SOS SaniPottie Retail Help!!!

[DaveB]

Duane,
Same one I have but I never had to use the pump out feature.
Coast Guard has a very fine line of what is a Portable Potty and a built in system.
I don't have any deck fittings for pump out and perfer to manually take the waste to a proper dumping area or go out beyound the 3 mile limit of the Gulf.
Any device that looks like a hookup to a holding tank.or removel of waste would have the Capt'n to explain to CG.
My 5 gal. holding tank will last 5 days with the two of us for solid waste, and probably 8-10 days if you know how to flush.
Dave

The Dometic I have, the 975 MSD, is even easier to change from plumbed in to portable than the old Sealand design you posted a picture of.

[ab1974]

Guys
New to this site, all the way from New Zealand. I don't actually have a MacGregor (although there are a number here - especially on the lakes). I have an Elliott 7.9 (26' cruiser racer). However, I am looking to install a Sealand 975MSD toilet, as I want to have a porta-potti that I can discharge overboard when I am outside the limits Maritime NZ sets, without going to the effort of installing a full blown marine toilet, holding tank etc. Having read nearly everything online about the 975MSD, it says it permits overboard discharge, dockside pumpout, or discharge into remote holding tank, but I can't work out how it works to empty the holding tank through the overboard discharge (I want to discharge through my seacock / thru hull) - I don't want to set it up to use a pump out facility. Cheers Andrew

[Catigale]

Dave - with my setup (PP and macerator as well as deck pumpout) I was inspected on Lake Ontario, and the CG approved my simple macerator lockout....I drilled a hole in the valve handle for the macerator through hull (above the waterline) and tied the valve shut with a ziptie...and even put a note on it "Only to be removed by Captain"

This met with the approval of the USCG for lockout of overboard pumpout regs for the Great Lakes, FWIW.

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

We've been inspected twice by the coasties and they have never had an issue with the porta pottie. They have never even opened the head door to look. They ask, I say porta pottie, and they move on down their checklist. If it was plumbed to a deck fitting it is now a permanent head with a holding tank in their eyes and since it has no overboard discharge they also move on. Only if you have a 'Y' valve and a pump for overboard discharge to they start to get interested in confirming it is locked out from discharge in a way like what Catigale described.

Their checklist goes pretty fast when you are under 26', have a porta pottie, have no accessible bilge, and an outboard engine. They are basically reduced to inspecting lifejackets. The longest part of the whole process is waiting for their PDA to spit out the receipt.

[Seafarer]

I've often considered plumbing mine in as they have all had the needed fittings, but then you're stuck when you bring the boat home. I've decided it's more versatile to just stay un-plumbed and dump it normally. We have been in situations where were at anchor in front of a park and needed to empty the tank. It was easy to put the tank in the dinghy and take it to a restroom on shore. One time up in Canada (where they still allow overboard discharge in open water) we were in a bind and were able to empty it over the side. You can't do this once you plumb things in to the deck fittings.

Duane, I have the same unit you have (Dometic 975 MSD), and have it plumbed it, with a deck pumpout and the side airvent. It takes less than a minute to convert it it from permanent plumbed-in to removable, so I can empty both ways : either via deck pumpout or removing the whole unit. Going from plumbed-in to removable takes a simply twist to get the hose assembly off and replaced with the spout attachment. Then pulling out the lock-in base-clip frees the unit from its floor mount. The process is quick and easy - just keep a disposable plastic bag around to temporarily keep the unattached hose end in.

After a careful study of most of the options, I think this unit, with its dual mode (portable vs plumbed-in) is probably one of the best, as it gives many options: one can empty via traditional deck pumpouts at marinas, or use the portable mode at RV stops or home. BTW: one of the other advantages of plumbing it in is that the air-vent permanently removes the dangers of 'head-blowouts' on hot days. Previous stock unit that came with the Mac seemed to develop pressure on hot days, becoming a hazard to the unsuspecting user

[Phil M]

Duane, I have the same unit you have (Dometic 975 MSD), and have it plumbed it, with a deck pumpout and the side airvent. It takes less than a minute to convert it it from permanent plumbed-in to removable, so I can empty both ways : either via deck pumpout or removing the whole unit. Going from plumbed-in to removable takes a simply twist to get the hose assembly off and replaced with the spout attachment. Then pulling out the lock-in base-clip frees the unit from its floor mount. The process is quick and easy - just keep a disposable plastic bag around to temporarily keep the unattached hose end in.

After a careful study of most of the options, I think this unit, with its dual mode (portable vs plumbed-in) is probably one of the best, as it gives many options: one can empty via traditional deck pumpouts at marinas, or use the portable mode at RV stops or home. BTW: one of the other advantages of plumbing it in is that the air-vent permanently removes the dangers of 'head-blowouts' on hot days. Previous stock unit that came with the Mac seemed to develop pressure on hot days, becoming a hazard to the unsuspecting user

Seafarer,
Have you posted a mod on exactly how you plumbed it in? Even if I do not use the entire mod, I am especially interested in the 'head blowout' air-vent. I still have stains on the head carpet back wall.

Phil M

[Seafarer]

Seafarer,
Have you posted a mod on exactly how you plumbed it in? Even if I do not use the entire mod, I am especially interested in the 'head blowout' air-vent. I still have stains on the head carpet back wall.

Phil M

Hi Phil,

I haven't had a chance to post this (and several other) mods, but hope to do so someday. Here are pics of the whole assembly:

Here's the head (a Dometic 975 MSD), with its deck pump-out plumbing and air vent, Notice I did a 270-degree loop in the air-vent hose, as double insurance against sea-water intake in rough seas:


The pump-out is plumbed directly to the deck:


And the air vent is plumbed to the side, just below the gunnel:


Here's more info on the unit: http://www.sealandtechnology.com/produc ... asp?pid=94

[Phil M]

The 270 degree loop is a good idea. With the pictures I can see how it was done. What size hose did you use, and for the thru-hull that attach to the hose?

Thanks for posting this.

Phil M

[Seafarer]

If I recall, the air vent hose was a 1/2" (0.5") regular water hose, and the pump out hose was 1.5" special holding tank hose. The deck and air vent fittings matched the hose sizes. All were from West Marine. The air vent fitting might have been originally sold as a fuel vent fitting.
These hose sizes were chosen to match the hose barbs on the Dometic MSD/portable converter fitting, so no adapter was needed.

[Bluecrab]

Can anyone tell me if the 974msd 5 gal will fit in an M?

My old sealand 2.5 gal sprung a leak. The M has a raised floor and I'm m not sure it will provide enough head room with taller tank.

Thanks,
wally

I just found the porta potti thread which explains how to install it in the M. Looks like I have my answer.

Thanks

[40Toes]

Has anyone changed the slide valve on this unit? I am not looking forward to it but it needs to be replaced .

Rod

[tom clayton]

Interesting i just got back from spending our first night out in the bay on the hook and low and behold the first time we use our pp it leaks. Pretty gross to discover it the next morning the pp is brand new, it was its maiden voyage and it failed miserable, i got to the dock and emptied it then investigated with clean water where the leak is and found it to be the cap. I removed and reseated it several times and it still leaked thank our friends in China once again for manufacturing process that never tires of failing, 60.00 for a seal somebody is gettting paid and it wouldnt be the chinese.

[K9Kampers]

I've got the same style pictured by Doug91, the second in five seasons. The first came with the boat with the label "Sanipottie Portable". Leaked on season two. Replaced with same style, label "Dometic". Leaked last year... repaired enroute with 5200 & duct tape. Re-repaired this year by sanding / scoring plastic around fail area before applying 5200 & tape. Just today found leak on other side of tank. Both leaks are on the inside corners of the recess for the metal tank brackets. I will call the manf. like Paul S. to get a free replacement, but have lost faith in this product.

Now I'll be researching for a new PP or marine head. Have to think hard about inboard tank. Has anyone heard of a flexible (bag) waste tank modded for both onboard pump-out and removable for remote dumping (like PP tank)?

[Catigale]

Andrew - it sounds like the metal brackets are wearing through the plastic - maybe some insulating tape wrapped on the brackets might help?

I sure like that China bowl one - but at half a boat buck it better have Admiral's approval - not that a nice head will be the easiest pitch I have to make..

[Zoran]

I am not sure where you can buy the same one but if you want to get rid off your O ring seal for the back cap where you empty it, ship it to me as I lost mine while rinsing the cap in teh middle of the straight. Since then I improvized all kind of seals but they all leak so I am now on half capacity. Here in Canada I found bigger tank (5 gal) onteh shelfe in Steveston Marine and I grabbed it since all other parts were intrerchangable. Unfortunately it came with no cap so I do not have spare. I will pay for the shipping.