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Man I'm tahred [message #184079]

Wed, 12 September 2012 00:28

Mitch

Messages: 272
Registered: May 2009
Location: Tacoma, Wa

Karma: 0

Senior Member

Man I'm tahred. Just finished a macerator install under The Beast, and since I'm not working out of a pit, there was a lot of crawling back and forth.
Now I know all you other experts have already done yours, and from the photos they are all perfect (and the undersides are super), and I don't mind telling you I copied those pictures for my guidance. So as soon as I remaster the picture site I'll kick a few over there.
I used Jim K's kit for my install, but as in everything I seem to tackle, it didn't just go by the instructions.
Fortunately I have an Ace Hardware about a mile away. They know me. By name. And mood.
Anyway, starting out with Jim's instruction sheet, I crawled under and just stared at everything for a few minutes. FIRST thing I spotted was that the second (new) gate valve couldn't go straight to the side; there is a muffler in the way.
That had me searching for an alternative; I ended up with the valve at a 45degree angle towards the right rear corner of the bumper.made a list, went to Ace. All smiles; new project. Came home with extra parts, crawled under, started removing the old system. The 3" at the tank had to be cut 3 1/2 inches from the frame. Did that.
Now it was time to eyeball the new install.Put sweeping junction, reducer, tail piece together. Temp. mounted base plate to frame, placed pump in approximate position. Slid junction assembly onto 3", held everything in place. Huh, that's odd, they don't line up. Can't extend base plate, must shorten 31/2" tail to 2". Did that. Everything lines up. Almost. Missed it by that // much. Back to Ace. Not smiling. Buy flexible coupling. Go home. With new extension from reducer to and a pair (one came in kit) of flexible couplings, and moving base plate outboard a little more, it fit.
After that it was just cut and glue all the pieces. Doing fine, everything fits. Came up with hangers in a couple spots to really support it. Drilled base plate for pump and to mount to chassis. All that went fine. I'm a happy camper.
Attach discharge hose and run to battery compartment.
I ran wiring up to battery compartment. Back to Ace; I didn't have any of the proper size wire. No big. I'm smiling.
Go home. Splice and run wire. Attach ground wire to (-) terminal. Determine where switch would mount (above battery), attach to wire from pump. Add wire + inline fuse, attach to (+) terminal. Can't open fuse holder. Twice. Dammit. Disconnect from (+) terminal. Disconnect from switch. Still can't open fuse holder. Look at end. I can see the tabs in the slot they're supposed to slid in. NOT.
Back to Ace. Definitely not smiling. Buy bayonet type fuse holder, and yes proper fuses. Go home, install fuse holder, reattach to (+) terminal. Flip switch. Motor spins.Hoorah.
So I pour about ten gallons of water into black tank.
Open gate valve and flip switch. Motor spins, but doesn't get water. Stop. Look under coach; water. From gate valve. Dammit! Crawl under, flashlight in hand. Yep, it's coming from the gate valve mounted on the tank. The next day was Saturday, I rested. Sunday? Hey I had F1 to watch and the Seahawks (Dammit, we was robbed) or the Mariners (Dammit, they're still playing Oakland).
Monday I called Jim K., told him I needed a valve, and described what was going on. He took my order, and then we started talking.

(By the way, doesn't any one talk to him down there? He talked until the battery in my phone went dead. And was still talking as the battery faded off. It was as if he was being sucked off into a vortex.)

So any way, in the course of our conversation he mentions that if it's dripping at the coupling (it was)a solution is to clean up the surfaces, check the big O-ring, and apply a layer of axle grease.
AXLE GREASE? Whoda thunk it.
So today I peeled everything back, cleaned the surfaces, and jammed the coupling into place.
I dumped ten gallons of water into tank, looked under the coach, and flipped the switch. Nothing but noise. Look under coach again. No water. Opened second gate valve and then end of dump pipe. Nada, nothing, dry as a bone. Not Smiling!
Dump FIVE more gallons of water into tank. (I was measuring, with a bucket, so I'd know how much comes out.)
Look under coach. Still no water. Flip the switch. Noise. I'm just about to let go, when the pitch changed. Hot Damn! I got me water pumping!
After that it was just get her off the jack stands and button up.
Went back to Ace today for a couple small things. I was smilin'.
Total working time about 16 hours over several days.
Gotta say thanks to Jim K. for his advice.

Mitch Tacoma, Wa. '80 Spitfire '03 Windstar '77 Jaguar XJ6-C X(very)'76 PB 26 "The Beast" Where it rains, always. It's wet, No sun, Gray. Go to Oregon.