waste tank pump

[kmc]

Pardon my ignorance, is there a fuse or reset on the waste tank pump for a 2004 3100 SE?
If not, should I just replace the pump?

[mmwjr]

Originally Posted by kmc

Pardon my ignorance, is there a fuse or reset on the waste tank pump for a 2004 3100 SE?
If not, should I just replace the pump?

Is your boat equipped with a macerator pump? These can only be used in appropriate off shore pump out areas otherwise you have to use a pumpout station which sucks the contents out of the holding tank. If you have the pump there is a y-valve that must be in the correct position to all it to pump overboard. Yes there would be a fuse but I’m not not sure of it’s location, hopefully someone else knows.

[Itiswhatitis]

Does the 2400 scr have a macerater pump?

[mmwjr]

Originally Posted by Itiswhatitis

Does the 2400 scr have a macerater pump?

If it does it would have been either an option or user installed. Look at your holding tank area to see if you see one.

[Itiswhatitis]

So I just got the engine bay open and I don’t know where the holding tank is. I have one large tank that has something in it on the starboard side and one tank on the port side. I’m thinking that side the head is port side the waste holding tank must also be on the port side

[mmwjr]

On my 2400 SCR the fresh water tank is on the port side and the holding tank is on the starboard side. The holding tank will have a large hose that goes to the Waste deck plate for pumpout.

[kmc]

Originally Posted by mmwjr

Is your boat equipped with a macerator pump? These can only be used in appropriate off shore pump out areas otherwise you have to use a pumpout station which sucks the contents out of the holding tank. If you have the pump there is a y-valve that must be in the correct position to all it to pump overboard. Yes there would be a fuse but I’m not not sure of it’s location, hopefully someone else knows.

It does not have a macerator. The only fuse I could find that might work is labeled EVBD pump. This does pull up macerator from Google.

The pump was running for too long due to a break in the vacuum seal but then worked fine for the rest of the day. Pump outs are done at every fuel refill, so I don't think it was too full.

I may have a line blockage or replace the pump if replacing the fuse doesn't work. What do you think?

[mmwjr]

Originally Posted by kmc

It does not have a macerator. The only fuse I could find that might work is labeled EVBD pump. This does pull up macerator from Google.

The pump was running for too long due to a break in the vacuum seal but then worked fine for the rest of the day. Pump outs are done at every fuel refill, so I don't think it was too full.

I may have a line blockage or replace the pump if replacing the fuse doesn't work. What do you think?

The pump should only run while holding the two rocker switches at the helm. Can you post some pictures?

[yahoo82]

It sounds like this could be a vacu flush system and we’re talking about 2 different pumps. There are 2 possible pumps in the system. One is from the head to the tank. The other is for the tank to overboard discharge.

For the head to tank;

It could be setup as a vacu-flush or an electric/Macerator flush. Both get waste to the tank. The electric flush would be mounted to the base of the toilet and it “macerates” the waste and pumps it to the tank.

The vacu-flush will either pulls waste from the toilet into a small vacuum tank and pump it into the larger waste tank … or you could just have a large vacuum tank which is under vacuum. It’s is a piston style diagram pump. In either vaccuflush setup a break in any seal will cause the system to lose vacuum and the pump will cycle. The system is always under vacuum and turns on when a flush breaks the seal and loses vacuum. Common failure points from easiest to hardest are … 1) the seal around the ball flush in the toilet (it doesn’t take much … check for hair. Also run a paper towel around the seal with the ball closed and underneath with the ball open). 2) the rubber duckbill check valves in the line before AND after the pump. 3) The piston diaphragm in the pump. All parts are serviceable but it’s not a fun job :-).

The overboard Macerator would pump from the bottom of the main waste tank to a thru hull overboard. It’s about the size/shape of a freshwater pump. There’s typically a valve in the discharge and a double switch setup at the helm.

Which one are you trying to troubleshoot? Head to tank or overboard?


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[yahoo82]

I’ll add I had the vacu flush and one of my first projects was to add a convenient switch to kill power to the pump. If we left and it cycled all week the seal would dry out and be toast. It was also never fun to troubleshoot a leak in the middle of the night!


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[mmwjr]

Originally Posted by yahoo82

It sounds like this could be a vacu flush system and we’re talking about 2 different pumps. There are 2 possible pumps in the system. One is from the head to the tank. The other is for the tank to overboard discharge.

For the head to tank;

It could be setup as a vacu-flush or an electric/Macerator flush. Both get waste to the tank. The electric flush would be mounted to the base of the toilet and it “macerates” the waste and pumps it to the tank.

The vacu-flush will either pulls waste from the toilet into a small vacuum tank and pump it into the larger waste tank … or you could just have a large vacuum tank which is under vacuum. It’s is a piston style diagram pump. In either vaccuflush setup a break in any seal will cause the system to lose vacuum and the pump will cycle. The system is always under vacuum and turns on when a flush breaks the seal and loses vacuum. Common failure points from easiest to hardest are … 1) the seal around the ball flush in the toilet (it doesn’t take much … check for hair. Also run a paper towel around the seal with the ball closed and underneath with the ball open). 2) the rubber duckbill check valves in the line before AND after the pump. 3) The piston diaphragm in the pump. All parts are serviceable but it’s not a fun job :-).

The overboard Macerator would pump from the bottom of the main waste tank to a thru hull overboard. It’s about the size/shape of a freshwater pump. There’s typically a valve in the discharge and a double switch setup at the helm.

Which one are you trying to troubleshoot? Head to tank or overboard?


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Yup I am thinking the same which is why I asked for pictures.

[kmc]

Originally Posted by mmwjr

The pump should only run while holding the two rocker switches at the helm. Can you post some pictures?

The pump is triggered automatically from the vacu flush toilet and then shuts off as soon as there is a seal.

[kmc]

Originally Posted by yahoo82

It sounds like this could be a vacu flush system and we’re talking about 2 different pumps. There are 2 possible pumps in the system. One is from the head to the tank. The other is for the tank to overboard discharge.

For the head to tank;

It could be setup as a vacu-flush or an electric/Macerator flush. Both get waste to the tank. The electric flush would be mounted to the base of the toilet and it “macerates” the waste and pumps it to the tank.

The vacu-flush will either pulls waste from the toilet into a small vacuum tank and pump it into the larger waste tank … or you could just have a large vacuum tank which is under vacuum. It’s is a piston style diagram pump. In either vaccuflush setup a break in any seal will cause the system to lose vacuum and the pump will cycle. The system is always under vacuum and turns on when a flush breaks the seal and loses vacuum. Common failure points from easiest to hardest are … 1) the seal around the ball flush in the toilet (it doesn’t take much … check for hair. Also run a paper towel around the seal with the ball closed and underneath with the ball open). 2) the rubber duckbill check valves in the line before AND after the pump. 3) The piston diaphragm in the pump. All parts are serviceable but it’s not a fun job :-).

The overboard Macerator would pump from the bottom of the main waste tank to a thru hull overboard. It’s about the size/shape of a freshwater pump. There’s typically a valve in the discharge and a double switch setup at the helm.

Which one are you trying to troubleshoot? Head to tank or overboard?


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Head to tank. The pump empties into the main holding tank directly. There is no macerator on this boat.

[mmwjr]

Originally Posted by kmc

The pump is triggered automatically from the vacu flush toilet and then shuts off as soon as there is a seal.

Ok from you initial post I was thinking you were talking about a macerator pump not a head vacuum pump.

[shrew]

The OP is describing a Vacu-flush system. It's workings were laid out in detail by 'yahoo82'. From the head the discharge line first goes to the 'Vacuum Generator'. This is a vacuum pump and a small intermediary tank. The contents of the intermediary tank on the vacuum are transferred to the holding tank by a low pressure transfer pump, while the vacuum pump de-pressurizes the line between the vacuum generator and the head again.

More than likely it is the vacuum pump join the vacuum generator that is the issue.

The line from the vacuum generator to the holding tank will be on the top of the tank. Locate the vent line and the line from the vacuum generator. If you're not sure which tank is your holding tank, follow the lines from the deck plate for the water and the pump out. (hint: pump out line will go to the holding tank )

If you trace from the back back and from the holding tank forward (directions are relative, not literal) then you we eventually meet at the vacuum generator, where your issue is occurring.