Correct procedure for emptying waste tank...

M

mrgrumpy

New Member
Sep 21, 2007
9
During the next couple of weeks I will have to discharge my waste tank (no marina pump out service). What is the correct order and procedure that I should follow i.e. Opening seacock, turn key to run macerator etc. Should I expect any sea water to flow back into the waste tank? Are there any pitfalls I should be aware of ? I will of course observe the legal requirements regarding location......Thanks in advance
 
The Vacuflush system is independent of the holding tank; the holding tank doesn't know whether the sh** is coming from a Vacuflush or an electric pump head...

You shouldn't have a seacock on this system anyway, as the Vacuflush is fresh water. Even if your head is raw water, the seacock only regulates flow to the toilet and does not affect discharge. There should be a "Y" valve (which may also have a lock/key) to switch between dockside pumpout and overboard discharge. Set the valve to the position for overboard discharge and turn on the pump once you're in the legal discharge zone.
 
I have a vacuflush system with a seacock on both my 04 260DA and 06 300DA. The seacock must be opened to allow the macerator to pump the waste out. While operating in "no discharge zones" the seacock must be secured to prevent accidental discharge. I only had to do this once on the 260DA and you must be sure to follow the laws regarding dumping waste overboard. It would be better to locate a pump out facility nearby. Anyway, open holding tank seacock in engine compartment, turn on macerator, turn key in head compartment. On my 260DA you had to turn and hold the key located in the head compartment to the right to operate the pump to discharge.
 
They let you legally pump that sh** out in the water ? Yuck. I'm glad they don't where I boat.
 
Only thing to add to what Bridog posted - be sure to bring an electrical tie or something to re-lock seacock after you have emptied the holding tank.

Actually, I just noticed that you are in the UK, so I don't know if you have the requirement to secure the seacock handle or not.
 
Info only, the discharge rate of your pump is around 7 gpm... so a full 28gal tank should only take a few minutes. Not good to run the macerator too long dry
 
Bridog said:
I have a vacuflush system with a seacock on both my 04 260DA and 06 300DA. The seacock must be opened to allow the macerator to pump the waste out. While operating in "no discharge zones" the seacock must be secured to prevent accidental discharge. I only had to do this once on the 260DA and you must be sure to follow the laws regarding dumping waste overboard. It would be better to locate a pump out facility nearby. Anyway, open holding tank seacock in engine compartment, turn on macerator, turn key in head compartment. On my 260DA you had to turn and hold the key located in the head compartment to the right to operate the pump to discharge.
Click to expand...

I misunderstood the location of the seacock- the pumpout thru-hull is located below the waterline? (I have a TDX treatment system that pumps overboard above the waterline).
 
Before you pump it, pour some calgon water softener in the tank. It will soften the "sludge" and help to eliminate more waste. After you pump out, pour some more calgon in as well as a bag of ice, then go for a bumpy ride. The calgon will continue to soften the sludge and the ice cubes will act as tiny scrapers getting the rest of the sludge unstuck. It's a shame you do not have a pump out. Rinsing the tank with high pressure water is a great way to keep smells down.
 
Well, it's gotta be either 1 cube at a time or you just wait till it melts...
 
I know this has been discussed here before, but if you are going to flush a bag of ice down the toilet, make sure you have all new duck bill valves, a spare bellows pump assembly (including motor and shaft), maybe a spare vacuum tank assembly as well as that may crack, and a spare ball valve/rubber seals for the toilet. Assuming any of the ice even gets to the main holding tank and after you go for your "bumpy ride", you'll probably need to replace all the things I mentioned. Make sure you take pictures.

Oh... and if you are going to try and put it down the pump out fitting, you may want to trace that plumbing as well as ice ain't going down that thing.
 
Four Suns said:
I know this has been discussed here before, but if you are going to flush a bag of ice down the toilet, make sure you have all new duck bill valves, a spare bellows pump assembly (including motor and shaft), maybe a spare vacuum tank assembly as well as that may crack, and a spare ball valve/rubber seals for the toilet. Assuming any of the ice even gets to the main holding tank and after you go for your "bumpy ride", you'll probably need to replace all the things I mentioned. Make sure you take pictures.

Oh... and if you are going to try and put it down the pump out fitting, you may want to trace that plumbing as well as ice ain't going down that thing.
Click to expand...

So it sounds like u think it's not a good idea then....................:smt017
 
Four Suns said:
Can you explain how one goes about getting a bag of ice into a vacuflush holding tank?
Click to expand...


Sure! You put small cubes down the pump out fitting. My tank is completely seperate from my vacuflush and the macerator evacuation line is seperate from the pumpout evacuation line.
 
I cannot imagine standing around feeding ice cubes down the pump out fitting. My goal at the pump out station is to get the job done as fast as possible without spraying anything on myself.

Instead of soaps, chemicals, etc. I just use Odorloss (sp?) in the tank and pump it out before it gets full. Knock on wood, I have not had any odor problems in 4 years and have not had to change the filter either.
 
dpmulvey said:
Sure! You put small cubes down the pump out fitting. My tank is completely seperate from my vacuflush and the macerator evacuation line is seperate from the pumpout evacuation line.
Click to expand...

You will have to excuse me for being a non-believer but... I don't believe it. Here's a shot of the seperate tank for a vacuflush system:

d4158305.jpg


There is no way any meaningful amount of ice is going into a traditional tank let alone one plumbed with a dip tube for a vacuflush. The dip tube for the pump out basically goes from the top to the base of the tank and skims the sludge off the bottom and ice is not going to flow through that setup... Additionally, the hose coming out of the top of the tank sometimes goes below the base of the tank and then back up to the pump out fitting on deck so you would have to have some magical levitating ice cubes to make the circuit.

I assume we all agree that putting hard ice cubes down the toilet is a really bad idea.
 
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What if one were to eat a bean burrito, stuff an ice cube up his posterior end and sit on the pump out fitting?

Suddenly I get the image of Old Faithful in the head!
 
Four Suns said:
You will have to excuse me for being a non-believer but... I don't believe it. Here's a shot of the seperate tank for a vacuflush system:

d4158305.jpg


There is no way any meaningful amount of ice is going into a traditional tank let alone one plumbed with a dip tube for a vacuflush. The dip tube for the pump out basically goes from the top to the base of the tank and skims the sludge off the bottom and ice is not going to flow through that setup... Additionally, the hose coming out of the top of the tank sometimes goes below the base of the tank and then back up to the pump out fitting on deck so you would have to have some magical levitating ice cubes to make the circuit.

I assume we all agree that putting hard ice cubes down the toilet is a really bad idea.
Click to expand...

I cannot see the picture at work so I cannot comment whether the setup is the same as mine or not.

I offered a suggestion based on what works for me. If one finds the suggestion to be of little or no value, fine. If one's system is set up in a way that makes trying this suggestion impossible by laws of physics, that is fine as well. I have no ides what setup the original poster in the UK has. Again, it was merely a suggestion.
 
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