self pump out

[Stu-pot]

I have purchased a 12volt self pump out kit from midland chandlers. It takes ages to start pumping, only pumps when the tank is full and it takes a hell of a lot of priming. I think the problem is the 2 meters of 1-1/2" suction hose plus the 1 meter down to tank volume too great. Would reducing suction hose length be any benefit? Has anybody had similar problem? All suggestions welcome.

Regards Stu.

[Chris Lingwood]

Says on their site it primes up to 10ft so it should be ok. Although it might be a bit slow. Mine (a jabsco diaphragm pump) primes in a few seconds, but there's only about 2ft because I've mounted in inboard.

 

Does it screw into the skin fitting (if they've got any sense it does). Try some ptfe tape. If it doesn't then they are often 1 1/2' bsp which is wildly convenient so change it. If there's a leak it'll take ages to prime, but then again I'd expect it to at least weep out of the leaks.

 

If you're confident there aren't any leaks then shortening that pipe might do the job, the shorter the better. I trust you've got a tank vent to let the air back in

[cotswoldsman]

I have purchased a 12volt self pump out kit from midland chandlers. It takes ages to start pumping, only pumps when the tank is full and it takes a hell of a lot of priming. I think the problem is the 2 meters of 1-1/2" suction hose plus the 1 meter down to tank volume too great. Would reducing suction hose length be any benefit? Has anybody had similar problem? All suggestions welcome.

Regards Stu.

 

Yes the best solution would be to pay for a pump out at a marina so as not to subject other boaters to this discusting habit of self pump out!!!

 

( I do go on don't I)

[Gary Peacock]

I don't know if it's all down to the talk on the forums or increased pump out costs but sales of self pump out kits have tripled already this year, on a similar note sales of macerating type toilets have now overtaken the once all conquering Tetford Cassette so it seems taste are changing too at the other end of the "process" too.

Edited August 9, 2008 by Gary Peacock

[Andy Woods]

Found this yesterday,

http://www.galeforcemarine.com/macerator.asp

Checked with the marina manager about using the chemical toilet disposal, and he has no problem with that.

My thinking being that in the winter or when the river is high, making a trip to the pumpout station a bit grim, I can just 'decant' into a suitable container.

Quick hike to the disposal point and problem solved! At between 12 and 16 quid a time for a pump out it will pay for itself pretty quickly too.

[tosher]

Yes the best solution would be to pay for a pump out at a marina so as not to subject other boaters to this discusting habit of self pump out!!!

 

( I do go on don't I)

 

Is it any more disgusting than carrying a cassette full of s--t to the emptyiny point, removing the large cap and emptying the contents down an open drain with the resultant splashing of the contents in all directions. Not to mention the cleaning out of the cassette with a brush and copious ammounts of water splashing around all over the place. Bin there, done that, got the tee shirt !!!!

[DaveR]

Sorry guys, you are all a bunch of whimps. Whose ***t is it anyway?

 

Dealing some sewage is not the end of the world.

 

One of the main things to help the pump out process is not to put ordinary toilet paper down the toilet. Since we adopted the Greek standard of bag and dispose at home, pump outs have become no problem at all - even using the manual self pump out kit.

 

Stu, is the vent/toilet bowl dump valve open to admit air in place of the pump out volume? This can make starting the process a little difficult.

 

Dave