I am considering a Lectra San to replace my holding tank. The current installation has the PHII head about 10 feet from the holding tank. Your comments to others indicate that the maximim distance is 6 feet. How do I overcom this problem if moving the location of the tank/Lectra San is not an option?
Lectra San How Far From The Head
- Thread starter tbernhart
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Why would a L/S have to be next to the tank?
First...read the installation/operation/maintenance manual for the L/S...which you can get from the Raritan website at http://www.raritaneng.com There's no reason why the L/S has to be where the tank is...the two have nothing to do with each other beyond the need to send the treated waste from the L/S overboard or to the tank while in "no dishcarge" waters....as long as the distance to the L/S is within 6' of the toilet...and the distance to the tank is within 6' of the L/S, no problem. Many people install install L/S's in hanging lockers, under the vanity in the head...there ar all kinds of places to put it on any boat if you just look hard enough. You might have to cut an access panel to put it in some of 'em...but so what?
First...read the installation/operation/maintenance manual for the L/S...which you can get from the Raritan website at http://www.raritaneng.com There's no reason why the L/S has to be where the tank is...the two have nothing to do with each other beyond the need to send the treated waste from the L/S overboard or to the tank while in "no dishcarge" waters....as long as the distance to the L/S is within 6' of the toilet...and the distance to the tank is within 6' of the L/S, no problem. Many people install install L/S's in hanging lockers, under the vanity in the head...there ar all kinds of places to put it on any boat if you just look hard enough. You might have to cut an access panel to put it in some of 'em...but so what?
Peggy,
I realize that this is true. However, I was planning to replace the tank with the L/S. So my ? is, is there a way to to make this work with a line longer than 6 feet?
I realize that this is true. However, I was planning to replace the tank with the L/S. So my ? is, is there a way to to make this work with a line longer than 6 feet?
Holding pattern?
I'm beginning to figure out that the L/S doesn't REPLACE a holding tank and needs to be used in conjunction with one. Afraid I had the same misconception.
I'm beginning to figure out that the L/S doesn't REPLACE a holding tank and needs to be used in conjunction with one. Afraid I had the same misconception.
10' is too far...
In fact, that's even too far away for the tank. Raritan specifies 6' because that's as far as bowl contents will travel in the time that 99.999% of people will spend pumping a manual toilet or leave their finger on the flush button of an electric toilet. If the head discharge hose is much longer than that, waste is left sitting the hose between the toilet and the treatment unit. The L/S can't treat waste that doesn't make it into the treatment unit. You can fudge the distance an extra foot IF everyone who uses the toilet is religious about flushing the extra time...but any further just causes problems--permeated sanitation hoses that stink (also what happens when the tank is too far from the toilet) and untreated waste forced overboard by excess flush water. So you'll have a find space for it that's within no more than 7' of the toilet and also within 6' of the overboard discharge through-hull. As for whether the Lectra/San can replace a tank altogether...that's exactly what it IS intended to do. But whether you'd never have to use a tank again depends on whether you ever visit any "no discharge" waters..."no discharge" means NO discharge--treated OR untreated...waste must be held in a tank. However, there are only two NDZs on the whole Chesapeake--Herring Bay and the Northern Coastal Bay (see MD DNR chart at http://www.dnr.state.md.us/boating/pumpout/ndz.pdf). In fact, there are none of any size on the whole east coast between RI and the FL Keys...so if you're careful to avoid the ND harbors, you could prob'ly do without a tank. Marc, in your case, you'd only have to avoid Destin Harbor and the Keys to be able to avoid ever using the tank again...they're the only NDZ waters on the whole Gulf. However, it's not a good idea to be without any tank...things change. But installing a L/S does make it possible to replace a big tank with a small one (10-12 gallons) that you'd never use unless you visit a "no discharge" harbor or marina.
In fact, that's even too far away for the tank. Raritan specifies 6' because that's as far as bowl contents will travel in the time that 99.999% of people will spend pumping a manual toilet or leave their finger on the flush button of an electric toilet. If the head discharge hose is much longer than that, waste is left sitting the hose between the toilet and the treatment unit. The L/S can't treat waste that doesn't make it into the treatment unit. You can fudge the distance an extra foot IF everyone who uses the toilet is religious about flushing the extra time...but any further just causes problems--permeated sanitation hoses that stink (also what happens when the tank is too far from the toilet) and untreated waste forced overboard by excess flush water. So you'll have a find space for it that's within no more than 7' of the toilet and also within 6' of the overboard discharge through-hull. As for whether the Lectra/San can replace a tank altogether...that's exactly what it IS intended to do. But whether you'd never have to use a tank again depends on whether you ever visit any "no discharge" waters..."no discharge" means NO discharge--treated OR untreated...waste must be held in a tank. However, there are only two NDZs on the whole Chesapeake--Herring Bay and the Northern Coastal Bay (see MD DNR chart at http://www.dnr.state.md.us/boating/pumpout/ndz.pdf). In fact, there are none of any size on the whole east coast between RI and the FL Keys...so if you're careful to avoid the ND harbors, you could prob'ly do without a tank. Marc, in your case, you'd only have to avoid Destin Harbor and the Keys to be able to avoid ever using the tank again...they're the only NDZ waters on the whole Gulf. However, it's not a good idea to be without any tank...things change. But installing a L/S does make it possible to replace a big tank with a small one (10-12 gallons) that you'd never use unless you visit a "no discharge" harbor or marina.
Would a VacuFlush head allow for a longer distance to the L/S? Sealand tech support told me that 10' was not to long a distance for their system to send a charge of waste. Can you confirm this?
With V/Flush, it's not the distance from the bowl
that matters, it's the distance from the vacuum pump. 6' is about as far as it can push waste in the time it takes to establish enough vacuum in the system to cut the pump off in most installations. If the distance from the bowl to the vacuum pump is really short, it might not even move it that far before the pump cuts off. It helps if you understand how a VacuFlush actually works (if you do, fine--but a lot of V/Flush owners don't): Contrary to what many people believe, the accumulated vacuum does NOT pull bowl contents all the way to its destination (tank, treatment device, or overboard), but only as far as the vacuum pump. The pump then has to push it the rest of way while it's also pulling all the air out the system between itself and the bowl. How long the pump runs depends on how long it takes for the vacuum sensor to recognize when a sufficient amount of "vacuum" has been achieved...That sensor is what starts and stops the pump. So the longer the distance between the bowl and the pump, the longer it takes to pull all the air out...so the longer pump will run and also push waste. The shorter the distance, the shorter time it takes to pull all the air out, so the less time the pump will run and the shorter distance it will push waste. How many bends and "up, over, arounds" there are in the system also affect the length of time the pump will run. So whether a flush makes it all the way from the pump to the tank OR a L/S depends on how far the pump has to push it and whether the pump runs long enough to get it there...'cuz once the pump shuts down, it's not gonna move any further till the next flush starts the pump running again. Raritan has specific instructions for installing a Lectra/San...you can read 'em at http://www.raritaneng.com/pdf_files/obsolete/L286_lectra_san_vacu_flush.pdf
that matters, it's the distance from the vacuum pump. 6' is about as far as it can push waste in the time it takes to establish enough vacuum in the system to cut the pump off in most installations. If the distance from the bowl to the vacuum pump is really short, it might not even move it that far before the pump cuts off. It helps if you understand how a VacuFlush actually works (if you do, fine--but a lot of V/Flush owners don't): Contrary to what many people believe, the accumulated vacuum does NOT pull bowl contents all the way to its destination (tank, treatment device, or overboard), but only as far as the vacuum pump. The pump then has to push it the rest of way while it's also pulling all the air out the system between itself and the bowl. How long the pump runs depends on how long it takes for the vacuum sensor to recognize when a sufficient amount of "vacuum" has been achieved...That sensor is what starts and stops the pump. So the longer the distance between the bowl and the pump, the longer it takes to pull all the air out...so the longer pump will run and also push waste. The shorter the distance, the shorter time it takes to pull all the air out, so the less time the pump will run and the shorter distance it will push waste. How many bends and "up, over, arounds" there are in the system also affect the length of time the pump will run. So whether a flush makes it all the way from the pump to the tank OR a L/S depends on how far the pump has to push it and whether the pump runs long enough to get it there...'cuz once the pump shuts down, it's not gonna move any further till the next flush starts the pump running again. Raritan has specific instructions for installing a Lectra/San...you can read 'em at http://www.raritaneng.com/pdf_files/obsolete/L286_lectra_san_vacu_flush.pdf
V/Flush
Peggy, If I understand this correctly, it would be possible to mount the V/F pump remotely at say 5' from the head, about 1/2 way between the head and the L/S and have a system that works? This assumes that the V/F system will support such an installation. Can you tell me if this will work?
Peggy, If I understand this correctly, it would be possible to mount the V/F pump remotely at say 5' from the head, about 1/2 way between the head and the L/S and have a system that works? This assumes that the V/F system will support such an installation. Can you tell me if this will work?
I can't answer that for you...
You're gonna have to talk to Raritan and maybe SeaLand too...although SeaLand won't be very cooperative because they're MAJOR "no discharge" backers...they don't like the Lectra/San, and will even go so far as to tell people it won't work a VacuFlush--which isn't true at all! The person to talk to Raritan is Vic Willman...800-352-5630 x 6. However, he's on vacation all this coming week so you'll have to wait till next week to call him. Meanwhile, read CAREFULLY the instructions for connecting the Lectra/San to a VacuFlush at the link I gave you earlier. I think most of your questions will be answered.
You're gonna have to talk to Raritan and maybe SeaLand too...although SeaLand won't be very cooperative because they're MAJOR "no discharge" backers...they don't like the Lectra/San, and will even go so far as to tell people it won't work a VacuFlush--which isn't true at all! The person to talk to Raritan is Vic Willman...800-352-5630 x 6. However, he's on vacation all this coming week so you'll have to wait till next week to call him. Meanwhile, read CAREFULLY the instructions for connecting the Lectra/San to a VacuFlush at the link I gave you earlier. I think most of your questions will be answered.
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