Self Pump out

[Swampfrog]

Hi, Wifey thinks we should invest in one of these

http://www.leesan.com/index.asp?m=3&cat1=66&cat2=68&p=97&t=LeeSan%20Electric%20Self%20Pump%20Out%20Kit,%2012v%20DC

It's a 12V self pump out kit.......now my question is would it be acceptable to use this at an elsan point? with the cost of pump outs increasing we'd get our money back within a year but maybe others would be hacked off if we were at the elsan point for for ever how long it takes?

[Kae]

It depends on the elsan. Depending on how they're plumbed, depends whether they are suitable for self pump-outs.

 

I'm seriously considering the same, as the services adjacent to "my" marina are mains-plumbed and have a pump-out on site, so it would be suitable.

 

My only concern is storing the kit. As Dili is a trad stern, it could be rather wiffy...

[Tuscan]

Many Elsan points are unsuitable for this , I dont know if CRT produce a list of those that can be used - I am sure someone will come along.....................

[bizzard]

I think this messy buisiness is frowned upon generally. At busy sanitary station locations the self pump out performance often holds everyone else up for ages,'' lots of angry boaters stomping about, some reeling around with crossed legs in desperation, waiting waiting waiting!!!''. I believe its frowned upon by Bw-cart, too. More often than not the folk performing this operation fart and fumble about in agitation spilling sewage with their leaky tubing and bad connectins straddling the towpaths, rinse their stinky pipes in the canal-river.. If you want use your own pump out gear it might be best for everyone if you pump out into 10 gallon drums or something at your mooring then take them to a sanny and empty them like a cassette.

[WJM]

I have witnessed one of these kits in action - horrific! Ugg, you need a strong stomach!

Edited April 19, 2013 by WJM

[Grace and Favour]

I have witnessed some wholly disgusting mess' caused by self-pump-outs at Elsan stations

 

 

(Whether or not the sluices were suitable for self pump-outs I know not - - but they certainly weren't suitable for cassettes afterwards!)

[cotswoldsman]

Hopefully they will soon be banned from CRT facilities

[Guest]

Many Elsan points are unsuitable for this , I dont know if CRT produce a list of those that can be used - I am sure someone will come along.....................

 

Not sure if the list still exists but often you will see signs at CRT Elsans saying the disgusting filthy work of the devil machines self PO's should not be used at particular locations.

[nb Innisfree]

Those pumps are quite low powered and subsequently take a long time to empty a largish tank, especially if it has to lift a long way in the case of a roof mounted takeoff. That's ok if you have the pumpout o to yourself for long enough not to inconvenience anyone and you are able to use it without making a mess. They are probably ok when iced in for transferring into a suitable container to transport to a disposal point, but realistically IMO holding tanks belong to proper CaRT and boatyard P/Os

[frangar]

Well I have used a manual self p/o for the last 15 years and have never made a mess at any SS...in fact the users of sewage suitcases seem to be more able to leave it liberally splashed all up the walls without rinsing anything. There are some SS that are connected to small septic tanks which state "no self p/o"

 

 

Oh if anyone turns up while I'm using it I just stop pumping and let them use it.....then I just hose it down so its clean before I restart pumping...

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

[magnetman]

whenever I hear the term 'self pumpout' I feel a little queer

 

in the unwell sense

[Caprifool]

A machine can't make a mess without a messy human operating it.

[OldGoat]

I have/had a Leesan electric type - used it in anger once:-

• Very slow to get started
• Being a diaphragm type, it pulses causing the output tube to vibrate - that means it quite easily bounces out of the disposal point "receptacle". With layflat hose it writhes around like a demented snake
• Difficult to clean after use/
• Often the drain hole is a long way from the boat.

A good idea in concept but impossible to manage in real life.

[GUMPY]

I have possibly posted this before but let it serve as a warning, original posting by Chris Kenway on UKRW it 9was written in the days before blogs and was a letter to his friends.

 

Link to full thing here

https://groups.google.com/forum/m/?fromgroups#!topic/uk.rec.waterways/xrG5rbg6g8sNow

 

 

Now we get onto my title for today. To save money one can buy a DIY

pumpout kit. AHA now we get down to it. Well what you do is find a sanitary

station, the use of which is free, connect a thick pipe to the boat and to a

big hand pump, another soft, flat pipe, rather like a firemans hose, is

connected to the other end of the pump which is then rolled out and is

shoved down the bowl in the sanitary station. These sanitary stations are

really a normal toilet bowl like you have at home and instead of a chain to

pull you flush it with a hose pipe provided after emptying the contents of

your cassette down there. They are either in a small room or have a small

brick wall round them. So, having bought the kit and put it altogether off

we go to a sanitary station for our first, free, DIY pumpout.

 

We moor up and I connect it all up, roll out the flat pipe and stick it down

the bowl, return to the boat and start to pump, after a very short time you

should feel the pump 'bit' as the waste starts to go through I am told. Now

it should be kept in mind that a chemical is involved here, rather like what

is used in Porta Poti's it breaks down 'solid' matter and toilet paper so

what you end up with is, yes you have probably guessed it, liquid sh*t

(that's pooh to you, Jessica). Now these sanitary stations are normally near

locks or a special mooring, in this case it is at Braunston. Because

Braunston is the canal capital of the world everyone visits it mostly to

walk along, ask silly questions like "is that a narrow boat" or to 'bog'

through your windows to see what your boat is like. Now in this game you

always get the "You don't want to do it like that, you want to do it like

this" type of Mr Helpful.

 

So this guy comes along, Mr Helpful, sees what I am doing as I am pumping

away like mad waiting for it to 'bit' he follows the blue pipe along to the

sanitary station and starts looking down the bowl where my pipe is going

with the 'aim' of telling me when the muck has reached the bowl. Now what I

didn't realise is the force at which this pump works, apparently it can push

water up about 10 metres through it's 50mm pipe so we are talking a fair

pressure here. The pump 'bits' I pump like mad and then there is a scream

and Mr Helpful comes running back to me with the end if the pipe in his

hand, liquid sh*t spurting 2 metres in the air all over him and anything

else its pointed at shouting STOP PUMPING you idiot.

 

Apparently what had happened is the force of the muck coming out the pipe

was so much that it propelled the pipe straight out the bowl, he tried to

push it back down but the pipe being very soft and flexible was totally

uncontrollable. The result is rather like trying to hold a very slippery

snake that's intent on biting you. Well you can imagine the state of poor Mr

Helpful, there he stands covered from head to foot in horrible, smell gooey,

brown pooh, there was only one thing to do so I promptly got hold of the

water hose and turned it on him to rinse him down and then suggest he A)

sees a doctor and minds his own business in future. As for me, well I

have now made a wire frame up rather like you have on the waste pipe of a

washing machine so I can hook the pipe over the bowl and hold it in place.

Edited April 19, 2013 by Loddon

[matty40s]

 

A machine can't make a mess without a messy human operating it.

Ah, you've found Dave's toolkit then I take it. ¦

[ditchcrawler]

Well I have used a manual self p/o for the last 15 years and have never made a mess at any SS...in fact the users of sewage suitcases seem to be more able to leave it liberally splashed all up the walls without rinsing anything. There are some SS that are connected to small septic tanks which state "no self p/o"

 

 

Oh if anyone turns up while I'm using it I just stop pumping and let them use it.....then I just hose it down so its clean before I restart pumping...

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

Funny that, where we moor they only have Elsan disposal and we were discussing this at lunch time today. You would be amazed what people manage to put down there. Screwed up news paper, carrier bags, all sorts and these are from the people that moor there, not passing through.

The public one in Ely, behind a locked gate had a disposable BBQ down it last summer. So you can't blame self pumpout for all the mess and problems.

[sueb]

They are excelant so don't believe the peeps here who have never used one. We have used both the hand and the 12v models. 12v is preferable as it is less effort. We put a right angled pipe on the end that goes down the elsan to direct the flow

[eightpot]

They are excelant so don't believe the peeps here who have never used one.

Yep, there's reason why peeps (well, me) never use one:

 

Price: £366.36

At my reckoning, at about a pump out every other month (£15 a suck), my break even point with that kit would be a touch over 4 years.

 

I was going to type the gag that nearly 400 spot for a bit of hose and 12v pump is taking the piss, but thought better of it.

[mrsmelly]

Hi, Wifey thinks we should invest in one of these

http://www.leesan.com/index.asp?m=3&cat1=66&cat2=68&p=97&t=LeeSan%20Electric%20Self%20Pump%20Out%20Kit,%2012v%20DC

It's a 12V self pump out kit.......now my question is would it be acceptable to use this at an elsan point? with the cost of pump outs increasing we'd get our money back within a year but maybe others would be hacked off if we were at the elsan point for for ever how long it takes?

 

Spend your money on a proper bog.

 

Tim

[DeanS]

 

A reminder of why I dont pump it.

[Swampfrog]

OKAY.........enough said on this sh**y subject......having read all the replies we've decided (i think) not to have one. Thanks all for the interesting replies

[frangar]

 

Spend your money on a proper bog.

 

Tim

I have thank you!!

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

[sueb]

OKAY.........enough said on this sh**y subject......having read all the replies we've decided (i think) not to have one. Thanks all for the interesting replies

You will regret it after a few expensive, less than satisfactory pump outs. At least with your own kit you can get your loo clean.

It's interesting to see who have 'hang-ups'' with the contents of toilets

[OldGoat]

You will regret it after a few expensive, less than satisfactory pump outs. At least with your own kit you can get your loo clean.

It's interesting to see who have 'hang-ups'' with the contents of toilets

 

Sorry, I don't understand that (in bold). How does having your own equipment get it cleaner? With judicious use of the timer and flush facility - I attach a length of spare hose with spray at the end and do it direct into the holding tank, after raking any solids around.

I don't have problems with poo, but then at home I have a septic tank, so dealing with waste products is a yearly occurrence for me...

 

The difficulty with kit is that they invariably use layflat hose which is difficult to clean and completely clear.

It's a matter of hygene rather than distaste.

[luctor et emergo]

Get the right hose (hint, layflat is not it), and secure the end in the recepticle. Some people could not open a door without problems..