Have new h410, and gradually noticed that the aft head holding tank fills in a few days whether it is used or not. I am now trying to keep the head intake seacock closed to see if this prevents it (yes, I know, I should close everything all the time, but life is short). Is the likely problem the toilet valve, or the macerator outlet, or is the boat possessed? The forward head does nothing too unusual. They are both manual heads. Any ideas greatly appreciated. Thanks-
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Holding Tank Auto Fill Up
I had the same problem with my Legend 37. I assume your tank fills when you are underway. The correct solution is to close both through hulls while sailing. I have a Y valve for my head that would allow me to pump directly overboard or go into the holding tank. Even if I had the y valve set to pump into the tank and I left the through hull open my tank would fill up. My solution was to close the Y valve and keep it closed. I also keep the intake through hull closed when I am sailing therefore eliminating any chance of sea water entering the holding tank.
I had the same problem with my Legend 37. I assume your tank fills when you are underway. The correct solution is to close both through hulls while sailing. I have a Y valve for my head that would allow me to pump directly overboard or go into the holding tank. Even if I had the y valve set to pump into the tank and I left the through hull open my tank would fill up. My solution was to close the Y valve and keep it closed. I also keep the intake through hull closed when I am sailing therefore eliminating any chance of sea water entering the holding tank.
If life's that short...
Maybe you should trade the boat for a motorcycle. Short trips, wind in your hair...and motorcycles can't sink in the garage. I doubt that your problem is caused by a faulty valve...I suspect it's coming back up the macerator thru-hull...'cuz if it were coming through the head intake it would have to be a VERY slow leak not to fill your toilet bowl faster than it can seep past the joker valve, which is unlikely. Plus, it wouldn't only happen in the slip..."ram water" would fill and overflow your bowl while underway. Although head intake seacocks are often in locations that make it very inconvenient to open and close it each time the head is used, there's NO excuse for keeping the macerator seacock open all the time...it's not even legal to have it open inside the "3 mile limit"...and if you're ever boarded & inspected it will cost you big bucks if they find it open. It should be opened only when you're at sea beyond 3 miles, only in preparation to dump the tank, and closed immediately afterward. If "life's too short" for that much effort, you really should consider another recreational outlet. However, to be sure where it's coming from, pump or dump the tank and leave only one seacock open. Wait 24-36 hours, then check the level in the tank. If it's filling the tank in a few days, that's enough time for the level to rise enough in it to know which direction it's coming from. If it does turn out to be the intake, install a vented loop that's at least a foot above the waterline at any angle of heel between the pump and the bowl. However, that won't stop"ram water" from flooding your bowl when you're underway if you leave that seacock open, which means you either HAVE to keep that seacock closed except when you're at anchor or in the slip...or if the seacock is too inconveniently located to make that reasonable even for those for whom life isn't that short, install a shutoff valve in the intake line that is convenient to open and close.
Maybe you should trade the boat for a motorcycle. Short trips, wind in your hair...and motorcycles can't sink in the garage. I doubt that your problem is caused by a faulty valve...I suspect it's coming back up the macerator thru-hull...'cuz if it were coming through the head intake it would have to be a VERY slow leak not to fill your toilet bowl faster than it can seep past the joker valve, which is unlikely. Plus, it wouldn't only happen in the slip..."ram water" would fill and overflow your bowl while underway. Although head intake seacocks are often in locations that make it very inconvenient to open and close it each time the head is used, there's NO excuse for keeping the macerator seacock open all the time...it's not even legal to have it open inside the "3 mile limit"...and if you're ever boarded & inspected it will cost you big bucks if they find it open. It should be opened only when you're at sea beyond 3 miles, only in preparation to dump the tank, and closed immediately afterward. If "life's too short" for that much effort, you really should consider another recreational outlet. However, to be sure where it's coming from, pump or dump the tank and leave only one seacock open. Wait 24-36 hours, then check the level in the tank. If it's filling the tank in a few days, that's enough time for the level to rise enough in it to know which direction it's coming from. If it does turn out to be the intake, install a vented loop that's at least a foot above the waterline at any angle of heel between the pump and the bowl. However, that won't stop"ram water" from flooding your bowl when you're underway if you leave that seacock open, which means you either HAVE to keep that seacock closed except when you're at anchor or in the slip...or if the seacock is too inconveniently located to make that reasonable even for those for whom life isn't that short, install a shutoff valve in the intake line that is convenient to open and close.
the only problem...
...is failure to close the discharge seacock for the aft holding tank. This is something warned about in the 410 owners manual, that they can fill if left open. It certainly will on mine. Once again, unfortunately, Peggy's right. There are four steps to using the macerator: 1. go offshore at least 3 miles; 2. open the seacock; 3. run the macerator; 4. close the seacock. But you're right, life IS short, and Peggy doesn't seem to understand that some of our wives won't less us buy motorcycles. This, of course, is why we own sailboats.
...is failure to close the discharge seacock for the aft holding tank. This is something warned about in the 410 owners manual, that they can fill if left open. It certainly will on mine. Once again, unfortunately, Peggy's right. There are four steps to using the macerator: 1. go offshore at least 3 miles; 2. open the seacock; 3. run the macerator; 4. close the seacock. But you're right, life IS short, and Peggy doesn't seem to understand that some of our wives won't less us buy motorcycles. This, of course, is why we own sailboats.
high tank
you may want to check the accuracy of the tank indicators. mine always read high. physically inspect the tank by shining a strong flashlight at tank and see that the level equals the gage. sometimes the sensors hangup inside the tank.
you may want to check the accuracy of the tank indicators. mine always read high. physically inspect the tank by shining a strong flashlight at tank and see that the level equals the gage. sometimes the sensors hangup inside the tank.
My tank and bowl filled too
I had some problems with the joker valve so here is what happened during its repair: Without the little critter installed, my head filled up with sewage. I pumped out the tank, and lo and behold, the head filled up again. I closed the seacock for the head intake, and it STILL filled up. So, (you guessed it) it was coming in through the macerator dump, into the holding tank and then filled the head. I closed the macerator pump out seacock and all was well. The newly installed joker valve is working perfectly, and the macerator thru hull seacock will from now on stay SHUT when not using. QUESTION??? Did my holding tank fill up to the top when the joker valve was not functioning - since the head was filled with waste water????
I had some problems with the joker valve so here is what happened during its repair: Without the little critter installed, my head filled up with sewage. I pumped out the tank, and lo and behold, the head filled up again. I closed the seacock for the head intake, and it STILL filled up. So, (you guessed it) it was coming in through the macerator dump, into the holding tank and then filled the head. I closed the macerator pump out seacock and all was well. The newly installed joker valve is working perfectly, and the macerator thru hull seacock will from now on stay SHUT when not using. QUESTION??? Did my holding tank fill up to the top when the joker valve was not functioning - since the head was filled with waste water????
Of course it did, Jolie...
Think about it: The joker valve is in the toilet discharge fitting (at least that's where it SHOULD be)...it ONLY prevents anything that gets that far up the toilet discharge hose from backflowing into the toilet bowl--and then, only if the joker valve isn't leaking--so change it once a year. An open thru-hull connected to your tank discharge fitting would have to fill up the tank to overflowing before anything could run back toward the toilet...so how could a joker valve in the toilet prevent your tank from filling up if you leave the tank discharge seacock open? You didn't notice anything spewing out the tank vent line when you flushed the toilet after this happened?
Think about it: The joker valve is in the toilet discharge fitting (at least that's where it SHOULD be)...it ONLY prevents anything that gets that far up the toilet discharge hose from backflowing into the toilet bowl--and then, only if the joker valve isn't leaking--so change it once a year. An open thru-hull connected to your tank discharge fitting would have to fill up the tank to overflowing before anything could run back toward the toilet...so how could a joker valve in the toilet prevent your tank from filling up if you leave the tank discharge seacock open? You didn't notice anything spewing out the tank vent line when you flushed the toilet after this happened?
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