sewage question

[mBurns]

So, I recently bought a boat and the guy told me that the overboard pump (I think it's referred to as the macerator pump?) doesn't work. When you turn it on, it just trips off (its on its own breaker). He said he never bothered to replace it because you can't discharge overboard - and showed me the placard in the bilge that says you cannot discharge within 3 miles of land.

I've been doing a lot of googling, and I want to fix the issue (wife wants to be able to use the bathroom while we're on the lake, I'm sure someone here can relate..)

I've having trouble identifying what kind of system I have. I have an installed toilet, and the gray water tank is in the bilge just forward of my fuel tank (seems to be fairly good sized). 3 hoses that I can see on the tank, 2 on the stbd side, probably going to the head, and 1 on the port side which I assume heads to the aft bilge to the overboard valve and the pumpout connection.

Ideally, I want to be able to pump the tank overboard. Can anybody help?
Boat is a 1995 Regal 256 Commodore, 7.4L Merc with a Bravo 3

 

[alldodge]

Agree with prior owner, you cannot pump overboard in a lake. If your not going to the ocean way offshore you don't need it and it should be sealed off closed and no pump.

I'm sure you have a black water tank, and the gray water your talking about is probably a black water tank. There should be a fitting on the side, back or top of the deck labeled WASTE. The waste fitting is removed and a vacuum pump is connected and the tank is pump out. This can be done at any marina and even RV parks and truck stops.

 

[mBurns]

Oh, an RV park! that's a great idea -- when we go to the lake, we actually put in at an RV campsite.. never occurred to me that they'd have pumpout..

(and, to clarify) we don't always go to the lake -- being in Charleston SC, I do have very easy access to the ocean, however usually we run up and down the rivers and just cruise. And if I put in at the lake, it's like an hour (assuming I don't have to wait on the lock) to the nearest marina with pumpout.. but I'll definitely check around for land-based pumpouts.
Thanks!

 

[redneck joe]

Rv parks will not have pump out i think. An rv is gravity fed .

 

[alldodge]

Your probably right Red, never had an RV but Scott Danforth does a lot of them. I found several places at truck stops which have them but then again they may also be gravity but only see the station

BTW did look it up in SC and the DNR list is as marinas are required to have pump out stations (like all other states) and cost is $5 a tank

 

[Thalasso]

So, I recently bought a boat and the guy told me that the overboard pump (I think it's referred to as the macerator pump?) doesn't work. When you turn it on, it just trips off (its on its own breaker). He said he never bothered to replace it because you can't discharge overboard - and showed me the placard in the bilge that says you cannot discharge within 3 miles of land.

I've been doing a lot of googling, and I want to fix the issue (wife wants to be able to use the bathroom while we're on the lake, I'm sure someone here can relate..)

I've having trouble identifying what kind of system I have. I have an installed toilet, and the gray water tank is in the bilge just forward of my fuel tank (seems to be fairly good sized). 3 hoses that I can see on the tank, 2 on the stbd side, probably going to the head, and 1 on the port side which I assume heads to the aft bilge to the overboard valve and the pumpout connection.

Ideally, I want to be able to pump the tank overboard. Can anybody help?
Boat is a 1995 Regal 256 Commodore, 7.4L Merc with a Bravo 3

Most likely the macerator pump is burned out or the impeller is froze up.Or something got flushed that hadn't passed through the body first
If it is a Jabsco pump there should be a slot in the end of the motor for a screwdriver to manually rotate the shaft
The gray water tank isn't the holding tank for your toilet. It's for the shower and sink drains.
What type of system do you have? (Brand) A vacu-flush or the type with a handle next to the toilet that you pump to flush.
The macerator pump is a pump to dump a holding tank at sea...it has nothing to do with the toilet.
The holding tank can still be pumped out at a marina. You should have a deck fitting with a cap labeled waste

 

[Scott Danforth]

^ +1.

cant pump overboard on a lake, you need to be literally out to sea in international waters

RV's are gravity fed, however I have come across one that was vac assist.

if you keep the boat on the water, most marinas have free pump out if you purchase fuel.

if you want to pump your own, here you go http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/flojet-rv-waste-pump-kit/26125 portable macerator pump. cheap enough to use, and to throw away when it gets clogged by shtuff.

 

[mBurns]

I had heard about the $5 per tank for pumpout - just haven't been out to the harbor lately (where most of the marinas are) - however this weekend I'll check it out. Little disappointing that the RV idea turned out to be a bust.. oh well.

What type of system do you have? (Brand) A vacu-flush or the type with a handle next to the toilet that you pump to flush.

I do have a handle next to the toilet. No idea what the brand is. Tank did not appear to have any labels on it, although it is covered up by the "aft cabin" and I can only see the port and stbd side of the tank. Don't remember the brand of the toilet / pump-flush deal either..

 

[Scott Danforth]

another thing you may want to check. many times after years of non-use, your toilet goes to crap. you may want to make sure everything is in working order well before you use it. A friends Carver sat for 8 years before he picked it up. had to replace the toilet since the seals were long gone from sitting.

 

[redneck joe]

And plan all you buddies that normally like to drink beer and help you work on the boat be unusually busy at the times you want to work on the toilet.

 

[Scott Danforth]

And plan all you buddies that normally like to drink beer and help you work on the boat be unusually busy at the times you want to work on the toilet.

or pitch in to clean it when they were in a 3-point stance in rough seas.....

 

[Captain Caveman]

And plan all you buddies that normally like to drink beer and help you work on the boat be unusually busy at the times you want to work on the toilet.

Yup, none of my buddies are "available" to help me dig out the old barrel in my outhouse this weekend. That's okay though - sometimes there are just things that you've got to do as the owner. It's nice if someone offers to help but I'm not going to ask. I'll ask them to swing a hammer or swipe a paint brush if it's something that I don't mind them doing at the same quality as a highschooler!