Question regarding head, holding tank, y and t valves?

[andyv94]

Before I ask my questions....I know this is not the correct forum per se but could you allow me to post this here since the correct forum gets pretty much zero traffic!!

I have an electric head that the previous owner installed. To this day I have yet to use it for various reasons, but now that my wife is joining me on our trips it has come to my attention that I need to fix the problem! : )

Here's my problem....I honestly think that the previous owner for some odd reason sealed the holding tank and basically stopped using the head?! I say this because I have no hoses that I can see leading from the head to the tank ( by the way, I think the holding thank sits below one of the settes (across from the chart table and immediately aft of the berth and the shower sump. At least I think it's the holding tank because there's nothing in the shower sump at all, just a deep sump!! The tank I'm talking about has a metal cover and also a gauge that shows it being 3/4's full.
I don't have a T or Y valve anywhere that I can see, no hose that leads to the deck to empty the tank, and no thru hull to empty the tank with a pump???!!!

What I have as far I know and can see, is a thru hull that leads to the head, a hose from the head that goes into the locker, goes up almost to the deck and then comes down again (but can't see where it leads to on the starboard side) and that is it!!
I did see a thru hull in the locker room across the berth on the starboard side that had a thru hull that has been plugged!

So my guess is that for some odd reason he basically sealed the tank and stopped using the head?! I can't ask him questions because unfortunately he passed away 5 years ago!

What I'm asking and begging the group is if you could take a few pictures for me of your set up, Y and or T valve, pic of holding tank to see where it sits? Anything you can think of to help me out.....pleeeeeeease!! : )

Thank you
Andy

[rangerover]

Sounds like you have roughly same setup I have.
My head discharge goes to Yvalve, one branch goes to vented loop up high in the anchor locker and then to a thruhull immediately below on the stbd side of the anchor locker, below the waterline of course.

The other branch goes to the holding tank. But just before it gets to the holding tank, it has a t fitting. this tees up under the pullman berth to a manual diaphragm pump and back down to a through hull midships port side.
Additionally, the holding tank has a vent line that parallels the head line up to a small vent fitting, close to the vented loop, stbd side.

There is no deck fitting for pumping out. At a minimum, I'll add a tee(or y-valve) off the holding tank line to go up to a deck fitting for waste pumpout. Been looking for a bronze deckfill stamped waste, but no luck. All that I have found are stainless.
I may redesign the system altogether.

Hope this helps

[andyv94]

Hi Brandon

Thank you for replying to my post, if you ever get the chance to go to the boat and take some pics that would be awesome, I'm more of a visual person!

Having said that I still do not see where any hose makes it to the holding tank....this is the part that I'm lost at?

[lonesome_boatman]

Hi Andy
Below are instructions for the set up on Respite from my manual. It took me a while to get my head around the setup. It was only when I went through the system to replace the hose's that it made any sense. Very hard to describe without a diagram. I have some photos which I will post.
THE MANUAL HEAD (TOILET) is plumbed to a 57 litre holding tank and also for direct overboard discharge. The holding tank can be pumped out using the manual pump under the Pullman berth. With the “Y Valve” closed open the holding tank discharge seacock and remove the cap from the pump out fitting on the port fore-deck. Pump out using the manual pump, 50 – 60 strokes are normally required to empty tank. The tank can also be emptied using the pump out fitting on the port fore-deck at an approved discharge facility. The holding tank is also located under the Pullman Berth.

DO NOT USE THE HEAD ON DIRECT OVERBOARD DISCHARGE OR EMPTY THE HOLDING TANK IN PROHIBITED DISCHARGE WATERS.

* Refer to page 11 for guidance on discharge.


A “Y Valve” is fitted to select the holding tank or direct overboard discharge and is located forward and port of the head. It is generally locked in the holding tank position. The key for the padlock is in the chart table.

[andyv94]

Hi Mick

Thank you for the reply, the problem I have is that I have no idea if I have a tank....my gray water sump is very deep so I don't know if the previous owner removed the tank or what because I see no hoses coming from the head to anywhere near the area you would think you would see the hoses (below the berth)

I'm starting to think that they discharge everything straight to the see because the only hoses I see are connected to a thru hull (intake and outtake)but nothing that leads to where the tank is

Unfortunately I'm not at the boat to take pictures, so yes I would LOVE to see pictures to compare to what I have......or don't have!

Thank you

[lonesome_boatman]

Hi Andy
Give me some time and I will post the photo's and a diagram within the next 24hrs. Unfortunately I am working away at the moment and cannot take any recent photos, but I do have some prior to replacing the hoses I can post.

[andyv94]

Thank you that would be awesome and much appreciated

[rangerover]

The 1.5" head hose runs just to port of the shower sump area.
this is a pick looking down under the fwd part of the pullman berth, top of pic is fwd, bottom is aft, you can see the shower sump puddle aft.
The big hose is running toward the holding tank, the 1" hose coming up out of the bilge is tee'd off the 1.5" hose and goes up to the manual pump, then down to the thruhull you see there.

I'll take some better pics next time I'm at the boat

head lines2.JPG

[andyv94]

Thank you.....my sump looks nothing like it!!

[lonesome_boatman]

Hi Andy
Here goes a attempt to describe the set up on Respite.
1_Y_Valve. Below toilet bowl. Hose at bottom from head outlet goes to inlet on the “Y” Valve. The seacock above hose is the direct discharge underwater.
2_Y_Valve. Below toilet bowl. Head outlet goes via the “Y” Valve to either the direct discharge via the vented loop or to the first “Tee” junction. Currently the valve is set for direct discharge. If the valve handle is turned anticlockwise the raw waste goes to the holding tank. The hose on the left is the hose from the first “Tee”going up through the anchor locker to the deck fitting.
3_1st_Tee. Below toilet bowl. Right hose head outlet to first “Tee”. Hose up goes to the deck and the hose down goes to the second “Tee” .
4_2nd Tee. Below Pullman Berth. Right hose is the outlet from first “Tee” to the second “Tee”. Hose up goes to the pump for direct discharge below the waterline. Hose left goes to the holding tank.
5_Pump_Deck. Below Pullman Berth. Pump for direct discharge below the waterline via a seacock, it also will pump the tank out via the deck fitting as well if the seacock is closed.
6_Top_Holding Tank. Below Pullman Berth forward of the mast compression post. Hose from second “Tee” to the holding tank. Note vent line attached to the holding tank inspection cover.

Hope it makes sense, a diagram is would be clearer. Hope the photos help.

[lonesome_boatman]

Andy
The last photo did not upload. 6_Top_Holding_Tank. Here it is.

[lonesome_boatman]

Andy
Diagram attached.

[lonesome_boatman]

Hi Andy. Attached is an extract from my manual, it shows a bit more information. Respite with this set up is fully compliant with the Queensland Marine Regulations for prohibited discharge areas. Not that they seem to enforce it for non-declared vessels anyway, but you never know and the fines are quite significant I believe. If you have any other questions feel free to post them.

[andyv94]

Mick,

You're awesome!! Thank you so much for taking the time to add pictures and sketch......very much appreciated.

I have none of what you have as far as the white hoses or location of the tank. I have a tank like it if I recall now but it is not located below the Pullman.....it is actually located aft of the Pullman below the bench, it butts
against the aft wall of the Pullman, it does have that air vent on top like you show and also a gage that shows it to be 3/4 full (my luck) but other then that, there are no hoses coming or going to it....as far as I can recall

[mimoza]

Hi Andy,
I moved your topic to where it belongs. If you post, it will be read. Everyone here looks at everything, right, people?
Cheers,