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I have spent a little time working on a method of knowing when to pump out. I have looked at a few solutions, all commercial systems seemed very expensive, I even played around with some ultrasonics and a microcontroller. I now have the simplest and so far cheapest method, I am sure I am not the first to think of this. https://floydtilla.co.uk/2023/03/19/knowing-when-to-pump-out/

With apologies to the marina - I always thought notices like this were made up for the laughs: The pump out is presently out of order and waiting for parts to arrive. You will be advised once the pump has been fixed. The Marina apologises for any inconvenience this may cause.

We have had our boat for about 6 weeks and our pumpout toilet became blocked this morning; the macerator runs, the water goes down, but then when the power stops to the macerator the water flows back up again, along with whatever was in it. Nothing down there but very cheap TP and natural products, so we suspect some sort of TP blockage, but it appears to be after the macerator. We did a thorough pumpout just yesterday. Any advice on how to clear? We are okay with advice that might shorten the lifespan of the pumpout, as we intend to rip the blasted thing out and replace it next week.

We have a Tecma Silent macerator toilet and a holding tank under the bed about 3.5m away. The pump out is via the roof. We had the smelly pipes replaced 4 years ago soon after buying the boat - they were and are still smelly despite expensive anti-pong pipe. I want to replace pipework again this winter. I'm after some advice on pipework reconfiguring, non-return valves and the like. At present the pipe leaves the toilet and runs at floor level before rising up to enter top of tank. In my mind this creates 3.5m of tubular 'tank' along back of my wardrobes etc. Ewwwww! What I plan to do is get the pipe to rise up steeply and as high as reasonable as soon as possible from toilet, then slope v gently down to the tank. This will involve contortions to cut new pipe holes through backs of 3 cupboards so Q1- Will a steep rise like this be ok with the macerator? and Q2 - will this make a difference to the smell, having it drain better to holding tank? I don't want backflow to toilet! Next issue - if the tank is full and can't be pumped out immediately, within a day the tank 'burps' sewage back into the toilet bowl (I've not seen this - reported by boatsitter twice while waiting for pumpout) Double ewwwww! This implies summat wrong with non- return valves or maybe fermentation in the long pipe as I'd think it would have gone up the vent pipe. Where should non-return valves be? Final bit of advice needed - the roof pipes have a pumpout pipe, a rinse pipe, and an air vent pipe. These pipes whiff too, passing up through airing cupboard behind my bed. And when standing on the back if someone flushes - pong! How to set up to minimise smell in these? Filters? Valves? Someone suggested rigid pipe but I don't think I can get enough access for that - the toilet-to-tank pipe definitely has to be flexible. The vertical ones could have rigid sections. I could lag pipes but that might only mask things temporarily. Any advice on set-up and smell - avoidance much appreciated. If there is a Midlands expert I'm by happy to pay em to deal with all this. (I need to stress I dislike pump out toilets in principle. Especially when they make my bedroom and clothes whiff of plasticky sewage!!!!) Thanks all.

Ok, i know this has been done before because i've read a couple of threads in the past, but there didn't seem to be anything like a consensus so would be interested in knowing current views. We have a Mansfield Traveler. Both the pump and the seals have failed and we will resolve these in the coming months. In the meantime we are flushing with water from a bottle and sealing the bulb with dampened tissue. Incidentally, the latter is very effective at preventing smells and also makes it much easier to flush solids with a small quantity of water. Nevertheless, the toilet smells when the seal is broken, and neither Elsan Blue or Odorlos are much use, despite the latter claiming to eliminate odours 100%. We've asked a few boaters and some seem to find bio detergent to work well. I'd be interested in hearing peoples' views on this and have added a poll to the topic.

Lovely problem... Seems my toilet won't flush anymore and on investigation the pipes are clogged with limescale (I think) It's formed a solid barrier in the pipe leading to the black tank. Is there anything safe I can use as a de-scaler?

Hi Hive mind We have a 1993 ex hire (Cambrian Cruisers, Mon and Brec) 45ft boat Seren-y-dwr, we have owned her for 4 years and had no issues with the pump out. We took her out of the water in Jan this year for work to be done to the hull - overplating. This meant that we didnt use her again until July - we had a pump out before she was lifted. We then cruised for a couple of months down to Tewkesbury where we are now moored. When we tried pumping in Aug some stuff came out but it then seemed to block and wouldnt full pump out. We have tried again today and she is blocked - seems to between the tank and the extraction point. The reason i think this is, no smell in boat, no water/poo in bilge. So we started with a poky stick (as you do) - there is obviously a bend in the pipe about 2ft down - so went and bought a proper groovy pipe unblocker - gets about 5ft down then hits an obstruction we cant get through. So strokey beard time - got a drain unblocker - put it down - got a bit further with the pipe but still not through. Current position: have put more chemical unblocker down and hope it sorts prob before we come back bog is pretty full but not coming out the presentation end (the seat :)) We need this sorted as the wifes need for a wee every 10 seconds will restrict our cruising somewhat anyone got any thoughts/ideas? thanks

Hello, I need some advice if anyone knows about this please tell me, I just had done the pump out and clean the toilet, but the brush got stuck and after finally I got it out its seemed normal, now I drop some loo roll and maybe was too thick cause its not working anymore, the macerator still going but it doesn’t suck the water, is like its mashes but not “sucking” To make the waste go, Im desperate and panic now, .. any advice?

I have scoured the forum the best I can, and found a few answers that have informed me, but think I need to ask a fresh question... I have just removed an old plastic pump-out tank - disgusting work but all OK. However, after shifting this tank I discovered that the boat has an older metal waste tank under the floor; possibly built into the hull but I am not 100% sure. The older tank wasn't sealed, with just a piece of wood over the old 'drop-through' hole. I was surprised to find it nearly full to the top with (orange) water. I thought this was old sewage, but having stirred a stick around it doesn't bring up any sludge so am wondering if a previous owner had flushed it out and just left it full of water, which has since mixed with rust. My question is: I want to pump out this old water, but am unsure whether to A) try to dry it out and leave it empty or keep it filled with water which I have read in some places will stop the bottom rusting. My gut goes with option A, but I wondered if it would still rust? Any suggestions on what to do to deal with this old tank (without removing it) and sealing it back up would be much appreciated! (If it helps, the boat is an ex-hire Canaltime / South West Durham build from 2000.) Thanks in advance!