What's With Macerators?

[Rick D]

It looks like about five years for a macerator pump. I noticed mine was taking a bit long to empty, so I figured it needed servicing. It was five years old almost to the day, a Jabsco 74001-1855. Well after battling the access, I removed it and started disassembly. The first thing I noticed was the cutter blade was fouled by hair or other fiber. Probably still worked, but without the designed efficiency. Then I started to remove the four mounting cap bolts that attach to the brass retaining studs. Well, three of the brass studs just fell out. The studs were broken. The last one I removed. I could see there had been some leakage at the gasketed impeller housing seam, no surprise with only one stud holding it.

I found the impeller was missing a blade. So, I pulled everything apart, cleaned it up, got new zinc-coated steel studs, greased them up to resist corrosion for a while and started reassembly since I had a spare impeller and gasket set. Everything went well until I noticed two of the old studs were embedded in the brass threaded female insert in the impeller housing. I drilled those out and just through bolted them to the base.

I then field tested it by filling up the (empty & clean) holding tank with fresh water and turning on the macerator. I was dejected to discover it wasn't pumping! Then I remembered I hadn't replaced the pump-out cap. All went well after I did.

Anyhow, it is annoying to find the brass studs were broken, since that is exactly what I found five years ago when I replaced it last. Twice is more than coincidence. Any of the rest of you find this? i wonder if Johnson Pumps or Sureflo pumps are the same? I am going to pull up their views and check.

 

[Rick D]

Johnson & Sureflo

I checked out Johnson & Sureflo. Both use stainless bolts or machine screws instead of those puny (1/8") brass studs. I guess you can figure out which way I'll go when this one dies. This is probably only of interest if you try servicing the unit instead of replacing it.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Recommend you go with SeaLand/Dometic "T Pump"

It's a diaphragm pump. Only thing it needs is a pair of duckbill valves every 5-6 years. SeaLand Waste Discharge Pump

However, any pump will last longer if you rinse it out several times a year at the same time you rinse out the tank (which should be done 3-4 x year to remove sludge). I'm not surprised that a vane was broken...waste is sticky, so the impeller sticks to the housing...a good bit of stress to break it free each time it starts up. But impellers should be replaced at least every couple of years as preventive maintenance 'cuz running dry for even for the few seconds seconds it takes to prime it each time wears a tiny bit off the edges of the vanes.

As for your brass studs, urine will eat through any metal...so why would you think SS will last any longer?

Go with the SeaLand pump...it can survive a complete lack of maintenance. I had one on one of my own boats that was still going strong after 11 years when I sold the boat, even though I'd never even replaced the duckbills...but I DID rinse it out regularly.

 

[Rick D]

Re: Recommend you go with SeaLand/Dometic "T Pump"

I agree a diaphragm pump might be a lot more reliable. What about the maceration? I'm only going into a 1" discharge line. I suspect you are going to tell me that most everything that will pass through the head (and me) will reduce in the tank long before needing maceration. Am I right? Have I known you too long? The issue with the brass studs is that they are supposed to be sealed from any liquid path, so it wasn't liquid corrosion IMHO, altho there is still seepage I'm sure from the gasketed areas. The larger issue is the simple diameter of them. They are really small compared to the competition's!

 

[windward54]

Hey Rick, I tried the Sureflo on our old boat. It didn't do any better then the Jabsco. And a diaphragm pump most likely won't fit where the the existing macerator is located.

 

[Rick D]

I would have to re plumb the whole thing to use a diaphragm pump. So, the Sureflo did no better, huh? I guess I just get annoyed when I tear something apart for service and find the service parts not really serviceable (i.e. like my Jabsco head pumps).

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Yup, you called it...I guess you've known me too long...

Maceration usually isn't needed, 'cuz solids are 75% liquid to start with, get broken up by the toilet pump...so they dissolve in the tank very quickly. And quick-dissolve TP--the only kind you should be flushing--dissolves almost immediately the instant it gets wet, so it doesn't need maceration either. So a 1" discharge isn't a problem, although you'll have to use a reducing adapter 'cuz both the inlet and the discharge on the diaphragm pump are 1.5".

 

[wayneR]

Just replaced my 10 year old Jabsco 18590 with the same. It got stiff and started tripping breakers. I didn't think $50 to rebuild a 10 year old pump was a good bargain. Got the new one for $130 thru my local marina that tries to match internet prices. By the way, this was $50 cheaper than West Marine.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

I just get annoyed when I tear something apart for service and find the service parts not really serviceable (i.e. like my Jabsco head pumps).

They're not designed be serviceable. 25 years ago, equipment was designed to last 10-20 years with reasonable maintenance. The original Wilcox-Crittenden toilets were made to last 50-100 years...Mansfield made an excellent quality compact manual toilet...even Jabsco made a decent product for the money then...I still run across the occasional 20 yr old Par or Jabsco toilet that's working. But starting in the mid-late '80s--the last time the marine industry was in the toilet (no pun intended)--that all changed. Smaller mfrs and boat builders were swallowed up by larger companies and huge conglomerates like Brunswick and ITT...and their bean counters decided that there isn't nearly as much profit in repair parts as there is in making cheap "disposable" equipment that costs more to repair than to replace...they don't WANT you to repair it or service it. Mansfield spun off their marine products division to a startup named SeaLand Technology who discontinued manual toilets after only a couple of years to focus exclusively on Vacuflush... Wilcox Crittenden was acquired by Thetford-Norcold, who promptly discontinued the all bronze Skipper and Imperial leaving only the Headmate and a plastic version of the Skipper they named the Skipper 2...finally discontinuing the whole W-C product line at the end of 2008 to market the Thetford "Comfort Mate" manual and electric which they purposely designed to compete with Jabsco (which tells you all you need to know about it!). Raritan and Groco are the only two small family owned marine toilet mfrs left in the US. And not much is made anywhere else that's worth having either.

Sadly, this doesn't only apply to the marine industry....never mind that equipment service parts aren't serviceable any more...there are never fewer than half a dozen people lined up at any big box customer service desk to return cheap Chinese CRAP that doesn't even work right out of the box. So why would you expect it be any better just 'cuz it says "marine" on the label?

 

[Rick D]

Sigh, I know what you mean. I have a matched set of wind up ships strike clock and barometer by Chelsea. When we bought the boat eleven years ago, it was our boat gift. Mind you this set is now just shy of $2K. I had the barometer movement replaced once and the clock movement twice. This time, I asked why the $300 quote to replace the movement instead of repairing it. Their reply? The labor to diagnose and repair is more than the cost of replacing the entire movement. And this from a company who prides itself on New England values, production, etc.