Brown Bilge Blues

[Ilanortho]

A new Jabsco head pump was placed 3 weeks ago with new waste pipe to the holding tank

A week ago a new cabin bilge pump, new hose and check valve and new wiring were installed (so proud of myself) and the bilge was cleaned so you could eat out of it.

End of problems? No

Now I notice a trickle of brown water that doesn't smell like poop yet comes from the conduit between the bile and waste tank compartment that wasn't there before. I thought that maybe this was the remnant of some old residue, but when I put some lubricant oil into the toilet for the pump, I now see something that resembles oil and balsamic vinegar on my salad (oil/ water separation) so it must be new.

Before I left the boat wh/ is an hour away I found no leaks in the head or any leaks around the tank that can be seen thru the bench access hatch including all double clamped hoses etc.

I would have to unscrew the furniture over the tank to better see the entire tank.

Any ideas? Could the plastic tank have a hairline crack underneath from being sucked out every week over the years by the most wicked vacuum machine I have ever seen? Also, I don't recall seeing the vent hose connection. Where is it on these boats? Is it next to the other two hoses and I just overlooked it?

Thanks in advance. Ilan

 

[Allan12210]

Ilan,

If you only changed the hose into the holding tank, then it shouldn't be that as its at the top of the holding tank. Hopefully you are pumping all the contents from the head and it is not leaving anything in the hose to leak back. Of course, you should see that at the connection to the head.

Regarding a hairline crack in the holding tank: it is possible if its the original welded tank that came with the boat. After a particularly rough ride with a full tank ours completely split along one vertical corner. Too bad I couldn't have waited until after the fire to clean it up. However there was no fire and it took 3 months to completely sanitize and deodorize the boat (after replacing the holding tank with a roto-molded one piece tank. No more welds and no more leaks). Taking the settee apart is not too bad. I'd recommend you at least pull the screws out of the top and slide it off. You need to really inspect that tank to be sure it isn't leaking. I would pump it out really well then progressively re-fill with clear water after adding your favorite food color (not brown). If that shows up in the bilge, proceed from there. I recall on mine there were plastic bags filled with expanding foam to support the tank that you might have to pull out. To replace, I just used some Ziploc bags and put a bit of the foam in them (available to seal air leaks around windows) to re-support the tank.

Allan

P.S. Unless the vent is clogged the super vacuum will not stress the tank. The suction pulls the liquid out and air goes in to replace it via the vent. The weight of the contents is worse. The vent is the small hose on the top of the tank on the outboard side.

 

[Ilanortho]

Thanks. I intend to pull the top of the settee off. The tank already appears to be a polyethylene one, and the part I can see looks very solid. The lubricant oil I fed the toilet seemed to show up in the bilge with the aqueous brown stuff. Since we have never done number 2 on this boat since we bought it in June, I suspect a tank leak (it is pumped out every week like clockwork) with some old residue thrown in. Also, the leak is minuscule in amount. Just enough to dirty up my bilge.

Ilan,

If you only changed the hose into the holding tank, then it shouldn't be that as its at the top of the holding tank. Hopefully you are pumping all the contents from the head and it is not leaving anything in the hose to leak back. Of course, you should see that at the connection to the head.

Regarding a hairline crack in the holding tank: it is possible if its the original welded tank that came with the boat. After a particularly rough ride with a full tank ours completely split along one vertical corner. Too bad I couldn't have waited until after the fire to clean it up. However there was no fire and it took 3 months to completely sanitize and deodorize the boat (after replacing the holding tank with a roto-molded one piece tank. No more welds and no more leaks). Taking the settee apart is not too bad. I'd recommend you at least pull the screws out of the top and slide it off. You need to really inspect that tank to be sure it isn't leaking. I would pump it out really well then progressively re-fill with clear water after adding your favorite food color (not brown). If that shows up in the bilge, proceed from there. I recall on mine there were plastic bags filled with expanding foam to support the tank that you might have to pull out. To replace, I just used some Ziploc bags and put a bit of the foam in them (available to seal air leaks around windows) to re-support the tank.

Allan

P.S. Unless the vent is clogged the super vacuum will not stress the tank. The suction pulls the liquid out and air goes in to replace it via the vent. The weight of the contents is worse. The vent is the small hose on the top of the tank on the outboard side.

 

[All U Get]

When I do my hoses I wrap the connections with paper towels to see if one leaks, simple to zero in to the little dripper.

All U Get