How to discharge grey water overboard

M

Magu

New Member
Aug 6, 2019
7
Boat Info
300 Weekender 1976
Engines
Not sure
Hey guys, fresh new here, me and my wife just bought a 1976 Sea Ray Weekender 300 for liveaboard. We're trying to empty the grey water tank overboard, but are unable to find a switch to do so. Any tips?
 
You very well may not have a grey water overboard discharge. That would completely negate the reason for having a grey water tank to begin with. You would need to go to a pump out station and they would suck it out (a shop vac on steroids) through the deck plate.

Unless... are you talking about the black water tank? That can only be pumped out, legally, once you're certain distance off the coast and your boat would have to have a macerator - which you may or may not have.
 
Magu said:
Hey guys, fresh new here, me and my wife just bought a 1976 Sea Ray Weekender 300 for liveaboard. We're trying to empty the grey water tank overboard, but are unable to find a switch to do so. Any tips?
Click to expand...
Welcome aboard! If you are a live-aboard in a marina that offers that option, there should be a pump out station (if not at your slip) where most are free. That said, tip the fellow who does that for you and you won't have to clean your hull!

Another option is where you fuel. Our marinas all seem to have a pump out hose at the fuel dock and they do not mind you using it at all.
 
Lazy Daze said:
You very well may not have a grey water overboard discharge. That would completely negate the reason for having a grey water tank to begin with. You would need to go to a pump out station and they would suck it out (a shop vac on steroids) through the deck plate.

Unless... are you talking about the black water tank? That can only be pumped out, legally, once you're certain distance off the coast and your boat would have to have a macerator - which you may or may not have.
Click to expand...
yes, there is a macerator and sewage tank .
 
Typically on these boats the gray water flows by gravity or by a sump pump over the side. Black water tank is a whole different ballgame. No pumping (macerator) unless out at sea by several miles. (I think three is the requirement.)

Gray water = sink, shower, A/C condensate, etc.
Black Water = sewage
 
Yes we're legally able to discharge at our location, just learning the boat operations as we cannot find the manual anywhere.
For sure it's designed to pump out with "y" switch operations and macerator pump. Can't find the on and off for it on this particular model
 
SeadawgVB said:
Typically on these boats the gray water flows by gravity or by a sump pump over the side. Black water tank is a whole different ballgame. No pumping (macerator) unless out at sea by several miles. (I think three is the requirement.)

Gray water = sink, shower, A/C condensate, etc.
Black Water = sewage
Click to expand...
yes gray water goes over board and we got holding tank system with macerating pump beside it. Aka waste pump.Where is the switcher for it ???? Can't even find the fuse for it
 
Mr Mac said:
Welcome aboard! If you are a live-aboard in a marina that offers that option, there should be a pump out station (if not at your slip) where most are free. That said, tip the fellow who does that for you and you won't have to clean your hull!

Another option is where you fuel. Our marinas all seem to have a pump out hose at the fuel dock and they do not mind you using it at all.
Click to expand...
 
I'm not sure if the marina we're at has pump out service, but i'll
 
Still a little confusing what you actually have what, specifically you are looking for. Can you clarify if you have...

-- Grey water holding tank
-- Macerator for grey water tank (again, this would be REALLY odd)

Or, are you really referring to the black water tank and it's macerator?

You may have a switch (toggle, whatever) for the black water macerator... or it could be a "key switch". Anything like that? If you want, take some pics of your dash, breaker panels and anything in the head that looks electrical.
 
Some of the old Sea Rays had a system that was called a "treatment" system and had a breaker on the DC panel labeled "treatment" that started a treatment/discharge cycle. It was a complicated system and almost all of them have been replaced with a simple waste holding tank that is connected to the deck pump out fitting and sometimes a discharge/macerator as well. In my boat the breaker that activates the discharge/macerator is labeled "treatment so check to see if you have that breaker. I am familiar with that old system because a friend has a 1986 340EC that still has that system and it still functions.
 
IMG_4230.JPG
Macerators work as follows: open a through hull seacock in the bottom of your bilge that has a sewage line running from it to a macerator pump. The macerator will have a sewage line running from it to the sewage tank. Once you have the seacock open, look for D.C. breaker labeled macerator, or pump or treatment. Turn that on and the macerator pumps the sewage tank out. When done, turn the pump off and remember to close the seacock.
 
Not sure if you are at a marina or what. You need to double check your discharge of sewage waste overboard regulations. I do not know of any marina I have been to that allows it. USCG requires that the sea cock for the overboard pumpout be properly secured (locked in some fashion) to prevent accidental opening at any time you are not the required distance of shore.
 
As stated above grey water is sinks, showers, AC condensate and these drain out by gravity or a sump pump/float switch. That is all automatic on modern boats. It does not require you to operate anything manually. As for black water, which is sewage, it is collected in a holding tank which as others have told you needs to be pumped off your boat by your marina, a mobile pump out boat or a fixed pump out station at most marinas. Finally, manually pumping your sewage/black water is a no no. We have a switch in our electrical panel called “discharge” which will evacuate the holding tank overboard but I have never and will never use it. In fact, as per regulations, I have zip tied the valve in my bilge which would allow for that operation. I hope this helps you understand the system.
 
One note for those of you that may never have seen this, before... but there COULD be a "grey water holding tank". It's not very common, but it is a possibility - hence the reason I was looking for clarification... or possibly the OP was just using the wrong terminology. Often the grey water is simply pumped to the blackwater tank, but I have seen a separate grey water holding tank... plus, the boat is old enough to fit into the "who knows what's been done over the years" category ;)
 
Guys thanks so much for all the comments, it might be that I'm using wrong terms.
I wanted to know how to discharge water from the toilet, the black water.
After my wife spent hours chasing the lines and pipes, it is a rectangular white box located behind the seat on the deck.
Turns out that in this boat model and year, the button to discharge the sewage is located at the front panel, between the mph counters.
And it seems that the boat is old enough to fit into the "who knows what's been done over the years" category as noted by Lazy Daze kkkkk
Thanks again, now we're chasing a leak o_O
 
Magu

You cannot discharge black water at all unless you are out to sea and I’m betting you are not. You need to have the tanked pumped at a pump out station. This is a serious offense and the USCG would issue a hefty fine for doing this.

Josb
 
Think about it once you pump all that crap out while your in your slip where will it go, all around your boat and onto your hull and stinking up the whole area. Think about that!!!
 
hottoddie said:
Some of the old Sea Rays had a system that was called a "treatment" system and had a breaker on the DC panel labeled "treatment" that started a treatment/discharge cycle. It was a complicated system and almost all of them have been replaced with a simple waste holding tank that is connected to the deck pump out fitting and sometimes a discharge/macerator as well. In my boat the breaker that activates the discharge/macerator is labeled "treatment so check to see if you have that breaker. I am familiar with that old system because a friend has a 1986 340EC that still has that system and it still functions.
Click to expand...

My 81 310 has that system, and as you said, it was replaced.... I' read the original manual about that system and it seems like it would have been nothing but a headache
 
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