12v Lavac Toilet - TMC pump - very noisy?

[Tradewinds]

I'm a fan of Lavac toilets. I have two on my boat - both are manual.

I'm wondering about fitting the 12v electric version which has a TMC pump on my son's boat (it would solve some problems with the current piping layout on his present manual toilet).

Anybody got this toilet set up?

How noisy is the pump (it might have to be mounted on a bulkhead quite near a forecabin)?

Has the TMC pump been reliable?

FYI I have the original style electric Lavac/Henderson pump which pumps out my grey water tank. This is the heavy duty version (c1980) - now with a Scania windscreen wiper motor (c1993) - which has been extremely reliable but it's not silent but a lot quieter than a Par Max type pump and the noise level (if similar) would be acceptable.

TIA

 

[matthewriches]

The TMC's are a diaphragm pump so should be almost silent once buried in the bilge somewhere.

 

[Tradewinds]

It won't be buried in the bilge - hence the question

 

[rotrax]

The TMC's are a diaphragm pump so should be almost silent once buried in the bilge somewhere.

The TMC electric toilet on our steel Hartley in NZ has a motor that looks identical to the one illustrated.

It has a simple two chamber rotary pump/macerator on one end, not a diaphagm pump. If it had a diaphagm pump, it would still need a macerator.

It IS very noisy. We dont flush at night, but wait till morning.

Reliability is good if used frequently-dont like being unused, they need rotating frequently.

 

[PaulRainbow]

The TMC electric toilet on our steel Hartley in NZ has a motor that looks identical to the one illustrated.

It has a simple two chamber rotary pump/macerator on one end, not a diaphagm pump. If it had a diaphagm pump, it would still need a macerator.

It IS very noisy. We dont flush at night, but wait till morning.

Reliability is good if used frequently-dont like being unused, they need rotating frequently.

Sorry, but you are mistaken. The pictured pump is, as Mathew said, a diaphragm pump.

You are also mistaken about the need for a macerator. I have a Lavac toilet that is flushed using a hand pumped diaphragm pump, no need for a macerator. The Lavac can have a manual pump and an electric diaphragm pump inline. The electric diaphragm pumps are reasonably quiet, vastly quieter than a macerator.

 

[PaulRainbow]

I'm a fan of Lavac toilets. I have two on my boat - both are manual.

I'm wondering about fitting the 12v electric version which has a TMC pump on my son's boat (it would solve some problems with the current piping layout on his present manual toilet).

TIA

No need to change the toilet, just fit a diaphragm pump. The TMC pump is one option, Whale and Jabsco also make diaphragm pumps that look very similar to the TMC. I have not used a TMC pump, but i have used Whale and Jabsco pumps and would consider the noise acceptable.

 

[VicS]

The TMC electric toilet on our steel Hartley in NZ has a motor that looks identical to the one illustrated.

It has a simple two chamber rotary pump/macerator on one end, not a diaphagm pump. If it had a diaphagm pump, it would still need a macerator.

It IS very noisy. We dont flush at night, but wait till morning.

Reliability is good if used frequently-dont like being unused, they need rotating frequently.

If you look at the picture Tradewinds posted you will see it clearly says "Diaphrgm pump" on the label

The TMC pump is I believe what BLT now supply for electric operation of the Lavac Toilet. It will handle un-macerated effluent, no doubt much more quietly than your macerator pump

 

[moomba]

Have a whale 24 volt dia.. pump for my waste tank ,and 2 ,24 volt Jabesco macerate toilets , and the sound variation is quit substantial , the whale pump is a gentle sound under the floor , not intrusive and rather quite , the toilets are like a drill going off as the waste is macerated and then pump kicks in.

 

[rotrax]

Sorry, but you are mistaken. The pictured pump is, as Mathew said, a diaphragm pump.

You are also mistaken about the need for a macerator. I have a Lavac toilet that is flushed using a hand pumped diaphragm pump, no need for a macerator. The Lavac can have a manual pump and an electric diaphragm pump inline. The electric diaphragm pumps are reasonably quiet, vastly quieter than a macerator.

OOPS!

You are quite right-I should have gone to Specsavers...........................

 

[ean_p]

I'm a fan of Lavac toilets. I have two on my boat - both are manual.

I'm wondering about fitting the 12v electric version which has a TMC pump on my son's boat (it would solve some problems with the current piping layout on his present manual toilet).

Anybody got this toilet set up?

How noisy is the pump (it might have to be mounted on a bulkhead quite near a forecabin)?

Has the TMC pump been reliable?

FYI I have the original style electric Lavac/Henderson pump which pumps out my grey water tank. This is the heavy duty version (c1980) - now with a Scania windscreen wiper motor (c1993) - which has been extremely reliable but it's not silent but a lot quieter than a Par Max type pump and the noise level (if similar) would be acceptable.

TIA

Have you any modal data on the 'Scania windscreen wiper motor ' please as I have a pump with u/s motor that needs a replacement!

 

[Tradewinds]

I'll look when I'm next on board which will be next week.

As I said, the original Lavac motor was replaced back in 1993 and in use ever since.

Note: The Henderson pump adaption/casting on my 1980 boat is different to the later Henderson electric pump incarnation which had a smaller motor and adaption/casting to match.

Have you any modal data on the 'Scania windscreen wiper motor ' please as I have a pump with u/s motor that needs a replacement!

 

[Tradewinds]

Thanks for the inputs so far.

Am I right in thinking that the TMC/Whale type diaphragm pump can be mounted in various orientations in terms of in/out (but, I guess, always motor up in case of leaks)? The Whale vidoes show the in/out as being horizontal which might be advantageous.

I know the original Lavac/Henderson type pump has to be mounted with the inlet/outlet vertical so the internal flap valve would close properly.

 

[rogerthebodger]

I have used both the jabsco and the whale diaphragm pump on both my lavac and jabsco heads and both work fine and not too noisy.

On my lavac the original henderson Mk 5 ans the jabsco electric are mounted in parallel and I can use either. I did need to fit an extra non return valve as the henderson inlet non return would not close enough to allow the jabsco to work correctly. I do think the henderson inlet valve is a bit warn and could need replacing.

 

[moomba]

Thanks for the inputs so far.

Am I right in thinking that the TMC/Whale type diaphragm pump can be mounted in various orientations in terms of in/out (but, I guess, always motor up in case of leaks)? The Whale vidoes show the in/out as being horizontal which might be advantageous.

I know the original Lavac/Henderson type pump has to be mounted with the inlet/outlet vertical so the internal flap valve would close properly.

Yes my whale pump is horizontal and I have no issues

 

[Tradewinds]

I'll look when I'm next on board which will be next week.

As I said, the original Lavac motor was replaced back in 1993 and in use ever since.

Note: The Henderson pump adaption/casting on my 1980 boat is different to the later Henderson electric pump incarnation which had a smaller motor and adaption/casting to match.

Here’s the label attached to the motor. HTH

 

[rogerthebodger]

The original electric Laval head pump was a henderson with a wiper motor with a crank to drive the handle arm.

Discussed here

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?235565-Lavac-electric-pump-motor-info

 

[Tradewinds]

That's correct.

It is/was a Bosch unit.

A quick Google turns up this website which appears to stock it. I thought the unit was obsolete.

http://www.comercialaguileraehijos.es/tienda/producto.jsp?id_producto=7408812

I know it was pretty expensive to buy in 1993 so I'm not surprised that they want €342 for it.

Better to try and fit a Gulper/TMC unit if you can.

The original electric Laval head pump was a henderson with a wiper motor with a crank to drive the handle arm.

Discussed here

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?235565-Lavac-electric-pump-motor-info

 

[rogerthebodger]

Wow that hell of a price.

I have a 12vdc bosch wiper motor on my work bench ready to make a start/stop actuator. I got it from a scrap yard by my local parts factor also has them

I would take the motor to a local car spairs shop and try to match as in most cases the motors are the same its just mountings and output shaft that differ.