(a) This subpart prescribes regulations governing the design and construction of marine sanitation devices.

(b) Unless otherwise authorized by the Coast Guard each device for which certification under this part is requested must meet the requirements of this subpart.

A device must:

(a) Under the test conditions described in §§ 159.123 and 159.125, produce an effluent having a fecal coliform bacteria count not greater than 1,000 per 100 milliliters and no visible floating solids (Type I),

(b) Under the test conditions described in §§ 159.126 and 159.126a, produce an effluent having a fecal coliform bacteria count not greater than 200 per 100 milliliters and suspended solids not greater than 150 milligrams per liter (Type II), or

(c) Be designed to prevent the overboard discharge of treated or untreated sewage or any waste derived from sewage (Type III).

(a) Each production device must be legibly marked in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section with the following information:

(1) The name of the manufacturer.

(2) The name and model number of the device.

(3) The month and year of completion of manufacture.

(4) Serial number.

(5) Whether the device is certified for use on an inspected or an uninspected vessel.

(6) Whether the device is Type I, II, or III.

(b) The information required by paragraph (a) of this section must appear on a nameplate attached to the device or in lettering on the device. The nameplate or lettering stamped on the device must be capable of withstanding without loss of legibility the combined effects of normal wear and tear and exposure to water, salt spray, direct sunlight, heat, cold, and any substance listed in § 159.117(b) and (c). The nameplate and lettering must be designed to resist efforts to remove them from the device or efforts to alter the information stamped on the nameplate or the device without leaving some obvious evidence of the attempted removal or alteration.

(a) The instructions supplied by the manufacturer must contain directions for each of the following:

(1) Installation of the device in a manner that will permit ready access to all parts of the device requiring routine service and that will provide any flue clearance necessary for fire safety.

(2) Safe operation and servicing of the device so that any discharge meets the applicable requirements of § 159.53.

(3) Cleaning, winter layup, and ash or sludge removal.

(4) Installation of a vent or flue pipe.

(5) The type and quantity of chemicals that are required to operate the device, including instructions on the proper handling, storage and use of these chemicals.

(6) Recommended methods of making required plumbing and electrical connections including fuel connections and supply circuit overcurrent protection.

(b) The instructions supplied by the manufacturer must include the following information:

(1) The name of the manufacturer.

(2) The name and model number of the device.

(3) Whether the device is certified for use on an inspected, or uninspected vessel.

(4) A complete parts list.

(5) A schematic diagram showing the relative location of each part.

(6) A wiring diagram.

(7) A description of the service that may be performed by the user without coming into contact with sewage or chemicals.

(8) Average and peak capacity of the device for the flow rate, volume, or number of persons that the device is capable of serving and the period of time the device is rated to operate at peak capacity.

(9) The power requirements, including voltage and current.

(10) The type and quantity of fuel required.

(11) The duration of the operating cycle for unitized incinerating devices.

(12) The maximum angles of pitch and roll at which the device operates in accordance with the applicable requirements of § 159.53.

(13) Whether the device is designed to operate in salt, fresh, or brackish water.

(14) The maximum hydrostatic pressure at which a pressurized sewage retention tank meets the requirements of § 159.111.

(15) The maximum operating level of liquid retention components.

(16) Whether the device is Type I, II, or III.

(17) A statement as follows:

Each device must have a placard suitable for posting on which is printed the operating instructions, safety precautions, and warnings pertinent to the device. The size of the letters printed on the placard must be one-eighth of an inch or larger.

Vents must be designed and constructed to minimize clogging by either the contents of the tank or climatic conditions such as snow or ice.

Each part of the device that is required by the manufacturer's instructions to be serviced routinely must be readily accessible in the installed position of the device recommended by the manufacturer.

The device must be equipped with one of the following:

(a) A means of indicating the amount in the device of any chemical that is necessary for its effective operation.

(b) A means of indicating when chemicals must be added for the proper continued operation of the device.

Electrical components must have current and voltage ratings equal to or greater than the maximum load they may carry.

Motors must be rated to operate at 50 °C ambient temperature.

Electrical controls and conductors must be installed in accordance with good marine practice. Wire must be copper and must be stranded. Electrical controls and conductors must be protected from exposure to chemicals and sewage.

Current carrying conductors must be electrically insulated from non-current carrying metal parts.

Overcurrent protection must be provided within the unit to protect subcomponents of the device if the manufacturer's recommended supply circuit overcurrent protection is not adequate for these subcomponents.

Terminals must be solderless lugs with ring type or captive spade ends, must have provisions for being locked against movement from vibration, and must be marked for identification on the wiring diagram required in § 159.57. Terminal blocks must be nonabsorbent and securely mounted. Terminal blocks must be provided with barrier insulation that prevents contact between adjacent terminals or metal surfaces.

Baffles in sewage retention tanks, if any, must have openings to allow liquid and vapor to flow freely across the top and bottom of the tank.

Each sewage retention device must have a means of indicating when the device is more than 3/4 full by volume.

The device must be designed for efficient removal of nearly all of the liquid and solids in the sewage retention tank.

If sewage removal fittings or adapters are provided with the device, they must be of either 1 1/2″ or 4″ nominal pipe size.

A discharge device must be designed so that a momentary loss of power during operation of the device does not allow a discharge that does not meet the requirements in § 159.53.

The device must have provisions for supporting that are independent from connecting pipes.

(a) Each device must—

(1) Be free of design defects such as rough or sharp edges that may cause bodily injuries or that would allow toxic substances to escape to the interior of the vessel;

(2) Be vented or provided with a means to prevent an explosion or over pressurization as a result of an accumulation of gases; and

(3) Meet all other safety requirements of the regulations applicable to the type of vessel for which it is certified.

(b) A chemical that is specified or provided by the manufacturer for use in the operation of a device and is defined as a hazardous material in 46 CFR Part 146 must be certified by the procedures in 46 CFR Part 147.

(c) Current carrying components must be protected from accidental contact by personnel operating or routinely servicing the device. All current carrying components must as a minimum be of drip-proof construction or be enclosed within a drip-proof compartment.

The Commanding Officer, USCG Marine Safety Center, approves the design and construction of devices to be certified for installation and operation on board inspected vessels on the basis of tests and reports of inspection under the applicable marine engineering requirements in subchapter F of Title 46, Code of Federal Regulations, and under the applicable electrical engineering requirements in subchapter J of Title 46 Code of Federal Regulations.

Unless otherwise authorized by the Coast Guard, a recognized facility must perform each test described in §§ 159.103 through 159.131. The same device must be used for each test and tested in the order in which the tests are described. There must be no cracking, softening, deterioration, displacement, breakage, leakage or damage of components or materials that affects the operation or safety of the device after each test described in §§ 159.103 through 159.117 and § 159.121, and the device must remain operable after the test described in § 159.119. The device must be set up in a manner simulating installation on a vessel in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions with respect to mounting, water supply, and discharge fittings.

The device, with liquid retention components, if any, filled with water to one-half of their volume, must be subjected to a sinusoidal vibration for a period of 12 hours, 4 hours in each of the x, y, and z planes, at the resonant frequency of the device (or at 55 cycles per second if there is no resonant frequency between 10 to 60 hertz) and with a peak amplitude of 0.019 to 0.021 inches.

The device, with liquid retention components, if any, filled with water to half of their volume, must be subjected to 1,000 vertical shocks that are ten times the force of gravity (10g) and have a duration of 20-25 milliseconds measured at the base of the half-sine shock envelope.

(a) The device, with liquid retention components, if any, filled with water to half of their volume, must be subjected to 100 cycles with the axis of rotation 4 feet from the centerline of the device, no more than 6 inches below the plane of the bottom of the device, and parallel to any tank baffles. The device must then be rotated 90 degrees on its vertical axis and subjected to another 100 cycles. This testing must be repeated with the liquid retention components filled to the maximum operating level as specified by the manufacturer in § 159.57.

(b) Eighty percent of the rolling action must be approximately 15 degrees on either side of the vertical and at a cyclic rate of 3 to 4 seconds. Twenty percent motions must be approximately 30 degrees, or the maximum angle specified by the manufacturer under § 159.57, whichever is greater, on either side of the vertical at a cyclic rate of 6 to 8 seconds.

Any sewage retention tank that is designed to operate under pressure must be pressurized hydrostatically at a pressure head of 7 feet or to 150 percent of the maximum pressure specified by the manufacturer for operation of the tank, whichever is greater. The tank must hold the water at this pressure for 1 hour with no evidence of leaking.

Liquid retention components of the device with manufacturer specified venting installed must be subjected to 50 fillings of water at a pressure head of 7 feet or the maximum pressure specified by the manufacturer for operation of the device, whichever is greater, and then emptied with a 45 gallon per minute or larger positive displacement pump that remains in operation 30 seconds after emptying the tank at the end of each cycle.

(a) The device must be held at a temperature of 60 °C or higher for a period of 16 hours.

(b) The device must be held at a temperature of −40 °C or less for a period of 16 hours following winterization in accordance with manufacturers' instructions.

(a) In each case where the recognized facility doubts the ability of a material to withstand exposure to the substances listed in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section a sample of the material must be tested.

(b) A sample referred to in paragraph (a) of this section must be partially submerged in each of the following substances for 100 hours at an ambient temperature of 22 °C.

(1) Sewage.

(2) Any disinfectant that is required in the operation of the device.

(3) Any chemical compound in solid, liquid or gaseous form, used, emitted or produced in the operation of the device.

(4) Fresh or salt (3.5 percent Sodium Chloride) flush water.

(5) Toilet bowl cleaners.

(6) Engine Oil (SAE/30).

(7) Ethylene Glycol.

(8) Detergents (household and bilge cleaning type).

(c) A sample of the material must be doused 20 times, with a 1 hour drying period between dousings, in each of the following substances:

(1) Gasoline.

(2) Diesel fuel.

(3) Mineral spirits.

(4) Turpentine.

(5) Methyl alcohol.

The device must operate in an ambient temperature of 5 °C with inlet operating fluid temperature varying from 2 °C to 32 °C and in an ambient temperature of 50 °C with inlet operating fluid temperature varying from 2 °C to 32 °C.

(a) The device must process human sewage in the manner for which it is designed when tested in accordance with this section. There must be no sewage or sewage-treating chemicals remaining on surfaces or in crevices that could come in contact with a person using the device or servicing the device in accordance with the instructions supplied under § 159.57(b)(7).

(b) During the test the device must be operated and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Any initial start-up time specified by the manufacturer must be allowed before test periods begin. For 1 hour of each 8-hour test period, the device must be tilted to the maximum angles specified by the manufacturer under §§ 159.55 and 159.57.

(c) Except for devices described in paragraph (d) of this section, the devices must process and discharge or store human sewage over at least an 8-consecutive hour period on at least 10 days within a 20-day period. The device must receive human sewage consisting of fecal matter, urine, and toilet paper in a ratio of four urinations to one defecation with at least one defecation per person per day. Devices must be tested at their average rate of capacity as specified in § 159.57. In addition, during three periods of each day the system must process sewage at the peak capacity for the period of time it is rated at peak capacity.

(d) A device that processes and discharges continuously between individual use periods or a large device, as determined by the Coast Guard, must process and discharge sewage over at least 10-consecutive days at the average daily capacity specified by the manufacturer. During three periods of each day the system must process sewage at the peak capacity for the period of time it is rated at peak capacity. The sewage for this test must be fresh, domestic sewage to which primary sludge has been added, as necessary, to create a test sewage with a minimum of 500 milligrams of suspended solids per liter.

(a) The arithmetic mean of the fecal coliform bacteria in 38 of 40 samples of effluent discharged from a Type I device during the test described in § 159.121 must be less than 1000 per 100 milliliters when tested in accordance with 40 CFR Part 136.

(b) The 40 samples must be taken from the device as follows: During each of the 10-test days, one sample must be taken at the beginning, middle, and end of an 8-consecutive hour period with one additional sample taken immediately following the peak capacity processing period.

During the sewage processing test (§ 159.121) 40 effluent samples of approximately 1 liter each shall be taken from a Type I device at the same time as samples taken in § 159.123 and passed expeditiously through a U.S. Sieve No. 12 as specified in ASTM E 11 (incorporated by reference, see § 159.4). The weight of the material retained on the screen after it has been dried to a constant weight in an oven at 103 °C. must be divided by the volume of the sample and expressed as milligrams per liter. This value must be 10 percent or less of the total suspended solids as determined in accordance with 40 CFR Part 136 or at least 38 of the 40 samples.

(a) The arithmetic mean of the fecal coliform bacteria in 38 of 40 samples of effluent from a Type II device during the test described in § 159.121 must be 200 per 100 milliliters or less when tested in accordance with 40 CFR Part 136.

(b) The 40 samples must be taken from the device as follows: During each of the 10 test days, one sample must be taken at the beginning, middle and end of an 8-consecutive hour period with one additional sample taken immediately following the peak capacity processing period.

During the sewage processing test (§ 159.121) 40 effluent samples must be taken at the same time as samples are taken for § 159.126 and they must be analyzed for total suspended solids in accordance with 40 CFR Part 136. The arithmetic mean of the total suspended solids in 38 of 40 of these samples must be less than or equal to 150 milligrams per liter.

Thirty-eight of forty samples of flush fluid from a recirculating device must have less than 240 fecal coliform bacteria per 100 milliliters. These samples must be collected in accordance with § 159.123(b) and tested in accordance with 40 CFR Part 136.

(a) Components of a device that are a potential ignition source in an explosive atmosphere must pass the test in paragraph (b) or (c) of this section or meet the requirements of paragraph (d) or have a specific warning in the instruction manual required by § 159.57 that the device should not be installed in an explosive atmosphere.

(b) Components protected by vapor exclusion must be placed in a chamber filled with a rich mixture of gasoline or propane in air with the pressure being varied from 0 to 2 psig once an hour for 8 hours. Vapor readings must be taken in the void being protected and must indicate a leakage less than 20 percent of the lower explosive limit of the mixture in the chamber.

(c) Components providing ignition protection by means other than vapor exclusion must be fitted with an ignition source, such as a spark plug, and a means of injecting an explosive mixture of gasoline or propane and air into the void that protects the component. Connections must be made so as to minimize any additional volume added to the protected void by the apparatus delivering the explosive mixture. The component must be placed in a chamber filled with an explosive mixture and there must be no ignition of the explosive mixture surrounding the component when the following tests are conducted:

(1) Using any overload protection that is part of the device, the potential ignition source must be operated for one half hour at 110 percent of its rated voltage, one half hour at 50 percent of its rated voltage and one half hour at 100 percent of its rated voltage with the motor or armature locked, if the potential ignition source is a motor or part of a motor's electrical circuit.

(2) With the explosive mixture in the protected void, the test installed ignition source must be activated 50 times.

(3) The tests paragraphs (c) (1) and (2) of this section must be repeated with any plugs removed.

(d) Components that are certified as being intrinsically safe in accordance with the Instrument Society of America (RP 12.2) or explosion proof in accordance with the Underwriters Laboratories STD 698 in Class I, Group D hazardous locations (46 CFR 111.80-5(a)) need not be subjected to this testing.

An incinerating device must not incinerate unless the combustion chamber is closed, must purge the combustion chamber of combustible fuel vapors before and after incineration must secure automatically if the burner does not ignite, must not allow an accumulation of fuel, and must neither produce a temperature on surfaces adjacent to the incineration chamber higher than 67 °C nor produce a temperature on surfaces in normal body contact higher than 41 °C when operating in an ambient temperature of 25 °C. Unitized incineration devices must completely burn to a dry, inert ash, a simultaneous defecation and urination and must not discharge fly ash, malodors, or toxic substances.