Rinsing the Macerator

[Rick D]

Peggy wrote "It apparently hasn't occurred to 'em that not only does a macerator need to be rinsed out, but it's even more important to keep a holding tamk rinsed out."

Well, I learned that lesson the hard way. I developed a new odor from near the holding tank after using the macerator for pump outs quite a bit over the summer. A light went off when I thought about what I was doing differently. Three things occurred to me. First, I wasn't flushing the tank. Second, I wasn't back-flushing the vent. Third, I wasn't flushing the macerator and line. I emptied the tank. I added about a gallon of vinegar to a few gallons of fresh water and flushed it through the macerator. I followed that by two fills and flushes with fresh water. Problem solved. In the future, after using the macerator, I will pump a couple of gallons of fresh seawater in to the tank and rinse out the macerator. Then, I'll add a gallon or two of fresh water and do a final rinse. When I'm back in the slip, I'll backflush the vent.

 

[windward54]

Rick, you are a mind reader. I spent Sunday replacing the macerator, even though the macerator is less than three years old.

I have to discharge at sea as our pump out station has not worked in almost a year. The macerator sits at a low spot, and a little residue collects back into the pump when finished. The corrosive powers are amazing, as in the last year since I last checked the pump, three of the four bolts were eaten away. No wonder I was starting to get an odor in the boat.

Is the only way to flush with fresh water is to fill the tank and head for sea? Unless you are pulling the hose off the through hull or pump, I can’t figure how you are getting the pump flushed out.

 

[Rick D]

(Is the only way to flush with fresh water is to fill the tank and head for sea? Unless you are pulling the hose off the through hull or pump, I can’t figure how you are getting the pump flushed out.)

I just pump the head with fresh saltwater and then for the freshwater rinse, fill the bowl a couple of times from the shower head. Then run the macerator again to rinse it. I had the same experience on my first macerator. The long bolts just broke off when I tried to rebuild it. I also found any waste in the pump or hose really stinks. I didn't used to use the pump as much since the first one was problematic. Thus, the problem surfaced when I put in a new one and used it more often.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

The simplest solution may be...

Move the macerator to a higher location so that residual waste or sea water in the line runs back into the tank. A macerator pump can lift at least 3' so putting it higher will not cause a problem.

I don't think that sea water is responsible for corroding your bolts...It's most likely urine. So moving the macerator and rinsing out the system with sea water should solve your problem(s). It's not necessary to rinse after EVERY pumpout or dump...every couple of months should be often enough to prevent problems.

As for how to rinse with fresh water where there are no pumpout facilities, that's easy too: dump the tank at sea and rinse with sea water. When you get back to the dock, stick a fresh water hose (not the same one used to fill your water tank) into the deck pumpout fitting, then turn on the macerator while you let the water run.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

You're doing it the hard way, Rick

And not very effectively either. You said:

I just pump the head with fresh saltwater and then for the freshwater rinse, fill the bowl a couple of times from the shower head.

Putting water into the tank via the toilet sends it into the tank at the top...the water just falls in and does little to stir up any sludge and hold it in suspension so it can be flushed out. The water--only a few gallons, even to cover the bottom the tank to a couple of inches--needs to go into the tank via the deck pumpout fitting, 'cuz that sends it into the tank at the bottom where it CAN stir up any sludge. At sea, use a washdown pump...at the dock, use a hose. PUt a couple gallons into the tank, then let the water continue to run while you run the macerator.

 

[Rick D]

Point Taken, Peggy...

...since I only do that in a seaway, I figured the boat movement would take care of any agitation needed. It is true that I could wait after the saltwater rinse to do a freshwater at the dock since I use the OB discharge at sea (to the legal limit) anyway, so no more waste gets into the holding tank. Good idea on a washdown hose but I don't have one (anchoring being a relative rarity in SoCal) and the fitting wouldn't be my first choice to use at sea given its location.

 

[windward54]

OK, Peggy. Wish I could move the macerator higher. There is just no way to do it on my Hunter. And to make it clear for me, when you say put the hose in the and run the macerator, you are not saying to do this at the dock. Discharge rules being what they are. I'm guess you mean to do that while at a position to discharge legally. Only way I can do that is to flush the tank at the pumpout station (if and when they fix it) and then use a shower hose to fill the tank while at sea. Then dump.

 

[Rich Stidger]

Moving the macerator

I can't exactly remember where Hunter installed the macerator, but I do remember that it was in a spot that was not very accessible.

At my second macerator rebuild, I moved it from wherever it was to the location shown in the attached picture. Now I can rebuild without removing the unit and I can get to it by simply removing the seat at the nav station.

The attached pictures shows my current macerator location. The first picture was taken after I moved the unit and the second picture (with the white hoses) was taken when I was replacing my holding tank.

Of note, the intake and output hoses of the macerator both run downhill respectively to the tank and to the overboard discharge thruhull, so waste should not sit in the macerator itself.

I do not have the odor problem expressed by Rick D.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

I don't think so!

You're saying that there's absolutely no room for the macerator ANYWHERE that's even a few inches higher than it's present location? I don't believe that.

And when you ask: " when you say put the hose in the and run the macerator, you are not saying to do this at the dock"

Yes I am...because once the tank has been dumped at sea or pumped out, there's nothing left in it but water. And there's nothing illegal or environmentally insensitive about flushing water overboard anywhere.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

You're saying that there's absolutely no room for the macerator ANYWHERE that's even a few inches higher than it's present location? I don't believe that.

And when you ask: " when you say put the hose in the and run the macerator, you are not saying to do this at the dock"

Yes I am...because once the tank has been dumped at sea or pumped out, there's nothing left in it but water. And there's nothing illegal or environmentally insensitive about flushing water overboard anywhere.

Knowing how and where H put the macerator in the 40.5, there really is very little room in which to move it - I've thought many times about options and can't conceive of any.
Re - pumping a flushed tank at the dock - I am reluctant to do it too as it seems that it is virtually impossible to flush out completely - all repeated flushing does is dilute what little is left after each pumpout and I suspect that is is a tenuous excuse if ever caught.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Less than a gallon is left after pumpout...and you've already rinsed 99.999% of that out. Then you take into account that the waterfowl and runoff from the shore--not to mention the oiily water from all the bilge pumps on all the boats in any marina ....and you're concerned about rinsing out a tank that MIGHT have an onuce of highly dliuted waste left in it?

But...it's your boat and your tank to maintain. I've said my piece.

 

[windward54]

Peggy, I know you are right. But it doesn't stop the Harbor Patrol from ticketing. You should have seen them when I first put in the new holding tank. I filled the new tank and then flushed. I had the HP all over me. Good thing I still had the floor up so I could prove the tank was never used.

 

[newly anonymous]

at the dock?

At sea, use a washdown pump...at the dock, use a hose. PUt a couple gallons into the tank, then let the water continue to run while you run the macerator.

The above advice will could bring on well-deserved fines in coastal US waters. In my marina, getting caught doing as Peggy advises would get you kicked out of the marina even on a first offense.

"Three miles offshore" means three miles offshore.

 

[newly anonymous]

Indeed, in terms of "levels of sewage discharged"...

the statute makes no distinction between levels of sewage discharged.

...the question can be asked, "How many billion bacteria exist in a gallon of diluted sewage?"

 

[Rick]

Windward54 is that pumpout at your marina or? Funny, those of us who love our ocean and try to do things the right way but damn if our tax dollars do anything but "bailouts" and not PUMPOUTS. Suprised its been over a year. When our marina one broke, we informed them politely AND let the harbor patrol know. It was fixed in a couple of days. Not sure, but I think there can be a fine to the maintainer. Wonder if Peggy knows.

Cheers

 

[windward54]

Rick, we have two pumpouts, both maintained by the Harbor Patrol. The Harbor Patrol in Redondo Beach is part of the City's Police Department here. The first pumpout is located such that is can only be used by vessels less then 35 feet in length and the second is on the outer channel and is open to all. This one got damaged some time ago and has yet to be replaced. Truth is, in all the years I've been there, it has never worked very well. The nearest one is a couple hours away. So most do what I do. I dump where legal.

 

[Seattle Scott]

I use Peggie's method

I set up my discharge specifically for this purpose, with an inline shut-off valve between the tank and deck pump out tee. I pump out the tank, close the valve (which puts the tank on the closed side of the valve ) put the dock hose into the deck discharge, open thru hull and run macerator.
Yes I know I am running clean water through a "dirty" hose so I am "discharging" but the maina has an 8-10 foot tidal range.


http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=19946&d=1226169801

 

[Guest]

Macerator

FWIW, Hunter teed the macerator extraction hose into the pump out hose. In order for it to work the deck cap must be on, otherwise the macerator just sucks air.

Bud

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

FWIW, Hunter teed the macerator extraction hose into the pump out hose. In order for it to work the deck cap must be on, otherwise the macerator just sucks air.

Which is only one of the reasons to have a y-valve instead of a tee in the line.

Another reason: nobody ever finds out that the macerator has failed when a tank is empty...a y-valve provides a shutoff valve that allows you to fix or replace it with a full tank.

So why do boat builders use tees instead of y-valves? To save money. But if you're smart, you'll replace that tee with a good quality (NOT Jabsco!) Whale or Henderson y-valve.

Meanwhile how 'bout creating a profile and joining our merry little band of sailors?

 

[Guest]

Registration

Hi Peggie, thanks for the invitation. As I told Phil, I decided awhile back to leave the site for personal reasons, but to peek in now and then to see whether I could regain the excitement I once had. The angst remains through no fault but my own.

Bud