Sanitation?

Agitator · Post by **Agitator** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 8:01 pm

I've gutted my engine compartment and am putting it back together.
What are the regulations for sanitary systems? I have a mascerator pump and a holding tank with a dump valve leading to either the holding tank or an outside port. How should this be plumbed? Does everything goes to the holding tank?

Stripermann2 · Post by **Stripermann2** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 8:44 am

The discharge from the head must go into a holding tank, which has a deck fitting for discharge at a marina waste disposal facility. Most older systems will probably have a "Y" valve also located from the tank to discharge overboard.

However, most places, you cannot dump overboard and if you have a "Y" valve, it must be locked or the handle removed. Some systems, (MSD's) will treat this waste and allow you to discharge in discharge areas. Also, I believe 3 miles offshore as well.

Check out one of Peggy Hall's info links: She worked for Raritan for some time...and is an expert on the subject.

http://boatbuilding.com/article.php/Mar ... vsFolklore

wowzer52 · Post by **wowzer52** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 11:23 am

Thank you Stripermann2, that is good info.

gjrylands · Post by **gjrylands** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 1:49 pm

In Chicago in order to get mooring, the sanitary system is inspected on every boat every year. If there is any way to discharge the holding tank overboard the system must be disabled. Any boat caught discharging their holding tank is fined and their mooring is revoked.

Since you have the sanitation system removed and starting fresh, I would not install the overboard discharge. If your boat is equipted wiht a recirculating head, I would replace it. They smell bad and are gross. This type of head would require a mascerator pump to transfer the waste from the head to the holding tank. Other heads, either manual or electric, do not need a mascerator pump to transfer waste to the holding tank, therefore you can remove the mascerator pump. (Normally, the mascerator pump is used to pump the holding tank overboard.)

If the old sanitary hoses smell bad, I would concider replacing them. The odor is impregnated into the hoses and will never get better. It just depends on what you are willing to put up with.

Agitator · Post by **Agitator** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 8:46 pm

So the mascerator pump DOES NOT pump waste into the holding tank?
I thought thats what it did! But it was plumbed to discharge overboard. I thought they plumbed it wrong...
I'll remove the overboard discharge and then I won't need the pump??
Do I Have that correct????

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 9:31 pm

Some heads do use a mascerator pump to pump to the tank . My head has a mascerator pump built in . mascerator pumps are also use to pump over board if you boat off shore you may want to keep the over board discharge .

RWS · Post by **RWS** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 11:32 pm

no Y valve on my International.

Vacuflush to holding tank.

Holding tank to overboard discharge via macerator

After the second macerator failed, I replaced it with a vacuum pump identical to that on the vacuflush.

This system now works great and no Y valve.

There's a seacock on the oveboard discharge fitting.

RWS

Stripermann2 · Post by **Stripermann2** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 8:47 am

Agitator,

From the toilet you will have a macerator pump at the base of the toilet or close by. From there, when you hit the flush switch, the macerator grinds up the waste and pumps it into the holding tank. The holding tank will hold 'X' amount until you legally pump it out at a marina waste station.

Older and optional set-ups may include:
At the bottom of the waste holding tank will be a hose which runs to another macerator (discharge) pump, which runs to a "Y" valve. If you open the "Y" valve and turn on waste switch, the holding tank contents will run through the discharge hose , through the "Y" valve and overboard via a seacock. Some systems may not use a "Y" valve but simply run the hose through the discharge macerator to the seacock itself, which when opened, discharges. This configuration empties the holding tank.

And finally, it's possible that between the toilet and holding tank, you may have a "Y" valve. After the "Y" valve, one hose runs directly to the holding tank and one hose which runs directly overboard.
Haven't seen this last set-up but anything on a boat is a possibility...

g36 · Post by **g36** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 9:30 am

or taking from stripermann above
"And finally, it's possible that between the toilet and holding tank, you may have a "Y" valve. After the "Y" valve, one hose runs directly to the holding tank and one hose which runs directly overboard.
Haven't seen this last set-up but anything on a boat is a possibility..."

mine has the 'y' installed as above but on my f32 the "y" that runs to the discharge is run to a purasan (in my case)or lectrasan before being discharged overboard. adding one more way to plumb to the list

gjrylands · Post by **gjrylands** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 12:56 pm

Agitator Wrote:

So the mascerator pump DOES NOT pump waste into the holding tank?
I thought thats what it did! But it was plumbed to discharge overboard. I thought they plumbed it wrong...
I'll remove the overboard discharge and then I won't need the pump??
Do I Have that correct????

Yes, you have it correct. Manual heads use a diaphragm to pump the waste to the holding tank. On toadyâ€™s electric heads the macerator is built into the toilet. It grinds and pumps the waste to the holding tank. The same motor can also pumps sea water to the toilet for flushing. Some toilets don't use sea water, so the motor only drives the macerator. (This does not include vacuflush systems, they use a vacuum pump.) The discharge hose from the toilet runs to and enters the holding tank through the top fitting in the tank. The bottom fitting in the holding tank runs to the waste deck fitting. The small fitting in the top of the holding tank is the vent.

If you are installing an overboard discharge, the discharge hose running from the bottom fitting of the holding tank to the inlet of the Y valve. One of the outlets is connected to the waste deck plate. The other outlet is connected to the overboard discharge outlet. This outlet is below the water line so it needs to have a seacock.

A macerator could be used to transfer waste to a second holing tank, but this is not common.

I don't think you will be using the macerator on your installation.

Agitator · Post by **Agitator** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 1:42 pm

Thanks. There was a lot of good information. When I flush I don't remember hearing a mascerator pump. I've got some more reesearch to do but you guys have been great. Thanks

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