Holding Tank Macerator Pump

Barry Cohen

YOLO at Boston Waterboat Marina
Joined
Jun 30, 2010
Messages
481
Fluid Motion Model
R-31 S
Hull Identification Number
FMLT3116K122
Non-Fluid Motion Model
2011 R-27 Classic (Traded Up)
Vessel Name
YOLO
MMSI Number
338451282
Just wanted to share a recent experience.

I was cleaning out my holding tank during a recent off-shore excursion. No worries: I was beyond the prohibited discharge zone.

I walked away from the cockpit for a minute to answer a VHF radio call and when I got back, I noticed that the pump had stopped running. It had probably run dry and popped the circuit breaker. From that point on, I could not engage the pump as the breaker kept popping.

I discussed with Andrew and Peter Haywood and they gave me some ideas. I also Googled the hell out of this problem. Finally, last night I put on some gloves and safety eyewear and dove in to the problem. I took the entire pump apart (and got splashed with a lot of residual "you know what") and manually spun the shaft. I then put everything back together, cleaned myself up and crossed my smelly (and still smelly today) fingers. I turned on the switch and "Lo and Behold", the pump works.

A shitty job, but someone had to do it.

Moral of the story: DO NOT LET YOUR PUMP RUN DRY!!!!!
 
Those kind of similar experiences are exactly why we went with an Airhead on our old boat and a new one will be installed on our R27 when it arrives. Holding tanks problems are the worst!
 
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