waste system

[firsttug13]

just purchased 2013, 21ft. ranger tug..our first boat that pumps waste out. We cannot get the waste to pump out. The instruction guide is not real good. Can you help? Billy & Pat Lee

 

[Capt. Wanabe]

Greetings and Congratulations on your new boat! You have some great times ahead of you. As for the "cannot get the waste to pump out" there are several possibilities. The simplist one is that your boat may be fitted with a "Y" valve in the outflow pipe and that valve may be pointed in the wrong direction. The outflow pipe from the holding tank should be readily visible. If the pipe does not go straight out but divides and goes through a valve (the "Y" valve) there will be a plastic lever that will select whether the effluent goes straight up and out or goes through a macerator pump and out through the side of the boat. The lever is marked with an arrow which will show the direction of flow. The shape of the handle itself is not intuitive so look for the arrow and make sure it points to the pipe that is going up to the suction.

If that is not the problem other things to try include: 1) Try more than one pump-out station as sometimes the vacuum is to weak and can't pull the slurry out, 2) Add some water to the tank before you go out so the slurry in the tank is as thin as possible for pump out at the end of the day, 3) Stick a wire down the pump out opening carefully to dislodge any solids that may be stuck up against the pick-up tube, 4) Make sure the vent to the tank is unobstructed--even insects can plug this vent up, 5) There are some additives at chandleries like West Marine that can be dumped into the tank to help with the odor and to help break down solids. I haven't used those since having a houseboat years ago but I know they exist.

Keep in mind that the marine septic systems are very fragile and they are prone to clogging (see multiple posts on this site and elsewhere) and you need to be very careful of what is put into it. It sound s a little OCD but placing a sign by the head that lists the contraband flushies is a good idea. Guests may have no clue that there is anything wrong with putting a wad of Kleenex down the toilet. Some boat owners go so far as to ban anything from entering the head that was not eaten first! It's your boat so you can make the rules.

 

[Irish Mist]

Try looking up the make on the internet and see if any instructions I have had bad pump outs where it didn't empty the head due to inexperianced pump out operator. I know with mine the vent is never an issue with pump out as the pumping pulls the standing water right out of the bowel so it gets air from there as well . I have never had any issue with mine being clogged and we use it a lot... and lots of paper goes down , but I do use the proper paper. I would check for a valve though as I think with your tug it is a different style toilet then the bigger boats... Good luck

 

[Todd]

The R21 does not actually have a Y valve. A Y valve lets you decide to flush to the holding tank or directly overboard. The R21 will always flush to the holding tank. Now you can have the tank emptied at a pump out station or you can pump the tank contents overboard.

I am not at my boat right now so this is from a failing memory!
1. Make sure it is legal.
2, Your boat must be equipped with the pump.
3. There is a valve in the cabinet on the starboard side under the helm seat. That valve must be open.
4. On the control panel which also has the tank level indicator there is a pump button. Press and hold it until the pump starts. It should stay on until the tank is empty. You may have to hold it, failing memory, see above.

 

[jimackert]

After my first trip with my new (to me) 2008 21ec, I stopped by the marina dock for a pump out. We couldn't get anything to pump out. I placed a repair order and expected an expensive and messy fix. Turns out the hose in the tank was installed backwards. The yard re-installed it and all was well! Cost was a half hour at standard yard rates.

 

[firsttug13]

We finally learned why we were not able to pump out the black water on our new Ranger tug. Some of the wiring was installed backwards at the factory which caused fuses to blow and shut down the system. Glad to find the answer !!!