Head sink, shower output goes to holding tank

[Theresamarie11]

Hi, My sea ray seems to have been previously used on a very restricted waterway in that the shower and head sink go into the holding tank and there is an extra line under my galley sink which goes to the same shower sump (to put the water into the holding tank). As you can imagine, this causes the holding tank to fill up pretty quickly over a couple of days.
I am on Lake Champlain, and I can't find any regulations that prevent having my head sink and shower discharge overboard.

If I were to have this re-routed, is this an ok thing to do or am I committing some cardinal sin by changing this?

Thanks for responses.

 

[Lazy Daze]

What you have is referred to as a "gray water" system and it was an option from Sea Ray. You'd need to install an overboard discharge (through the side of the hull) to route that line to, instead of going to the tank. Then, of course, plug that inlet on the tank. Or, better yet, install a Y-Valve so you could operate it either way. No, there is no problem in doing so.

Do you have free (or cheap) pump-outs? If you kept it as-is, I would think it would actually keep your holding tank a little cleaner.

 

[Theresamarie11]

What you have is referred to as a "gray water" system and it was an option from Sea Ray. You'd need to install an overboard discharge (through the side of the hull) to route that line to, instead of going to the tank. Then, of course, plug that inlet on the tank. Or, better yet, install a Y-Valve so you could operate it either way. No, there is no problem in doing so.

Do you have free (or cheap) pump-outs? If you kept it as-is, I would think it would actually keep your holding tank a little cleaner.

Dennis, now you hit the nail on the head. We get charged through the nose for pump outs. $15.00 for 20 gal pump out. Last year the closest Marina gave a free pump out with a fill up. So I filled up this past weekend and asked for a pump out...no more freebees. I like your 'Y' idea. I should do that for the galley sink as well (they just have 2 hoses with one left unconnected now.

For normal (non overnight) use the holding tank takes a while to fill but when using the shower it fills up fast.

 

[wvsundancer]

hate to hijack this post by holy crap you guys have to pay for pump outs ??? I would be pissed !! BTW for the first time ever we actually filled our holding tank over a long 4 day weekend on the hook that the message came up do not flush !!! we were full..went and pumped out last night and flushed the system twice with clean water.. ended up pumping out three times for free !!!!

 

[mquiet]

Hi, My sea ray seems to have been previously used on a very restricted waterway in that the shower and head sink go into the holding tank and there is an extra line under my galley sink which goes to the same shower sump (to put the water into the holding tank). As you can imagine, this causes the holding tank to fill up pretty quickly over a couple of days.
I am on Lake Champlain, and I can't find any regulations that prevent having my head sink and shower discharge overboard.

If I were to have this re-routed, is this an ok thing to do or am I committing some cardinal sin by changing this?

Thanks for responses.

I would check very carefully on the regulations. I had to have all my plumbing rerouted into the shower sump and disconnect my macerator. I am on Lake Winni in NH and nothing is allowed to go overboard. I can not believe that your marina charges for pump-out. Could you look around for next year to find a marina that includes this or do you trailer? I would leave the system alone for now and ask around at the marina's. They seem to be very up on the regs. Best of luck.

 

[katricol]

Grey water tanks are the thing of the future IMO, as more and more harbors are looking at this issue. I wish cruise ships were req'd to have them...yuck!!

 

[bankshotbankshot]

I work as a tech at a sea ray dealer on Lake Lanier we must disable the mascerator but all other water is aloud over board. The Y fitting would be a good idea but it costs more money for parts and time. Are you really gonna go to another place that has a gray water rule? I would run 2 lines from galley and shower area to two through hull fittings to discharge over the vessel

 

[Theresamarie11]

Final reply... Solution in place.

Well, I thought I'd post the solution, which was there all of the time, unbeknown to me.

Right on top of the holding tank, I noticed a valve on a Y fitting that I hadn't noticed before and one side going into the holding tank and the other going out the side of the boat. Not sure why I didn't know where one of the side fittings went to, but evidently I did not. So this Y valve connects back to the grey water sump. One turn of the valve and my shower and bathroom sink goes out the side of the boat instead of into the holding tank....thus allowing me to shower without worrying about filling up the holding tank (smile).

To be honest, I guess I expected the solution to be closer to the sump than the holding tank..

I only found it while removing the holding tank vent filter.

Thanks to everyone including those who suggested the Y fitting.

Terri