i5Steve
07.06.2021 13:19:18
At this stage all electrical supply cables and water supply pipe can be planned and installed as well. [links]
See full version: What is a macerator on a narrowboat
At this stage all electrical supply cables and water supply pipe can be planned and installed as well. [links]
For a simple fitting and very little maintenance, an external gauge can be fitted to the holding tank on a canal boat, which sensor tank levels from the outside of the tank. These gauges work using ultra-sonic and listens for an echo; others use a shaker/accelerator method. The ‘shaker’ creates vibrations in the tank and the ‘accelerator’ measures the size of the vibration and assess if the liquid has reach the specified level within the holding tank.
Make a note in your boat maintenance schedule for planned replacement of this inexpensive charcoal filter. This is often overlooked and owners can get used to and not notice slight internal odours which make an unpleasant environment for visitors. Whilst on the subject of odours, over a number of years, even the best pipe work can become porous to odour. If you have a used boat with issues such as this, replacing pipe work and filters can often revitalise the system and is an alternative to removal and full replacement. A quick test if you suspect the hoses may have deteriorated is to run a damp rag on them and then smell the rag outside of the boat.
Once the holes are drilled and the pipe work connected, test all the electrical connections to any accessories such as tank level indicator and control panel whilst you can still get to the tank.
The majority of these units will have cassette access to the rear, being designed for caravans and motor homes where an access door can be externally mounted. This is the principle consideration when planning the position of the toilet.
Both sexes have to sit to do their business so that they’re firing in the right direction. Liquids to the front and solids to the rear. The toilet has a manual flap in the toilet bowl bottom, which you can open when seated. Fluids are collected in a large and robust container attached to the front of the toilet base. This container has to be emptied every day. The solids container lasts much longer, especially if you dispose of your toilet tissue in a bin rather than the solids container. here
Unlike driving a car or cruising on spacious European waterways, turning around to go back is not an easy option. The canal is forty feet wide, my boat sixty. The next winding hole, turning point, is an hour ahead, so you decide to press on to the next Elsan point two hours away in Braunston. more
I have a choice. One option is to press on to the next Elsan point on my route. But that’s six miles, thirteen locks and a tunnel away at the top of the Watford flight. Single-handed, the journey will take me five hours. The second option is to retrace my steps and try the second Braunston Elsan point next to Midland Chandlers. The half-mile diversion involves turning my boat twice, once to cruise back to the junction and a second time to point in the right direction for the rest of my journey. And it’s all a waste of time. more
Narrowboat pump out dump through toilet – The toilet is sitting on a raised platform hiding the tank.
There are four different toilet types for use on your narrowboat. Let’s have a look at the pros and cons of each system.
Fix the problem. You've done all that you can do without removing the macerator. Turn power off to the macerator, and make sure the valves to the macerator are closed. Carefully remove the macerator pump. Look for obstructions inside the macerator intake. Hair, peach pits and other foreign objects can slow down the pump or can keep it from pumping altogether.
A boat's macerator pump is used in the boat's sewage storage and handling system. A macerator grinds and chops up the sewage, which allows it to be pumped to or from holding tanks. A pleasant outing on the water can be ruined when a macerator pump decides to stop working. When this happens, sewage can back up in the system and potentially overflow in the toilet compartment. Proper troubleshooting can solve the problem.
Listen to the macerator. Assuming you have power at the macerator, see if it's making noise. If not, there may be an obstruction in the impeller. Most macerators have a spot on the end of the motor where you can spin the motor's shaft. With the power off, see if the shaft will spin. If the shaft doesn't turn, there may be a blockage at the impeller. If the shaft spins freely, the motor is bad. here
If you don't have power at the macerator and the circuit breaker or fuse seems functional, then the problem is between the two system components. Is there a switch or relay between the circuit breaker and macerator? See if each component is getting power. Look for broken or corroded wires or connections. Replace or repair the needed part. here
Check the simple stuff first. Before you start ripping apart your boat's sewage plumbing system, rule out some simple causes of the problem. Check your fuse or circuit breaker that feeds power to the macerator. If the circuit breaker has tripped, reset it. If the fuse has blown, replace it. If the macerator still doesn't work, use a volt meter to ensure that there is power at the macerator. You should read 12 volts DC for a 12 volt system and 24 volts DC for a 24 volt system.
If the macerator is making a high-pitched noise and sounds like it is running fast, then it may be running dry. Are you trying to pump from an empty tank? Have you opened the valves that allow sewage to reach the pump? Perhaps there is a blockage in the hose leading to the pump. If the macerator sounds like it is running slow and makes a grinding noise, there might be an obstruction at the impeller. The sound also might result from a blocked output hose or from a closed valve on the hose. more
Each macerator is different, so it is very important to follow the instruction to the manual, but as a rough guide, most macerators slide behind the toilet that has already been fit and very easily you can normally pull the rubber over the outlet of the toilet from the macerator. You then need to plumb in the outlet from the macerator to the soil pipe or stack. Once this has been done, then it is very important to have an electrician, otherwise you maybe breaking regulation and the law.
Depending what macerator you have, a macerator can take all types of soil waste, as long as it is within the guidelines and there are no solids going down such as kitchen waste or wet wipes. [links]
The general rule about macerators, is that the machine is an added 2 nd toilet and is only built good enough for small amount of traffic, which should at least last for up to 15 years depending on the use. In an average used home as a main bathroom, then you would expect a macerator to last about 10 years. If the macerator is being used in a high traffic such as on a commercial premises, then you would expect about 3 years, however there are special macerators that are made more suitable for the commercial side, but expect to pay about £700 for this or more. [links]
If your thinking of working on your own macerator, please remember that your most likely to cause more damage than fix it which is the reason you should leave it to an emergency plumber but most important when it comes to DIY plumbing, when it comes to macerator problems, this type of work can be extremely dangerous. An example of the type of dangerous that occur in this type of work is loosing a few fingers.