Pump out line blockage

[Attitude Adjustment]

I suspect that I have an obstruction in the hose that connects the pump out fitting (in the gunnel) to the holding tank. What's the best way to remove the blockage? Is there a fluid solvent (like Draino for land-based systems) that works that won't ruin the operation of the holding tank itself?

This is quite the crappy situation......

 

[Grog]

What got in there that can't be sucked out? Is the vent clogged? You can snake it out from the pump-out, toss in some of the enzyme stuff but the salt water might kill it. Is it too full to add some more water to soften things up? If the tank has a maserator I'd be careful which chemicals I put in there, the stock pumps are expensive.

 

[Attitude Adjustment]

Clogged discharge hose

The head overflow vent is operable.
The macerator is not, unfortunately...which is what forced me to try dockside pump-out...which is how I discovered the blockage in the hose between the holding tank and the gunnel fitting.
I do not know what is in the hose as the clog (though we can all take a guess.)

Key question, based on your suggestion:
Will using a snake like what you would use at home damage the hoses on the boat?

 

[BobP]

He clogged up a 1 -1/2 inch ID line, whoa!

Eating cement burgers are you?

Besides vent which is much smaller ID and may plug up, check the selector valve, may be closed or in the wrong position.

 

[Attitude Adjustment]

My dealer said that when using dockside pump-out, the vacuum pressure is applied to the bottom of the holding tank, therefore the open or closed position of either the raw water intake seacock or the macerator discharge seacock should have no effect on my ability to pump out.

So...past question about being able to use a plumbing snake still remains....

 

[BobP]

Try a diet adjustment!

All kidding aside.

You said you have a macerator, correct?

You said you have a deck pump out, correct?

Now, how mant outlets are on the waste tank, 1 or 2?

Back to kidding, more fiber in the diet buddy!

 

[SilverLining]

You can use a standard household snake to try to clear the "clog". There are no valves in this portion of the system. The line simply goes from the deck fitting to a standpipe in the tank. The standpipe ends approx. 1/2 inches from the bottom of the tank. The problem with using a snake is that it must traverse the 90 degree L fitting going into the tank.

To really understand what is happening, you will probably have to open the access plate on the top of the tank and take a look. Just because you see no waste coming out(through sight glass) during the pump out does not necessarily mean that there is a "clog". It could be that everything has solidified and can't be pumped by vacuum or the macerator.

Let us know what you find.

 

[Attitude Adjustment]

Regardless of the density of the specimens, and amount of fiber in the user's diet, after this extravaganza, trust that I will institute a "no dropping off the kids" rule aboard -- except in absolutely dire emergencies.

The pump out issues and failed macerator pump are unrelated issues. I am still getting power to the tank level indicator, but am not hearing any macerator motor sound when depressing the botton on the panel mounted on the inside of the console.

 

[BobP]

Silver, so what does the snake do when it hits the bottom of the polyethylene waste tank, drill a hole thru it ?

And how does such a large pipe or hose get plugged up with treated human waste?

Pull the hose off the tube at the tank and see where it is clogged and with what, he may have to extract the tube from the tank.

Even if someone used one of the re-usable scott towels and flushed it, big mistake, the macerator chopper head can't even cut thru it, just jams it, and no chemical is going to break it down.

Must be a whole roll of it flushed.

Messy smelly job, hire it out.

 

[SilverLining]

Hi BobP....when using a standard household snake(not a power auger) the chances of him getting the 1.5 -2.0 inch long spring with a rounded knob on the working end through the 90 degree ell into the standpipe on a scale of 1 - 10 is probably about minus 800,554. If he does get the snake into the tank, the chances of drilling a hole through the tank by hand is probably greater than minus 800,554.

Removing the hose at the standpipe as you suggested is probably the best suggestion if the problem is a clogged hose.

Having way too much experience with the GROCO macerator/holding tank system on my 272 Sailfish, still leads me to suggest that he open the tank and take a look inside.

I think it might be a hasty conclusion that the macerator problem is not related to the pump out issue. I saw no statement that the waste in the tank was "treated" with anything. If it is solidified or semi-solid, it can and will prevent the macerator blade from spinning. On my 272, there is another fuse between the indicator panel and the pump.

 

[Attitude Adjustment]

I've owned the boat about 3 months, and have always been anal (pun fully intended) about insuring the holding tank had the correct chemicals in it. I can't vouch for the habits of the first owner, other than saying he was an "experienced boat owner", whatever that may mean.

I'm having a tech analyze the situation next week. We'll see what he comes up with as a diagnosis.

The lesson learned is, if you buy a used boat, insure the macerator pump works prior to filling the holding tank to the brim. This would have been more pleasant to deal with if the system was clean, and then filled with fresh water to test its operation.

You know the saying about hindsight.....

 

[BobP]

Silver, if whatever the solyent green andromeda strain down there that has solidified killing off the macerator and set the dock pump to smoke, in spite of anal formaldehyde application levels, will need more than the 10 buck home depot spring snake. Think instead carbide cutting heads, tunnel drilling class gear. You better believe it's nothing that came out of a human.

I can hear the sounds of jackhammers from Ghostbuster guys dressed in full body bio hazard suits.

Better stay back 100 yards or duck behind the tailgate.

There's humor in everything.

For me a full waste tank is no panic, just up turn the fishbucket and let it rip, over the side at 3 mile limit. For guests, once you point to the bucket, their urge will depart all by itself !

Keep a container of clorox around for sterilizing duties.

Did I tell the one yet about what to do when running out of toilet paper?

 

[jehines3]

Are you sure your pump-out take off is from the bottom of the tank. Mine was converted to a dip tube set-up (which is much better by the way) by the previous owner. On mine the tube actually fell off the fitting. I dreaded this for a month before I finally mustered the courage to remove the fitting only to find that the dip tube was MIA (ie floating in the tank somewhere). I added a new tube and pumped it out.

The reason a dip tube set-up is better?
There is no waste constantly sitting in hoses. Marine sanitation hose while listed as low odor, will eventually start to permeate smells. The dip tube set-up allows the waste to drain back out of the hose and reside in the tank where it belongs instead of the hose. It also make troubleshooting a full load tolerable (could not resist). Since I'm also set-up with an external mascerator, I've disconnected it from the tank (I'm in the bay), and blocked off the other dip tube port. It would take about 5 minutes to put it back in service full or empty tank. jh

 

[Grog]

The spring end of the usual household snake isn't going to make any tight turn but the other end of the snake normally doesn't have anything on it and will go much further. Maybe try a coat hanger? Bend a hook on the end so it isn't going to puncture the hose and it might pull out whatever is clogging it (don't do it with a full stomach ).

 

[journeyman]

When I tried using the deck pumpout (macerator worked fine) nothing would happen. You could hear air being sucked through the vent. I removed the tank cap and using a mirror poured water down the deck fitting. It came through an elbow at the top of the tank that had no drop tube. Then I emptied the bowl and that fitting on the tank had the tube extending to the bottom of the tank. Reversed the tank fittings and end of problem. Someone on the line was asleep that day?

 

[Attitude Adjustment]

FYI...for anyone else out there suffering from similar issues...

The guys at G-W were kind enough to confirm that "it's ok" to use Draino to try to clear the clog. It supposedly won't damage the operation of any other part of the system. I intend to try it before the service appt. on Thursday.

 

[Attitude Adjustment]

Results of Thursday's attempted fix:

We were able to confirm that there was no blockage between the tank and the deck filler. A failed macerator pump and broken downtube into the holding tank are now what we think are the cause. Unfortunatley that means I need to remove the batteries, and pop out an access panel under the console in order to get to the top of the holding tank.

Apparently in subsequent years, Grady changed the specification to a different holding tank and macerator set up that is easier to repair. I think I know why.......

 

[Attitude Adjustment]

The end of the saga.....answers for anyone with similar issues.....

Inoperable macerator:
The cause was a failed circuit board on the Groco Tank Level Monitor that has the switch on it that sends current to the macerator. The macerator itself was ok. A replacement Tank Level Monitor cost around $250, plus labor to install.

Inability to pump out dockside:
The cause was that there was NO downtube installed in the holding tank. The 90 degree elbow was there, but the downtube wasn't. Now that there's a downtube, pumping out occurs as it should. Big surprise, huh? Somebody must have been asleep on the assembly line that day.

Anyhow...I'm just glad not to be full of crap any longer.

 

[journeyman]

Hey Attitude, what year is your rig? Mine is an 06. As I said in my earlier reply, I had the same issue. I wonder how many came off the line like that! I'm pretty sure my "She who must be obeyed" is planning to write a letter to GW. Just to let them know there might be a problem with QC.

For me, access wasn't a problem. I pulled the deck panel and resealed although I could have probably done it through the round access plate.

Glad to hear your plumbing is in working order again.

 

[Attitude Adjustment]

It's a 2004 283 Release, manual Jabsco head, Groco macerator & tank level indicator.

I don't think the first owner ever used the head -- period. I've owned the boat a few months, and discovered all this great stuff after filling the holding tank for the first time.