Macerators - Oh my - which one?

[jtsailjt]

Originally Posted by DeValency

While technically, the Whale Gulper waste pump is probably the best built and most reliable solution to drive our products, I still prefer using the Jabsco macerating pump out of the toilets, especially at the master cabin head, 30' away from the holding tank. It keeps the long discharge lines and holding tank free of solids, easier to be washed and cleaned.

There are many cheaper macerating pumps - at 50% of Jabsco. However, from friends experiences, they had ongoing issues - it would be interesting to hear from others here about their own experience.

Do you really wash out your holding tank? I pump into my holding tank 100% of the time and hope to never have to open it up. I try to pump it out frequently and so far have had no buildup of solids in it that have caused any problems. Fingers crossed.

I’m having trouble visualizing your system and where your macerater is located within it. Do you have macerating toilets or is your macerater downstream from your toilet but prior to your holding tank, but I’m not sure how that would work?

I’ve never heard of even long runs from marine toilets getting clogged by solids. If there is a narrowing or clog it’s usually from the salt and urine coating the inside of the hose with a crusty layer that can eventually close off the passage. In order to avoid having sewage sit in the hose, when I had a Groco model K I used to pump it 20 additional times after the bowl was cleared, but now with the vacuflush toilets it just goes whooosh out of the bowl and then continues to be pumped further downstream for as long as it takes for a strong enough suction to be created to satisfy the pressure switch. I’m not sure how far that would be if the holding tank were a very long distance away but my forward head is about 20’ from my holding tank and I haven’t had any problems with clogging.

[jtsailjt]

Moctrans, the Great Barrier Reef and Chesapeake pollution and depletion of fish populations are all very concerning issues, I think we all agree on that. But none of these problems have been caused by sailboaters failing to go to pump out stations. I understand your frustration and anger but think in this case it’s misdirected. Industrial and agricultural pollution along with overfishing are the real culprits so it would be more appropriate and productive to direct your anger at them.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by jtsailjt

Moctrans, the Great Barrier Reef and Chesapeake pollution and depletion of fish populations are all very concerning issues, I think we all agree on that. But none of these problems have been caused by sailboaters failing to go to pump out stations. I understand your frustration and anger but think in this case it’s misdirected. Industrial and agricultural pollution along with overfishing are the real culprits so it would be more appropriate and productive to direct your anger at them.

Indeed.

Pure emotion without any scientific basis whatsoever. What do you think happens to the waste which you pump out? You think it is magically teleported into deep space?

As I posted, and this was ignored, so I'll say it again:

Pumping out well macerated waste from a small vessel some distance from shore is MUCH less harmful than pumping it into a pumpout station where it gets concentrated and gets treated doubtfully or not at all (when it rains), and dumped right next to the shore in a huge concentration. Waste from small vessels does no harm at all to the Great Barrier Reef; the problems there are, as jtsailitjt said, are caused by chemical and fertilizer runoff. See here: https://www.marineconservation.org.a...-barrier-reef/

If you don't believe me, ask a marine biologist (I have!).

[Bycrick]

About 15 years ago, I was anchored in a small bay in Mexico, along with 70+ other boats. There was a small town with a population of a few hundred people. They actually had trash cans on the beach. All the "environmentally sensitive" gringos carefully put trash in plastic bags and carried it ashore, dutifully depositing it in its designated cans. If you stayed long enough, you could find out what happened then.

They’d take the plastic bags a few hundred feet into the mangroves and throw them in a slough. When that finally filled up, they’d take them up to the main highway and throw the bags off the road into a deeper ditch.

My "investigation" of the trash was prompted by someone on the morning radio net saying "Do you realize that there’s a boat in the anchorage with two dogs. They bring them into the beach and (horrors) don’t clean up after them."

Of course, nobody cleaned up after the local dogs, nor was anyone much worried about the local hotel which rented out horses to ride along the beach.

But rationality is not important to the zealots who want to save the world by telling everyone else what they should do.

[TBear60]

Boat waste... what a great topic!

Many issues discussed here would be addressed if you switch to ElectroSan by Raritan. Albeit expensive, but you can legally discharge anywhere in the US...don't know about the other side of the "pond"!

Love the comments about diaphram pump vs impeller pump! Much good info. Working in the industry, macerators fail a lot. Guessing from being run dry.

Don't accept that the "builder" did the best on the install. Recommend take these comments to heart and re-build to suit you!

No one... repeat... no one likes the job of replacing the macerator, so it's worth the effort to design and build the system that'll minimize the amount of time spent "servicing" the macerator!

[moseriw]

Thank you all for the valuable input but!!
Blackwater is real bio - unless one use chemicals to reduce the smell - then it is pure poison.
Fish like blackwater - feed them!
The thing that really harms is greywater with all it's soap and deo scrap. It transforms and explodes as a fertilizer for algae.

So I do not understand the stupid laws around this case. In most countries greywater is acceped or ignored and the good fishfeed blackwater is damned.

AND one can use pure bio toiletpaper that will decompose in water within minutes.

I will use a diaphragm pump instead of an macerator and I think it will be the whale gulper but the troughput with 18 Lpm is not overwhelming.

[moseriw]

Originally Posted by nwdiver

I move my grey water into the blackwater tank, then pump out or dump, no need for a macerator pump, I never let the blackwater settle down.....also my head is FW.....

How do you move it? With a pump or just like "communicating chambers" to flush the blackwater tank with 50% of the greywater.

[Coltrek]

It is a shame to see how quickly and predictably a simple question about Macerators can devolve into public shaming. I'm not sure why this happens, but it does all the time .

Anyways, getting back to the subject which Macerator Pumps, I have a question / comment. I have the whale gulper, but it is not the typical straight through, it is the right angle fish well pump. I have installed it about a little less than a meter above the bottom of my gray water tank. It simply will not pump. If I leave it on, in 15 minutes it will probably pump a few gallons. I tried putting a Boswell check valve on the suction side about a foot below the pump, to no avail. I have spoken with the company, and they can't explain it. I am wondering if these things will only work at or below tank level. I have tried putting a Vacuum on the output, and one time I was able to get it to start really pumping, but not since. Any experience with this right angled model?

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Coltrek

It is a shame to see how quickly and predictably a simple question about Macerators can devolve into public shaming. I'm not sure why this happens, but it does all the time .

Anyways, getting back to the subject which Macerator Pumps, I have a question / comment. I have the whale gulper, but it is not the typical straight through, it is the right angle fish well pump. I have installed it about a little less than a meter above the bottom of my gray water tank. It simply will not pump. If I leave it on, in 15 minutes it will probably pump a few gallons. I tried putting a Boswell check valve on the suction side about a foot below the pump, to no avail. I have spoken with the company, and they can't explain it. I am wondering if these things will only work at or below tank level. I have tried putting a Vacuum on the output, and one time I was able to get it to start really pumping, but not since. Any experience with this right angled model?

Those things will self-prime up to 3 meters, according to the specs.



My guess if you've got a bum intake valve or an air leak in the pump housing. It should be able to handle a meter with no problem (and the head will be less than that when the tank is full).



One of mine is mounted above the level of the gray water tank, not by much but above, and works flawlessly.

[Coltrek]

Well, thank you for that vote of confidence. I have always liked Whale Pumps, never had a problem till this. I think I will take the whole thing off and experiment with it here in the shop, and try to get to the bottom of this.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Coltrek

Well, thank you for that vote of confidence. I have always liked Whale Pumps, never had a problem till this. I think I will take the whole thing off and experiment with it here in the shop, and try to get to the bottom of this.

You should have a couple of the rebuild kits in your spares anyway. Just replace the valves, look carefully at the pump housing, check for cracks, distortions, check the valve seats. Note also that it's possible to not clamp the housing to the body quite right which will allow air to leak.


And in the worst case just replace it. It shouldn't work like that. No need to put up with that.

[DeValency]

Originally Posted by jtsailjt

Do you really wash out your holding tank? I pump into my holding tank 100% of the time and hope to never have to open it up. I try to pump it out frequently and so far have had no buildup of solids in it that have caused any problems. Fingers crossed.

I’m having trouble visualizing your system and where your macerater is located within it. Do you have macerating toilets or is your macerater downstream from your toilet but prior to your holding tank, but I’m not sure how that would work?

I’ve never heard of even long runs from marine toilets getting clogged by solids. If there is a narrowing or clog it’s usually from the salt and urine coating the inside of the hose with a crusty layer that can eventually close off the passage. In order to avoid having sewage sit in the hose, when I had a Groco model K I used to pump it 20 additional times after the bowl was cleared, but now with the vacuflush toilets it just goes whooosh out of the bowl and then continues to be pumped further downstream for as long as it takes for a strong enough suction to be created to satisfy the pressure switch. I’m not sure how far that would be if the holding tank were a very long distance away but my forward head is about 20’ from my holding tank and I haven’t had any problems with clogging.

Here is my answer;
1. Fully agree with your first paragraph! This is a site fir exchanging ideas and solutions. While the general public discussion has dragged into bullying, especially over the last four years, sailors should be the more civilised and respectful people.

2. Indeed, a vacuuflush should suck all solids out of long discharge hoses. But my setup is a macerator pump toilet base in the master aft cabin’s head. On short trips, we flush with fresh water only. But macerator pumps are not powerful enough in generating positive pressure over such a long discharge hose.

So I prefer washing the lines with fresh water and detergents when docked - once a week or so. Few litters of water with detergent, pump for a second or so, let the detergent fill and stay in the hose for 30 minutes or so and flush with fresh water. This also clean the holding tank quite well and I can see it in the pump out clear hose and also the no bad smell when disconnecting the pump out hose.

Some friends told me I’m too particular on cleaning... Always refer them to my mom (and dad!)

[DeValency]

Originally Posted by Coltrek

It is a shame to see how quickly and predictably a simple question about Macerators can devolve into public shaming. I'm not sure why this happens, but it does all the time .

Anyways, getting back to the subject which Macerator Pumps, I have a question / comment. I have the whale gulper, but it is not the typical straight through, it is the right angle fish well pump. I have installed it about a little less than a meter above the bottom of my gray water tank. It simply will not pump. If I leave it on, in 15 minutes it will probably pump a few gallons. I tried putting a Boswell check valve on the suction side about a foot below the pump, to no avail. I have spoken with the company, and they can't explain it. I am wondering if these things will only work at or below tank level. I have tried putting a Vacuum on the output, and one time I was able to get it to start really pumping, but not since. Any experience with this right angled model?

Referred to your first very true paragraph in my comment above here.

As for the gulper pump. Might be some firm solids at the bottom of your holding tank, meaning you partly pump out air rather than liquid that is required to be in order to create a stronger pump out. I would try to fill all the way to the top an empty tank with fresh water (better hot if you can) let it stay for some time and run the pump out all the way to empty and see if it works better. You may need to repeat with detergent.

Also, check the holding tank vent.

[sv_pelagia]

We too have a Whale Gulper. Excellent pump but....

After years of zero problems. Then we didn't use the pump for over a year. Upon return to use, we then had trouble for a long time. Took pump apart and cleaned it, all looked good, and back together again. Significant problems, somewhat intermittent, continued.

Purchased a pump rebuild kit (essentially, anything rubber replaced).

Now works like a charm!

Lesson: problems with rubber parts not always obvious with visual inspection. Replace!

(We now carry a new rebuild kit for the future....)

[sowwaninii]

Have a brand new in the box jabsco macerator if interested in purchasing.