Considering ElectraScan... a few questions

[mcaswell]

Considering ElectroScan... a few questions

Since my holding tank appears to have a small leak and will likely need to be replaced, I've been giving strong consideration to replacing it with an ElectroScan w/Hold n Treat controller, and a much smaller tank (for when we're in a harbor).

The main installation obstacle I see is that although my water intake line has a vented loop, the 1" line that currently goes from the macerator output to the thru-hull does not, and looking through the manual it appears that this is a requirement... could be tricky getting that hose up to the location where the vented loop could be installed.

My other question is in regards to something mentioned in the manual. It says if the device is to not be used for more than a few weeks, it should be flushed with freshwater to purge remaining saltwater and waste from the chambers (and then before using again, saltwater should be pumped in to displace the freshwater).

With the system all plumbed together, how does one go about pumping freshwater through it?

--Michael

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

It's actually simple:

My other question is in regards to something mentioned in the manual. It says if the device is to not be used for more than a few weeks, it should be flushed with freshwater to purge remaining saltwater and waste from the chambers (and then before using again, saltwater should be pumped in to displace the freshwater).

With the system all plumbed together, how does one go about pumping freshwater through it? --Michael

1. Close the intake seacock.

2. Run the Electro Scan twice to make sure that everything in it is fully treated. DO NOT flush the toilet...just run the device twice.

3. Now you flush buckets of fresh water down the toilet till you've purged all the waste and salt water that was in it and replaced it with fresh water. Should take about two 3 gal. bucketfuls.

This is NOT winterization, just long-term storage to prevent stinky sea water odors.

Restarting it again after it's sat for a while When you come back aboard, open the intake seacock and flush the toilet half a dozen times to replace as much of the fresh water with sea water as possible before the first use. You should have some solar salt on hand anyway...add two coffee measures to each flush if the panel indicates low salt.

 

[mcaswell]

Ahhh... flush the FW down the toilet. Boy do I feel stupid now! I suppose if I'm using the Hold n Treat system, this procedure would have to be modified a bit, by first ensuring the holding tank was emptied, then filling it partly with water, and pumping this FW through the ElectroScan?

--Michael

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

You're sending everything through the tank first?

Nothing directly overboard via the E/S? Why?

IMO, that defeats the whole reason for having a treatment device in the first place.

It's one thing to be able to hold where you have to and then have a means of emptying the tank without the need to rely on pumpouts--actually in a much more enviro-friendly way than either just dumping (illegally) it OR pumpouts...but the real beauty of treatment is, it eliminates the need to hold at all unless you find yourself in one of the few misguided marinas who think "no discharge" is a good thing. Fortunately there aren't very many of those in the Gulf. In fact, except for any marinas--which are private property and therefore can make their own rules--there are only TWO NDZs on the whole Gulf--the FL Keys and Destin Harbor...treatment is legal everywhere else in the Gulf. And fwiw, FAR more environmentally friendly than holding tanks.

So plumb it with a y-valve that allows you to go overboard via the E/S or into the tank when you have no other choice...and then use the "hold 'n' treat" to empty the tank.

Btw...no reason to feel stupid about your first question...I came to the conclusion years ago that the answers to most of life's questions begin with "Oh...DUH!"

 

[mcaswell]

We usually stay pretty close to shore, and I just want to be able to legally empty the holding tank without having to hunt down a pumpout station or sail halfway to Cancun... I didn't realize that I need to be 9 miles (or 12... I've seen both numbers) out, not just 3 as I had thought.

Anyway, my thinking was that running everything through the tank would:

1) Simplify the plumbing.

2) Let me treat the waste in batches. Instead of the unit running each flush, once each day or two so I could let it process the contents of the tank. I think this would be marginally easier for the kids to deal with, but more importantly it would let me run the ElectroScan at times when I have the engine or generator running anyway (with the surplus of charging amps powering the unit instead of it drawing off the batteries).

Is this misguided?

--Michael

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Yup...it's misguided AND overcomplicates it

You would be able to empty the tank in coastal waters inside 3 miles, but that's about all you've gotten a handle on so far. Putting everything into the tank doesn't simplify the plumbing, it complicates it...and the "hold 'n' treat" doesn't dump the tank in batches, 'cuz the E/S can only accept about 1 gal. at a time...it takes HOURS to empty a tank that way...and usually while underway, 'cuz it does use a a few AH.

So the simplest solution--AND the easiest one for the kids to deal with will be to install the E/S as it's designed to be installed. We need to talk...stand by for incoming PM.

 

[mcaswell]

Thanks, Peggy.

--Michael

 

[mcaswell]

Peggy,

Many thanks for taking the time to talk to me the other morning about all this. After thinking about it a while, though I do like the idea of being able to dump directly out through the Electroscan, I'm not convinced it's really worth it in my case.

Not only would I need a y-valve (to direct whether the toilet output goes to the Electroscan or the holding tank), I'd also need to make accommodations for the emptying of the tank through the Electroscan, which I believe would involve t-ing into the hose that goes into the Electroscan, along with an additional valve to prevent some waste from being pumped into the tank through the tank's output hose when discharging straight through the Electroscan.

A rough and simplified layout:

For comparison, this is how Raritan suggests the Hold n Treat be installed:

Looks a lot simpler!

Honestly, though having the ability to discharge directly out through the Electroscan would be nice, and would represent a fuller utilization of the device (with the benefit of not having to use the tank much), it's not an absolute necessity for me... I just want to be able to empty our holding tank without having to go so far offshore.

Now, if I could just get rid of the tank completely, that would by far be the simplest option. But if I am to keep a tank, I want to be able to empty it through the Electroscan, and it looks like retaining this option is significantly more complicated.

--Michael

 

[Stu Jackson]

You really have to consider if two valves is too complicated for you and if you want to have everything go through the holding tank. I wouldn't put anything that didn't have to into the holding tank, but it's your boat your choice.

 

[mcaswell]

I guess it's just that I don't have any valves in that compartment now (aside from the seacock), and now I'll have to find a place to mount two of them.

But perhaps the second valve is not even necessary? If the pump is mounted higher than the Electroscan, maybe that will be enough stop the waste from trying to backflow through the pump and into the tank?

One thing I definitely like about Peggy's suggested setup is that (aside from being able to skip the holding tank most of the time) it reduces my reliance on the macerator pump. That's something I've always feared... having to head inshore to hunt down a pump-out (and/or a replacement pump) would waste a day or so off of our already fairly short trips. I've considered just buying a spare pump to have on board, but with this setup, having the pump go down would not be a show stopper.

--Michael

 

[mcaswell]

Well, I headed down to the boat this evening to take a closer look at the compartment to see where the additional valves would go and how the hose would be routed, and pretty much had it figured out. Then, as an afterthought, I measured to make sure the Electroscan unit itself would fit... I hadn't thought that would be a problem, but it turns out I'm a few inches short on the vertical clearance. Doh!

So, no Electroscan for me.

--Michael