What happens if you use a macerator when the valve to outside the hull is closed?

[missing]

I used the macerator pump in my boat thinking the valve was open and it wasn't. Would this have burst a hose? The bilge has some water that seems kinda nasty for bilge water. Thanks in advance

 

[JEBar]

Re: What happens if you use a macerator when the valve to outside the hull is closed?

that is certainly possible .... a macerator pump does push "stuff" that passes through it down a hose to a discharge point .... it that hose is blocked, pressure will build .... the question then becomes are the hose and connections strong enough to withstand the pressure .... if not, something has to give

Jim

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: What happens if you use a macerator when the valve to outside the hull is closed?

The bilge has some water that seems kinda nasty for bilge water.

Unless you never use the head, and therefor don't have a need to pump out the holding tank, The Bilge is going to be more than "Kinda Nasty".
If you pumped a holding tank into the bilge, the whole neighborhood would know.

The design of the system should allow for a degree of Idiot Proofing.
And Murphy was on vacation that day!

If your bilge is nasty, it is overdue for a good cleaning in any event.

You are likely fine!

 

[Fireman431]

Re: What happens if you use a macerator when the valve to outside the hull is closed?

The hoses that connect the tank, macerator, and plumbing are all supposed to be thick, reinforced hoses because they are under pressure. They may have been changed by a PO if they aren't the correct ones. In any case, the pressure on the system isn't much more than 5-7 PSI. The tank drains by gravity and the macerator chew everything up as it goes through. There isn't any pump in the system to increase pressures. Usually, if anything fails, it would be the clamps and a hose might pop off, but I seriously doubt that, too. It's a pretty bullet proof system (thankfully ).

If you are trying to discharge with the valve being closed, you would...more than likely...just hear the sound of a resistance in the macerator and the tank levels not going down. Once the matter reached the closed valve, it's just going to sit there and the macerator will just continue to chew thru whatever is in the grinder.

Pump out the tank, flush thru the discharge with clean water (dried matter clogs up the system), and go boating.