Can I Convert Lavac Pump to Behind Bulkhead?

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dedwards

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Hi, I just bought a lavac toilet on special offer but it is the type where the pump is mounted on the bulkhead in full view. I was wondering if it was quite easy to convert the pump to a behind-the-bulkhead version?

It looks like the only difference is the black arm that the pump handle goes into but Lavac themselves havent been too helpful - preferring I buy a whole new pump off them.

Is it possible to convert the pump just by swapping the arm?
and does anybody have a spare behind-bulkhead-arm that I can buy off them?

cheers.
 
It's basically a Henderson Mk. V, at least mine is, and not made by Lavac. I've not looked at converting it but it should be possible, the mk. V is marketed as universal, it is a very common pump, and bits and pieces should be readily available. Hope that helps.
PS There's something to be said for the pump not being behind a bulk-head on the (rare) occasions it gets blocked.
 
They are now made by a Danish company (the pumps). When you order a Lavac you have a choice of pumps - bulkhead or behind. Two different pumps but same innards. Go back to your supplier and see whether he will change it for the correct one.
 
Mine is behind a bulkhead and one job I want to look at is converting the horizontal handle movement to vertical - which will be much easier to use.
 
response to various mailers..

No, I can't take it back - it was a shop soiled special offer.

my bulkhead is actually the panel separating the cockpit locker from the heads so access is fine from both sides. the problem with having the pump inside the heads is that I can't reuse the holes from the old toilet. Not a terrible issue but nice to avoid all the same.

I did a search for 'henderson' and found its now made by whale. It does look like the only difference is the rocker arm and i've found the part number for it so have posted off a hopeful email. Explains why lavac didnt do the little bits.

Still, if somebody has a broken pump lying around in their garage i'll take it off their hands and reuse the rocker arm.
 
to those who have an in-full-view installation:
Do you also have the loops of pipe in full view or have you done something to hide them?
 
Can easily be hidden inside some lockers but a good idea the leave easy access to the air bleed in the inlet pipe so that it can be cleaned from time to time.
 
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to those who have an in-full-view installation:
Do you also have the loops of pipe in full view or have you done something to hide them?

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You're not using pipes of clear pvc are you? Just a thought, ughh!
 
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I'm happy having mine in full view where it is dead easy to service.

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Absolutely agree! Hiding it would be the very last thing I'd do!! Far simpler and easier to maintain when it's 'up front'!
 
hehe no. but still... whether you can see inside the pipe or not, it still unpleasant knowing what is looping past your head while you are pumping away and a 12mm piece of ply in between you and the pipe seems somehow more sanitary.

Anyway, Have done a bit more research and it seems there are two different types of mk5 pump. I am definitely talking about the sanitary version.
 
They are two different pumps. The behind/under deck one has a different arm because they operate in different directions and a plate to cover the hole through the bulkhead. Your pump is almost certainly not a Whale/Henderson unless it is very old stock as Blakes changed the supplier some time ago - I bought mine new last August and it has the Danish pump.

Although it looks neater hidden away it could be a pain to access and service unless you install it on an easily removeable panel.

Leave it out in the open, much simpler!
 
As I said previously, I have easy access from both sides of the bulkhead because it backs onto the cockpit locker.

The pump I have looks identical to the whale one as shown in this diagram:

http://www.whalepumps.com/documents/sanitation_pump_inst.pdf

I have found out that you can buy the arm I need (the AS0531) separately but it does cost nearly as much as the whole pump so I'm not going down that route.

Is the danish one the same design or different? if it is the same then I guess there's a chance their spare parts are cheaper.... any idea of the name of the maker?
 
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