I FOUND THE "WATER IN FORWARD BILGE " PROBLEM !!

[Duty Free]

Sorry to be a redundent pest on this isuue, but I received so many good comments that I felt like I needed to share this with you.... especially since you all tried to help.

I worked on this issue Saturday on my 30' Marlin and found that after I sponged the water out of the forward bilge, it took all of 3 minutes for every bit of it to return.!! So I followed the trail and when I lifted the far rear cover in the aft berth, I could see the water straming out of the top of the head holding tank ...
It appears that when you leave the water valve open to use the saltwater to flush, it creates a gravity feed and continues to siphon water 24/7.
As soon as I close this valve and empty the tank, problem dries up !!
Now I know that I can only leave the vlave open when the head will be used, no longer than that or water will fill the tank...

Thanks and I hope this helps others ...

[reelserious]

For what it is worth, you should make it a practice to close all seacocks when not in use.....including livewell and raw water washdown.

[seabob4]

For what it is worth, you should make it a practice to close all seacocks when not in use.....including livewell and raw water washdown.

X10

[gw204]

Even if the hold tank fills up it shouldn't be leaking out of the top...

[freddy063]

the hose should loop above the water line stoping the flow, check to make sure the hose wasn't moved, and the tanks shouldn't leak out the top, something is wrong there, bad seal.

[Duty Free]

Hose is in proper place, but for sure the seal on the top of the tank itself is not a good one. Seems that the gasket is very worn and water has little to no means of being held back.
Looks like something else I will need to fix...
Thanks for the feedback ....

[HDGWJOE]

Still doesn't sound like the tank gasket will fix your problem... your tank shouldn't be filling up to begin with.
If it is coming in the way you think then you should see water flowing through your toilet. Check the toilet pump seals. The seals in the toilet pumping mechanism should prevent water from freely flowing through unless you call for it. If that's not the problem then somebody may have jerry rigged your plumbing someplace.

[Grog]

Is he head raw water or fresh water? If you have a loop above the waterline on the pump-out, the the water is getting in on the other side.

[Duty Free]

Still doesn't sound like the tank gasket will fix your problem... your tank shouldn't be filling up to begin with.
If it is coming in the way you think then you should see water flowing through your toilet. Check the toilet pump seals. The seals in the toilet pumping mechanism should prevent water from freely flowing through unless you call for it. If that's not the problem then somebody may have jerry rigged your plumbing someplace.

I had time to think about what you have said here and you are right... no way should it be filling up !
I never had a full head before... how do I go about checking those seals ?? Is there something I can try to avoid pulling this all apart ?
Thanks for your comments....

[sluggoe]

not sure if we have the same problem but here goes: the head on my 282, the fwd bilge always has some water in it (except when on blocks for winter storage when garboard removed);

the past few weeks i've noticed water/sewage in the head (about a half pint or so) after i've pumped the raw water down (lever in the dry bowl position) to a few inches the nite before; note that i always close the seacock when not in use;

seems strange that water/sewage is re-filling my head from the holding tank but.....

someone suggested it may be the seals on the head and to replace or to pour veggie oil down to lubricate;

--slugg.

[LeapFrog]

Unfortunately I have had the "pleasure" of taking apart my toilet recently. It is a jabsco with the electric pump conversion. The macerator got jambed up and wouldn't flush. There is a cone shaped rubber gasket (can't remember the name at the moment) that sits in line with the hose leading to the holding tank. It allows the waste to only go out from the toilet. Replace that and you should eliminate the backfilling of your toilet.
As for the saltwater filling your holding tank, the other seals within the toilet flush system may need to be replaced. You can buy a basic rebuild kit from Jabsco (west marine usually has them) for about $50 or so.
You need to close the valve though. Just like your livewell will fill when running, the toilet intake will become pressurized and saltwater will flow through your toilet and fill your holding tank. I left mine open while cruising and the holding tank was filled a lot sooner then it should!
Next project is to eliminate the clogging and valve open/closing... going to completely replace it with a new fresh water fill system.

[sluggoe]

makes sense....
thanks for the advice!!

--slugg.

[bhemi]

I had exactly the same problem with my holding tank. After replacing the macerator pump i found leaving the seacock open could flood the holding tank and it would overflow over the top. I rebedded the the top in sealer and never leave the seacocks open other than when in use. It's a pain and the first time it happened I put 4" of water in the forward bilge and my bilge pump quit at the same time.

[freddy063]

you still need to find out here the water is comeing from. Add some food coloring in to your tank and see if the bilge water ends up with the color. The bilge water could be rain water, water coming from the rear bilge, no telling but need to find out first step, see if its comeing from the tank. water running you will find makes some strange paths.