T3800 - Location of Macerator Pump?

jviss

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Feb 5, 2004
6,745
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
My macerator failed. Does anyone know where they put it in the Tartan 3800? It's not at all obvious to me, and I'm afraid it may be buried beneath the waste holding tank.

Thanks,

jv
 
Dec 2, 1997
8,708
- - LIttle Rock
It's unlikely to be under the tank unless there's a lot of space below it..although it could be behind the tank. Don't rule out above the tank or on top of it. Try tracing the hose from the thru-hull--which may or may not go over a vented loop--back to it...or tracing the tank discharge line from the tank to it.

--Peggie
 

jviss

.
Feb 5, 2004
6,745
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
Thanks Peggy. I don't think there's a vented loop in between, none is shown on the diagram in the owner's manual, and there's a caution to open the seacock only when using the pump, and to close it afterwards.

The hose from the seacock just disappears into the bowls of the boat. There's no space I can see behind the tank, but I think there's space below it. But, I guess I'll have to go digging.
 

jviss

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Feb 5, 2004
6,745
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
I'm going to try reversing polarity to the motor, see if I can jog it loose.

If I get this fixed, or get a new pump, I'm going to make sure to give it a spin every week or so.
 
Dec 2, 1997
8,708
- - LIttle Rock
Good idea..but more importantly, rinse it out after every use. Waste is sticky...it causes impellers to get stuck to the inside of ther housing. If they get REALLY stuck, start up can break off vanes.

--Peggie
 
Mar 6, 2008
1,078
Catalina 1999 C36 MKII #1787 Coyote Point Marina, CA.
Jviss, failing could mean a number of problems. If the impellers have broken off, it will not work, but the motor will turn. If you locate it, try putting a large screwdriver on the back end of the motor where there is a slot on its shaft and rotate back and forth, you may dislodge whatever is stopping it from turning.
 
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jviss

.
Feb 5, 2004
6,745
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
The electrical panel is so loaded with tight bundles, it might be impractical to attempt to identify and un-bundle the macerator wires so I can reverse polarity on them to try to budge the pump. I mean, it might still be worth it, but it would be disruptive and time consuming. The red is obvious,, as it comes off the breaker, the black less so. I can identify it by putting my DC clamp Ammeter on the blacks, one by one, and turning on the pump, but I would have to do a lot of unbundling to make enough clearance to to get the clamp onto individual wires.

Stay tuned, and thanks for reading so far.
 
Jun 14, 2010
2,081
Robertson & Caine 2017 Leopard 40 CT
@jviss two tools to consider. buying:
1) An electrical wire tracer that uses a tone signal generator and probe (example: Klein Tools Pro Tone and Probe Kit-VDV500-820 - The Home Depot )
2) an inspection camera in a probe

If you get a wire tracer, here's a tip: It works well for circuits that don't carry power and are not connected to the battery. Not effective otherwise. So, you need to turn off the master battery switch for tracing positive wires, and if you want to trace ground wires you must disconnect the negative battery post in a negative common-ground system.
 
Mar 6, 2008
1,078
Catalina 1999 C36 MKII #1787 Coyote Point Marina, CA.
You must turn off all circuit breakers so that the signal fed from macerator side does not feed to all other positive wires. It may not be necessary to disconnect the grounds or the battery cables. The tone signal is fed through a capacitor so having a voltage on the wire will not hurt the test equipment.
You can also disconnect the wires from the macerator and connect them to a light bulb, then turn breakers on and off and see which one effects the light bulb.
You can also take 2 #10 wires and connect the macerator to the battery, you can reverse the polarity easily.
 

jviss

.
Feb 5, 2004
6,745
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
You can also disconnect the wires from the macerator and connect them to a light bulb, then turn breakers on and off and see which one effects the light bulb.
You can also take 2 #10 wires and connect the macerator to the battery, you can reverse the polarity easily.
I don't think you understand my situation. I don't know where the macerator is, can't put my hands on it. So, I can't disconnect the wires from the macerator.
 
Mar 6, 2008
1,078
Catalina 1999 C36 MKII #1787 Coyote Point Marina, CA.
On the holding tank, there is an incoming hose and an outgoing hose. Follow the outgoing hose. It goes to deck pump out outlet and macerator with a "T" between them.
 

jviss

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Feb 5, 2004
6,745
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
The only part of the holding tank that I can view is the very top. To see any other part would require me to take the boat apart.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Do you know where the thru hull is to dump the effluent overboard? I would trace the hose attached to the thru back to the pump.
 

jviss

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Feb 5, 2004
6,745
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
Do you know where the thru hull is to dump the effluent overboard? I would trace the hose attached to the thru back to the pump.
Yes, but the hose just disappears behind boat structure, and one can't see where it goes. Believe me, if it were easy to find the pump, I would have!
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
My boat is 35 ft long and I found the macerator 4.5 ft from the thru hull.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Found it by opening every covering and hatch. Along the route of the hose. It passed the other side of a bulkhead and beneath the cabinet. Into a space beneath the V-Berth.
 
May 7, 2012
1,338
Hunter e33 Maple Bay, BC
Yes, but the hose just disappears behind boat structure, and one can't see where it goes. Believe me, if it were easy to find the pump, I would have!
Just a thought, not nice either way. Disconnect the hose at the holding tank going to the pump or disconnect the hose at the thru hull coming from the pump whichever is easier. Using a semi flexible snake will give you the distance. Rattling it around may give you the location.
 

jviss

.
Feb 5, 2004
6,745
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
Just a thought, not nice either way. Disconnect the hose at the holding tank going to the pump or disconnect the hose at the thru hull coming from the pump whichever is easier. Using a semi flexible snake will give you the distance. Rattling it around may give you the location.
I considered that. Can't see any of the holding tank hose connections. I may someday remove some panels below to see what I can see.