Lectra/San Noise

[zds]

Just installed a new-to-me Lectra/San (not an Electro Scan, but has the new model panel). When activated, I hear a motor run for about 30 seconds, and then another motor run for about 2 minutes. It's pretty loud - much louder than I expected and certainly no good for use at night with sleepers aboard.

Are these normal sounds? Does anyone know exactly how it cycles (what runs when and for how long)? I can't seem to find this info on the Raritan website.

Thanks.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

What you're hearing is...

The mixer and macerator for the first 30 seconds...then the electrode pack runs for the next two minutes. Which you'd know if you'd read the Installation, Operation and Maintenance Instructions Raritan Lectra_San MC manual Page 2 "How it works." You couldn't have looked very hard, 'cuz they're not hard to find on the Waste Treatement page of the Raritan site...just click on "LectraSan."

if you couldn't find the instructions, that means you couldn't have followed 'em when you installed it....and without 'em, the odds that you installed it anywhere NEAR correctly are very slim. And while you can get away with plumbing it backwards, wiring it correctly is critical...if you didn't, or started running it before it was completely filled with salt water, you may have damaged it irreparably.

So read all the directions, reinstall it correctly this time and follow the directions for using it....and it should be a LOT quieter.

 

[zds]

Thanks Peggy, but I read the instructions (thoroughly!) before installing and am convinced I have it installed and running correctly.

I'm pretty sure the mixer (second chamber) is supposed to run during the treatment cycle, and I think the electrodes make a lot more noise than I expected (which would have been about none), but I was surprised to hear a noise level of about a blender for the full 2 minutes... It's this noise level that prompts my question.

The "How it Works" section in the manual doesn't actually explain the cycle, which is why I asked:

Does anyone know exactly how it cycles (what runs when and for how long)?

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

The "How it Works" section in the manual doesn't actually explain the cycle, which is why I asked:

Page 2 in the instructions, "How it works: sayeth: "When activated both motors (referring again to the mixer and macerator) come on and run for the entire cycle. After 35 seconds the electrode is energized to begin the treatment process. The treatment process lasts for about 2 minutes."

That SHOULD tell you that the entire process takes 2 minutes and 35 seconds. It shouldn't even begin to approach the noise level of a blender...the mixer and macerator should be a very low hum...the electrodes a SLIGHTLY louder hum. I suggest you call Vic Willman at Raritan in the morning. 800-352-5630 x 6. He'll be able to tell you what you did wrong.

And I'll try to figure out how you were able to read the instructions if you couldn't find 'em.

 

[zds]

Gee Peggy - take it easy on me! I swear I read the instructions, many times.

It's certainly not a hard unit to assemble or wire, but the motors (when running) give me much more than a low hum. I guess I'll make some calls tomorrow.

 

[Vic Willman]

Lectra/san

Seems to be a little confusion on when the motors are running, and their sound level. Let me explain:

All earlier versions of the Lectra/San, up to and including all units built from 1974 to the Lectra/San MC before 2004, only had the mixer (smaller) motor running for the first 35 seconds, which was relatively quiet and often not even heard. Then it switched into the second cycle which ran an additional two full minutes. During the second cycle, the mixer motor continued to run, the macerator motor came on and ran, and the electrodes were energized.

The newer versions of the Lectra/San MC produced after the middle of 2004 and the newer series Electro-scan units all have both motors coming on immediately when the system is started up, and they both run for the entire 2 1/2 minute cycle. The electrodes are not energized during the initial 35 second cycle, but come on when the second cycle begins. The electrodes don't make any noise - the bulk of the noise comes from the high speed macerator motor. When the second cycle begins and the electrodes are energized, you can usually hear the motors slow down somewhat, because the electrodes have a high power requirement, which "steals" some of the power from the motors. This condition is normal, and is not a malfunction of the unit.

The macerator motor runs at a high speed, approximately 4000 rpm, and does sort of sound like a blender running, albeit I wouldn't want to put the output from it into a frozen margarita. In order to do its job, the high speed motor is required and I'm sorry if you feel it is too loud, but unfortunately that's the nature of the beast. To comply with USCG certification requirements, it must pulverize and reduce the contents inside the treatment unit to where there are "no visible floating solids" in the discharge that outputs into the water.

The manual on the Raritan website for the Lectra/San MC is for the latest version of it, and does not cover earlier models. Based on your description of your unit's operating sounds, it appears that you have an earlier verson of the Lectra/San MC, and that it is working properly.

 

[zds]

Vic-

Thanks for the reply. That's definitely what's happening inside my unit.

I ran it again today (with the cabinet reinstalled - previously it was totally exposed)) and found the mixer motor to be fairly quiet but the macerator to be loud. It's not unbearable, and it's certainly better than the holding tank smell it replaces, but it is noisy. I suspect a new macerator motor would fix it, but they seem to run $130+ and it's not worth that much (yet).

I plan to line the cabinet with soundproofing and expect that in the long run it won't be a problem.

Thanks again.