Holding Tank Replacement

[RobnBern]

Hello,

We're considering replacing our 28 gal holding tank. It looks like it "sucked in" when it was pumped out. One of the sides, at a corner, is damaged. It's not leaking. I'm assuming that a vent got clogged.

So the big question is how expensive and difficult is it to DIY such a replacement and where would one go to begin this project.

Thanks

RJ

 

[mwph]

If you know which system you have, you can order parts here...

http://www.dometicsanitation.com/home.asp

As far as the DIY question, I'd think that you have to be the judge of that by looking at how much room you have to move around & looking at the exploded view of the system on the site above.

 

[Dave S]

Do you have enough room to remove the old tank and install the new one without pulling an engine?

Even on my single engine boat, I think the engine would have to come out first to allow enough room to maneuver the old tank out of the engine room and put the new tank back into position. There are proabably other smaller items that would have to come out as well.

Dave

 

[Four Suns]

Hello,

We're considering replacing our 28 gal holding tank. It looks like it "sucked in" when it was pumped out. One of the sides, at a corner, is damaged. It's not leaking. I'm assuming that a vent got clogged.

So the big question is how expensive and difficult is it to DIY such a replacement and where would one go to begin this project.

Thanks

RJ

There was one of the forum idiots on here about a year ago discussing how one should remove a blockage from a vacuflush system by hooking the pump out fitting to the dockside pumpout station and then opening the toilet bowl. His theory was that the vacuum introduced in the holding tank would suck out any blockage... Some of us warned that putting a vacuum in the holding tank, which is not designed for a vacuum, would/could implode the thing... He got angry.. and imploded.

Those tanks are not designed for any vacuum what so ever... If you have a clogged vent or try and unclog a system with that brain-dead procedure, you'll get the result you are seeing. I know some of the pump outs up your way are very aggressive so you have to be careful.

 

[Lazy Daze]

I replaced my 28gallon tank about a year ago. You can probably imagine my face when I noticed that this particular tank was leaking! Why that one?!?!

It actually comes out pretty easily. There are four thimbles that are screwed into the floor to hold it in place. You likely can only see two of them - that's OK as you only need to remove two to be able to slide it out from under the other two.

I was (luckily) able to remove the tank without removing anything else. Once I maneuvered it to a sideways position in front of the engine, it came out.

I bought the new tank through Northeast Sanitation (a supplier for Sealand Dometic - and I must say, very nice to deal with - although Sealand has always been great, too). The new tanks come with what they call a "tank saver" feature. Basically, a one-way valve that doesn't allow excessive vacuum to be built up by a pump-out.

I had (and have) a separate vacuum tank assembly. I kept that and just rebuilt the vac assembly while I had everything apart. However, there is another option... You can now get a holding tank that has the vac assembly built into the holding tank. It would eliminate extra hoses running to a separate vac tank and also free up some engine room space. Just a thought.