Installing macerator on 2000 Beneteau 411 in forward head

[Craig Meredith]

Our forward head has a deck pump out but it does not have a macerator for draining the the holding tank over board. You can manually pump overboard - but not from the tank. I was wondering if anyone attempted installing a pipe to the holding tank and a macerator. Also wondering if the deck pump out has a tube that goes into the tank.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Also wondering if the deck pump out has a tube that goes into the tank.

It's unlikely that the tank has a dedicated fitting for the deck pump out. Most likely it's Teed off from another line eg. inlet line, or a macerator suction line.

Sounds as if there may have been a change or two from the previous owner. Only one way to tell, roll up your sleeves and get in there and sketch it out.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

I was wondering if anyone attempted installing a pipe to the holding tank and a macerator.

It should be fairly easy to do: install a y-valve in the pumpout line, add a hose to go to a macerator pump, then from the macerator pump to a below waterline thru-hull. However before installing a macerator pump, you'll need to know where it's legal to dump a tank.

I get the feeling from some of your terminology that you're fairly new at this, so I--and everyone else here too--will be glad to "translate" anything unfamiliar to you. We'll have you speaking "marine" in no time.

Also wondering if the deck pump out has a tube that goes into the tank.

There should a be a hose that connects the tank discharge fitting to the deck pumpout fitting. It does not go into the tank. However, if your tank discharge fitting is on the top of the tank, there needs to be a pipe inside the tank that goes to the bottom of the tank. Is there a specific reason why you're asking?

--Peggie

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

It's unlikely that the tank has a dedicated fitting for the deck pump out. Most likely it's Teed off from another line eg. inlet line, or a macerator suction line.

How many tanks have you ever seen that didn't have a discharge fitting, Ralph? I think you misunderstood his question.

--Peggie

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

We'll have you speaking "marine" in no time.

Is that necessarily a good #$%^&@#! thing ?

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

How many tanks have you ever seen that didn't have a discharge fitting,

I "think ? ? ? ?" my statement you are referring to is:

It's unlikely that the tank has a dedicated fitting for the deck pump out

I was under the impression the OP was looking for a dedicated fitting on the tank for a macerator and another fitting for a deck pump out. I stated there would only be one discharge fitting for both.

If I wasn't clear enough, then I guess it's a little too early in the day for me to start smoking crack .

 

[Craig Meredith]

Thanks for the info. This is the original configuration from the factory. That is, the tank could be pumped out from deck only. Otherwise you pump out directly from the head into the ocean. I think I am going to have to install a hose thru the top into the tank and then to a macerator and then out. i cruise in BC and there almost no pump out stations going north. The former owner put an electric toilet in the aft head with no connection to a holding tank. There are times when holding tank capacity would be useful.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

I think I am going to have to install a hose thru the top into the tank and then to a macerator and then out.

The only thing I would caution you with that thought, is that the macerator is a centrifugal pump. This type of pump will not pump air.

If you were able to get the macerator pumping during the first useage, you would eventually remove the contents of the tank and start sucking air. This would fill the suction hoes with air and then you would stop the pump at the switch. Over the next few days, the tank would fill and you would start the pump to empty the tank. The pump however, would be full of air and would not pump because it needs water in it to pump. The suction hose for the pump must be at the bottom of the tank.

 

[Craig Meredith]

Thanks. That makes perfect sense.

 

[Bob S]

I, with help from Peggy, replaced all the hoses in both heads on Lovely Lady. The pump out should come from the bottom and the macerator attached to a tube from the top. That is how it was plumbed from the factory. The problem on this set up was the glue Beneteau used to attach the tube doesn’t last and the tube separated from the fitting and drops into the tank So my macerator wasn’t working in either head. I used the Uniseal (thank you Peggy) and plumbed a new tube. I also replaced the macerator with a diaphragm pump.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

I think I am going to have to install a hose thru the top into the tank and then to a macerator and then out.

If there isn't already a fitting with tube on the tank for the macerator, there's no reason to install another pickup tube in the tank just because that's how Beneteau does it. It will be much easier to install a y-valve in the pumpout line to add a macerator pump and necessary hose to connect it to a below-waterline thru-hull That's the way it's most commonly done. To dump the tank, you'd only have to re-direct the y-valve to the macerator pump and open the thru-hull.

--Peggie

 

[RitSim]

On my B411, the forward "tank" is a rubber bladder under the forward cabin bunk. Don't think this changes the direction of the discussion, just adding info.

 

[Craig Meredith]

Wonderful information. Thanks and I am sure I will be back.