Macerator

[S@LTD]

Occasionally when loaded on the trailer we use the macerator to empty our holding tank at an RV dump after cruising. Last week we did this on our way home from the PNW. We emptied the tank, partially filled for a rinse, emptied a second time and partially filled for one last rinse. However when hitting the switch the last time we got nothing. Tried the reset button above the rocker switch at the helm and reviewed the manual to see if there was a fuse anywhere. None were indicated for the macerator. Per the manual most water related pumps are 20 amp so started checking all of my 20 amp fuses in the 1/4 berth but didn’t see anything.

Once home I back flushed through the thru hole just in case something may have clogged and nothing changed. Before I go cutting wires to test the pump directly does anyone know if there is a fuse somewhere for the macerator?

 

[Kevin Lamont]

Occasionally when loaded on the trailer we use the macerator to empty our holding tank at an RV dump after cruising. Last week we did this on our way home from the PNW. We emptied the tank, partially filled for a rinse, emptied a second time and partially filled for one last rinse. However when hitting the switch the last time we got nothing. Tried the reset button above the rocker switch at the helm and reviewed the manual to see if there was a fuse anywhere. None were indicated for the macerator. Per the manual most water related pumps are 20 amp so started checking all of my 20 amp fuses in the 1/4 berth but didn’t see anything.

Once home I back flushed through the thru hole just in case something may have clogged and nothing changed. Before I go cutting wires to test the pump directly does anyone know if there is a fuse somewhere for the macerator?

Hello,

Have you tried it since you got back home? I have had some work then stop and start working again later, also you can verify power and ground without cutting the wires is best practice. Hope this helps.

Thanks,
Kevin Lamont

 

[S@LTD]

Hi Kevin,
Yes I just went out to the shop and tried it again-nothing. What is weird is that it worked fine and on the first rinse we shut it off as soon as we heard it sputter so not like we had left it run or anything. Meanwhile I will refrain from cutting the wires and connecting directly.

I looked all around the pump as well just in case their might be a reset button and couldn’t find one.

 

[Brian98133]

My expertise is in residential plumbing, but I have to believe that the components work similarly?

Macerators tend to overheat somewhat quickly, so it's best not to use them for extended periods of time when possible. I'm guessing it has a re-settable thermal cutout (in the form of a reset button) that has to be pushed to reset.

Some reset once cooled... but that doesn't seem to be the case with yours. I don't know how difficult it is on your model to get at the pump, but hopefully it's fairly easy. It hopefully looks like any reset switch, just a red button that will give you an audible and tactile 'click' when reset. If you don't see one... feel around (or use a small mirror) and see if it's in a difficult location.

As long as the cutout worked as designed, there was no damage to the pump, so hopefully no worries there! 😀

For what it's worth, I have pumped mine similarly... but gave it 5 minutes between each cycle, and never had it run continuously for more than about 10-12 seconds. Yeah, they can be that touchy :|

 

[S@LTD]

Appreciate the thoughts Brian98133. Fortunately my macerator is very easy to get to and visible. Simply open the floor hatch and there it is. So if I have to replace the pump it’s a fairly simple job after I pump out the water I put in.

Like you I do not run the pump for long. In fact, I had pumped out the tank prior to loading the boat and was just pumping out and rinsing the remainder as we have found the macerator does a better job pulling from the bottom of the tank. This has worked well for us when we plan to keep the boat on the trailer for more than a couple of weeks so as not to have any odors.

Perhaps the pump simply went out although I find that a little hard to believe having just used it twice a few minutes before and for not a very long each time. It does feel like a fuse/reset button of some kind but darn if I can find it.

 

[knotflying]

No one told you where the fuse is yet. That is where I would start. Unfortunately I can't tell you where it may be. If you can't find the fuse I would at least pierce the wire insulation with multi-meter probes and turn on the switch to see if you have power going to the pump. If no power, find the use. If you have power it is most likely the pump has failed.

 

[S@LTD]

Okay making progress and perhaps this might help others in the future. Tested the pump-no juice. Tested the back of the macerator switch-no juice. So then I tested the switch next to it (chart lights)-no juice. Turns out four switches on my panel macerator, chart lights, Nav lights and horn were dead. Went to the fuse box and looked for 30 amp fuses that might be blown thinking it would need to be at least something of this size to power 4 switches. Found one blown 30 AMP fuse with the wire labeled 8 SW panel whatever that means (there are two of them).

Replaced the fuse and all switches are now working except I only get a click with the macerator switch. My working theory is that the macerator must of sucked something off the bottom of the tank and clogged blowing the fuse. At least we now know there is a fuse even if it is not isolated for the macerator.

I will run over and splash the boat in the next day or two and see if the pump out will dislodge it (need to empty the tank anyway). Once empty I can open the top of the tank/remove the pump or whatever in order to resolve.