Macerator Pump questions on 87 250 DA?

[Sundancer]

Our boat was originally equipped with a macerator pump. Well, I think it was anyway! I see a fuse on the back of the transom that says "macerator" but the previous owner removed it. I have a place on the holding tank where I can attach it, but I don't know where it discharged and I don't see a switch anywhere?

We're thinking about adding one for salt water trips next year. We'd also like to figure out a way to pump out while on the trailer at an RV dump station. We're inland and can't use the macerator and rely on pump out stations. If we added one, we still wouldn't be able to pump out while on the trailer so I'm wondering if there is some way to suck it out through the current discharge hose and then pump it somewhere?

I'm macerator challenged and need a 12 step process!!

 

[Cap10Pat]

A macerator is for pumping overboard (I think you knew that), so there should be an overboard hole someplace. My 1980 had a macerator and a hole just above the waterline near the pump. I removed it and filled the hole. You Must (legally) have a special Y-valve if you have a macerator. Perhaps the holding tank was added when the macerator was removed. Mine was connected to a self-contained toilet. In any event, there should also be a fitting on the deck for access of a pump-out. I don't know how RVs work, maybe by gravity flow, but you should be able to take your boat to a dock on the trailer and have it pumped out - maybe when you pull it from the water.

 

[Sundancer]

There is definitely no hole above the waterline. In fact the ONLY hole in the back of the boat is the seacock for the toilet to pump fresh water IN. I thought there might have been a Y-valve that pumped back out the same hole, but figured that was a stretch.

We do a lot of trailering and some lakes don't have pump outs around here. So I was trying to figure out some way to either add a macerator that I could connect a hose and drain into an RV dump OR run a hose from the macerator down the deck pump out to pump it into an RV drain. I was thinking about using a 12 volt plug to power it with. I don't know if the hose down the pump out would actually work or just get plugged up. I'm wondering if this is even worth pursuing!! :huh:

 

[eddiezuskin]

Sundancer,
My 87 250 had the porta pottie with a hose running through a macerator to a deck pumpout fitting. The macerator acted as the Y valve. There was a pushbutton switch on the panel next to the potty and heavy wiring back to a black box on the transom. It was disconnected but I still have the pump that I removed, cleaned and tested with plans to list on Ebay. If activated it would have discharged out a thru hull above the waterline just outside the head(yuck!!). Would have some pretty gross stains on the hull. If you want to fool around with it $20 plus shipping. Guaranteed not DOA.
Eddie

 

[Sundancer]

Sundancer,
My 87 250 had the porta pottie with a hose running through a macerator to a deck pumpout fitting. The macerator acted as the Y valve. There was a pushbutton switch on the panel next to the potty and heavy wiring back to a black box on the transom. It was disconnected but I still have the pump that I removed, cleaned and tested with plans to list on Ebay. If activated it would have discharged out a thru hull above the waterline just outside the head(yuck!!). Would have some pretty gross stains on the hull. If you want to fool around with it $20 plus shipping. Guaranteed not DOA.
Eddie

Wow, ABOVE the waterline? I wonder how they decided who got to clean that off after each use!! :wink:

Your offer is extremely tempting! I know what these cost new and that's incredible! I'm still trying to figure out if it's even worth the bother to pump it out while on the trailer. If I could use an RV dump it would save us a bunch of time and hassle but I don't know what kind of mess this might create either! I was hoping someone had figured out some slick way to do this. Maybe the macerator lives in the back of the pickup for emergency use only!

I haven't had much response, so I'll have to think about it to see if it will suck and self prime that 3 or 4 feet and still have enough oomph to get it out the hose and down to ground level. It probably will, but storing a hose that's been lying "IN" that stuff doesn't appeal to me either. We'd have to be pretty desperate I guess!! Let me take a look tomorrow and I'll let you know!

 

[eddiezuskin]

Ugh, gross, I still have trouble believing you were supposed to hit that button to pump the pottie's contents out the side of the boat. If I had not disconnected the macerator from that thru hull I would not have believed it. Maybe if you did the "dirty deed" while underway it would get rinsed or would be like spitting out the car window at speed and the air flow would keep it from leaving decorative stripes on the side of your boat. I'm sure Searay would have done wind tunnel tests
Eddie

 

[Sorrento 25]

I'd set up a normal deck pump-out waste fitting.

I saw a thread somewhere that described using a macerator pump externally with some waste hose and hooked up to 12V to pump out your holding tank in the driveway or wherever.

Mine discharged out the bottom and after a Y. I removed my dead macerator and the Y, then filled the hole in my bottom.

Currently I have new holding tank installed, and waiting to replace the PP with an electric unit.

 

[Sundancer]

As you can tell, I have zero experience with a macerator!! So it WILL pull it that far and I could dump it into an RV drain or into the ocean if I was far enough off shore ehh? That's good to know. We're also looking at adding a sailboat to the fleet and none of the ones we're looking at have a macerator, so this might serve dual duty on the Sea Ray and the sailboat of our choice. I guess I could use a short discharge hose or a long discharge hose to hit an RV dump. Hmm, this might work after all! A number of times we filled the holding tank and had problems unloading it. An RV dump would sure be convenient!

OK Eddie, I might have to take you up on that macerator pump offer!!

 

[boatmailster]

[
Wow, ABOVE the waterline? I wonder how they decided who got to clean that off after each use!! .............quote]


no need for expensive seacock and reminder not to dump waste to water

 

[eddiezuskin]

Sundancer,
Did you receive my private message with my contact info?
Eddie

 

[Sundancer]

Eddie:

I tried to send a PM, but it's giving me an error message. I'm guessing it went through, but maybe it didn't? Anyway, I'm just checking to make sure you got the check that I sent??

It's a great pump and works very well. It will get the ultimate test next weekend!!

Thanks again!

 

[Cap10Pat]

TMI