Vent discharging water

[Bob]

Having my first boat has been quite a learning experiance. I rebuilt the pump on my head because it was leaking water near the pump handle when flushing. However, I have what I'm not sure is a problem.After the head is used and then flushed, it works fine. But then when I push the small red lever (on the right side of the head) down and punp to clear the bowl water comes out of the vent on the side of the boat. I know it's coming from the tank because I also used some solution that I bought from my marina to help with any smell and to break down solids and the solution is a deep blue before it's poured into the holding tank by way of the pump out. The water coming out of the boat is tinted blue.The "blue" water exits the vent opening about half of the time. I had the tank pumped out thinking that maybe the tank was full but the water still comes out.Is it "normal" for water to vent from the tank? No solids exit when this happens (thank God) and there also is a smell, sometimes.Bob

 

[John K Kudera]

Overfilled

Seems to me the tank was overfilled, when you pump the head, some of the overfilled liquid is still in the vent and is discharging. Possibly remove the vent line and make sure the line is clean and clear.Then try the flush again, to see if it is repaired. The discharge is illegal, besides being messy!!!!

 

[Bob]

Additional info

It's me, Bob, again! I just di some reading after posting my message and I may actually have an answer to my question. The condition I wrote about, water coming out of the tank vent when the bowl is being cleared, was happening before I rebuilt the head pump. During the rebuild I notice that the previous owner had put a "flapper" type gasket (located just below the pump) in upside down! Using the instruction sheet that came with my rebuild kit I installed the new flapper in the correct position.Is it possible that with the old flapper installed upside down that water was getting into the tank even while the head was not being used and in turn filling up the tank? Fill the tank and any "new" water would cause the alread filled tank to overflow out the vent.I JUST rebuilt the pump last Sunday and have no had the tank pupmed out. Possibly after I pump the tank my problem (if there is one) will go away.Bob

 

[Peggie Hall/Head Mistress]

Sounds to me like you've figured it out--almost

Your tank has to be full to overflow out the vent--that's a given. Either you weren't successful in pumping it out, or it's filling back up. Since the vent is squirting water, I don't think it's blocked...so the odds are pretty good that you did pump out the tank. So, I think you've figured that much out--it's filling up again. However, whether the flapper valve is in backward or forward, water has to be coming INTO the bowl to flow OUT of the bowl to the tank. I'm bettering you left at least one thru-hull open--the intake or the overboard discharge...or both. BIG no-no, especially if the bowl is below the waterline. Open head seacocks are the #1 cause of boats sinking in their slips.