Nasty Stuff Leaking

Sep 15, 2013
707
Catalina 270 Baltimore
Hello fellow sailors. Among lots of other boat troubles this year. I arrived at the boat to find a pool of nasty brown liquid in the bilge under the holding tank. Good news is this bilge is sealed at the bottom and I was able to vacuum up most of the offending liquid with the pump out nozzle. I am trying to find the leak but I was on a tight schedule and could not dive into the problem. I will be tomorrow. My holding tank is strange as the macerator pump is directly attached to the tank (see photo). It is my opinion the macerator is the culprit. Since I sail in the Chesapeake I have never used it. My question is: How do you get the macerator out of the tank to replace it and is there any thinq special I need to know so I don't destroy the tank in the process. If it were up to me I would remove the macerator completely but a smart person I know said not to do that as it will negatively affect the resale value of the boat. All wisdom greatly appreciated



.Holding Tank.jpg
 
Jan 7, 2011
4,727
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
I would bet that the macerator can be unscrewed at the fitting…either the whitish part will unscrew from the tank, or the black piece will unscrew from the white part, or the macerator will unscrew from the black part.

On my old O’Day 32, I had a leak like that. Pulled the tank as you did, took it home and washed it out, removed all of the fittings, and rebed them all…including the vent fittings. I don’t have a macerator and no overboard discharge, so mine is pretty simple.

Greg
 
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Sep 25, 2008
7,076
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
Macerators fail. Assuming it is the source of your problem, it’s a nasty, messy process to rebuild it and likely not worth the small saving compared to buying a new one.

Not sure how a $150 macerator can affect resale value.

You might want to consider trashing the tank as it appears to be aluminum which are infamous for leaking. Aluminum is a poor choice of material for holding tanks. And replacing it may actually increase resale value.
 
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Mar 6, 2008
1,078
Catalina 1999 C36 MKII #1787 Coyote Point Marina, CA.
My macerator also leaked due to broken screw rod that holds the blade, releasing tank content. The problem was that the macerator was connected to the tank by a pvc "T" connection. Since the hull flexes it broke the screw rod.
I replaced the macerator and added a 2way valve from the tank and added 4" flexible hose between all 3 connections. For more content and images visit Sail La Vie | 1999 Catalina 36 MK II and visit the album.
 
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Dec 2, 1997
8,709
- - LIttle Rock
="Don S/V ILLusion, post: 1726441, member: 78355"]
Macerators fail. Assuming it is the source of your problem, it’s a nasty, messy process to rebuild it and likely not worth the small saving compared to buying a new one.
Agreed! You can't use it anyway, so get rid of it!

Not sure how a $150 macerator can affect resale value.
It can if it's the source of deal breaking odor!

You might want to consider trashing the tank as it appears to be aluminum which are infamous for leaking. Aluminum is a poor choice of material for holding tanks. And replacing it may actually increase resale value.
If the tank is aluminum--or any metal, even 316 stainless--it's more likely to be the source of your leak than the macerator pump. Although metal--commonly aluminum--was the early material of choice for holding tank until the early '90s, it had become obvious that urine eats through metal, making 10 years the average life of a metal holding tank. The first leak is always ONLY the FIRST leak, typically a weld at a seam or fitting at about 5 years...while urine is slowly turning the bottom of the tank into a colander. It's easy to find out if your tank is leaking: pump out and thoroughly RINSE out the tank with plenty of clean water. Then fill it and add red food coloring to the water. You'll see red stain at any leaks. You can get rid of the macerator pump with the tank.

Ronco Plastics (no relation to the VegoMatic Ronco) is your best source for a tank. They make TOP quality thick-walled water and waste tanks for a very reasonable price and have more than 400 shapes and sizes, over 100 of which are non-rectangular, and they install fittings in the sizes and locations specified by the customer when they make the tank. There are retailers who sell Ronco tanks, but Ronco sells direct for a much lower price...and they're great to work with.
Ronco Plastics marine Tanks
Ronco Plastics tank drawings (arranged by capacity, which makes 'em a lot easier to search)
When looking at drawings it's important to know that there is no top or bottom until the fittings go in, and YOU decide where they go. So rotate, flip in any orientation to find the tank that fit your space.

If you'd like my help with replacing the tank, spec'ing the fittings locations and running the plumbing, send me a PM.

--Peggie
 
Apr 1, 2004
145
Catalina 34 Herring Bay Chesapeake, MD
Hello fellow sailors. Among lots of other boat troubles this year. I arrived at the boat to find a pool of nasty brown liquid in the bilge under the holding tank. Good news is this bilge is sealed at the bottom and I was able to vacuum up most of the offending liquid with the pump out nozzle. I am trying to find the leak but I was on a tight schedule and could not dive into the problem. I will be tomorrow. My holding tank is strange as the macerator pump is directly attached to the tank (see photo). It is my opinion the macerator is the culprit. Since I sail in the Chesapeake I have never used it. My question is: How do you get the macerator out of the tank to replace it and is there any thinq special I need to know so I don't destroy the tank in the process. If it were up to me I would remove the macerator completely but a smart person I know said not to do that as it will negatively affect the resale value of the boat. All wisdom greatly appreciated



.View attachment 201001
Your tank is made my Ronco as you can tell. It's a great tank ( not metal )
The white fitting is part of the tank. Have tank in semi upright position and unscrew pump. Either replace or get a screw plug at home depot or others.

Good luck,

Steve
 
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Ward H

.
Nov 7, 2011
3,645
Catalina 30 Mk II Barnegat, NJ
Ditto to what the others said.
Your macerator looks like that one that was on my boat. The screws to remove the pump part from the motor are on the end where it attaches to the tank. Those four long machine screws corroded and at the heads allow the pump to come loose from the motor causing a leak. If that is where it is leaking you have to remove it from the tank anyway.

I agree with removing it and putting a plug in the tank. As my boat is a 93 with plastic tank, I'm surprised yours would be aluminum.

@Peggie Hall HeadMistress , here's a hypothetical question. If spec'ing a new tank and I was not planning to re-install the macerator, would you recommend against putting in a threaded fitting with plug in case I changed my mind at a later date?
 
Dec 2, 1997
8,709
- - LIttle Rock
Your tank is made my Ronco as you can tell. It's a great tank ( not metal )
Yep, I just saw the markings on it in the photo (I shoulda looked more closely at it when I read your first post). However, even top quality tanks can crack and leak if they're subjected to bulging and flexing due to a blocked tank vent, so I'd still do the red food coloring test anyway. The good news, you can still order an identical replacement direct from Ronco for a whole lot less $$ than going through Catalina if replacement is necessary.

To answer Ward's question...a threaded plug wrapped in plenty of teflon tape will seal the unused female tank fitting. However...I wouldn't spec a fitting for a macerator pump you may or may not ever use, especially a fitting at the bottom of a tank. Instead, if/when you decide you need to add a macerator pump, put a y-valve in the pumpout line.

--Peggie
 
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Sep 15, 2013
707
Catalina 270 Baltimore
Thanks for the responses. The tank is plastic. Definitely replacing the macerator rather than rebuilding. I have the trim off and am disconnecting hoses. I going in!!
 
Sep 15, 2013
707
Catalina 270 Baltimore
Here is what i found. The macerator was rusted and literally fell apart into 2 pieces as I was removing the tank. I emptied the remaining stuff into a bucket and flushed it. I sealed the fittings of the tank with plastic bags and tie wraps and took it home with me. My wife was less than thrilled. The big problem is the half of the macerator that is still attached to the tank appears to be sealed in with silicone. I tried to open it up at the boat yard but no success. I am going to hit it with the dremel tool and try to cut it out without damaging any threads. Then I will address replacing the macerator or plugging it. That is the plan. I want to clean the tank out really well while I have it out. I have heard white vinegar is very effective.
The tank looks good and I think I can keep it. Attached is a photo of the macerator after it feel apart. I had to drive home with the windows open.
 

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Dec 2, 1997
8,709
- - LIttle Rock
I'd be very careful using a Dremel on the silcone 'cuz it's almost a certainty that the macerator pump is threaded into the tank fitting. Mess up the threads and you won't be able to thread a new macerator pump or even a hose fitting into that port again. You might want to do a little research into products that can "melt" silicone sealant. And btw...no sealant other than Teflon tape should ever have been used on that connection.

I just took a good look at your photo...the hose connected to the macerator pump is clear WATER hose--hot water hose if the red stripe is any indicator. Clear water hose, whether cold (blue stripe) or hot (red stripe) is NOT rated for below-waterline connection! There's no way to know from your photo whether that hose was used for all your sanitation hose, but only hose rated for use in sanitation plumbing--typically white but can be black, smooth inside (NO corrugated hose!) and a steel or hard plastic helix to prevent collapse. The best hoses are rubber (butyl is best), may be double or single walled, flexible pvc is the least expensive and also the least odor permeation resistant. Raritan SaniFlex RaritanSaniFlex hose is the top rated hose...has proven to be 100% odor permeation resistant (has 10 year warranty against it) and has the added benefit of being so flexible it can be bent almost as tight as a hairpin without kinking, which makes replacing a hoses a LOT easier!. Available in 1" and 1.5" for < $10/ft and several retailers sell it by the foot, so you don't have to buy more than you need.

--Peggie
 
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Sep 15, 2013
707
Catalina 270 Baltimore
Hi Peggie. I was the culprit. I replaced the rubber hose with the water hose. I did it because, at the time, MD Natural Resources Police were being Nazis about macerators and any boats ability to pump sewage overboard. I disconnected the power to the macerator and put a transparent hose in to show it was never used. Ridiculous I know.
 
Dec 2, 1997
8,709
- - LIttle Rock
I learned years ago that there are about 1,000 lurkers for every active forum participant and a lot of 'em on boating sites are newbies. So when I post to a forum I'm always aware that I'm not just talking to the person to whom I'm replying, I'm talking to everyone reading what I'm writing and I try to educate when I can. You provided me with an excellent opportunity to "expound" on sanitation system hoses. Good to know that you already knew better!

--Peggie
 
Sep 15, 2013
707
Catalina 270 Baltimore
Thanks Peggy! I spent all morning flushing out the tank and flushing down the contents. I got some mineral spirits and started softening up the silicone around the macerator connection, slicing it off as I could. After a few hours the piece finally came loose with an oil filter wrench. The PO used silicone in the threads but fortunately the threads on the tank side still look good and can be reused. Pictures below. Now I have to decide whether to replace the macerator or just plug the tank. With the fitting out I can get the hose into the tank and now clear water comes out. Is there any way to get the exterior of the tank to stop smelling?
Also I bought your book today.



tank opening.jpg


stuck half macerator.jpg
 
Dec 2, 1997
8,709
- - LIttle Rock
Is there any way to get the exterior of the tank to stop smelling?
It's HIGHLY unlikely that a Ronco tank has permeated, so I'm betting the odor on the outside of it is residual odor that was "transferred" to it from the macerator pump and any other source (spill? stinky hoses?) You've removed the macerator pump...you'll need to thoroughly clean any place it leaked and the outside of the tank--all 4 walls and the top--with plenty of detergent and water--NO BLEACH!!) and any other odor source 'cuz it's impossible to eliminate any odor as long as the source((s) exist 'cuz it'll just continue to generate odor. Once you've thoroughly cleaned everywhere, you're ready to permanently eliminate the odors.

PureAye PureAyre is my favorite product to do this... it's not an air freshener nor is it a cleaning product...andit's the only product I've ever found that can completely eliminate ANY odor, even diesel and smoke when used as directed. If you only have a small job, a spray bottle of their "household" or even "pet" version will do. After you've thoroughly cleaned everywhere, spray a fine mist of it on every surface, nook and cranny. Don't rinse, just let it dry. If you still have odor, you missed a spot, either cleaning or spraying.

Btw, PureAyre is also rated for use around food, so it's safe to use in the fridge after a shore power failure leaves you with spoiled food. You'll find a lot more about it in my book.

--Peggie
 
Sep 15, 2013
707
Catalina 270 Baltimore
Thanks Peggie and everyone else for your guidance and responses. I believe I have enough info to resolve this.