Waste level indicator

[RonF]

Ours only reads empty right after a pumpout. It goes out after just a few flushes. With just two adults, it takes many many weekends of use to ever have the 1/2 full light come on. However, we have gotten it up to full (do not flush) a few times in over fours of year-round boating.

 

[Hampton]

Ours only reads empty right after a pumpout. It goes out after just a few flushes.

That's perfect, right? That way, you know when you've emptied it out completely.

 

[2003380]

I replaced all the sensors with floats (there were two bad sensors) . There is a sensor that shows when empty, another for 1/2 full and one for full(don't flush). Not the most pleasant job but I hope the new ones will last for a long time

 

[Hugo]

Finally, I decided to clean the floats myself and skip the ice thing...It's not so bad to do. It took me about 10 minutes and everything works great now!

 

[searaycruisn]

I had my duck bills and bowl seal replaced this past weekend in Newport. Total time for the tech was 1.5 hours, total cost including parts was $368. Well worth the money, in my opinion.

I had him open the tank and pull up the sensors and clean them. It was a "shitty" job for sure, but the smell was tollerable, and if you have a strong stomach, it is not a big deal. We then tested the indicators manually to make sure all the lights work.

What I found out was that although I thought the 1/2 light was not working, the truth was that the tank never really got that full before I had it pumped out. I had used the boat the previous 5 days (with 2 people on board) and the tank was still less than half full. I usually have the boat pumped out every weekend. The vacu flush heads use very little water to flush. Maybe you are not letting the tank get full?

 

[skolbe]

In my holding tank it takes quite some time to get 1/2 full and I always pump out once that light comes on. Looking at the tank at half full - it appears to be over half full at that time.

 

[sbw1]

These inaccurate holding tank indicators waste a ton of the average boater's money. We pumped our head out in Harbor Springs a couple of weeks ago and the charge was $25 on top of the $500 we spent on fuel. Most marinas charge $10 and a few only $5. Mostly the charges in our area are $10-$20. If you boat alot, you can spend $40-$50 a month on pump outs. There is a solution and its pnuematic. While there are a number of pnuematic monitors, we happen to have a Tank Tender. They are trouble free and give you the exact status of your tanks. We have gone from pumping out once a week to pumping out every 2 weeks when cruising and every 4-6 weeks when just putzing around our local lake. While not cheap ($450???), this instrument paid for itself in the first year it was installed.

 

[JVM225]

Mine doesn't work at all. I've never seen any of the lights illuminated for either the fresh water tank, or the holding tank.
Luckily, we have free a free pumpout in a local transient marina for town residents. They even have a free pump out boat that comes alongside if you want when you're at the dock. There are also several other free pumpouts sponsered by municipalities in the area.
I use the pumpout at the transient marina just before leaving after every stay. I usually top it off with fresh water from a hose just before I pump it out, and if there is time I follow up with another fill up and pump out of fresh water. We use the boat for day cruises in between, but the waste tank doesn't even come close to being full after several of these.
The fresh water tank is more of a PIA for me. I like to keep some water in it for general clean up on the afternoons we spend cruising around or on the hook, but I don't want to keep it too full.
One of these days I'm going to have to spend some time figuring out how to fix it.

 

[rondds]

Here in NJ it's rare to get charged anything at all, but our cheap ass marina charges $5.

if you arent sure about your tank's level at any given time, get in the bilge after dark with a flashlight and back light the tank (if you have a translucent plastic tank). that is one definite way to see what's in there and see if your indicators are working. i do this occasionally to check the snake river device and it always proves to be extremely accurate.

one pee-pee flush is going to send around the amount of fluid in a plastic water bottle into the tank (no i didnt pee in a water bottle - i eye-balled it by pouring a bottle full into the bowl and comparing it to the level of a normal #1). one water bottle is about 17 fl oz. do the math and you'd be surprised how many flushes it takes to fill a holding tank.

 

[wingless]

My holding tank wiring harness was modified to add an in-line connector. Now I just unplug and unscrew the sending unit. The crud is easily cleaned and the unit restored to normal operation.

Remove the sending unit after pump-out for easy service.

The opening also permits easy access to the tank interior. I use a garden hose and long handle brush to clean the interior periodically, prior to winterization.