How do I empty my black water tank?

[cecho]

The tank is up front and the hose that it's supposed to be emptied with exits the hull a good 4 feet above it which makes gravity not an option.

 

[Alwhite00]

Re: How do I empty my black water tank?

Pump out at the marina is what I do.

LK

 

[cecho]

Re: How do I empty my black water tank?

With the current drought, the service area at the marina at the lake I frequent is not currently accessible by boat. Is there an at-home option?

I guess I could always go to the other local lake every time I need to pump out the boat. :lol:

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: How do I empty my black water tank?

Is there a RV/trailer(5th wheel etc..) park close by? They pump those out too....... Maybe for a small fee they'll let you pump out....

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: How do I empty my black water tank?

to empty at home you will need to purchase a macerator pump and whatever valves, fittings, hoses, and containers you deem fit to properly dispose of it.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: How do I empty my black water tank?

Is there a RV/trailer(5th wheel etc..) park close by? They pump those out too....... Maybe for a small fee they'll let you pump out....

rv's are gravity drain... no pumps involved.....


Another option might be to trailer to said marina... they MAY be set up to take care of you on the trailer.... maybe

 

[cecho]

Re: How do I empty my black water tank?

Thanks, I'll call the marina and check on using a trailer to do it. If that isn't an option I'll go the pump route.

 

[Alwhite00]

Re: How do I empty my black water tank?

With the current drought, the service area at the marina at the lake I frequent is not currently accessible by boat. Is there an at-home option?

I guess I could always go to the other local lake every time I need to pump out the boat. :lol:

How often do you need to pump it out? What the heck is going on on your boat? How big of tank do you have? I pump out in the middle of the season and again right before it goes into storage.

LK

 

[cecho]

Re: How do I empty my black water tank?

haha. This is my first black water tank. I'm guessing it's 20 gallons or so. I didn't realize you can do it that infrequently. I just thought you'd want to get that crap outta there ASAPee.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: How do I empty my black water tank?

rv's are gravity drain... no pumps involved.....

Now that you mention it, duh...... And here I thought I had a great idea, o'well.......

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: How do I empty my black water tank?

Now that you mention it, duh...... And here I thought I had a great idea, o'well.......

I HAVE emptied mine at a state park rv dump site but I have a macerator and thruhull so I simply park in the right spot and flip the switch

 

[frantically relaxing]

Re: How do I empty my black water tank?

I had the same problem a few years ago with our Sun Runner, the only pumpout within 100 miles was busted--

So I bought a "whalepump" from West Marine...

The suction line is typical flexible home-type drain plumbing, my exit hose is from an old wet-dry vac (it was handy at the time )

-The male threads on this typical plastic elbow will fit any standard marine waste fitting---

--making it cheap and easy to rig up your own waste pump plumbing. Yes, it seals well and will pump out uphill.

The whalepump worked great, but of course a macerator is much easier than hand pumping for sure, and I highly recommend one. The same 'only waste pump within 100 miles' is still always broken, so for years I've pumped out our houseboat's black tank with a macerator and $8 worth of cheap Home-Depot drain plumbing. (I have a 22 gallon portable RV dump tank I pump into, then dump THAT at the RV dump).

I still keep the hand pump around- when our starboard fuel tank leaked 40 something gallons of gas into the bilge of the SkipperLiner our first year, the whalepump is what pumped it all out, the gasoline didn't affect it a bit. Still works like new...

 

[JoLin]

Re: How do I empty my black water tank?

How often do you need to pump it out? What the heck is going on on your boat? How big of tank do you have? I pump out in the middle of the season and again right before it goes into storage.

LK

I was doing what you do originally. Over time your hoses and vent line become permeated and it's tough to get rid of the smell. Early last season I made a concerted effort to clean things up with detergent, letting it sit, pumping out, flushing the system with fresh water 3 or 4 times, then doing the whole thing a second time.

Now, I pump out asap after every weekend and when possible, flush the system with fresh water and pump out again. I use Raritan Clean Pottie and K.O. religiously. No more vent odors when we flush the head.

Also makes a huge difference if you have a fresh water flush toilet, or boat in fresh water. Fewer microscopic critters to decompose in the holding tank.

My .02

 

[25thmustang]

Re: How do I empty my black water tank?

I pump mine as much as possible. At least a few times a season, but for my sized boat it's a smaller tank (larger than original).

If you have a thru hull and macerate you can pump it from below and dispose of it in a land septic or sewer. It's a gross job though!

 

[Alwhite00]

Re: How do I empty my black water tank?

We do not use the head for "solids" if you catch my drift and have never had a problem with odor. I put that chemical in it for odor (forget the name) and so far, so good. Head is fresh water supplied from the freshwater holding tank.

LK

 

[OllieC]

Re: How do I empty my black water tank?

I use this;

and the ladies use my pump out.......

 

[JoLin]

Re: How do I empty my black water tank?

We do not use the head for "solids" if you catch my drift and have never had a problem with odor. I put that chemical in it for odor (forget the name) and so far, so good. Head is fresh water supplied from the freshwater holding tank.

LK

We overnight a lot, so we use the head for every type of, uh... excretion. A fresh water head makes a HUGE difference. These days I often fill the bowl with water from the shower head to flush, instead of drawing it from the outside.