How to empty the holding tank

Stee6043 said:
Well I surely don't pee formaldehyde? I drink beer and water, for the record. Some coffee too I suppose. Plenty of White Claw in that tank, though not from me. Lot's of Tito's last year too.

I'm not defending overboard discharge. Just providing some context. I did some reading last year...I think last year...and it was shocking how many millions of gallons of sewage end up in Lake Michigan every year legally. Not all municipalities have converted/separated their storm water systems from their sanitary sewage systems. Overflows still happen all the time. If you're worried about a little pooh in the water you probably shouldn't be swimming.
Click to expand...

I am worried about a little pooh in the water I swim in, especially if it is coming from a boater breaking the law. I'm also worried about sewage plant discharge, but it if its an accident that is different than a deliberate discharge.
 
Paul, just go with the advice given...... to focus on/change out the level senders inside your holding tank which are under a 4 inch screw cap on top of the holding tank. The sending unit has a limited life span so I think you will have your problem solved once you change out that sender.
 
Paul bfield said:
As I stated the tank is empty, The light showing full is on and saying discharge, this happened when the cleaners were trying to deep clean the boat after refit.
We are trying to clear the issue, not pump sh@#$#t into our coastal waterways.
As I don't have a real understanding of the layout and how the system works in the bilge we are struggling to understand how to rectify the clear the warning light.
I think my marina would have something to say if we were doing anything untowards.
Click to expand...
On my boat, there is a pipe coming from the holding tank going to a valve and then splits to the macerator and the deck pump out fitting. Check to make sure that valve is open so the waste can flow to the macerator. Power to the macerator is a little convoluted. First, there is a breaker on the 12v panel that enables power to the macerator. 2nd, there is an interlock on the seacock valve where the waste exits the boat. If that seacock is open then the interlock is closed so that the macerator will turn on. Check to make sure the seacock is open. Just follow the hose from the macerator to find the appropriate seacock. Third, there is a waste rocker switch on the 12v panel right at the tank gauge. That turns on the macerator pump to start its grinding thing. It's also possible that the seawater side of the seacock is clogged with seawater growth of some kind. Make sure there is a clear path for the waste to escape.

So that's how it works. But it sounds from this enthusiastic thread that you may just have a sensor problem.
 
Paul bfield said:
Thank you will pull the sender tomorrow, only water in there is what we've been flushing through today, to clean it, I don't think it's been used for around 18 months so sender could easily be broken, the water tank sender is kaput also
Click to expand...
Usually the “floats” on the tank level sensors get crud on them and they don’t function properly, usually just clean them up and they will be fine
 
I just acquired a 1986 sundancer 250 DA. The porta pottie has a small hose going to it and a large hose. There is the waste port on the deck. But where is the macerator. ? Or how does it pump out.?
 
Ned said:
I just acquired a 1986 sundancer 250 DA. The porta pottie has a small hose going to it and a large hose. There is the waste port on the deck. But where is the macerator. ? Or how does it pump out.?
Click to expand...

you take it to a shore based pump out station usually by the fuel dock. There is a deck plate labeled waste. Open it insert the hose nozzle and turn on the pump. Everything is sucked out and disposed of.
 
Ned said:
I just acquired a 1986 sundancer 250 DA. The porta pottie has a small hose going to it and a large hose. There is the waste port on the deck. But where is the macerator. ? Or how does it pump out.?
Click to expand...
Won’t have a macerator with a porta-potty set up. They are not normally set up for discharge into the swimming pool.
 
Creekwood, same boat basically ('91) with porta pot and macerator (sh!t pump as we call it). Aft cabin, 3 bed cushions. left-most if looking in aft cabin Or starboard side to use proper terminology. there is a trough under the cushion, macerator is in there along with the hoses running from portapot to engine room (to either holding tank or seacock).
 
PS. i just went thru this last week or 2. Pump (Jabsco original) would run, just not pump or empty anything. took it apart, not jammed, nothing wrong, said screw it, got a new pump from amazon ($123). pumps like crazy now. guess the old one was just wore out.
 
Oh wow thx pirate. The engine bay has a small box with macerator labeled on it. I'll look in the aft cabin. Also I have power to the fridge and stove but the bilge pumps and interior lites and stereo will not power up .no power to dash apparently. Replaced a couple fuses. I've got BATTERY power or 120. Do the lights and bilge work off 120 also? Is there another fuse panel somewhere?
 
Ned said:
Oh wow thx pirate. The engine bay has a small box with macerator labeled on it. I'll look in the aft cabin. Also I have power to the fridge and stove but the bilge pumps and interior lites and stereo will not power up .no power to dash apparently. Replaced a couple fuses. I've got BATTERY power or 120. Do the lights and bilge work off 120 also? Is there another fuse panel somewhere?
Click to expand...

lights and bilge are typically only 12 volts. Never seen 120 for a bilge pump, but don’t underestimate a boater
 
Chris-380 said:
lights and bilge are typically only 12 volts. Never seen 120 for a bilge pump, but don’t underestimate a boater
Click to expand...

And to be clear, if there is a 120v pump in your bilge that is probably not a good idea, because doubtful it is a marine pump.

However, an interesting thought. Portable home sump pumps are 110v, completely sealed and have a float switch. They also have a pretty high GPH rating and good lift. If someone had their boat at a marina and wanted a failsafe high capacity pump that could run on shore power maybe this might be something to look into? Wiring junctions would have to be ignition-proof and maybe out of the bilge on a gas boat, but the pump being submersible would mean that it would be ignition proof. Lots of choices here are the specs from a 1/3 hp one from HD that is $120:
  • Aluminum motor housing for efficient motor cooling
  • Continuous duty, efficient 115-Volt PSC motor for lower carbon footprint, higher efficiency using less energy to operate
  • 8.25 ft. cord length
  • Submersible for quiet operation
  • 1-1/2 in. FNPT discharge
  • Semi-open thermoplastic impeller passes 3/8 in. solids
  • Pumps up to 2200 GPH at 10 ft., outperforms the competition
Or maybe this is just a bad idea for some other reason that my rainy Sunday fogged brain is overlooking.
 
A 120V pump in the bilge area would probably be the A/C pump. If you can access the clean out on the top of the tank, try dumping several bags of ice in the tank and add water. Go for a ride and see if that breaks loose the tank level floats. Some have also had success with a dose of Noflex Digester. Let it sit for a few days and see if it cleans the floats
 
Your right the bilge pumps are 12 volt as is the stereo and cabin lights. This boat has no air conditioning. But with 120 power off only the fridge runs and the cb radio works off battery power. There were a couple bad fuses in the drop down panel in the bathroom but still no cabin lites. So the dash panel has a fuse for each function. Looks like wired in series like old type Christmas lites where if one fuse blows nothing works. But that doesn't make sense but each fuse is wired to the next fuse or switch. I also found the macerator but whrres the switch for it or does it come on when crap is diverted to it?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,225
Messages
1,428,916
Members
61,117
Latest member
cowiekc
Back
Top