CalicoJack
Well-Known Member
Picture the scene if you will. A lovely sunny day on the Medway, light winds, late November, son firmly on the helm, and unlikely to let go. At which point the good lady wife announces that she would like a loo (heads) turned on. Mmm thinks I we haven't used the one in the aft cabin since our refit; that's the one!
Ok so turn on both Blakes sea clock and the Jabsco loo will spring into action, or not. I did have the sense to test it before it used in anger, thinking strange, there is water in the bowl, but we haven't used it, it should be dry. This was an important clue, which I failed to recognise. A couple of pumps on the handle and nothing happened, except the pump pressurised. Ok, son still on the helm, might as well have a go.
Gently I released the 6 screws and allowed the thing to squirt, mainly over me, some of the stinkiest sea water you could ever have the misfortune to come across. Ah, no wonder the little flap valves had stuck. I soon had those free and noticed that one of star washers that hold the valves in place had come off. Not to worry, I happen to have a service kit on board and it's not difficult to fit a new one. Success was in sight, just give it a quick try; nothing, except the damned thing pressurised again, after filling with the stinkiest water, where is it coming from!
Mmm, must be the joker valve. Damn, damn damn! I'll just check the sea clocks again, just in case, but no, the handles are in the open position. Ok so I will bail out the stinky water, release the pressure, still mainly over me and fit a new joker valve. Time passed, quite a lot of time. Got it this time, the joker valve had inverted itself. No problem! Just a few pumps to test it and..... It refused to empty.
Enough is enough, swear at it, shut the sea clocks and leave it for another day. Inlet valve shut, outlet valve, makes a sound like an impacted bullock and the pressure vented out where it should. Mmm, strange. The sea clocks are under a berth, which is accessed through a hatch which is just about head and shoulders wide, which means that when you have your head an shoulders in the hatch, it's pitch black. Also in there are a steering box, the electric mother for the auto-helm, and a big electrical junction box, for the radar;in other words, not a lot of room. It was at this point all became clear. At some point when I serviced the sea clocks the handle fell off;they only sit on the square peg by the effect of gravity. When I put it back, I must have turned it through 90 degrees, so that when I thought it was shut, it was actually open. Hence the water in the basin at the start. The valve had been open, and I had shut it when I started this game.
After some clearing up, mainly me, I found that my wife had used the other loo and my son was still happily on the helm. Oh yes, and I stank. The moral of this, if there is one....think it through, don't jump to conclusions.
Ok so turn on both Blakes sea clock and the Jabsco loo will spring into action, or not. I did have the sense to test it before it used in anger, thinking strange, there is water in the bowl, but we haven't used it, it should be dry. This was an important clue, which I failed to recognise. A couple of pumps on the handle and nothing happened, except the pump pressurised. Ok, son still on the helm, might as well have a go.
Gently I released the 6 screws and allowed the thing to squirt, mainly over me, some of the stinkiest sea water you could ever have the misfortune to come across. Ah, no wonder the little flap valves had stuck. I soon had those free and noticed that one of star washers that hold the valves in place had come off. Not to worry, I happen to have a service kit on board and it's not difficult to fit a new one. Success was in sight, just give it a quick try; nothing, except the damned thing pressurised again, after filling with the stinkiest water, where is it coming from!
Mmm, must be the joker valve. Damn, damn damn! I'll just check the sea clocks again, just in case, but no, the handles are in the open position. Ok so I will bail out the stinky water, release the pressure, still mainly over me and fit a new joker valve. Time passed, quite a lot of time. Got it this time, the joker valve had inverted itself. No problem! Just a few pumps to test it and..... It refused to empty.
Enough is enough, swear at it, shut the sea clocks and leave it for another day. Inlet valve shut, outlet valve, makes a sound like an impacted bullock and the pressure vented out where it should. Mmm, strange. The sea clocks are under a berth, which is accessed through a hatch which is just about head and shoulders wide, which means that when you have your head an shoulders in the hatch, it's pitch black. Also in there are a steering box, the electric mother for the auto-helm, and a big electrical junction box, for the radar;in other words, not a lot of room. It was at this point all became clear. At some point when I serviced the sea clocks the handle fell off;they only sit on the square peg by the effect of gravity. When I put it back, I must have turned it through 90 degrees, so that when I thought it was shut, it was actually open. Hence the water in the basin at the start. The valve had been open, and I had shut it when I started this game.
After some clearing up, mainly me, I found that my wife had used the other loo and my son was still happily on the helm. Oh yes, and I stank. The moral of this, if there is one....think it through, don't jump to conclusions.
