I tried using the macerator pump this week for the first time and I am now experiencing a head smell. I see now that the macerator itself is leaking. Has anybody else experienced this problem. Not sure if its original, but I guess it just needs replacement.
Thanks,
Ron E
Ron, macerator pumps are "notorious" for failure, especially the Jabsco units. Yes, it's easier to replace than to try to repair. If you're sure it's not the hose fittings and clamps... Sometimes simple lack of use kills 'em.
Hey Stu,
Yeah its a Jabsco, and the drip drip leak is coming from the unit. Curious, what did you and most owners replace there Jabsco with.
Thanks RonE
Wrote about this a few years ago. We had a fairly new Jabsco and when checking it the night before a cruise, it literally twisted itself in two. When checking with the yard, they commented that they saw dozens of these failures and highly recommended a Shure replacement. We went with their recommendation and have had no problem so far. We also made a warranty claim with both West Marine and directly to Jabsco.....West Marine just laughed and Jabsco never responded. Go with the Shure. Hope this is of help.
Hey Stephen,
I picked up the Shurflo macerator today at defender.
I will install next week after I return from a week in Casco bay in Maine.
thanks
RonE
my macerator went out yesterday while I was testing it. It was a jobsco and rarely used. I went to West Marine and they make a replacement mascerator under their name.. I think about $140.00 (less than jobsco and Surflo) Replaced the other unit easily. Not a pleaseant job in the bottom of the boat in 90+ heat and Florida humidity. .
I started a thread here a couple of years ago when, in replacing my broken macerator, I created a s#&t storm for the ages. It had a happy ending but I will repeat Peggy Hall's advice to me. I bought Pure Ayre on line to kill the odor and it was the critical piece to returning my boat to habitability. I was led to believe that with the degree of spillage into the bilge I might never get rid of the odor but in a short amount of time it was completely gone. Good luck to my fellow macerator failure sufferers.
Just to follow up..
I installed the shurflo, which wasnt so plesant. I had to replace the 20$, 1-1\2 elbow as well.
It s working fine.
Ron
I'm thinking of replacing my hoses the end of this season. Was thinking of pumping out the tank. Filling with fresh water then running the macerator to get rid of all the fresh water and to clean out any left over residue. Once I get the tank empty. How much water/waste can I expect to come out in the piping once disconnected? I'm hoping to create as little mess as possible.
Hi,
If you empty with your macerator pump, you shouldn't have to much left.
I did a good pump out before our last winter houlout, and I removed the pump. No mess came out :D
Since we sail on a Lake, pump is not allowed, it should be disconnected.
I had a LOT of rags placed under the fitting and a good pair of rubber glove, just in case.....
Not a fun job
A couple of suggestions based on bad experiences :shock:
Put a lot of cheap dish washing liquid in the tank and fill it half full and let it slosh as long as possible before pumping out.
Then flush with as much water as you can.
Go the grocery store and get a couple of disposable baking pans of the biggest size that will fit and several rolls of paper towels, put several layers of paper towels against the hull and in the bottom of the baking pan.
Form the baking pan to to fit under the joint and be careful!
I'll second the Pure Ayre recommendation. ( Wash with Dawn, rinse, spray the area with a strong bleach solution, rinse, rinse again and pure Ayre it)
I've replaced holding tanks and plumbing on my last 3 boats and have it down only an objectionable jab compared biological warfare the first time!
I would agree with the advice from JR. FWIW when I did this I used baby diapers instead of paper towel. Not really sure if they are more absorbent but they have plastic on one side to keep the "stuff" from seeping through. I tried to do it on a morning after things had frozen but that did not work as expected as "stuff" flowed quite well. Why is it that the PG works well when you don't want it to? :cry4`
Mine was leaking too. I had the tank fully pumped out, flushed, and pumped dry. I was able to use a standard plumbing plastic cap from the hardware store to seal off the tank and remove the mascerator. I intended to buy a new one but reconsidered when I saw the price for a new one. In my case, the long threaded bolts holding the grinder to the motor were rusted away. Tacoma Screw in the Pacific Northwest sold me long threaded stainless rods from which I replaced the missing bolts. I cut out my own gaskets from automotive gasket material and reassembled and reinstalled it. I would never use the damned thing in Puget Sound but wanted a workable mascerator in place for the long cruise I intend to take next year. . . just in case.
Dave,
Along with all my other "Great Ideas" yours has just been officially stolen!
I had never thought about using diapers for their intended purpose!
When I changed my hoses 2 seasons ago and then removed the holding tank this month... I used a small 5 gal shop vac for when the hoses come of to catch the remnants that pumping out and "mascerating" can't pull out.
I lined the area with about half a roll of paper towel which only caught an ounce or so.
At least you can clean the shop vac out in the open.
I used pureayre prior to pulling my tank out and it worked only for a week. I finally had to paint the compartment the tank resides in to stop the "off" smell in the settee compartment. I also painted the tank with plastic primer and then oil alkyd rustoleum. No more smell. The reinstallation did not include the macerator... even though I may go in the inter-coastal in the next few years.. I'll just plan accordingly without it. (can't use it inside the inter-coastal anyway) My tank from Tank Depot arrived without NPT threaded holes and I was not about to follow their advise to use thru hulls and a inspection plate. That's why we painted the original tank after a more than thorough cleaning. Some day maybe I'll have fittings welded into the new tank.
I recently replaced my macerator, and before I disconnected any hoses, I did the following: pumped out and flushed 3 times, then used the intermittently working macerator to pump out a bit more, and then to get the last I used one of those $5 Harbor Freight orange hand pumps. Ziptied the pump input hose along side a small diameter metal rod to make it rigid, fed the hose/rod through the vent connection and positioned it at the bottom of the tank. I was able to pump out almost a gallon more. When I finally disconnected the macerator hoses I only got drips from the tank.
By the way, the reason I had to repair was not for the intermittent macerator - It is used maybe once a year after tank flush. The real problem was a slow leak developed between the threaded connection at the macerator input and the 1 1/2" nylon elbow. When I removed the assembly the connection was very loose. It was nowhere near that loose when originally installed about 5 years ago. I believe the nylon elbow worked its way loose with help from repeated heating from my battery charger mounted in same compartment next to holding tank – about 12" away from the macerator. I never realized how hot it gets in that unvented compartment when the charger is full on. So I am now looking for a new place to mount my charger! I also used teflon grease instead of teflon tape this time around, as that may help keep things sealed better over time than the tape.
Guys : As Bob found out, never install a battery charger in an area that does not have adequate free flowing ventilation. Heating of the charger gives poor performance and decreases its life!!
Another thing that I have learned is to use heavy duty Teflon tape. It does much better than the normal thin Teflon tape.
A few thoughts
OK, mine went bad on me last week (leaking), so I ordered a Shurflo to replace it. Started to disconnect my old pump and now I'm having second thoughts. Since it is illegal to use it except offshore, which I will never do (go offshore that is), I'm thinking of capping off that discharge hole in the tank and not having a macerator at all.
Any thoughts on this?
What's the best way to cap it off?
I used a plumbing plug with Teflon tape from ACE hardware. I believe it is 1 1/2 in. Be sure to pump out first and be prepared for a mess.
Quote from: Footloose on August 24, 2013, 04:23:35 AM
I used a plumbing plug with Teflon tape from ACE hardware. I believe it is 1 1/2 in. Be sure to pump out first and be prepared for a mess.
I've already taken off the pump and just the hose is sticking out of the tank. The tank is pretty clean and what little did run out of the hose wasn't bad at all, so I'm sure I won't have a mess when I pull off the hose to plug the tank. There's an Ace hardware just a couple miles away that most of us here at the marina pay homage to at least once a weekend.
Should I just plug the hose or remove the hose and plug the tank? Plugging the hose looks like it will be way easier as it seems like it will be a bear to get the hose off.
Problem solved. The piece of PVC that screwed into the elbow at one end and fit into the hose at the other end...I just got a cap that fit on the elbow end and capped off the hose. very little water drained into the bilge during the process and what did drain was 90% clear fresh water and the other 10% was river water and urine so very little smell that a quick rinse of the bilge will take care of.