Sewage system questions and thru-hull location on TC255

[john8lyons]

Hi All,

We recently purchased a 2008 TC255 and I've spent a lot of time and learned an incredible amount from all of you - this site is amazing, thanks to all. I won't read too far into the fact that my first post is on this topic...

I'll admit that I probably had the rose-colored glasses on when doing the buyers inspection and overlooked some things (but so did our surveyor, apparently). Just an opportunity to learn, right? So during our first trip out, once the boat arrived in Alaska from Seattle, I looked in the head and noticed that the holding tank was almost full. We were the requisite distance offshore, so I ran the pump but the level in the tank didn't decrease. After getting home, I manually pumped the tank out (yuck) but didn't find any obvious obstructions. Someone here mentioned priming a long-sitting macerator by putting water down the vacuum-out, which I did and which my first mate indicated was pumped out the thru-hull fitting after I moved the Y-valve and re-ran the pump. However, water is still not getting sucked out of the holding tank. I've started removing hoses from the macerator pump and Y-valve to look for obvious clogs but haven't found anything yet. I may just use this as an opportunity to replace all of the hoses, but is there anything else that I might be missing?

I also noticed that the Charlie in the Dreamer has the overboard thru-hull above waterline, while ours is several inches below waterline and has an extra ball valve just prior to exit. I'm curious whether this is factory, if having the overboard above water line is preferred, and whether the extra run of hose + valve to the overboard could cause future issues (links to photos below since I don't have an album here yet.).

Thanks for any advice,
John

Dreamer setup: http://www.c-brats.com/modules.php?set_ ... _photo.php

Hopefully these links will take you to my plumbing photos:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/UYfxDcNNCW4ScxTW9
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Kvc4SeoMGbxfnUHVA

 

[thataway]

The way the "Y" valve is set in the photo, looks to be for a deck pump out. There could be a bad impeller in the macerator pump.

Not a bad idea to change out the hoses, but I sure understand the frustration.

Were you there for the survey and sea trials? To check out if the sewage discharge works, may not be done at marine survey. (It would be at the request of purchaser, and in a legal place to pump out at sea.).

My brand new 255 had multiple issues (unfortunately) including a defective steering, shower discharging into the bilge, shower sump pump not wired properly...plus a host of other issues...

Sorry that your first trip ended up this way. But it sounds as if you did your due diligence as far as getting a survey.

My 2006 (almost 2007) boat had the discharge above the water line. It was not in the same area as the fresh water pump, but above as you showed in the other photos. If it is below the water line, it properly has a valve. That valve could be plugged, there could be an obstruction in the "el" which looks like a sharp turn. For even macerated sewage, I would prefer a longer "sweep" of the "L".