lectrasan?

[gettinthere]

Boat came with a Lectrasan. It needs new electrodes, about $700. Is it worth doing?

I will be coastal cruising US east coast, Maine to Bahamas. The list of NDZ's is getting longer all the time. New England harbors are mostly NDZ. Many other places are also. Chessy just fended off an attempt but I wonder how long that will last.

I'm thinking the $700 is no longer worth it. I can rerig the boat to pump the holding tanks overboard when off shore instead. I have 25 & 17 gallon tanks.

Any long term coastal cruisers that still like having/using their Lectrasans?

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Worth replacing, but not repairing

You can buy a new one for only about $300 more, so I wouldn't put $700 into that one.

The list of NDZ is not getting longer...there hasn't been a new one added to the EPA list in at least 5 years. All the ones you cited have been NDZ for more than 10 years. The Great Lakes, Lake Champlain and Lake St. Clair too...have been ND for more than 30 years. So unless you plan to remain in your current waters, your Lectra/San is definitely worth replacing with a new ElectroScan or PuraSan, because there are no NDZs of any size between LIS and the FL Keys. Your planned east coast-Bahamas will most likely keep you in the ICW a good bit of the time, making offshore tank dumping impractical. And the ICW is a navigable interstate waterway, under federal jurisdiction...and federal law allows the discharge of treated waste in navigable interstate waterways.

If I were you, I'd go with a new "hold 'n' treat system" check it out here: Raritan Waste Treatment (they show it bundled with a specific tank, but it can be retrofitted to any existing holding tank and discharge pump).

 

[gettinthere]

Does my old, non working Lectrasan have any value? Hate to just toss it in the dumpster if it has some value regardless if I go with nothing or a new lectroscan. $1800 for a holdntreat is out of the question budget wise. Hard to swallow $1000 for a Lectroscan.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

How old is it?

If it's old enough to still have the original "stove timer" dial, scrap it...but if it's an EC or an MC, the controller may have some value to someone who has the old dial control (no longer any parts available for it) and needs to replace an old dial timer.

You already have holding tanks, so you wouldn't have to spend $1800 for the hold 'n' treat...all you need are the controls. Nor would you have to add the hold 'n' treat immediately...the controls can be retrofitted to any existing tank and LectraSan/ElectroScan or PuraSan at any time. I suggest you go back to the website and this time spend more than 30 seconds looking at the devices and then checking their prices at WM.

I'd also spend a little time scoping out toilets...'cuz if yours are as old as the L/S may be, you'll need to replace those whether you replace the L/S or not...and prob'ly the hoses too.

 

[Ron20324]

Does my old, non working Lectrasan have any value? Hate to just toss it in the dumpster .....

There's always the gear ads or the digital dumpster forum.

 

[Head Master18695]

Gettinthere, if the motors still work they should be worth about $50 each, on eBay or a similar webstore. The box and the lid are each worth a few bucks to someone who has one that may be cracked, etc. The electronics likewise, may have some value to someone who needs specific parts - especially if they are no longer available.

You can put it on eBay, with a reserve of $75 or $100, and see where things go... I'd list it as "for salvage parts only" or something similar. There are plenty of do-it-yourselfers and repair guys around, who are looking for bargain-priced parts. That's why there are still auto junk yards...