SeaLand SanX MSD Manual?

[SchoonerSkipper]

We just purchased a 1987 Transpac Eagle 32. It’s outfitted with a Raritan Marine Elegance fresh-water toilet and a SeaLand SanX MSD treatment system.

The prior owner did not use the SanX system, other than to use it as an un-treated holding tank for deck pump-out. That’s going to be my plan for now as well - we’ll be cruising bays, rivers and near-coastal areas along the US Gulf Coast so don’t plan on doing any overboard discharge.

The SanX is one of the few systems on board that I don’t have a manual for, and I have no idea how it operates (even though as I say, I don’t intend to use it, I’d like to know how it works - particularly if, in an unforeseen circumstance, I could in fact use it to discharge overboard, in appropriate waters, without the chemical treatment).

Does anyone know where I can find an owner’s manual? I’ve checked here and on-line and had no success; Dometic (successor to SeaLand) has no info on their website. Or can someone give me a simple explanation of how to operate the unit? There’s a control panel for it in the head that gives me three options - “Off” (where it is now), ‘Treat and hold’ (or something like that) and ‘Treat and Discharge’. This panel is getting power so that much is operating. The unit itself is behind a bulkhead, so I haven’t actually seen it yet; there’s an inspection port that I’ll be opening for a look-see the next time I’m aboard.

Thanks!

[HeadMistress]

The SanX was originally named TDX..In the early 90s SeaLand renamed "SanX" and then discontinued it altogether about 15 years ago. However, the chemical TDX is still available. It's a nasty formaldehyde based witches brew, unfortunately the only thing that was ever certified for use with the system--if the system is still certified as a Type I, which is unlikely because USCG regs require mfrs to resubmit all Type I and II MSDs for recertification every 5 years and no mfr would go through that process for a discontinued device. The TDX chemical is frightfully expensive--$36/gallon on Amazon and uses a quart per treatment cycle--which btw, takes 20 minutes.

I no longer have any literature for it, nor does a google search through 6 pages turn up any. But I can you the short version of how it was designed to work: The system consists of a 9 gal tank that has a macerator--just the "blender blade'' assemby, not a macerator pump--in the bottom of it, an aluminum "basket" next to it that holds a gal jug of TDX chemical with a pump and an overboard discharge pump. There should be little panel mounted on a bulkhead somewhere that has 2 lights on it, one labeled "treat and hold," the other "treat and discharge." Activating "treat & hold" causes the chemical pump to pull a pint of TDX out of the jug and into the tank where it sits till "treat & discharge" activated...at which time another pint of chemical is pumped into the tank and macerator runs for about 20 minutes, then activates the overboard discharge pump, which runs for several minutes, discharging the foulest smelling smell you'll ever smell. Then it injects another pint of TDX chemical...and that's it till you activate it again. Btw...it can also be pumped out, but no one within 50 yards will like you at all it if the tank has TDX in it.

My advice: just consider the tank to be nothing more than just a holding tank that you'll almost certainly want to replace with a proper one that holds more than 9 gallons....and perhaps a Raritan PuraSan (Type I treatment device Raritan PuraSan Promo Sheet



--Peggie


--Peggie

[SchoonerSkipper]

Thanks, Peggy - I’ve had your book for years! Additional question: can I use the “Treat and Discharge” function, without adding the chemical, to pump overboard (in appropriate waters, of course) - in short, just using the unit as a discharge pump to pump the holding tank contents overboard? Or will it not work that way?

[HeadMistress]

I suppose you could, but why go through an unnecessary 20 minute maceration process just to dump tank?? And that's assuming any of it still works! The overboard discharge pump is--or originally was--a SeaLand T-Series Pump SeaLand T-Series Pump at Defender (I often post Defender's listings for Dometic/SeaLand equipment because a) Dometic has made it impossible to find anything on their site any more...and b) Defender usually has a pretty complete description of it that usually includes a link to the owners manual). You should be able to rewire one of the SanX buttons to only turn it on and off.


If this needs more detailed discussion than is practical in a discussion forum, you're welcome to send me a PM.


--Peggie

[SchoonerSkipper]

Just to close the loop: found Marine Sanitation & Supply on line, www.marinesan.com , they were kind enough to email me a pdf of the SanX manual and give me some info on the system. They stock a few available parts for those who want to try to maintain these systems - I’m almost certain that we won’t be using it, and somewhere down the line I’ll retire it and set the boat up with a more conventional holding tank with Y-valve for deck and overboard discharge.