Economy brand Electric Toilets

[Irish Rover]

I'm thinking about replacing the manual toilets on my boat with electric models. I don't have much experience of using electric toilets [I had a Larson a good few years ago which had one but it was used as a day boat only so got very little use]. Anyway having had a look at what's available here in Turkey I see 2 economy brands TMC and Lalizas which are around €250 each and Jabsco around €700 and Vetus and Tecma over €1,000. Is there any reason not to buy the cheaper models for a boat that will be used mainly as a day boat and for longer trips maximum 3/4 weeks in the year. All advice appreciated.

 

[rotrax]

I'm thinking about replacing the manual toilets on my boat with electric models. I don't have much experience of using electric toilets [I had a Larson a good few years ago which had one but it was used as a day boat only so got very little use]. Anyway having had a look at what's available here in Turkey I see 2 economy brands TMC and Lalizas which are around €250 each and Jabsco around €700 and Vetus and Tecma over €1,000. Is there any reason not to buy the cheaper models for a boat that will be used mainly as a day boat and for longer trips maximum 3/4 weeks in the year. All advice appreciated.

We have a TMC on our steel Hartley in NZ.

Bits are cheap, easy to get and it works OK.

It is noisy, draws high current and the seal between the in and out chamber is only a couple of tight fitting "O" rings on a bronze sleeve. When these fail, it is not a pleasant job to fix.

But, many, many boats use them, and the capital cost is low.

You pays yer money and yer takes yer choice.....................................

 

[PaulRainbow]

Check out the price of a Lavac, with a diaphragm pump (no other pump should be considered with the Lavac). Work very well, not much to go wrong and very quiet.

Of the ones you mention, the biggest difference is usually the racket they make, cheap ones will wake the whole marina in the middle of the night

 

[matthewriches]

Having a boat which was fitted with the "standard" jabsco piles of crap that block as soon as they smell a shite, I looked and studied the situation carefully.

I looked and tested the premium Jabsco offering, still too noisy and didn't feel robust. I actually ended up buying a Lavac. Looked a bit to aeroplane toilet for my liking. This went back after I fitted a couple of Planus toilets which are the same as Tecma to a boat we had in at the yard.

Horrendously expensive for a crapper but oh so domestic... if it wasn't for the boat, you'd think you was at home.

That sealed the deal so I bought a Planus premier elite with the flat control panel. Not once blocked, no smell, no fuss. And any idiot can operate it. But dam expensive! Convinced so will be swapping the other heads out this winter.

They do have quite a big footprint so they need a bit of room. Soft close seat is worth it though.

Seriously though, I use my boat in excess of 300 days a year so a good toilet was worth the money. If you only use the boat a few weeks a year then maybe a premium Jabsco would be ok? They're not that bad, just don't get the one that sounds like an electric blender.

 

[rogerthebodger]

I have often considered it it would be possible to use a normal domestic loo as the basis of a boat head with the addition of and outlet and inlet pumps.

I and thinking of converting my Jabsco to electric with the additional of a diaphragm outlet pump and a small centrifugal pump for the flush water.

 

[Neeves]

We have (had) 2 standard Jabsco hand pump units. I converted one to electric using s standard TMC pump, which appears to have been made to fit the Jabsco unit. You need the space to fit the pump - but it was a simple task. We left the other toilet as hand pump.

I boxed the pump, to make it look less industrial, - no one comments on the noise (but then we don't frequent marinas). Power usage might be 'high' but as you only use them for a very short period of time - its a non issue.

The TMC pump has been reliable.

Jonathan

 

[rogerthebodger]

We have (had) 2 standard Jabsco hand pump units. I converted one to electric using s standard TMC pump, which appears to have been made to fit the Jabsco unit. You need the space to fit the pump - but it was a simple task. We left the other toilet as hand pump.

I boxed the pump, to make it look less industrial, - no one comments on the noise (but then we don't frequent marinas). Power usage might be 'high' but as you only use them for a very short period of time - its a non issue.

The TMC pump has been reliable.

Jonathan

I also had a TMC pump fitted to a jabsco head but I found that if it was left unused for a while it would corrode up and stop working. It could be freed and got working again but ir needed to be removed which is not a nice job as you only find its not working after your job is done.

The flush water pump part also stopped pumping that why I fitted a separate flush pump. This also allowed the pump out and flush to be operated separately or together.

 

[rotrax]

I also had a TMC pump fitted to a jabsco head but I found that if it was left unused for a while it would corrode up and stop working. It could be freed and got working again but ir needed to be removed which is not a nice job as you only find its not working after your job is done.

The flush water pump part also stopped pumping that why I fitted a separate flush pump. This also allowed the pump out and flush to be operated separately or together.

That is our experience of the one on our NZ boat. Used daily, no trouble. Leave it for 8 months and it has needed a new bronze sleeve and "O" rings as the in and out chambers cross feed. It does have a screwdriver slot so the amature can be turned externally should the motor stick.

If you can get at it......................................................

Pumped dry, filled the bowl with fresh water this time and pumped it through this time we left it.

Be interesting to see if it works when we return.

 

[Irish Rover]

I bought 2 of the cheepo TMC toilets. I’m not the most technical minded guy around or even the second most but I’m still going to install them myself so help needed. The manual ones have a vented loop on the sea water intake. Do I need that on the electric ones?

 

[RichardS]

If the rim of the bowl is below sea level I would say that water could still siphon through the electric pump if the valves/impeller leak, just like the manual pump so the vented loop would still be advisable.

Richard

 

[KellysEye]

Anything cheap tends to break earlier than the expensive ones.

 

[Irish Rover]

Anything cheap tends to break earlier than the expensive ones.

As you may have gathered from the thread I’m cheap and I’m still going strong and some of my more extravagant contemporaries are struggling. Still, thanks for your valuable input.

 

[colind3782]

My boat came with an electric bog from Matro Marine, an Italian make I believe. It does make a noise but not too bad and we make a point of not flushing at night in the marina.

 

[vyv_cox]

We have owned a Jabsco Lite Flush since 2010. It is a lot quieter than the TMC that we had on a previous boat. It eats joker valves, mainly because the flush volume is kept low for holding tank use. I need to clean the valve a couple of times per season, not too difficult a job. Otherwise it has been very reliable, still on the original belt and wheels, which I have read are unreliable. Used by two of us six months of each year.

 

[Norman_E]

I have often considered it it would be possible to use a normal domestic loo as the basis of a boat head with the addition of and outlet and inlet pumps.

I and thinking of converting my Jabsco to electric with the additional of a diaphragm outlet pump and a small centrifugal pump for the flush water.

I have converted my Jabsco heads to part electric, using a small water pressure pump to put fresh water in and the manual pump to empty out, with the addition of a non return valve close to the outlet to prevent any flowback.

 

[Neeves]

We have (had) 2 standard Jabsco hand pump units. I converted one to electric using s standard TMC pump, which appears to have been made to fit the Jabsco unit. You need the space to fit the pump - but it was a simple task. We left the other toilet as hand pump.

I boxed the pump, to make it look less industrial, - no one comments on the noise (but then we don't frequent marinas). Power usage might be 'high' but as you only use them for a very short period of time - its a non issue.

The TMC pump has been reliable.

Jonathan

At a guess our TMC electric motor has been working for 10 years now. It might be noisy - but you would need to be in a very deep sleep not to notice any pump, unless you have a very large yacht. If guests complain (which they never have - not even a comment) - they don't need to come back.

Jonathan

 

[Heckler]

Having a boat which was fitted with the "standard" jabsco piles of crap that block as soon as they smell a shite, I looked and studied the situation carefully.

I looked and tested the premium Jabsco offering, still too noisy and didn't feel robust. I actually ended up buying a Lavac. Looked a bit to aeroplane toilet for my liking. This went back after I fitted a couple of Planus toilets which are the same as Tecma to a boat we had in at the yard.

Horrendously expensive for a crapper but oh so domestic... if it wasn't for the boat, you'd think you was at home.

That sealed the deal so I bought a Planus premier elite with the flat control panel. Not once blocked, no smell, no fuss. And any idiot can operate it. But dam expensive! Convinced so will be swapping the other heads out this winter.

They do have quite a big footprint so they need a bit of room. Soft close seat is worth it though.

Seriously though, I use my boat in excess of 300 days a year so a good toilet was worth the money. If you only use the boat a few weeks a year then maybe a premium Jabsco would be ok? They're not that bad, just don't get the one that sounds like an electric blender.

Mathew
Ive had two boats with std Jabscos on, never had a blockage in 18 years and dont forget I am the only male amongst 3 females. The only issue is that you have to clean the flap valve once a year to prevent back leaking plus a few drops of veggy oil every week. Not so onerous?

 

[Irish Rover]

I think I admitted before I'm not great on the technical side of things. I've also admitted to being tight. I've proved it again after replacing one of my manual toilets with a TMC electric. There was also no holding tank on the stb side toilet so I fitted one. Anyway I clearly didn't use my brain, such as it is. The outflow from the toilet is 25mm and a 25 to 38 adapter was supplied so i fitted that at the toilet end and used the existing good quality 38mm hose. The rise from the toilet to the top of the holding tank is around 1.5M. I was very proud of myself to get it all done, especially the electrics, but that didn't last long. As soon as I started to test it the problem and the mistake became obvious. The pump-out is simply not able to keep up with the intake so the bowl; quickly fills up. I managed to empty it by closing the sea cock but after a few hours the bowl was half full again which I imagine is backflow from the rather long and high outlet hose. I've ordered 25mm hose and will change it in the next few days and I'm hoping that will solve the imbalance between the inflow and outflow. I hadn't put a vented loop on the inflow because the toilet is above water level but I may do now in the hope it may restrict the inflow pressure somewhat. I hope the narrower pipe will stop the backflow as well. Any thoughts or advice to a tech numpty greatly appreciated.

 

[Momac]

https://www.leesan.com/shop/shop-by-brand/sanimarin/sanimarin-sn31-comfort-12v-or-24v-dc.aspx

 

[Irish Rover]

I think I admitted before I'm not great on the technical side of things. I've also admitted to being tight. I've proved it again after replacing one of my manual toilets with a TMC electric. There was also no holding tank on the stb side toilet so I fitted one. Anyway I clearly didn't use my brain, such as it is. The outflow from the toilet is 25mm and a 25 to 38 adapter was supplied so i fitted that at the toilet end and used the existing good quality 38mm hose. The rise from the toilet to the top of the holding tank is around 1.5M. I was very proud of myself to get it all done, especially the electrics, but that didn't last long. As soon as I started to test it the problem and the mistake became obvious. The pump-out is simply not able to keep up with the intake so the bowl; quickly fills up. I managed to empty it by closing the sea cock but after a few hours the bowl was half full again which I imagine is backflow from the rather long and high outlet hose. I've ordered 25mm hose and will change it in the next few days and I'm hoping that will solve the imbalance between the inflow and outflow. I hadn't put a vented loop on the inflow because the toilet is above water level but I may do now in the hope it may restrict the inflow pressure somewhat. I hope the narrower pipe will stop the backflow as well. Any thoughts or advice to a tech numpty greatly appreciated.

This is turning out to be a bit of a saga. I ordered 25mm sanitary hose on Sunday and they only told me today they don’t have it and can’t get it from their distributor in Turkey. I ordered from a different company this morning and they’ve just come back and said the same thing. I’m still searching but no luck so far. I’m wondering if I’d get away with using standard fresh water hose for a few weeks until the slow boat from China arrives in Turkey with the correct quality stuff?