DanMar

That might work but looks like Sanford and Sons truck!

Without a complete checkout from a qualified service person, RUN, RUN FOREST RUN!!!!!!

This is a VERY true statement. Bilge pumps are connected directly (hot) to the batteries to prevent un-commanded sinking. If you do not leave your shore power charging the batteries, you develop a leak, bilge pump automatically comes on to get rid of water, drains battery, stops pumping, boat sinks! Wailing can be heard for miles!!!!

Not familiar with your boat but does it have an arch? If so, you can mount it on top. I just mounted one on our 2001 302CR. I had the luck of the boat having a shore hook up for phone and cable. With no intentions of using a shore cable hook up, I disconnected it in the storage box on the rear and went into the engine compartment and used a connector to join the cable to the antenna. You should have access ports on the arch to snake the cable down to the engine. From there you will have to snake it to where ever you install the TV. Might be important to think about when you are looking for a position to install the TV. You will not need a converter box if your TV is HD. I receive 33 channels at the dock. You should try and get an antenna with a booster. Some models come with one. I got the Shakespeare 2025 from West Marine and have been happy with it. Hope this helps. Boobie Trap

Bump

OK, I have done what would be normal I think. I have washed the track with a garden hose and gotten all the dust, sand, miscellaneous garbage out of there. I have lubed the track with silicon spray, top and bottom. The problem is that it is still sticking. It is fairly easy to open. It might be that you have more leverage than when closing but to close it using just that hand hold sometimes is very difficult. Any suggestions on how to make this thing slide easier? I am not a little guy but it sure is a pain. Thanks in advance!! "Boobie Trap" Lake Dallas, TX

FURTHER UPDATE: I have replaced all duckbill valves and the pressure switch. It is working OK but still when the pump cutoff, I heard a hissing. After further review, I find that the line from the toilet to the vacuum tank is leaking pressure. I used some adhesive caulk around the pipe that slides into the universal ring and I hear no more leaking. The pump still runs about 5 cycles every 5-10 minutes so I am loosing pressure somewhere but can not figure out where unless there is some gunk in one or more of the new duckbills. I am going to wait for awhile to see if it clears as I am tired of screwing with it. It works. Done. If it bugs me down the road, then I might tear it apart again to fix.

UPDATE... After taking the hoses off to get to the duckbills, the duckbill valves were all boogered up. I replaced them but in doing so found out that the pressure switch is also kaput. The pump motor would not work now at all. Not believing that the motor was bad, I bypassed the switch and it started working just fine. The brass fitting that holds the wire to the switch was broken inside the switch and was not making contact. I assume that I hit it when taking out the duckbills. Tried to install a longer screw into the other hole that reaches the live part of the switch and it worked just fine. But, I am replacing the switch and the spring mechanism so as to be done with it. Hopefully, with this, it will function properly. Not reason not to!

Thanks for all the comments. I have taken the batteries out and load tested them. All were good and registered 100%. I have learned that with the Battery master on or off, the batteries will be kept at full charge. After doing this for awhile, all is normal. They just needed a good charge. The problem is, if you leave the battery master switch on, is that any draw from the radio, lights,water pump, head, will affect the charge if the draw is large enough. I think that was happening. I now turn off the master switch therefore nothing but what is left on the shore power is running and not running off the batteries. All is well in the kingdom!!

West Marine carries some. Don't know that they are the ones that fit but they do seem to be pretty standard. Two screws and they are done. Very easy. The lockable ones are just an added cost IMHO. If someone wants in, the plastic locks won't stop anyone. A screwdriver, and now you have a screwed up locker door. I chose not to install the lockable one but use a secure lock box on the dock. Same hold true for that also. Just put a sign that says, "Protected by Smith and Wesson". Good Luck!!

Hi, Thought I would add my $0.02 worth maybe to save you some money down the road. You mentioned that your boat was on a lift. From experience, don't count on that heater keeping the engine compartment warm during a cold spell. I live in Dallas and last year, we had a couple of days that the weather got into the teens for a couple of days and the sump bowl drain on the bottom of my engine froze and cracked. They wanted $470 to replace a $170 part so I got the part. After about an hour (they said 2) to replace it, bloody knuckles, it was fixed. With the boat out of the water, the air can circulate all around the hull, it WILL get cold and the bilge heater that I had could not keep up. It was rated as big enough to keep it from freezing but it did not. Had I thought about it, I would have just lowered the boat into the water and used the water temp to help with the heater and that would probably have stopped it from freezing. Just my opinion. Don't have to worry about that now, we just bought a 2001 Monterey 302 Cruiser that was like new. Can't wait for summer!! Good luck and enjoy your new boat!

Just purchased a 2001 Monterey 302CR. It has been very well kept and after three other boats, this is the "one". We have decided on the name "Boobie Trap" for the name! We cruise on Lake Lewisville just north of Dallas, Texas.

When I turn on the head power, the vacuflush system pulses not stop. You can flush the toilet and it has the suction, but the pump is running all the time. It is obvious that it is not maintaining the required pressure in the system. Question. Having looked at the diagrams of the system, there are only 4 valves called "duckbill valves". Is this the most likely place for the leaks to occur? How do you know which side is leaking? Should I just replace all four valves? The seal in the toilet is good. I can run water into the toilet and with the pump running, or not, the water stays. That would indicate to me that the ball valve in the toilet is good so it must be one of the duck valves. I am thinking that it is the duck valves just prior to the holding tank. Thanks for the comments

Along the same lines, I just purchased a 2001 Monterey 302CR. I "think" the batteries are shot. The previous owner installed these in 09 but he thought that by charging them with the boat charger all the time would ruin the batteries, he only used the charger ever so ofter. II happened to turn of the battery charger last night and all went dark and the battery gauge read zero. My problem is this. What is the proper switch set up to have the batteries charge? Understand that the shorepower must be on and the battery charger switch must be on also. When I do this and turn off the master switches in the main power access at the rear of the boat, (the one for the port, starboard, parallel, generator) everything goes dark and 12dc indicator gauge in the cabin electrical panel reads zero. Are the batteries being charged or not? It does not indicate if they are. If I look at the front of the charger in the engine room, will that show a charge? Thanks for any comments. Not a new boater, but new to twins and a boat this big. I do learn quickly thank goodness!!