Question about 1983 Hunter 30 holding tank

[Steve Young]

Hi Peggie, I originally posted this question in the general forum, before I discovered this one. From what I see here, you are the go-to gal for this question. BTW: I'm ordering your book as soon as I finish this post! Thanks in advance for your help. I've only had the boat for about a year and I'm in the process of replacing a lot of stuff. Recently I tackled replacing all of the hoses to and from the molded holding tank. All I did was just make and install new hoses just like the ones that were there when I got the boat. After completing the job, and in the process becoming more familiar with the system than I really wanted to be, something doesn't make sense.I think that a previous owner may have put the whole system together backwards. The way it is now, the inlet from the head is at the bottom, conical-shaped portion of the holding tank and the pump-out hose connects to the top of the tank, right next to the air vent. Shouldn't this be the other way around? This arrangement seems to work ok, we had it pumped out several times last year with no problems, but it just seems to me that it should be the other way around. As it is now, the nastiest stuff has no choice but to sit in the hose between the holding tank and the valve. I don't see how it could ever really be cleaned out the way it is now.I'd appreciate any help you can provide.Thanks, Steve

 

[Peggie Hall/HeadMistress]

It's only half wrong...I think...

You're absolutely right that the inlet from the toilet should not be at the bottom of the tank, 'cuz there's no way to keep standing waste out of the head discharge hose.However, a pumpout fitting on the top of the tank with a tube inside to the bottom is fine...I'm a big fan of putting ALL the fittings on the top of the tank, 'cuz it eliminates standing waste in hoses and spills when replacing hoses.In almost all installations that have all the fittings on top, the pumpout fittings is ON the top--not on a vertical surface AT the top--and the pickup tube is cemented into the thread-barb hose fitting. Did you find a tube when you replaced the hoses? 'Cuz if not, it's impossible to pump out the tank. You say you have been able to...but apparently you have a y-valve in the head discharge line that allows you to flush directly overboard at sea beyond the "3 mile limit"...so I'm wondering if the tank has actually just drained overboard when you opened the valve...it would, which would mean there wasn't anything in the tank TO pump out, so you thought the pumpout emptied it... ???If there is a pickup tube, you have two choices:1. Reverse the hoses--in at the top, out from the bottom.2. Install a new inlet fitting at or on the top of the tank, putting ALL fittings at the top.If there's no pickup tube, you have only one choice: reverse the hoses.

 

[Steve Young]

Thanks for the help - I think.

I did not replace the pumpout hose, so I'm not sure if it continues down inside the tank or not, but it does enter from the side of the tank along the top edge so I doubt it. When we had it pumped out last year I saw lots of stuff move through the clear portion of the pumpout nozzel that they attached to the deck, so in my ignorance I assumed all was well. Now, I'm beginning to think that they were only getting what was on the very top of the tank. When I changed the lower hoses, the boat was on the hard (I changed out the through-hull as well) and I did open both the seacock and the valve at the bottom of the holding tank then, and the contents of the tank happily obeyed the law of gravity and roared into the drum that I had waiting. It was at this point that I started suspecting something was wrong because there was a LOT more stuff in there than I thought there would be. I'll take a picture of the set-up tonight and post it here to get your thoughts.Thanks again for your help!Steve

 

[Peggie Hall/HeadMistress]

I don't need a picture, Steve...

It won't tell me anything you haven't already told me. If the current pumpout hose is on the side of the tank, it's very unlikely that there's pickup tube on it. The simplest solution to your problem is, switch the hoses.

 

[Steve Young]

Thanks!

I appreciate the help. I guess I know what I'll be doing next weekend... sighThanks, Steve