head questions

[Ed A]

Peggy,
Im shopping a 380 catalina, It has reciently been modified with the instllation of a macerator pump hooked to the outflow of the head, and the intake for flush hooked to the pressure water system.
The head is manual. SOO they have a switch to flush and fill, a switch to full the bowl and a switch to empty the boat. all without the hand pump on the head it self.
the pump pulls the water out prettywell untill... the water drops down to the bottom of the bowl then the pump pulls air. when you fill the bowl again, the pump wont prime again as it its mounted above the bowl, s... dont run up hill, a primary rule..

all sewage is pumped into the holding tank, then another macerator and a deck pump out are hooked to the down side of the tank.

Can this work? does it make any sense?
if the pump were located so it would self prime would it work.

Ed

 

[Rick D]

Totally Mickey Mouse

If you get serious about the boat, figure deducting for a return to stock w/o the freshwater tap and macerator 'modifications'. You have probably been on the boards long enough to know the fresh water tap is dangerous as described in this application and the macerator is, as you have already surmised, a dumb mod. Better to have a straight manual, or if the wiring is acceptable (which I'd doubt), go for a Sea Era electric, IMHO.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Sheesh! It's an e-coli incubator!

Somebody wanted an electric toilet, but didn't want to buy one...although what he spent for that nightmare would almost have covered a Raritan SeaEra pressurized flush water "conversion" (everything south of the bowl) http://www.raritaneng.com/products/toilets/electric/sea_era_conversion_kit.html

You've already seen that it doesn't work very well...and every time the macerator pump sucks air, dry friction heat is damaging the impeller...and by now you SHOULD know--'cuz Lord knows I've posted it enough times!--that connecting any manual toilet to the fresh water plumbing is a BIG no-no that every toilet mfr specifically warns against in their installation instructions 'cuz it can't be done without risk of contaminating the fresh water supply with e-coli.

I'm sure that Rick is right...the wiring is prob'ly as bad as the concept and plumbing. So although it has to be corrected, you certainly wouldn't want THAT seller to do it! So I wouldn't make that a condition of sale...instead, I'd knock $1000-$1500 off my offer to cover the cost of replacing the whole sanitation system AND decontaminating the fresh water system.

You DO plan to make any offer "subject to survey and sea trial"...right? In interviewing surveyors, make sure the one you hire knows what a health "chernobyl" that system. So describe it exactly as you've done here ("can this work? Does it make any sense?") and pass on any surveyor who doesn't immediately say NO!

 

[Ed Schenck]

Aagghh! Are there two Ed A's? Must be a typo. A Catalina Ed?! What about the iron keel that's going to fall off in Tampa Bay?

Just kidding. I know that's as close as you can come to a newer traditional design that's almost as good as our H37-cutters. Big interior, big aft stateroom, walk-through transom, all those things we talked about. Let us know when to look for you on the Catalina forum.

 

[Ed A]

Tooo funny, I have the manual stuff for the head. easy to hook back up.
I really knew the answers, but thought i would run them bye in case.. just in case...
So i will take it out.

 

[Ed A]

ED S. Your peeking,,, lead keel.big bed and 2 a.c units cant be all bad. just need to be able to use the head.

As always i get the right answers here..

havent closed the deal yet but im close.
Ed

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Tooo funny, I have the manual stuff for the head. easy to hook back up. I really knew the answers, but thought i would run them bye in case.. just in case... So i will take it out.

Hopefully AFTER you've made it enough of an issue with the seller to knock at least $1k off the price of the boat. Not only could that save you some money, but it might prevent him from doing it on another boat.