Electro Scan Salt Tank

[marinetrader]

Earlier in the week, our ElectroScan waste treatment system began to act up, again. The system would not pull the necessary amperage to complete its cycles necessary to treat the waste.

So after shipping the unit to Raritan in Ft. Lauderdale, and with the help of a very knowledgeable technician, I finally had the trouble identified. It seemed like the electrode pack had failed, again.* The techniciann said that the unit had been deprived of enough salt to make it work properly.* I authorized him to repair it and send it back.** In the meantime,* I installed an extra unit we have on standby.

The technician further told me that I should consider intalling a salt feed tank to supplement the normal operation of the unit.

*The problem with that idea is that we had no room to install one, but it was necessary so we began to do further study.* I located a spot beneath the vanity sink that might work but the 4 gallon tank was about 1-1/2 inches too wide.* But my wife Mary suggested that we build a tank ourselves, good idea, why not?

So off to Walmart to search for anything that might work.* We found a 2 gallon container that might do the trick and bought it and it did fit the spot.* I quick trip to Lowe's to find a small piece of tubing and we were set.

I called my contact back at Raritan and ordered the salt pump and fittings necessary to complete the system.* They arrived the next day.* About an hours worth of labor and the unit was asssembeled and wired.

*All said and done, the entire setup cost us about 1/2 of what the kit would cost from West Marine.* So if you are considering installing an Electro Scan I do recommend you install a salt tank but if the room is an issue, you can make one yourself.

*I guess that qualifies me to be called a waste treatment plant operator now too huh?



-- Edited by marinetrader on Thursday 20th of October 2011 07:04:19 AM



-- Edited by marinetrader on Thursday 20th of October 2011 07:08:05 AM


-- Edited by marinetrader on Thursday 20th of October 2011 07:08:56 AM

 

[HeadMistress]

I'm not sure that adding salt is the answer unless you're moored up a river in fresh or brackish water, 'cuz the ElectroScan has a full array of LEDs including "low salt" that would have lit up if that were the problem...and would have had to stay lit for a while to destroy the electrode pack.

Sea water mineral buildup will also "insulate" the electrodes, creating a low salt reading....adding salt won't help that, only cleaning off the buildup will...and in warm waters, it can be necessary to clean the system every few months to remove the buildup (directions for doing that with a muriatic acid solution down the toilet are in the manual).

I find it hard to believe--though not impossible--that you could have failed to notice a low salt light longer enough to destroy the electrodes.

So...what have you been using to clean the toilet bowl?* That could be your culprit.

Low voltage will also destroy the electrode pack...and you said that it couldn't pull enough voltage to work... So...

Did you check all electrical connections? Put a volt meter on it WHILE IN THE TREATMENT CYCLE to determine whether it's getting a full 12v?** What else is on that circuit that could be pulling power away from it?

Too much salt can also destroy the electrodes, btw.


-- Edited by HeadMistress on Thursday 20th of October 2011 07:58:26 AM

 

[HeadMistress]

Odor is the first clue that the system isn't treating... also a brown discharge. A treated discharge should look like pale beige diluted skim milk.

99% of problems with treatment devices or most other equipment can be laid squarely at the feet of the owner...starting with failure to read and follow any directions, so the device isn't installed correctly and isn't maintained correctly, if at all. Use of household chemical bowl cleaners and other cleaning products is a leading cause of electrode pack failure...low voltage, inattention to warning lights, not cleaning when needed accounts for most of the rest of the problems.

Onboard treatment actually makes far MORE sense than holding tanks, but that's a subject for another time. If you're not gonna use your Electro Scans, I suggest you sell 'em...'cuz equipment left to sit does NOT improve with age...it deteriorates. Get rid of 'em while they're still worth anything.

 

[Dswizzler]

I agree with Peggy and if they are new and you don't want to use them, post them for sale, I'd be interested in atleast one perhaps two of them. On the west coast they are still accepted and I hate the holding tank on my new boat. Let me know ??

 

[ksanders]

There's a way you could use the electro-scans you have and still operate in a NDZ.

Just install a hold-n-treat system, either to your existing holding tank, a new holding tank, or Raritans hold-n-treat tank.

Thats the way we did our installation... We removed our existing holding tank, and replaced it with a hold-n-treat system.

We discharge when its legal, or we hold the sewage for either pumpout, or treatment when we get to a legal place to do so.

 

[HeadMistress]

Raritan's "hold n' treat" is an excellent system...but why did you remove the existing tank instead of just adding the "hold 'n' treat" controls?

http://www.raritaneng.com/pdf_files/hold_n_treat/holdntreat.pdf

Nor should it be necessary to send everything to the tank for pumpout or treatment later...the whole point of having a treatment device is freedom from tank maintenance...the "hold 'n' treat" just adds freedom from pumpouts too. A y-valve in the toilet discharge line lets you flush overboard through the treatment device except on those rare occasions when you visit "no discharge" waters...then empty the tank using the hold 'n' treat system as soon as you're out of the NDZ.

 

[dwhatty]

HeadMistress wrote:
Raritan's "hold n' treat" is an excellent system...but why did you remove the existing tank instead of just adding the "hold 'n' treat" controls?

http://www.raritaneng.com/pdf_files/hold_n_treat/holdntreat.pdf

Nor should it be necessary to send everything to the tank for pumpout or treatment later...the whole point of having a treatment device is freedom from tank maintenance...the "hold 'n' treat" just adds freedom from pumpouts too. A y-valve in the toilet discharge line lets you flush overboard through the treatment device except on those rare occasions when you visit "no discharge" waters...then empty the tank using the hold 'n' treat system as soon as you're out of the NDZ.

Thanks for that. I was just pondering whether one could use this system with a larger tank than the 15 gal integral one. It does help to read all the material available instead of spinning ones mental cogs too hard.

 

[ksanders]

Removing the*holding tank was one of the goals of the hold n treat install.

On the 4788 the holding tank is in the way out board of the starboard engine, making access all but impossible. The hold-n-treat opened up that area.

Our heads are fresh water vacuflush. We went with the*purasan as the treatment system.


-- Edited by ksanders on Thursday 3rd of November 2011 05:55:38 PM

 

[Codger2]

dwhatty wrote:*It does help to read all the material available instead of spinning ones mental cogs too hard.

* * * ** :teevee:* * * * *

 

[Eclipse Yacht]

I'm new to using the Electro Scan, and don't know what to use to clean the bowl or anything to put in the holding tank to eliminate odors. I used to use natural products, such as vinegar, baking soda or Coke (yes, the kind you would drink). Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Welcome aboard. Ya shoulda gone before we left the dock or hold it. Seriously, THE expert on marine sanitation is Ms. Head Mistress. I'm sure she can give you the straight poop.

 

[Wxx3]

Raritan's "hold n' treat" is an excellent system...but why did you remove the existing tank instead of just adding the "hold 'n' treat" controls?

http://www.raritaneng.com/pdf_files/hold_n_treat/holdntreat.pdf

Nor should it be necessary to send everything to the tank for pumpout or treatment later...the whole point of having a treatment device is freedom from tank maintenance...the "hold 'n' treat" just adds freedom from pumpouts too. A y-valve in the toilet discharge line lets you flush overboard through the treatment device except on those rare occasions when you visit "no discharge" waters...then empty the tank using the hold 'n' treat system as soon as you're out of the NDZ.

My experience confirms everything already said. A few observations:

Mine is a fresh water flush, so I have to use the brine tank. Without constant use, the little salt pump will lose its prime and/or the treatment tank pushes back thru the one way valve.

Once I got into the catch 22 of it turning off immediately with too low amperage, but at that point, even with a good brine tank, it would not feed from the brine tank.

I called Raritan to ask what to do and the young guy on the phone tried to tell me something was broken. I thanked him, thought about it and finally realized i could just dump a lot of salt into toilet and flush. System started working again after two flushes.

Lastly, I like the plumbing of my system. Both toeilets go to processing tank with the Y valve after that. If I'm in a NDZ, I can turn the valve to the holding tank(which I will pump out when out of the ndz). THe advantage of this system is that when you have the inevitable mess in the bilge, it doesnt smell since it's all treated.

 

[LarryM]

I'm new to using the Electro Scan, and don't know what to use to clean the bowl or anything to put in the holding tank to eliminate odors. I used to use natural products, such as vinegar, baking soda or Coke (yes, the kind you would drink). Does anyone have any suggestions?

Before you do anything that could damage that system, go directly to Raritan and download the owner's manual. Follow it and you will be happy. Disregard at your own ri$k!!

If there is anything you don't understand, you can call them at 856-825-4900. I have always found them to be very helpful.

Happy flushing!

 

[Eclipse Yacht]

Electro Scan Salt tank

Thanks everyone for all the "Happy Flushing" advice! Does anybody know if Headmistress is still involved with writing on this forum?

 

[psneeld]

You can seek her out but the message has already been posted.

Nothing thru the Electroscan but water, salt water, paper and human discharge.

If you want to add smething to a holding tank AFTER the Electroscan...have at it...whatever floats your you know what.

I'm with WXX3...he and I had a long talk how to plumb the system even better than Raritan publishes but does say isn't a bad idea.

I have everything go thru the Electroscan then overboard or into holding...like a manual Hold & Treat.

Even good fresh seawater will cause the Electroscan to go low amps if you are not flushing with enough salt water and the salinity is just barely over 30ppm.

Many nights we have to add some very salty water or plain salt to at least one flush to get the amps correct....no biggie but I think in lowering their power requirement..Raritan is walking a thin line.

 

[Eclipse Yacht]

Thanks, psneeld! I just noticed you have an Albin too. How long have you had it? I have the Salt Water Feed System already hooked up, so I haven't had a problem yet.

 

[psneeld]

3 years now....bought in Fl ...then to NJ. Last 2 winters NJ to FL and back.

Liveaboard...

 

[Eclipse Yacht]

How long does it take to get to FL? I'm thinking about taking mine to Lake Ontario next summer.

 

[Mule]

I get salt, 40 lb at a time, $5 or so. Put it in a gallon jug, bout a cup. Flush, if I know it is fresh I add it early, otherwise I look at the display and pump more in as necessary to get over the 14 amp hump. Oh yeah cup to a gallon. It ain't rocket science. Salt scrubbing the bottom of the container is good. The water has taken all the salt it can. Good sign. I am on a creek a mile from the inlet, pretty fresh so I gh through some salt..

 

[HeadMistress]

You rang?

Thanks everyone for all the "Happy Flushing" advice! Does anybody know if Headmistress is still involved with writing on this forum?

I lurk a bit and occasionally am unable to resist the urge to post.

As for the subject at hand...If you don't want to mess with a brine tank, two coffee measures (a coffee measure is 2 tblsp. btw) of salt with EVERY flush is enough to keep the ElectroScan working as it should....solar salt works best. I know people who just always keep a Rubbermaid container of it in the head--with the aforementioned coffee measure...two scoops, then flush. Do stick with that quantity because too much salt can also damage the electrode pack.

It's necessary for the environment in the treatment tank to be kept at a high enough salinity, so after any winter or other extended layup you should flush about 3 gallons of brine that you've made according the directions in the owners manual through it...if you just add salt to the first flush when the treatment tank is full of fresh water, you could burn out the electrode pack before the water in it becomes salty enough.

If you don't have an owner's manual for the ElectroScan, you can download one from here:Electroscan Owners manual

The Raritan PuraSan Raritan Purasan is the treatment device designed for use with toilets that use fresh water water. No salt needed, but also works in salt water.

 

[Capt.Bill11]

I lurk a bit and occasionally am unable to resist the urge to post.

 

[Eclipse Yacht]

Thanks, I appreciate the info.