My holding wont Tank Pump Out!

C

CaptGrandLaker

Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2007
RO Number
27019
Messages
4
Please help..To get a pump out, I have always had to add fresh water to get a good prime. The last several times I have noticed that the only thing getting pumped out is the fresh water. No smell, no waste. I ran a hose down the line and blasted it with water to free the clog with no luck (must be a good clog). There is a 90 degree elbow where the line connects to the holding tank. I suspect the clog is there, but if I remove the hose at the elbow to clear the line and I am sucessful. I will have a smelly mess in bilge and wife will not be happy. Any ideas. Maybe a good laxitive. Plumbers snake? Draino?

Nothing is smelly yet and nothing is being discharged out of another hole, but that tank has got to be full..A fellow boater said it just might be a clogged air vent ...???!rb2@gr5t#
 
hove you tried adding water to the pump out pipe? does it drain down? can you add several gallons? Removing the pipe would lead to a disaster. Try pushing a snake down the pipe but being plugged would be a surprise.
 
I wonder if the "Y" valve is in the wrong position and the tank is actually empty??
 
"Nothing is smelly yet and nothing is being discharged out of another hole, but that tank has got to be full"

Care to explain that concept? If it"s being pumped out of another "hole" then it can"t also be full. I"d like to know what "other hole" this is.
 
When you try to pump out the tank, and instead, only pump out the water that's in the toilet bowl - the holding tank has a clogged vent line. If air can't come into the tank as it empties, the tank can't be pumped out. But the applied suction from the pumpout station will draw all the water out of the toilet bowl.
 
"Nothing is smelly yet and nothing is being discharged out of another hole, but that tank has got to be full"

Care to explain that concept? If it"s being pumped out of another "hole" then it can"t also be full. I"d like to know what "other hole" this is.
 
Sure, I'll explane. If the holding tank is full, there is a small releave discharge outlet (I called a hole, while in a hurry) on the port side, the overflow would come out there, but it is not....No valves (I know of) to discharge the waste are open, no leaks yet. We think their could be a discharge valve hidden somewhere that might be discharging the waste (not good) but can not find it. I'm pulling her out of the water this week to find out, before the epa finds me.
 
that is the vent line. no fluids are supposed to come out there. There is likly a filter in that small 5/8" or so line. It is probably plugged and preventing the tank pump out.
 
I'm not sure what hauling out is going to do; except make a hole in your wallet. The problem is INSIDE the boat.
 
If you have a filter and it's wet, it's toast. Put a piece of clean garden hose to the vent hole and blow into it. There should be little if any resistance. If there is, the first place I would check is the vent line. Follow the line back to the tank. The filter should be inline somewhere in there. If you get no resistance, follow the waste line from the tank to the macerator / "Y" valve if you have one. If you do have overboard discharge, make sure the seacock is shut. My Regal did not have a "Y" valve. All you needed to do if outside 3 miles was open the seacock and turn on the macerator. The configuration took care of the routing automatically. If the seacock is open, and the vent is clogged, I would think that pressure could force waste out the bottom of the boat. Worst case scenario is you have a "Y" valve with a stripped handle, stuck open regardless of the handle's position and you are pumping directly overboard every time you flush. If that'$ the ca$e, it'$ one of the mo$t $eriou$ $ituation$ you can get into and you need to re$olve it $oone$t.
 
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