Plumbing a macerator pump for home pump out

Stever00

Anyone set up boat for home pump out to to sewer?
I trailer boat to smaller lakes. Not even sure where a pump
out station is. I bought a Seaflow 12 volt pump. Thought I
might use it to pump out from outside at pump out opening.
These pumps don't seem to strong. Don't wanna cut any holes
In boat. Does pump need to be close to tank or below? Could
I install Y valve and pump through hose out back? Would a transfer 
pump work? This is a 240 Fiesta Vee. Has type 3 holding
tank.

PickleRick

I got this one!  I trailer launch my 28 footer every weekend at an army corps camp ground.  I pump out at their rv pump out station.  I have 2 macerators.  Both claim to lift 4 or 5 ft. Of lift.

I have one on top of the poo tank.  I have the second one plumned inline to the over board line that you can use 3 miles off shore.  

Im using a brass 3 way valve to make the connection to the suction end of maceraror number 2 located in my engine bay. Mybmacerator #2 has a clear heavy duty vinyl extension hose I uncap to attach a garden hose.  I feed the garden hose from my engine compartment over the eude of the boat to the pump out hole in the ground.  My boat is tall so it's a good 20 ft of those.


At that point I climb my ladder and turn on the hose at the wash down so I have clean water going. 

I maks sure my 3 way valve is turned to feed macerator number 2.

I then prime the first macerator until I hear her start pulling the pee pee poo poo water.  I at that point cut on pump number 2.

I keep the 2 pumps running until i hear them lose suction. At that point i kill the motors

I then turn them off and pump some fresh water down the factory supplied pump out waste connection.  I fill it for a minute or three.  I then repeat pump out.  I do this 3 or 4 times until the water coming out of my macareror #2 looks clear...or at least less brown depending on how busy they are.  At the end of the season I did this about a dozen times before winterizing.  

Its a gross process but better than dumping a porta potty.  I had one macerator fail on me last summer mid pump.  Was the one sitting on top of the holding tank.  It was awful to replace.  I actually consider forcing the family to change their dietary habits to make the situation better when it happens again.   


Now I think ill just put in 2 new macerators every 3 rd season. 

You may be ok with using one macerator but I didn't want to chance a clog with the height of my boat.  Some have used a macarator with a rubber boot as a gasket to go directly from their pump out fitting.    Mine would not pick up from there, it just blew out stinky air.  

Good luck and just keep telling yourself, everyones family poops.

randy56

Having the same problem. I installed one on my old 270. Came out of the bottom of the tank. attached y valve then pump. ( I then drilled hole in the boat and shot the **** over board) If you rafted up next to me and I did not like you, you could have a bad day. Just kidding. Look at the pump's head preasure to see if you could add maybe 25 ft of flexable hose to send it down the sewer? you wiil have at least a 3ft of rise to get it out of the boat with hatch open. Then gravity to your home sewer clean out. It has to be a macerator type. Not just a liquid type.
PS don't do this project just after eating. You'll more clean up to do. 

LaRea

How do you lock it out when underway?  

Handymans342

LaRea said:

How do you lock it out when underway?  

He doesn't. He boats on the Potomac. LOL

raybo3

If I am understanding what you want its very simple. Take you pump and put a short stubby piece of hose on the suction side. Put a hose on the discharge side. Take pump motor and put some leads with clips. Done. Now put discharge hose to where you want to pump it to. Hold the pump (nice and tight) to the "waste" on the boat and put the leads on a battery or power pack and let it rip. When done wash pump and put it away for the next use. Its very portable....lol

Handymans342

Can we dump it at Gillette stadium?

LaRea

You can dump overboard if you are three miles out.  From your home marina.  

raybo3

He said he wants to empty from home and from outside the boat. This way will do it. 

LaRea

@Stever00 I assume you know this, but for future readers:  If you ever get boarded by USCG or other law enforcement, you need a way to verify lockout of your overboard discharge.  There are lots of ways including padlock, removing the handle from the Y-valve, and so forth -- look it up. 

Unlike my previous post, law enforcement officers do not have a sense of humor on this topic.  

TonyG13

LaRea said:

@Stever00 I assume you know this, but for future readers:  If you ever get boarded by USCG or other law enforcement, you need a way to verify lockout of your overboard discharge.  There are lots of ways including padlock, removing the handle from the Y-valve, and so forth -- look it up. 

Unlike my previous post, law enforcement officers do not have a sense of humor on this topic.  

This goes double for the Great Lakes. Macerator lockout enforcement is zero tolerance. My Maxum had a macerator, and I had a lockout (zip-tie) on the y-valve, fuse removed at the helm, and switch wires removed - and they still looked it all over carefully when we were stopped once.

Cableguy Greg

I have one on my boat. It was an add on because at the time that I got my boat, there were zero, yes zero, pump outs in the Pittsburgh pool on the river. You had to go up one lock, or down 2 locks (26 river miles) to find one. Pretty much every boat in that area that has a holding tank has one. Since it is a federal harbor, the USCG had ultimate jurisdiction over the boaters and they would check the boats if you got stopped. My y valve is always locked out with a pad lock. The good news is they have since added 2 pump out stations with more coming. 

Now that I will probably be in Lake Michigan this summer, I will more than likely remove the switch along with the y valve being locked out. When I boated the Chesapeake and Lake Erie, I was sure to use the pump out stations for my poo. 

randy56

Yep, they ain't playin, I keep a lock on mine but was never stoped or boarded. Some small lake's in Indiana will not let you even put your boat in there lake's if you have a holding tank.