vacuflush questions.....

BillK2632 said:
That's good news! I would agree with your list of things to do - would add checking the line from the bowl to the holding tank - it's old enough to be permeated and creating a smell. As far as the level indicator not working, it could be just gummed up with "stuff". Once you get the tank pumped out, I would flush it with freshwater a couple of times. I always filled mine about half way with freshwater after a pumpout, then pump that out again. In your case, this first time I would fill it 1/2 - 2/3 with water, put some detergent in it and go for a ride, let it slosh around real good, then pump it out. It sounds like you system is ok, just needed a little TLC.
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Thanks Bill....I'll check out the main line once I get all the other stuff done and replace it if needed....I spent a little more time today checking things out.....I could not determine exactly where the fluid escaped from the tank....I could not see any evidence where the fluid traveled on its way to the bilge....there is one side of the tank I cannot see because it is against the side wall of the engine room....I disconnected the vent filter from the tank and saw evidence of fluid in the filter....I held the end of the vent hose down and some fluid drained out of the vent hose....so at least I was able to confirm the tank has been overfilled since I found fluid in the filter and vent line....I will definitely flush the tank a couple times when I finally get to pump the tank out....that will be at least a couple weeks since we will be out of town next WE....Hopefully the level indicator will start working properly once it is cleaned when i flush out the tank....

cliff
 
Do Over said:
yeah...."trust but verify"...... I use that in my business AND raising my 14 yr old daughter :grin:

my water tank gauge reads "full" all the time...regardless
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Luckily the fresh water level indicator seems to be working OK....but I did notice some rust under the hot water heater....looks like that might be my next project...

cliff
 
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Did you leave the DC switches on overnight? With your leaking vacuflush, the toilet may have just run all night filling the holding tank. Just a thought.

Scott
 
sb in gp said:
Did you leave the DC switches on overnight? With your leaking vacuflush, the toilet may have just run all night filling the holding tank. Just a thought.

Scott
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We leave the DC switches on the entire time we are at the boat...last week that was for nearly 5 days straight...except the breaker for the head system which we turn off at night due to the leaking bowl seal...you pose an interesting thought....could the VacuFlush system somehow continue to suck water out of the fresh water tank and into the waste holding tank without the fresh water pump operating?.....I have not heard the toilet running but I have found the water being sucked out of the bowl due to leaking bowl seal...I have heard the water pump kick on for a couple seconds every hour or so but I just thought this was due to a slow leak in a water line somewhere...

cliff
 
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The answer to your question is no.

If your vacu flush toilet is anything like mine, or any other one I've seen, the only way for water to enter the toilet bowl is through the use if the foot pedal. So unless that is faulty, which I doubt, then the reason for the fresh water pump cycling is unrelated to your holding tank issue. Also, the key switch in the head has to be on in order for the vacuum pump to run. With the current state of your tank, I doubt you've left that in the on position all this time.
 
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mwph said:
The answer to your question is no.

If your vacu flush toilet is anything like mine, or any other one I've seen, the only way for water to enter the toilet bowl is through the use if the foot pedal. So unless that is faulty, which I doubt, then the reason for the fresh water pump cycling is unrelated to your holding tank issue. Also, the key switch in the head has to be on in order for the vacuum pump to run. With the current state of your tank, I doubt you've left that in the on position all this time.
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OK, thanks....i don't have a key switch in the head...i have a breaker in the switch panel labeled 'Head System'....we do turn this breaker off at night except when we need to use the head....

cliff
 
as i have mentioned the vacuflush system is new to me so i am starting the learning process on it from scratch....

i have a couple more very basic questions:

1. i have read that i may need some sort of 'adapter' that screws into the pump out port on the boat...i assume this 'adapter' makes a tight seal with the pump out hose....are these adapters just generic where they are all the same?....do they come is different sizes or are they standardized?....can i pick one up at West Marine or does it have to be ordered?....

2. i think some of the pump out stations on our lake are 'self serve' and some are 'full service' with an attendant doing the work....can someone give me a description of the pump out process both self serve and full service?....i have never been on a boat during this process...

thanks...
cliff
 
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1. The adapter your talking about came with my boat, but I never needed it. If you need one I think you can get them at West Marine or SeaLand when you order your other maintenance kits. The pumpouts I have used have a cone shaped rubber fitting on the end that fits into the pumpout fitting on your boat and makes the seal. For me it always worked without the adapter.

2. The only pumpout on LKN I ever used was at PYC, but I think they all work basically the same. Here is what I did:
a. Doesn't matter if the system is on or off.
b. Turn on the pumpout system.
c. Insert the pumpout hose into your pumpout deck fitting (the cone should make a seal)
d. Turn the valve on the end of the pump out hose. You will hear the material sucking up through the hose and be able to see it though the sight glass on the hose. Once it it finished you will hear it starting to suck air and be able to tell through the sight glass no more material is coming out. Most systems will pump a 28gal tank in a couple of minutes or less.
c. Switch the pumpout valve to off.
e. Fill the tank 1/2 - 2/3 full of freshwater to rinse (don't overfill the tank!, it will ruin the vent filter) - repeat the pumpout process.
f. Turn off the pumpout system.
g. Flush whatever treatment you are using down the head. I always used the SeaLand stuff you get at West Marine, the liquid, not powder..
 
Do Over said:
Pump out adapter looks like this. http://www.westmarine.com/buy/sealand--nozall-pumpout-adapters--P011_332_003_519 pretty sure there are two different sizes (at least from what my Marina uses)......screw in the adapter...attach the hose...lock it down (locks are attached to fitting on hose ) and pump it out.....my Marina back washes the tank several times for slip renters.
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thanks...do you know which size deck fitting and which threads we have on the 340?...

cliff
 
BillK2632 said:
1. The adapter your talking about came with my boat, but I never needed it. If you need one I think you can get them at West Marine or SeaLand when you order your other maintenance kits. The pumpouts I have used have a cone shaped rubber fitting on the end that fits into the pumpout fitting on your boat and makes the seal. For me it always worked without the adapter.

2. The only pumpout on LKN I ever used was at PYC, but I think they all work basically the same. Here is what I did:
a. Doesn't matter if the system is on or off.
b. Turn on the pumpout system.
c. Insert the pumpout hose into your pumpout deck fitting (the cone should make a seal)
d. Turn the valve on the end of the pump out hose. You will hear the material sucking up through the hose and be able to see it though the sight glass on the hose. Once it it finished you will hear it starting to suck air and be able to tell through the sight glass no more material is coming out. Most systems will pump a 28gal tank in a couple of minutes or less.
c. Switch the pumpout valve to off.
e. Fill the tank 1/2 - 2/3 full of freshwater to rinse (don't overfill the tank!, it will ruin the vent filter) - repeat the pumpout process.
f. Turn off the pumpout system.
g. Flush whatever treatment you are using down the head. I always used the SeaLand stuff you get at West Marine, the liquid, not powder..
Click to expand...

thanks Bill...sounds simple enough....i suppose i'll have to 'guess' when the tank is 1/2 to 2/3 full with fresh water when flushing the tank since the level indicator is not working....i will try and be careful not to overfill with water and ruin the filter....is there any harm in disconnecting the vent filter from the holding tank during the pump out and tank flush process?....this would prevent me from accidentally ruining the filter by over filling the tank with fresh water....i have easy asscess to the filter and disconnecting it from the tank only takes a minute or so...

we use the Sealand toilet cleaner and tank deodorant powder packets...the PO had left some on the boat....just fill the bowl about 1/2 full of water and drop in one of the packets...once it dissolves use a bowl brush to clean the toliet and flush the cleaner down into the holding tank....it has enzymes and deodorant for the tank...do you think the liquid has some advantages over the powder packets?

cliff
 
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Probably too much trouble to disconnect the vent filter, you'll get a feel for how much is 1/2, intent is to rinse any solids out of the bottom of the tank. As far as powder vs liquid, personal preference, I just liked the liquid better. I think they work the same. Look around in your boat for the pumpout fitting - I'm sure it came with one. Also, you probably know this, but you should disable the overboard discharge for the holding tank - either use a tie wrap to secure the handle or remove the handle completely. In case you ever get checked.
 
BillK2632 said:
Probably too much trouble to disconnect the vent filter, you'll get a feel for how much is 1/2, intent is to rinse any solids out of the bottom of the tank. As far as powder vs liquid, personal preference, I just liked the liquid better. I think they work the same. Look around in your boat for the pumpout fitting - I'm sure it came with one. Also, you probably know this, but you should disable the overboard discharge for the holding tank - either use a tie wrap to secure the handle or remove the handle completely. In case you ever get checked.
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OK, thanks.....i'm sure i will get the hang off it once i do do it a couple times....i have been through all the storage compartments and cabinets on the boat and did not see the adapter...i noticed the handle on the macerator discharge valve was in the 'off' position while looking around in the engine room this past WE....is it a requirement to have something more than this such as the things you mentioned?...

cliff
 
The requirement is that the overboard discharge be disabled while the boat is in a No Discharge Zone, which would be all inland lakes and rivers. Now this was several years ago, but at the time the practice on LKN was to either tie wrap the handle on the through hull in the shut position or remove the handle altogether. Other than during the marine courtesy inspection, no one ever looked at my boat. Also, you are supposed to keep a log of when/where you pump out - I kept a logbook for maintenance and fuel, so I just logged the pumpouts there also. So while technically that's what you should do, in practice I don't think anyone on LKN would ever check.
 
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Just did the motor on my pump. Nasty job, but it's done. Remember there are a total of 4 duckbills in your pump.

Original pull appart and test. Motor ended up having a dead spot.
[video=youtube;L-vMYzXnrdk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-vMYzXnrdk[/video]

Bought new kit which included upgraded motor and bellows kit.
[video=youtube;-JYaEkH1AEc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JYaEkH1AEc[/video]
 
CliffA said:
thanks...do you know which size deck fitting and which threads we have on the 340?...

cliff
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sorry....work got in the way....no I don't but as mentioned earlier I've never had to use mine (I only pump out at my Marina...its free and they have the equipment)....you don't have to measure or watch anything gauge wise rinsing...just shove the hose in and put water in for a couple minutes and then flush again. Some pump out stations have just an interference fit that you hold against the opening...no adapter...there's a video on Youtube from that guy in Long Island with it...I'll post it.


here it is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbjE8Vemjr8
 
Do Over said:
sorry....work got in the way....no I don't but as mentioned earlier I've never had to use mine (I only pump out at my Marina...its free and they have the equipment)....you don't have to measure or watch anything gauge wise rinsing...just shove the hose in and put water in for a couple minutes and then flush again. Some pump out stations have just an interference fit that you hold against the opening...no adapter...there's a video on Youtube from that guy in Long Island with it...I'll post it.


here it is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbjE8Vemjr8
Click to expand...

thanks for the video link....in case someone else needs this i found some info on another site that claims all Sea Ray cruisers use a 1 7/8" OD of the threads of the screw in portion of the adapter....

cliff
 
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Nehalennia said:
Just did the motor on my pump. Nasty job, but it's done. Remember there are a total of 4 duckbills in your pump. Original pull appart and test. Motor ended up having a dead spot. Bought new kit which included upgraded motor and bellows kit.
Click to expand...

thanks....i think the pump is working OK on my system right now but i may need to replace it down the road....

cliff
 
AKBASSKING said:
Just rebuilt my Vacu-flush system, it was so much fun......
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do i detect a slight hint of sarcasm in that reply?....:smt018....

cliff
 
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