VacuFlush Holding Tank

B

Boatdave

New Member
Sep 2, 2008
113
St.Louis
Boat Info
2001 Sea Ray 410 Express SOLD!
2005 Century 1701 Center Console
Engines
450 Cummins
Went for a ride yesterday trying to burn last years fuel and when I got back to the dock, the "Empty" light was on. Looked at the tank and it was empty. What would allow the tank to be sucked dry while running. Could the Duck Bills have something stuck in them that would allow this???
Don't want to close the Ball Valve everytime since it's a royal pain to get to..... Any help greatly appreciated.....
 
OK... you're just now burning last year's fuel? Macerator on your boat? Was there anything in there to begin with? Did someone pump you out secretly? Tanks just don't empty themselves, and if they did, you would have a bunch of @#$% in the bilge. Maybe bad gauge?

Let us know the mystery.
 
On my 290 AJ, if I left the gate valve for the head open where it exitied the hull (underwater of course), it would suck the tank dry. I ran like that for the first 3 months of ownership and could not figure out why the tank never filled up. It was being sucked out by the vacuum created at the thru-hull when I was running. As soon as I closed it, it filled up within a week. Duck-bills and pumps were fine. Kind of a stealthy way to pump out a little at a time. Doh!
 
If your sea cock to the holding tank is open and not close and you accidently hit your discharge button thinking that you need to in order to read your level, guess what ..............you just flushed your system. Believe me when I say it can happen.

Good luck
 
leaving the seacock open for the discharge pump can suck your tank dry... it does on mine. That's why you have to leave it closed.

A bigger question is why you even have it open as it is not legal to use a discharge pump where you boat.... I have to be > 3 miles off shore in the North Atlantic to use the discharge pump.
 
Four Suns said:
leaving the seacock open for the discharge pump can suck your tank dry... it does on mine. That's why you have to leave it closed.

A bigger question is why you even have it open as it is not legal to use a discharge pump where you boat.... I have to be > 3 miles off shore in the North Atlantic to use the discharge pump.
Click to expand...

Four Suns is correct on that. About a year ago I asked for the Coast Guard to give a curtesy inspection. The told be that I needed to close the sea cock to my holding tank and secure it with ty-raps or what ever means to make sure there is no accidental opening.
 
Yes, I'm still burning last years fuel. We've had alot of flood water this year and have had the boat out 6 weekends and since the water was high we go 1/2 mile to a beach. So no boat rides to burn it. Not bragging on the fuel usage.... Wallet likes it but not my usual year.

Not possible that I hit the 2 switches to make this happen.
I did bilge dive and hit the tank with a flashlight and she's empty.

Gary's right about not having it open in our area. I hit the fuel dock every 2 weeks to pump out. But.... not that it's legal or right. After getting pumped out, once a month I fill my tank with bleach water, let it sit a week then head out and pump it. My Crap Filter was only lasting about 8 weeks. $90 a pop was getting old... And this seemed to help get me through a full season.
Should just close it, zip tie and pay the $35 to get the bleach water pumped at the fuel dock....
 
Last edited:
Boatdave said:
My Crap Filter was only lasting about 8 weeks. $90 a pop was getting old... And this seemed to help get me through a full season.
Should just close it, zip tie and pay the $35 to get the bleach water pumped at the fuel dock....
Click to expand...

Most of he guys posting in this thread are far more knowledgeable that I am but I've got to chime in here.

Are you referring to the holding tanks vent filter? Something has got to be wrong if this filter is only lasting 8 weeks.
 
I could never figure it out. Only 2 of us on the boat and the tank was never full which could ruin the filter. Just started having it pumped more often, use some bleach water and it has made a difference so far. At 8 weeks it was not totally shot but enough to make the neighbors look around with that LOOK..... Thinking about trying the Big Orange Filter next season and see how that works.
 
Boatdave said:
I could never figure it out. Only 2 of us on the boat and the tank was never full which could ruin the filter. Just started having it pumped more often, use some bleach water and it has made a difference so far. At 8 weeks it was not totally shot but enough to make the neighbors look around with that LOOK..... Thinking about trying the Big Orange Filter next season and see how that works.
Click to expand...

Do you have any pics of your fart filter installation including the vent hose all the way from the top of the waste tank to the side hull vent fitting? The vent hose should be going uphill all the way without any sumps in the line. If you do this, the filter will operate properly and last all season long. Mine has been in for two years now and is still working just fine. Some members have reported that having the filter mounted too close to the tank can sometimes result in having the filter getting wet by sloshing from the holding tank. If you allow your tank to overfill, the fart filter will become compromised when the liquid climbs up the vent hose. You want to keep the charcoal dry at all times.

~Ken
 
Somewhat off post topic........but, if you are pouring bleach down the head to sanitize things, you are really destroying the rubber parts that make your head function. This is not a good idea and will ruin your head in short order.
 
Ken,
I will check that out this week. It is mounted on top of the tank but will see if I have a possible issue.

I pour the Bleach directly into the Holding Tank while filling it with fresh water through the Waste Cap on the deck, not through the toilet. I'd be spending alot of time and wearing out a lot of pumps if I filled my tank using this method....
 
Bleach will also ruin the duck bill in your macerator.
 
I almost edited my last post to include "and before anybody say's it, I know it's bad for the macerator duck bills"

My "Fart Filter" has lasted longer than ever, so we shall see...
 
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