For the second time in five years I've had the seal on my macerator fail and the most inopportune time - full tank and no pumpout in sight. It's pretty impossible to replace a macerator with a spare without making a huge mess while the tank's full, so I'm looking for a way to secure the line from the holding tank to the macerator. I'm thinking a merelon ball valve, or something equivalent that can resist sea water and other "stuff." I believe this has been discussed on the list before and even talked to Stu about a 2007 reference he'd made, but unfortunately I haven't been able to find the post. Can anyone help?
Thanks
- Mick
PS: I have gotten a few excellent open-box buys on GF double-union valves on eBay.
Hey Mick
If you insert a ball valve be sure it's a full-port.
For commercial uses that I have, I like Gorge Fisher valves and would use a compact GF+ 374 PVC-U, double true union, threaded socket (to accept hose barbs) valve. Pricey is an understatement but the huge benefit is you can remove it to service/clean and not screw around with hose barbs. The 374 is a less expensive cousin of the GF+ 375 PVC-U which is what I used for severe applications.
https://www.gfps.com/content/dam/gfps/com/datasheets/en/gfps-datasheet-374-375-ball-valve-en.pdf
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Mick,
There's got to be a pump out station somewhere in San Diego, I'd find one even if it requires some motoring. Changing out a macerator pump even when the tank has been pumped out and flushed several times is not an enjoyable experience (don't ask me how I know!) Also I'd highly recommend wearing a respirator during the operation, gloves aren't a bad idea either.
Mick : I've looked at that idea for MANY years - there just is not enough space for any valve!! Wish there was!!
A thought
I agree with Ron that on the MKI it is very tight. Maybe Mick's MKII has more room between macerator pump and tank?
Quote from: Noah on June 23, 2024, 12:20:48 PMI agree with Ron that on the MKI it is very tight. Maybe Mick's MKII has more room between macerator pump and tank?
Noah - are you saying between the tank outlet and tee for the macerator? Is there 5 inches?
Dang! I just left the boat or I would have measured and taken a photo.. but, to my recollection, the macerator is almost touching the tank with a short (maybe 3in.) hose connecting the two.
EDIT: here are some pics I took in 2018 when I installed new thru-hulls. While pics are not ideal, they may give some idea of space there.
Update.
Yeah Noah, I see a bulkhead or wall or something.
Looks like you have the tank hose barb almost butted against the barb on the macerator.
(all conjecture on thicknesses but) eliminating the width of the hub on the exit barb and cutting off the barb on the macerator, there's enough distance for a compact valve and still hold a square dance.
I love when I hear "must do" or "can't do" something (like install a water cooled riser in a 34.) It gives me "engineer Plan B tingles." d;-)
Yeah dang.
Is that up against a bulkhead or is there some flexibility/leeway in position of the macerator?
It is very tight. After the studs holding the pump/motor together corroded and fell apart, I replaced the studs with SST ones and relocated the macerator to move it higher and to get rid of the special 90 degree inlet to the pump to make replacement easier. I think the Shields sanitation hoses from the tank to the elbow, and from the elbow to the macerator are each 6-7" long. Theoretically I can replace the pump/motor with the holding tank 1/2-3/4 full without spillage. Haven't tried it, and hope I don't have to.
Thx Jon. Nice pix, very "explicative."
The way you relocated it (very nice!) a valve would fit either on the horiz** or on the vertical.
And leave room for two square dances.
**(On the horiz so long as you have 1-7/8" between the center of the tank outlet to the hull.)
-Ken
Jon's pump is Jabsco and mine is Shurflow, and I have perhaps more restrictive wiring routed in that direction? Who knows what Mick (original poster) has on his MKII?? When my pump goes, I should probably look into moving it a bit too. Hopefully, that day is way far off.
I dint look up the measurements of the Jabsco (like mine) vs the Sherwood, but product pictures look like they are very close to the same. Same form factor and inlet.
I won't beat this up any more but if anyone wants to install a ball valve (BEFORE their macerator fails and it becomes a poopy mess) I can show how to make it fit.
Hi all
I've attached a couple of pix. I measured about 14 inches from the macerator to the tank outlet, realistically only about a foot usable to put a valve in, and that on a pretty severe bend. It *might* be possible, especially using Raritan's SaniFlex which is a lot bendier than the Shields (see last pic). At this point I'll just add "check macerator" to the list of things I need to pay more attention to. When I pulled the macerator out the screws holding the "head" on were quite loose, telling me the thing had been failing for a while.
We had the same problem recently. Full tank, failed macerator. Luckily, we hadn't used the tank for poopies, so we syphoned it into the bilge and then pumped out. No smell or unpleasantness. But I wouldn't do this for a poopy tank!!
Gobs of room for a compact 1-1/2" valve, Mick.
Quote from: KWKloeber on June 23, 2024, 08:54:00 PM"if anyone wants to install a ball valve ... I can show how
Mick,
I must be missing something here, isn't installing a ball valve with a full tank going to create the same mess as just replacing the macerator? And if do this you'll have an additional valve whose only purpose is to isolate the tank if the next pump fails and if the tank is full and if you can't find a pump out station.
It sounds like you're not the only one who doesn't have access to a pump out station which is surprising in these days of environmental awareness. And I'm really surprised to hear there are no pump outs in San Diego. I've got a pump out at my slip, there's one in the marina, one in the marina 30min away and there are two at my island of choice (Catalina) plus in Avalon there's a guy who will come out to your mooring to pump you out. That's why the need for a ball valve has never even occurred to me. I've changed that pump two or three times but I'd never attempt it before I'd pumped out the tank and flushed it with fresh water at least 5 times and even then it's not a fun job.
Kevin— There are lots of free pump-out locations in San Diego.
Noah,
Yeah, I figured. Still doesn't explain Mick's reluctance to find one of those locations before starting the most horrible of jobs.
He may be on a cruise? Where I dock at SDYC, in the Shelter Island Yacht Basin, every sail, whether its in the Bay or going out to sea, I have to sail right past the Harbor Police dock, which has free pump-out and potable water 24/7.
Yes, plenty of pumpouts in SD Bay, even one at the end of my dock at SGYC. I was at anchor at Glorietta Bay. Of course I pumped out when I got back to Shelter Island. Last time this happened was at Isthmus Cove, where the pumpout is located about 3 miles due north.
In both cases being able to isolate the holding tank from the macerator so I could swap in my spare macerator would have been beneficial.
Quote from: Mick Laver on July 23, 2024, 09:31:46 AM.
being able to isolate the holding tank from the macerator so I could swap in my spare macerator would have been beneficial.
Mick
Color me confused. Op said you were looking to isolate the tank, and I explained that you can, indeed, do what you wanted.
Have you now decided to stay "status quo"?
Cheers
Ken
Mick,
So the pump failed once on anchor and once on a mooring, both cases you'd have to have a spare on board to take advantage of a shut off valve. That's a pretty expensive piece of kit to be carrying aboard for something that's not a real emergency. If you don't carry a spare you'll have to go get one which will likely put you in proximity to a pump out. I get it you want a shut off valve there so do it, your boat, your choice and all that. Even with a shut off valve you'll still have to deal with the mung in the pump, the hose to the pump, and the valve.
Quote from: scgunner on July 25, 2024, 07:50:06 AMyou'll still have to deal with the mung in the pump, the hose to the pump, and the valve.
The valve should be placed at the pump inlet, not at the tank outlet.