Heads Pipe Blockage

I'm surprised you had a blockage of paper - I have had the dubious pleasure of syphoning out my holding tank, and the only evidence of paper I found was the tiniest chaff, perhaps 2mm on a side. I concluded that my heads (RM69) macerates it.

The blockage in mine was limescale-type deposit that had broken loose (I guess because the boat had been sitting unused for a year before I bought it) and become bound with shit at the bottom of the holding tank.
 
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KompetentKrew said:
I'm surprised you had a blockage of paper - I have had the dubious pleasure of syphoning out my holding tank, and the only evidence of paper I found was the tiniest chaff 2mm on a side. I concluded that my heads (RM69) macerates it.

The blockage in mine was limescale-type deposit that had broken loose (I guess because the boat had been sitting unused for a year before I bought it) and become bound with shit at the bottom of the holding tank.
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Yes. The only blockage I have ever had was due to a flake of scale that fell off the holding tank wall, blocking the outlet. We have flushed toilet paper down the toilet for the past 35 years, never had a blockage from it.
 
Definately a plug of paper shot out when I put a hose up the pipe.

I suspect there was a problem years ago when boat was in charter as the outlet end of the pipe has a join just above sea level secured by double jubilee clips. Managed to break join and put hose up as far as possible, disconnected it at toilet and with hose turned on full plug of tissue shot out at toilet end.

Problem is the forward heads on Jeanneau 43DS

Only lower section of pipe is visible and that is secured in places by clips and self tapers but to get access to top 1.2m to the bend at top beneath deck level I tried to remove cupboard. Shelves are let into slots at sides so obviously fitted as complete unit. Surprise only held in place by 4 thin self tapping screws but after removing screws it would not budge. I suspect screws only held it tight against inner GRP moulding while adhesive curved. Cupboard is also wider than aperture cut in GRP so even if loose not sure there is sufficient room to turn it to remove it. Hence concluded cupboard was fabricated first then dropped in before deck puton.

Decided only way was to try to wrench pipe down and try to break any clips holding it at a higher level or firstly to break cupboard apart and accept wrecking it to remove it to access pipe at higher level.

If it happens again I will try first to put a pressure washer rotating drain cleaner up pipe or a drill flexible drive to break up scale without removing pipe.

Open to other ideas.
 
I have been using "brick cleaner" (dilute HCl)for 16 years on Tigger. We haven't had to change the hose yet (boat in charter use since 1998). I think the "trick" is to use the cleaner often, to prevent the build up shown in Vyv's photo.

I pump half a can (~2lt) through the pipes, and leave it to incubate for 15 or so minutes. Then flush out, and repeat with the other half. I normally see the CO2 fizzing out of the outlet during the first treatment, and very little coming out in the second one. I try to do this at least twice a year.

That and pumping out 20 strokes after each "do" (urine and faeces) to ensure there is no urine left in the hose to create those uric acid deposits.

Fingers crossed for the next 20 years.

(oh, and we use normal lightweight paper)
 
This i the blockage I had.

36046505646_d8faa1ab2b_b.jpg


I used HCI and a piece of crud broke off and caused blockage.

The expanding gass also distrioed the henderson pump by blowing the main body apart.
 
TiggerToo said:
I have been using "brick cleaner" (dilute HCl)for 16 years on Tigger. We haven't had to change the hose yet (boat in charter use since 1998). I think the "trick" is to use the cleaner often, to prevent the build up shown in Vyv's photo.

I pump half a can (~2lt) through the pipes, and leave it to incubate for 15 or so minutes. Then flush out, and repeat with the other half. I normally see the CO2 fizzing out of the outlet during the first treatment, and very little coming out in the second one. I try to do this at least twice a year.

That and pumping out 20 strokes after each "do" (urine and faeces) to ensure there is no urine left in the hose to create those uric acid deposits.

Fingers crossed for the next 20 years.

(oh, and we use normal lightweight paper)
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FOR a novice like me (boating virgin) what sort of brick cleaner do you put down your toilet ? I have only just noticed our boat has a macerating toilet "SPXflow" I have only just learned we are not aloud to put loo paper down it WHAT am I supposed to do with paper.
 
vyv_cox said:
Yes. The only blockage I have ever had was due to a flake of scale that fell off the holding tank wall, blocking the outlet. We have flushed toilet paper down the toilet for the past 35 years, never had a blockage from it.
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Do you use the special loo paper from camping shops etc or just normal. Video instructions on you tube said NO LOO ROLL aaaaah what am I supposed to do with paper ick!
 
TotOfRumTina said:
FOR a novice like me (boating virgin) what sort of brick cleaner do you put down your toilet ? I have only just noticed our boat has a macerating toilet "SPXflow" I have only just learned we are not aloud to put loo paper down it WHAT am I supposed to do with paper.
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Haven't you ever visited Greece? Put the paper in a bin, and dispose of it separately.
 
vyv_cox said:
The problem with chemical methods is that it is almost impossible to fill the discharge pipework.
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If you had a hose with a suitable plug you could stuff that in the outside with the hose running higher up and pump a bit through.
The idea of strong acid, crap, and back pressure fills me with trepidation but might it be a way?

Tigger's suggestion of bunging a couple of litres of brick cleaner through every so often will surely get a visitation from an angry Greta Thunberg at some point...
 
Two questions.To keep cost down, could you use rigid pvc pipe for any long runs?I have a lavac vacume head,and turn the seacock shut after using.Does this have a bearing on anything?(used to leave always open but think water usage was high
 
In almost 50 years of boating, I've never used brick cleaner in the heads, and I've never had to replace pipes. What on earth am I doing wrong?
 
pvb said:
In almost 50 years of boating, I've never used brick cleaner in the heads, and I've never had to replace pipes. What on earth am I doing wrong?
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If you pump plenty, you'll have no problems. Jabsco recommend a minimum of seven full strokes of the pump per metre of pipework. The length of which is surprisingly long, even on a simple installation.
 
There is paper and paper. In nearly half a century I have never suffered a heads blockage, with one exception which was caused by seaweed sucked in. On the other hand, a friend with electric pumps had a nearly insoluble problem, which turned out to be due to a piece of kitchen wipe, from a previous ownership as a demo boat.
 
johnalison said:
There is paper and paper. In nearly half a century I have never suffered a heads blockage, with one exception which was caused by seaweed sucked in. On the other hand, a friend with electric pumps had a nearly insoluble problem, which turned out to be due to a piece of kitchen wipe, from a previous ownership as a demo boat.
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sucking in weed and floating rafts of algae is a problem in Cowes resolved by local yard putting hosepipe into the pump end of the inlet water piping and turning on full blast, worked three times last year. We only ever use cheapo eco loo roll anyway which disintegrates rapidly but even that routinely gets put in a lidded bin for separate disposal ashore. We replaced all pipework as a precaution shortly after buying the boat, it was scaled but not badly despite being 14 years old.
 
NormanS said:
"Brick Cleaner" from B&Q, and presumably other outlets, is excellent for cleaning away this type of encrustation. The brick cleaner is dilute hydrochloric acid. If you can devise a way to get it to the affected pipework, and keep it there for 30 minutes or so, it works wonders. You may have to use multiple applications.

Like the OP, I had a choked outlet hose, and eventually managed to get through the blockage with a flexible "snake" wire drain cleaning device (Aldi/Lidl), and then used the brick cleaner. The way my outlet hose is run, makes it well high impossible to renew it, without some major surgery to the boat's interior.

The way to completely prevent this type of blockage happening, is to pump plenty. Jabsco recommend at least seven strokes of the pump per metre of hose. Since religiously adhering to that, I have had no further problems. Our used toilet paper goes down the loo.
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Since getting blocked in the first year in the Med, I have followed the rule of 7 pumps p[er meter - ie about 30 pumps. Since then (10 years ago) I have not had a problem. The problem is persuading people to do it!!!
 
We have the same problem , one of our head pipe is impossible to remove so we use HCA .
As vyv said once it dilute with water it doesn't work , I did two things I cut the pipe at the swan neck and put in a plastic U bend so now I have the highest place to pore the acid in ,
The other thing is before poring the acid, I shut off the sea cock and remove the pipe to empty it from any water in it then replace and pore the acid in .
We now do this every few months and it keeps the pipe clear.
The pipe was totally block when I brought the boat .
 
Chris_Robb said:
Since getting blocked in the first year in the Med, I have followed the rule of 7 pumps p[er meter - ie about 30 pumps. Since then (10 years ago) I have not had a problem. The problem is persuading people to do it!!!
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It a good idea Chris , the only problem our pipe is 6 mts long that's 42 pump each time one of us use it and as full time liveaboards we be replacing the pump every six months :)
 
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