A ftriend is currnently on his way from Maryland to Montreal in a, new
to him, boat, equiped with a relatively new vacuflush head. Problem
is that the head is clogged and he's trying to avoid taking the system
apart while underway to clear the clog.

Given that some pump out systems use a vacum tank and develop a fair
bit of suction power is it worth it to try and clear the blockage that
way? I.e. block the tank vent and go get a pump out and hope that
this dislodges the clog. This would of course depend on being able to
equalize the relative pressure in the holding tank through the
Vacuflush head during the pump out. Is this possible?

Many tanks in advance.

Matt

wrote:
A ftriend is currnently on his way from Maryland to Montreal in a, new
to him, boat, equiped with a relatively new vacuflush head. Problem
is that the head is clogged and he's trying to avoid taking the system
apart while underway to clear the clog.

It may not be clogged, it may just be a blocked tank vent that's
pressurized the tank, creating backpressure that prevents waste from
getting past the vacuum pump. So the first thing he needs to check is
the tank vent. The two most likely places for a vent blockage are the
vent thru-hull and the connection to the tank--both the fitting and that
end of the vent line. Open the deck pumpout fitting--very carefully, and
with a hose at the ready--to relieve any pressure in the tank before
removing any hoses in the system. If the tank is pressurized, it'll spew.

But before he even does that, he needs to check his owners manual...it
includes just about every possible problem, causes and cures that a
Vacuflush can develop. If he doesn't have one, he can download and print
one off the SeaLand website:
http://www.sealandtechnology.com/pdf...Flush%20OM.pdf

Given that some pump out systems use a vacum tank and develop a fair
bit of suction power is it worth it to try and clear the blockage that
way? I.e. block the tank vent and go get a pump out and hope that
this dislodges the clog. This would of course depend on being able to
equalize the relative pressure in the holding tank through the
Vacuflush head during the pump out. Is this possible?

Nope...and it can damage the system. However, if it really is a clog, a
VacuFlush is one of the few toilets on which a plunger can be used
without any damage to the toilet. If that doesn't work, I suggest he
call SeaLand for advice: 800-321-9886...'cuz blindly tackling any
problem with a VacuFlush can turn one problem into three problems.

What SeaLand won't tell him, though, is how much water a VacuFlush
REALLY needs. Their claim that the V/Flush can use "as little as" 1 pint
of flush water is VERY carefully worded. If only urine is flushed...no
water added to the bowl first, no TP either...then yes, you CAN get away
with that little, at least for a few flushes. But if you do much of
that, unless you want odor, at least once a day you need to run at least
half a bowl of clean water through it to rinse out the system. It's also
advisable to add at least half a bowl of water ahead of solids or any TP
(iow, every time a female uses the toilet)...that's a quart or more.
It's also essential to leave the pedal down for at least 7-10 seconds
after the bowl is empty to rinse out the pump and duckbills--to prevent
a buildup in the pump or bits of waste or TP from becoming stuck in a
duckbill, creating one of those pesky air leaks that causes the pump to
cycle for no reason...at least another quart. And if you don't want
permeated hoses, it's a very good idea--last thing before the boat will
sit (or at least once a week if you're living aboard)--to fill the bowl
to the rim with clean water and flush it through to thoroughly rinse out
the vacuum tank, hoses and pump...'cuz suction splatters waste all over
'em and the flush water flow isn't sufficient to completely fill the
hoses. So, averaged out over a week, the VacuFlush actually NEEDS about
the same amount of flush water that most toilets need: about .5 gal.
Using much less than that, you're asking for problems.

Btw...I had V/Flush toilets on my last two boats and was also a dealer
for nearly 10 years...so I'm INTIMATELY acquainted with 'em...what keeps
'em working trouble-free and what doesn't.

Give me another shout if I can be of further help.

Peggie
----------
Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987
Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and
Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"
http://shop.sailboatowners.com/boat_odors/

SNIP

Give me another shout if I can be of further help.

Peggie
----------
Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987
Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and
Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"http://shop.sailboatowners.com/boat_odors/
Peggie

many thanks for your reply. I was almost sure the pump out idea was
waaayyy too simple to be of any use.

I will get in touch with him and we'll see what we can do.

Matt

I have a clogged tank vent. The only part of the vent I can get to
without major surgery is the external fitting, and that only from the
outside. As far as I can tell probing with a wire, it's clear. The
tubing and the tank fitting are completely inaccessible. Any ideas
other than adding a new vent?



On Thu, 24 May 2007 09:59:25 -0500, Peggie Hall
wrote:

It may not be clogged, it may just be a blocked tank vent that's
pressurized the tank,

wrote:

I have a clogged tank vent. The only part of the vent I can get to
without major surgery is the external fitting, and that only from the
outside. As far as I can tell probing with a wire, it's clear. The
tubing and the tank fitting are completely inaccessible. Any ideas
other than adding a new vent?

If you can't get to the tank to clean out the fitting, how are you gonna
add a new vent?

Try blowing compressed air down the vent line from the thru-hull. That
may knock whatever's blocking it into the tank. Do it in short
bursts...you don't want to blow out the vent line if the blockage
doesn't want to move. If that doesn't work, try putting some water down
the line--under enough pressure to get it all the way to the tank (or
the clog if it's further up the line)--in the hope that'll soften up the
stuff that's clogging it enough to blow it out.

If THAT doesn't work, I'm aftraid you're in for some major surgery to
gain access to the tank so you can remove the vent line from the tank
and scrape out the line and the fitting. You should prob'ly make that a
winter project anyway, 'cuz sooner or later you will have to replace all
the hoses.

To prevent a future vent blockage, backflush the vent every time you
pump out and/or wash the boat. And as long as we're discussing tank
maintenance, flush ALL the sludge out of it a couple of times a year,
and especially in preparation to winterize. Sludge left in the tank
turns into "concrete" that nothing will dissolve that won't also damage
the tank.
--
Peggie
----------
Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987
Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and
Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"
http://shop.sailboatowners.com/boat_odors/