Hi Peggy! I have a question and I will try to be as precise as I can. I am on the process of installing all new hoses for the Holding tank. In the oryginal setting the tank outlet hose would be routed through the "Y" connector to the deck pumpout and the other end woud go through the macerator to the overboard discharge. My question is : is the "Y" connector Ok or i should replace it with the "Y" valve? Thank you
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Just my 2 cents...
I would go for the Y VALVE. This way you have a positive way of closing off the overboard discharge which can be very important when in a No Discharge area. It seems to me that the Y connector would be relying on the macerator to shut off the O.B. discharge unless you have a readily accesible seacock to shut off. Just my thoughts. Ernie
I would go for the Y VALVE. This way you have a positive way of closing off the overboard discharge which can be very important when in a No Discharge area. It seems to me that the Y connector would be relying on the macerator to shut off the O.B. discharge unless you have a readily accesible seacock to shut off. Just my thoughts. Ernie
Go with a y-valve
A y-valve provides a means of shutting off the flow to the macerator when it needs service or replacement--which it will sooner or later, if only a new impeller. However, a y-valve does not provide an excuse to leave the seacock open all the time...'cuz not only does federal law require that ALL valves be closed while inside 3 miles, that's a good way to sink your boat. 'Cuz if it's in a location that's inconvenient to keep it closed except when actually dumping the tank, you're also unlikely to ever inspect the connection to the thru-hull either. Head seacocks left open while no one is aboard is the #1 cause of boats sinking in their slips. That said, I just noticed that you're on Lake Ontario. It's illegal to dump a tank on the Great Lakes and all other US and Canadian inland waters. So why do you even have a macerator?
A y-valve provides a means of shutting off the flow to the macerator when it needs service or replacement--which it will sooner or later, if only a new impeller. However, a y-valve does not provide an excuse to leave the seacock open all the time...'cuz not only does federal law require that ALL valves be closed while inside 3 miles, that's a good way to sink your boat. 'Cuz if it's in a location that's inconvenient to keep it closed except when actually dumping the tank, you're also unlikely to ever inspect the connection to the thru-hull either. Head seacocks left open while no one is aboard is the #1 cause of boats sinking in their slips. That said, I just noticed that you're on Lake Ontario. It's illegal to dump a tank on the Great Lakes and all other US and Canadian inland waters. So why do you even have a macerator?
Why the macerator?
Thak you for suggestions! I have a macerator on the boat, because it came that way. This is an ex Florida boat, and i do intend to (eventually) go to the Carribean, so I may need it in the future. Having that in mind, Peggy, what is the "legally safe" set up for my system in the inland NDZ waters, still having an option of having a system usefull beyond the 3 mile zone? Would locking the walves with tie straps be OK? Thank you again
Thak you for suggestions! I have a macerator on the boat, because it came that way. This is an ex Florida boat, and i do intend to (eventually) go to the Carribean, so I may need it in the future. Having that in mind, Peggy, what is the "legally safe" set up for my system in the inland NDZ waters, still having an option of having a system usefull beyond the 3 mile zone? Would locking the walves with tie straps be OK? Thank you again
"Eventually" is a long time...
For a macerator to sit un-used...'cuz lack of use is far more destructive to equipment--and especially electric motors--than constant heavy use...so by the time you can use it, it prob'ly won't work any more. As for what's legal, that's often up to the local enforcement authority--which is not only the USCG, but state agencies too. Some won't even allow a macerator or any other plumbing connected to an overboard thru-hull...others may ok it if it's "secured" in one of the methods provided in federal law. Furthermore, what may be acceptable on a transient boat may not be acceptable on a boat for which the Great Lakes are its home waters. So since a) you can't use it, b) it'll just detoriorate and prob'ly have to be replaced if you ever can use it...and c) you could run afoul of local/state regs if you install it...I'd leave it out of the system. It's a simple matter to retrofit the macerator and y-valve if/when you ever do get back to the ocean--just cut the hose and put everything back.
For a macerator to sit un-used...'cuz lack of use is far more destructive to equipment--and especially electric motors--than constant heavy use...so by the time you can use it, it prob'ly won't work any more. As for what's legal, that's often up to the local enforcement authority--which is not only the USCG, but state agencies too. Some won't even allow a macerator or any other plumbing connected to an overboard thru-hull...others may ok it if it's "secured" in one of the methods provided in federal law. Furthermore, what may be acceptable on a transient boat may not be acceptable on a boat for which the Great Lakes are its home waters. So since a) you can't use it, b) it'll just detoriorate and prob'ly have to be replaced if you ever can use it...and c) you could run afoul of local/state regs if you install it...I'd leave it out of the system. It's a simple matter to retrofit the macerator and y-valve if/when you ever do get back to the ocean--just cut the hose and put everything back.
Requirements in Canada
Andre As your home port is on the Canadian side of Lake Ontario the requirement is that the overboard discharge be physically disconnected. I bought my boat from Swan's Marine last year and they physically cut the hose from the macerator to the tru-hull and capped both ends. It would be no big deal to reconnect. If you do what Peggie says you will be fine.... in my case based on Peggie's comments my macerator will probably not work if reconnected although it is valved off from the holding tank and has never been exposed even to water and has never seen any use so perhaps there is some hope.
Andre As your home port is on the Canadian side of Lake Ontario the requirement is that the overboard discharge be physically disconnected. I bought my boat from Swan's Marine last year and they physically cut the hose from the macerator to the tru-hull and capped both ends. It would be no big deal to reconnect. If you do what Peggie says you will be fine.... in my case based on Peggie's comments my macerator will probably not work if reconnected although it is valved off from the holding tank and has never been exposed even to water and has never seen any use so perhaps there is some hope.
WILL DO AS TOLD
OK, you are right. I will follow your advice and leave the macerator out. It is true that "eventually" I will be able to reconnect the macerator to the system if i need to. Thank you all for your help !!! Peggy, I just wanted you to know tha following your previous advice, i installed an extra tank vent, inthe opposite corner to the original one. Hope this will give the little Bacteria some air to breathe and keep the smell in control.
OK, you are right. I will follow your advice and leave the macerator out. It is true that "eventually" I will be able to reconnect the macerator to the system if i need to. Thank you all for your help !!! Peggy, I just wanted you to know tha following your previous advice, i installed an extra tank vent, inthe opposite corner to the original one. Hope this will give the little Bacteria some air to breathe and keep the smell in control.
New Head Problem (Clog?)
Peggy, I installed a new Wilcox Crittenden Headmate a couple of weeks ago to replace the original one that was there on my C&C 32. Installation went well, and it worked perfectly for the first 10 times we used it. Last week, my wife complained about back pressure in flush mode as well as dry bowl mode. Now it is so stiff that the head is almost unuseable. Last night I took the pump assembly part way off, and it releived the pressure, but after reassembly, the same symptoms returned. I then took the joker assembly apart, reconnected the inlet hose and exit hose, and pumped to see if the head worked OK, which it did. Put the joker assembly back together, and the same back pressure occured in a few strokes of the pump. I now suspect that there may be a clog? ANy ideas? Thanks! Tom Anderson C&C 32 Nonpareil Marblehead, MA tom@nonpareilracing.com
Peggy, I installed a new Wilcox Crittenden Headmate a couple of weeks ago to replace the original one that was there on my C&C 32. Installation went well, and it worked perfectly for the first 10 times we used it. Last week, my wife complained about back pressure in flush mode as well as dry bowl mode. Now it is so stiff that the head is almost unuseable. Last night I took the pump assembly part way off, and it releived the pressure, but after reassembly, the same symptoms returned. I then took the joker assembly apart, reconnected the inlet hose and exit hose, and pumped to see if the head worked OK, which it did. Put the joker assembly back together, and the same back pressure occured in a few strokes of the pump. I now suspect that there may be a clog? ANy ideas? Thanks! Tom Anderson C&C 32 Nonpareil Marblehead, MA tom@nonpareilracing.com
I don't think anything is wrong with the toilet
And unless someone has flushed something they shouldn't have, I doubt if you have a clog in the head discharge line either. It sounds like your tank vent is blocked. Pumping the toilet against a blocked vent pressurizes the tank, creating increasing backpressure that makes the toilet increasingly difficult to pump. Check both the vent thru-hull and the vent fitting on the tank...I think you'll find a buildup of waste in one or both places that you'll prob'ly have to scrape out with with screwdriver blade. Don't use the toilet again or attempt to pump out the tank till you're sure the vent IS clear...'cuz a blocked vent can cause all kinds of problems, up to and including a cracked tank. To prevent it happening in the future, backflush the vent every time you pump out and or wash the boat. If the vent thru-hull fitting makes this impossible, replace the thru-hull with one that does--which won't be a "vent" thru-hull, but just an open bulkhead fitting. You might want to check out the link below too. I just re-read your post...what exactly do you mean by "you took the joker assembly apart?" The flange on the joker valve is the gasket that seals the discharge fitting connection to the pump...so without the joker valve installed, the toilet would leak around the the discharge fitting.
And unless someone has flushed something they shouldn't have, I doubt if you have a clog in the head discharge line either. It sounds like your tank vent is blocked. Pumping the toilet against a blocked vent pressurizes the tank, creating increasing backpressure that makes the toilet increasingly difficult to pump. Check both the vent thru-hull and the vent fitting on the tank...I think you'll find a buildup of waste in one or both places that you'll prob'ly have to scrape out with with screwdriver blade. Don't use the toilet again or attempt to pump out the tank till you're sure the vent IS clear...'cuz a blocked vent can cause all kinds of problems, up to and including a cracked tank. To prevent it happening in the future, backflush the vent every time you pump out and or wash the boat. If the vent thru-hull fitting makes this impossible, replace the thru-hull with one that does--which won't be a "vent" thru-hull, but just an open bulkhead fitting. You might want to check out the link below too. I just re-read your post...what exactly do you mean by "you took the joker assembly apart?" The flange on the joker valve is the gasket that seals the discharge fitting connection to the pump...so without the joker valve installed, the toilet would leak around the the discharge fitting.
Re:I don't think anything is wrong with the toilet
Peggy, I will definitely look at the tank vent. That is a great idea. The reason I think it is a clog is the hose going from the head first goes to a Y valve, then depending on the Y valve's position, either goes to the holding tank or directly overboard. If the holding tank's vent was clogged, I could see what you mean, but if it is in the overboard position, and you still had back pressure.....get my point? What I meant by taking the joker assembly apart, was I took the joker out to see if when the intake hose was connected, the head would operate poroperly which it did, so I could eliminate the head as a variable in the problem Thanks! Tom
Peggy, I will definitely look at the tank vent. That is a great idea. The reason I think it is a clog is the hose going from the head first goes to a Y valve, then depending on the Y valve's position, either goes to the holding tank or directly overboard. If the holding tank's vent was clogged, I could see what you mean, but if it is in the overboard position, and you still had back pressure.....get my point? What I meant by taking the joker assembly apart, was I took the joker out to see if when the intake hose was connected, the head would operate poroperly which it did, so I could eliminate the head as a variable in the problem Thanks! Tom
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