holding tank vent is plugged in the tank. i can run a wire in about 3 inches. the pipe is small and turns a 90 as it enters the top of the tank. need some ideas guys and gals! tried a coat hanger, cant make the turn down into the tank. wire is not still enough. Im afraid to put anything in to desolve it, its an old tank and still does not leak. Ideas? P.S. Peggy, its not in the book! but i think everything else is!
holding tank vent plugged
- Thread starter Ed A
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Water Pressure
Ed: Use water pressure. I flush my vent EVERYTIME I pump the tank. If you get one of those nozzels with a very fine stream, you should be able to blast the s--t out of it.
Ed: Use water pressure. I flush my vent EVERYTIME I pump the tank. If you get one of those nozzels with a very fine stream, you should be able to blast the s--t out of it.
Remove the vent hose...
And scrape out the fitting and the end of the hose. And in the future, do what Jim suggests to prevent waste from from packing it again so tight that water pressure will no longer work. And while you're at it, scrape out any buildup of waste in the vent thru-hull, too.
And scrape out the fitting and the end of the hose. And in the future, do what Jim suggests to prevent waste from from packing it again so tight that water pressure will no longer work. And while you're at it, scrape out any buildup of waste in the vent thru-hull, too.
Spiders see it as home
In our part of the world, spiders get into places that they should not. I used a pipe cleaner (from the outside) to get the nest out of the vent. and it did the trick. Water (as mentioned)or air under pressure might do the trick. This is a sailboat, there ain't no one right answer. Andy
In our part of the world, spiders get into places that they should not. I used a pipe cleaner (from the outside) to get the nest out of the vent. and it did the trick. Water (as mentioned)or air under pressure might do the trick. This is a sailboat, there ain't no one right answer. Andy
now im getting you thinking
thanks for the ideas, but the block is in the tube that comes out of the holding tank. the hose to the thru hull is clear, the thru hull is clear and both pretty clean, but the tube welded into the top of the tank is plugged tight. i cant get anything in and arround the turn in the pipe to rod it out. tried wire, coat hanger and the like its too small for a plumbers snake. or my electricians tape. i may have to make a new hole. but i dont wanna!
thanks for the ideas, but the block is in the tube that comes out of the holding tank. the hose to the thru hull is clear, the thru hull is clear and both pretty clean, but the tube welded into the top of the tank is plugged tight. i cant get anything in and arround the turn in the pipe to rod it out. tried wire, coat hanger and the like its too small for a plumbers snake. or my electricians tape. i may have to make a new hole. but i dont wanna!
weed trimmer line
I use weed trimmer line to clear the water flow indicator hole on my outboard, in fact I keep a 10" piece on my boats keys so I don't have to look for it. Until my buddy turned me on to this I was always searching for a piece of wire or such. It is stiff enough to shove through clogs, and still will make some turns. Much better than wire. Give it a try.
I use weed trimmer line to clear the water flow indicator hole on my outboard, in fact I keep a 10" piece on my boats keys so I don't have to look for it. Until my buddy turned me on to this I was always searching for a piece of wire or such. It is stiff enough to shove through clogs, and still will make some turns. Much better than wire. Give it a try.
Let me get this straight.
Ed, you are using wire from the outside? And from the length you know it is going all the way to the tank? That is how you know that the clog is right at the elbow? I cannot remember your situation. Is the tank still under the shower seat? If so and you need access do it from the v-berth locker. Instead of cutting up the shower cut a hole in that bulkhead between the starboard locker and the head. Have you tried using the toilet pump as your source of water pressure? If you flush and the outlet is closed it will build pressure and try to go out the vent. Works on my boat every time the First Mate overflows the tank!
Ed, you are using wire from the outside? And from the length you know it is going all the way to the tank? That is how you know that the clog is right at the elbow? I cannot remember your situation. Is the tank still under the shower seat? If so and you need access do it from the v-berth locker. Instead of cutting up the shower cut a hole in that bulkhead between the starboard locker and the head. Have you tried using the toilet pump as your source of water pressure? If you flush and the outlet is closed it will build pressure and try to go out the vent. Works on my boat every time the First Mate overflows the tank!
thanks for the help
thanks all. i have the original 37 tank and accessed it from the starboard side of the v berth. took the hose off the tank and i ran a number ot things in to break thru a clog in the pipe as it makes the turn. the pressure in the tank would not clear it. used the head and then put air and water on the fitting. yesterday i too a fuel contol cable off a lawn mower and cut it to 8 inches . took the cable put it in a drill and finally got it thru to clear it. i really like the weedeater string ad will have some on the boat for future encounters with clogged stuff. Thanks guys and gals. You done good! Ed
thanks all. i have the original 37 tank and accessed it from the starboard side of the v berth. took the hose off the tank and i ran a number ot things in to break thru a clog in the pipe as it makes the turn. the pressure in the tank would not clear it. used the head and then put air and water on the fitting. yesterday i too a fuel contol cable off a lawn mower and cut it to 8 inches . took the cable put it in a drill and finally got it thru to clear it. i really like the weedeater string ad will have some on the boat for future encounters with clogged stuff. Thanks guys and gals. You done good! Ed
Backflush every time you pump out and/or
wash the boat, and you won't ever need the weedeater line. And I suggest you do move the vent fitting on the tank (it's not that hard to do using a li'l doodad called the Uniseal (http://www.aussieglobe.com/uniseal2.htm) When the vent and head discharge hose fitting on a tank are toward the hull instead of toward the centerline of the boat, heeling allows waste in a tank that's half-full or even less to run out the vent...causing build-up that, if not flushed out often, clogs the vent line. (So does overfilling the tank...there is no "fix" for that except don't do it). But when the vent fitting is closest to the centerline of the boat, that can't happen...'cuz when you're on one tack, waste in the tank flows away from the vent fitting...when you're on the other tack, the vent line runs uphill.
wash the boat, and you won't ever need the weedeater line. And I suggest you do move the vent fitting on the tank (it's not that hard to do using a li'l doodad called the Uniseal (http://www.aussieglobe.com/uniseal2.htm) When the vent and head discharge hose fitting on a tank are toward the hull instead of toward the centerline of the boat, heeling allows waste in a tank that's half-full or even less to run out the vent...causing build-up that, if not flushed out often, clogs the vent line. (So does overfilling the tank...there is no "fix" for that except don't do it). But when the vent fitting is closest to the centerline of the boat, that can't happen...'cuz when you're on one tack, waste in the tank flows away from the vent fitting...when you're on the other tack, the vent line runs uphill.
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