Septic tank question

[fabrik]

On my hunter 380 i have a problem with the tank when i do a pump our nothing come out so the on;ly way to empty it its at sea with the macerator what can be wrong that nothing come out and what can i do to resolve the problem

thanks in advance
capt Michel

[sailormed]

Clogged vent line?


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[a64pilot]

I changed the title from Septic Thank, to Septic Tank.

Is there a valve that has to be opened to change from the Macerator to the pump out port? That would be my guess

[fabrik]

the vent line i took it out and it was not clog

and i try also to put water where we connect the pump out and it fill very fast is it a pipe that goes to the bottom of the tank inside
capt Michel

a64pilot thanks for the change

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by fabrik

and i try also to put water where we connect the pump out and it fill very fast is it a pipe that goes to the bottom of the tank inside
capt Michel

Yes, it is a pipe that goes to the bottom of the tank, it could be clogged I guess but think it unlikely.
More likely I think you will find a valve that allows overboard discharge or pump out, but not both, but I am not familiar with your plumbing.

[fabrik]

The only other way is with the macerator to empty the tank
i guess if inside it a pipe it might be clooged there because if i try to put water in it it fill very fast

so i will try to unclogged it

Capt Michel

[peghall]

On my hunter 380 i have a problem with the tank when i do a pump our nothing come out so the on;ly way to empty it its at sea with the macerator

If you can empty it via the macerator and also fill the tank with water via the deck pump fitting, it is unlikely that the vent is clogged, but I'd check the vent thru-hull anyway, 'cuz that's one of the two most common location for a vent blockage...the other is the other end of the vent line--that end of the hose and the vent fitting on the tank. A blockage in the vent HOSE except for the end at the tank is very rare.

So I second a64pilot's opinion that there's a valve that needs to be switched between pumpout and overboard that's staying open to overboard.

[newhaul]

Between the tank and the macerator pump there should be a three way valve called a diverter valve.
This valve is a three way one it must be aligned correctly to either the macerator or the deck pump out check it first . I would bet it is not aligned for pumping the tank

[pesarsten]

What about a vacuum leak between the deck fitting and the tank?

Or, the pump out itself, does it aggressively suck up seawater when you put the hose end into the sea?

[fabrik]

no y valve its pump out or macerator but thanks everyone will try to unclugged the pipe that is inside and change the vent pipe

Capt Michel

[Kenomac]

We had the same problem on my friends Hunter 450. The pump out line was too close to the bottom of the tank, so when there was some hard sludge at the bottom, the line became blocked. You need to lift the line up an inch or so off the tank bottom, or better yet, cut the bottom of the hose at a slight angle to draw more from the side.

[a64pilot]

There is a hose inside the tank?

[fabrik]

Thanks will try that

Capt Michel

[HopCar]

Unless there are two discharge fittings and you can pump it out with the macerater, it must be a blockage in the discharge pipe between where it is teed off for the macerater and the deck fitting.

If the vent was blocked, the macerater wouldn't work.
If the blockage was below the tee, the macerater wouldn't work either.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by HopCar

Unless there are two discharge fittings and you can pump it out with the macerater, it must be a blockage in the discharge pipe between where it is teed off for the macerater and the deck fitting.

If the vent was blocked, the macerater wouldn't work.
If the blockage was below the tee, the macerater wouldn't work either.

Our Hunter wasn't plumbed like that, it had a hose entering from the top, extending down to almost the bottom of the tank as a pick up for the pumpout. The macerator was plumbed separate. No tee valve.