Electro San units down sides ?

[Zane Lewis]

Hi Guy's,
so assuming it's ok to discharge treated effluent what are the down sides of an Electro San unit verses a holding tank and pumping out every couple of days.

For a light displacement yacht about 35' lod.

I see they claim 1.2 amp hr per flush, ( thats a draw of up to 50 amps on a 12 vt system) so i'm going to assume a small battery mounted close by is recommended.
ZQ

[John B]

The racket at 2 am is one downside.push that button and it runs for a couple of minutes.
I only know people who have given up and removed them, Zane.
New boat?

[Zane Lewis]

had not thought about the noise.
but the only guy i know who had one in a farr 38 removed it. I did a couple of coastals on it but the electro san was never on.
yes sold Dad's boat August 2020, delivered her to BOI's.
I've just about cleared the home mortgage and the first kid has finished uni and has a job lined up so the ducks are starting to line up for a new boat.
been in and out of Lusty & Blundell for marine steering parts for work and they have a nice shiny Electro San by the counter.

[Don Z.]

I actually liked mine. The only two downsides I can think of may not apply to you. The first was it absolutely needs salt water. Brackish won't cut it. Learned this on the northern part of the Chesapeake. They make an add-on salt block for these situations. The second is that if you're in a No Discharge Zone, it doesn't qualify. The folks in Newport were very unhappy with any installation that did not send things to a holding tank, which kind of obviated the benefits... It did not matter to them if the head it was mounted to was secured while in the area and not used. My solution was to leave Newport.

[Breakaway]

^ That's a Federal regulation and applies to all No Discharge Zones, though I realize enforcement may be more vigorous in some places than in others.

In an NDZ, you must have a holding tank aboard, the head must be plumbed to that and the door to the toilet must be padlocked, or one must have the diverter valve disabled ( usually by a tie wrap; or, by removing the handle) from sending waste--even treated waste-overboard.

So, you could have an Electro San, but need the tank and valve installed if you are in a NDZ.

kevin

Edit: Since we are on it, we are obligated to comply with NDZ regs even if just passing through, not just while anchored, docked or moored. For instance, heading from Connecticut to Massachussetts, you basically need to comply. If you are boarded by USCG, or any other agency, while transiting an NDZ, they will likely check that you are in compliance.

Here's the Rhode Island NDZ map for example:

Screen Shot 2021-12-14 at 12.56.00 PM.jpg

List of US NDZ by state: https://www.epa.gov/vessels-marinas-...-ndzs-state#ri

kevin

[Bobcat]

Thanks for posting that link. Just realized all of Puget Sound is a no discharge zone. Not that it matters to me; I have a composting toilet. So no discharge

Just finished rereading The Compleat Cruiser. Herreshoff's cedar bucket is certainly not legal anywhere except off shore

[Zane Lewis]

Thanks NDZ is not an issue,
for us our options are we can discharge treated effluent or hold until we are in water that's more than 5 mtr deep and 500 mtr off shore or use a pump out station but that's not really a practical option.
Z

[Boatbum]

I have a composting toilet. So no discharge

As long as you don't dump the urine overboard. Many with composting toiles do.

[Woxbox]

I had a boat with the Purasan system, also made by Raritan, for five years. We installed it because it hardly uses any electric at all. The Electrosan was recommended for power boats with a big power supply.

We had a couple of issues with it, but it was far better than dealing with a holding tank. Also, the Purasan works in brackish water, important in our case with a boat docked in the Chesapeake Bay.

[Don Z.]

^ That's a Federal regulation and applies to all No Discharge Zones, though I realize enforcement may be more vigorous in some places than in others.

In an NDZ, you must have a holding tank aboard, the head must be plumbed to that and the door to the toilet must be padlocked, or one must have the diverter valve disabled ( usually by a tie wrap; or, by removing the handle) from sending waste--even treated waste-overboard.

Yes, a locked head door should be sufficient. But the local marina busybody, trying to be "helpful", wanted to do a courtesy inspection "just to show how we do it here". I was in compliance, he was annoying.

[Woxbox]

There have been stories of the local authorities in Florida boarding boats as soon as they come in from the ocean, pretty much knowing that the overboard discharge will still be open, warranting a hefty fine.