover the fact you’ve been away for nearly 3 hours but they see through your ruse and the food goes uneaten.

Next time you just think sod it. Tie up on a deserted spot, put the hose out of your second cabin window, flick the switch and fertilise Norfolk.

Unfortunately you failed to gauge the wind direction and now have a brown boat. The family, quite rightly go ballistic in particular the eldest daughter who was sunbathing whilst posting to Tick Tock. #faketan goes viral………

Are you a man or a mouse. This is your watershed life moment.

Henry ?

Is there a YBW 'post of the year award'?
If so I nominate the above.

 

[Bigplumbs]

First of all ignore @kashurst , he has no sense of adventure….

So I’m imagining the pump you linked to mounted securely and fed from the holding tank. A cut off valve will allow the pump to be changed and will also ensure any seepage past seals in the pump won’t result in a bilge full of effluent.

On the outlet from the pump you fit some flexible reinforced clear hose which can be put into your poo jerry can prior to switching on of the pump. The fine slurry will flow nicely through possibly 1 inch internal diameter pipe which will also be small enough to fit in the poo jerry can.

45 litres per minute is a good flow rate and certainly enough to cause great mirth should things go wrong. You have 28 seconds to brim a 25 litre jerry can.

Please video the whole thing so everyone can learn.

I’m looking forward to the bit where you manage to switch the pump off in time and also avoid any blow back from from the jerry can fill hole but then realise you've got a clear flexi hose full of mashed up poo and a pump primed of the same ready to go. At this point you’ll wish you’d put a diverter valve in place of the shut off valve which is fed by a 25 litre tank of clean water. This would have allowed you to flush the whole system out into a second jerry can.

THEN it would occur to you that one 25 litre poo jerry can of the good stuff, not the back wash isn’t enough, you need 4 or 5 lined up ready to receive their organic goodness. Then you would wonder why the family deserted you when time came to load up the family car or “Honey Wagon” as it would now be called.

At the sanitation station a brief conversation would ensue negotiating the rate per jerry can and you would also realise that you should have brought a hose pipe to try and clean the jerry cans out. 10 minutes of spraying, glugging and splashing later it will also dawn on you that you should have bought a spare set of clothes and some covers for the car seats. £140 down but to the benefit of Roys of Wroxham resplendent in your new clobber you spot a pool of what you hope is water in the boot of the Nissan Almera. Back to Roys for some Jeyes fluid just in case, you don’t want to piss the family off or give them any ammunition. You buy fish and chips to try and cover the fact you’ve been away for nearly 3 hours but they see through your ruse and the food goes uneaten.

Next time you just think sod it. Tie up on a deserted spot, put the hose out of your second cabin window, flick the switch and fertilise Norfolk.

Unfortunately you failed to gauge the wind direction and now have a brown boat. The family, quite rightly go ballistic in particular the eldest daughter who was sunbathing whilst posting to Tick Tock. #faketan goes viral………

Are you a man or a mouse. This is your watershed life moment.

Henry ?

All useful information of course but some of it flawed:

1) Good stuff would be disposed of down our manhole at home as is sometimes done with Cassette from motor home.
2) Pump would not be fitted in boat.
3) I am not a wuss who sits back paying people to do stuff for them or indeed think I am special so not afraid to get stuck in
4) Not got a Nissan Almera and have a can with a good sealed top.
5) Pump pressure could be turned down via voltage adjustment I suspect.
6) Aint got no Children as her indoors could not have Children. Many people don't think before they gob off. Yup you win the prize for that one
7) I look forward to your video of anything you have done interesting or otherwise.

I look forward to your watershed moment

 

[harvey38]

For all that faff, just remove (temporarily?) the offending bog and replace it with a Portapotti.