Holding Tank Discharge on Cabo

The breaker is the switch, when the breaker is on so is the pump. I think on the 35's the macerator pump is fwd port side in the engine room and the seacock is close by........It's been a long long time since I've been on a 35'. I've run around 40 different ones though.....LOL.....

The macerator pump should be on a different breaker than the toilet pump. There may be a switch near the pump. Locate the pump and follow the wiring.

I own a 2008 Cabo 35 Flybridge. One of the last built before Brunswick moved the operation to NC. On my boat the circuit breaker on the breaker panel must be turned on and then there is momentary switch down in the engine room located above the battery switches which activates the pump. Don't forget to open the thru-hull valve before turning the pump on.

On my Cabo 43 the head breaker is one breaker and the macerator pump another. My macerator switch is located under the galley floor hatch.

Yes, 40' and above it's mounted in the bilge area of the holding tank, usually on the ceiling of the bilge or under the salon flooring just after of the hatch opening and to starboard a 1' of the center of the opening. Same place on the Hatteras 45's as well.

Bumping an old thread in case it helps anyone. Was searching for info on this for a buddy and the toggle switch to run the macerator (after turning the breaker on) is in the engine compartment. It's just forward of this outlet.

<rant mode on> I am always amazed at how it seems so many Of the folks working for builders don’t use the boats they design and built.

Since you can only legally use overhead discharge at least 3 miles offshore, do they really think it is convenient to hold a momentary switch in rough water in a hot ER? That is just plain stupid

if it was my boat I’d bypass the switch and just use the breaker to turn the pump on when needed. Of course that means you need a way to comply with USCG rules, either locking the sea cock, removing the handle or even easier install a key switch outside the ER or near the electrical panel

but having to open hatches, spending five minutes holding a switch While offshore??!

<rant mode off>

Positively +1, that's downright silly - if not even dangerous, inside a hot engine room.

No idea about what US-specific requirements are (if any), but I can't think of ANY boat from EU builders where the pump can't be turned on either from the electrical panel or (as in mine, among many others) directly from the helm.

The rules here is that the activation of the overboard discharge pump can not be accidental and pretty much a two way process is needed. This can be a zip tie on a closed sea cock or Y valve, closing and removing the handle on a sea cock, a key switch (with the key removed), or twin momentary switches. If you are inspected in a random boarding, you could be fined.

I don’t even think a single momentary switch is enough to satisfy the rules so this whole set up is just dumb.

on the 84 I run, the Y valve Between pump out or overboard is under a hatch and a full size fridge sitting on top. If I m ever boarded and they ask about the valve, I ll let them pull the fridge out over carpet and I m sure they ll agree it is sufficient

I see, but boarding aside, does that mean YOU must pull the fridge every time you need to empty the tank?
Possibly better than going down inside a hot e/r, but still a proper PITA, 'fiuaskme.

I can see the logic of not allowing accidental discharges, but for that purpose it would be sufficient to have two momentary switches, placed in the same panel but at a distance requiring two hands to press both simultaneously.
It's a system widely used in industrial equipment to force the operator to keep both hands off whatever dangerous areas there can be, while operating the machine. If it's good enough for personal safety, it should be fine also for handling some sh!t, I suppose...

Everytime I've been boarded by the USCG, they want to see that macerator pump seacock closed. It didn't matter how many other steps there were, they always wanted to see the valve closed. That being said, of all of the deliveries I've done, I've rarely been boarded for a "safety inspection".

Maybe I wasn’t clear enough. We have a Y valve to select overboard discharge thru a macerator or dockside pump out. In US waters the Y valve is set to dockside pump out. When we leave for the Bahamas, i pull the fridge to access the bilge area where the tank and valve is located and switch to overboard discharge since over there we always discharge offshore....

so if inspected in US water... the fridge has to be pulled out and rolling a full size fridge on carpet is a work out . Originally there was a small desk in that spot so accessing the bilge was easier. But when we spend a few weeks in the Bahamas we needed extra refrigeration and that was the only place.

Makes me wonder what they would say if that valve were electrical.
After all, when closed, it's exactly as closed as a manual one!

As long as you have a way to disable the switch which activate the valve, it will be ok. As mentioned earlier a key switch to turn out a macerator is acceptable as long as the key isn’t left in the switch obviously

I forgot the exact wording of the regulations but it is pretty open ended

One of my best observations of this " disable it mode" was an electric key switch.
The key was secured in the owners stateroom lockable drawer with important papers and things.
A blank log book was with the key. Never Used.
Passed survey every time including when sold.

I am trying to dump overboard and I hear the pump on top of the holding tank running, but nothing is happening.
Switch is on and seacock is open.
Any ideas?

What kind of pump ?

check that you don’t have a valve between the tank and the pump.