H28.5 Manual discharge pump repair

[mister_j]

Can anyone point me to a post or article that covers the repair or replacement of a manual discharge pump for the holding tank of a 80's vintage hunter?I had some portside overflow of the holding tank of my 1987 28.5 while heeling on a starboard tack (is this common?). This had never occurred before as far as I know. I assumed the tank was full and spilling on the heeling angle, although I knew that shouldn't be the case. I was about 5 miles off the coast, so I decided to do something I'd never done...test the manual discharge pump. I get pumped out weekly, or more often if need be, so I had never used the manual pump in the 4 years I've owned the boat. I opened the valve in the head and cranked one time; the rubber pump plunger contorted, opened up, and sewage spewed onto the floor of the cockpit storage compartment.Because I never use the manual pump anyway, I suppose I could just clean up and keep the valve shut and forget about it. But I'd like to repair or replace the pump to have all systems working for the next owner, if there ever is one. The Hunter manual for the boat has no detailed schematic drawings of the plumbing, so if any mates out there have knowledge or access to drawings or repair information, I could sure use it.ThanksJeff

 

[s sauer]

Hunter 28.5 Head Discharge

Having owned an '86 Hunyter 28.5 since new, I can tell you its original equipment was a 1-1/2" gatevalve on the discharge from that manual pump(located starboard side of the toilet) . From what you've described, the rubber diaphram was old and deteriorated and split open (the pump is like a manual 'Whale Gusher' type) and that diaphram may no longer be available. If you always use a pump out, the suction line comes in between that manual pump and the tank so that operation remains unaffected unless it cant draw suction due to the broken pump diaphram in the line just above th e 'T' to the cockpit coaming pump out access fitting. You may want to try www.huntertwentyueightfive.com for isues specific to the 28.5.

 

[mister_j]

valves, hoses, pumps

HeadmistressThere are 2 valves on the inside hull of the head. The smaller one I know is the seacock for drawing raw water for flushing, the other I have assumed is for opening for discharge...bad assumption? I "cranked" on the handle of the pump, mounted under the port cockpit seat, which I was told by the previous owner was for "pumping the holding tank overboard". The diaphragm that the cranking handle links to, via a pushrod that plunges it into the box-like housing, distorted as if it were unreinforced soft rubber. I know without any doubt that raw sewage was forcing out around this diaphragm.Thanks, S. Sauer: I'm going to head over to the H28.5 website to see if I can find any info there, but I'd appreciate any kind of knowledge of the plumbing system that anyone can pass on.I appreciate your taking time to respond.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

After reading S. Saur's reply...

It's obvious that he's more familiar with the sanitation system layout on the '80s H285 than I am, so I'm gonna defer to him. But I think we both agree that, whatever else may have contributed to your "spew," the rubber parts in the pump have disintegrated. So you need to know the make/model to know if you can still get a rebuild kit for it. If not, you'll need to replace the pump...in which case, a Whale is your best choice.