Heads question (sign of hose blockage?)

[Star-Lord]

Jabsco manual - changed the whole right side pump unit because the last one started leaking. Now no leaks. Not used much.. I prefer bucket. Now I have crew... Liquids go through like a dream so thought it was all fixed. Experimented with a sit down solid the other day and it took 40mins to pump through. Obviously there is a blockage. Back to bucket. But neighbours reckon the more it is used the blockage might unblock.... I think the proof it is blocked without having to test it again with solids is the 'n' bend next to the heads under the sink... There is a valve on top of the 'n' and even when pumping water it hisses and dribbles a bit of water... If you put your finger on top of the valve it is always wet. Is this proof enough for neighbours and crew to be resigned to using the bucket? (final destination a boatyard).

 

[lustyd]

Are you sure you don't have scaling in the pipe? If that's the issue you need to replace the outlet pipe and it'll work fine. It could also be the seacock, but to test that afloat you'll need to first be sure the pipe isn't scaled and then detach and pour water down it.

If you've put nothing but pee, paper, poo and puke down it then an actual blockage is unlikely but possible. You have to really try though.

 

[Star-Lord]

So the valve on top of the n hissing and leaking is a sign of blockage / scaling / or seacock issue? I never remember hissing and leaking when the heads was in regular use.

Boats need diver to scrape twice a year - mussels get inside neighbours fridge filter for keel cool fridge. Not been lifted since a year before covid. Min 25 pumps when it was in use on a 4m run... No bends or diverting - straight out. But yes scaling could be the issue.

 

[lustyd]

No, that valve is an anti-syphon loop and lets air into the system to break the syphon. It's not working as intended but is a separate issue. It is showing that you have pressure in the pipe, so quite likely the seacock side of that is where any blockage is. In theory it's safe to disconnect the pipe at that point and look either side of the valve assembly and pour water in. In the first instance do this with the seacock closed as it'll be safer. once you confirm there's no scaling you can try with the seacock open (keep the top of the pipe above sealevel!!) and pour water into it. You won't be able to pour water into the toilet side without disconnecting from the toilet at the joker valve since the joker will prevent backflow. Instead you can pump the toilet with clean water and put the valve end in a bucket.

Hopefully that makes sense.

Alternatively, use some gaffer tape to connect your dinghy pump and try to blast the pipe clear if you're sure it's a blockage. I did this with my inlet pipe twice this summer, and as you described it was down to fouling on the hull getting in. Beware that it could just as easily blast the pipe off the fittings so be ready to close the cock!

 

[Daydream believer]

Disconnect the hose at the ends or bends. Look inside. It is a high probability that you have a build up of calcium deposits from urine. It will have pumped OK with quite a small hole ( Mine went down to circa 12mm diam) Then when you pump solids it immediately blocks.

 

[LadyInBed]

When I had a blockage, scaling in the pipe was the cause. The scaling builds up from a residue of pee in the outlet pipe and from my experience the build-up is mainly in the pipe area close to the toilet. If it's difficult to replace the outlet pipe up to the anti-syphon and if you can get at the toilet end, take a hammer to it to break up the calcium then fish it out of the pipe.

 

[LadyInBed]

This is from a little used electric heads where the motor failed

 

[Star-Lord]

This is from a little used electric heads where the motor failedView attachment 143429

OK replaced the whole pump fitting and joker etc so it is not this. Thx for the info.

 

[pandos]

I had a blockage a few years ago. It was just toilet paper and brown stuff...gathered just at the outlet. I took the pipe off at the seacock and poked it with a screwdriver until the sea began to come in.

I was hungover....it was not a well thought-out plan but it worked....(it was ugly)

The suggestion at #4 is a great idea....I'd probably poke it with a bamboo or something long and thin rather than the dingy pump on case it just compacts it further,

given that your new pump is already putting pressure on it...it might help if you could stop the pressure release valve in the antisyphon and pump air into it...

 

[ashtead]

Do you have a holding tank as they are prone to blocking even if pipes are fine? Have you thought if disconnecting outlet pipe from seacock doesnt reveal blockage that issue with tank ? I assume you are afloat and cannot poke in something from outside the hull like stiff wire to search for a blockage ? Step one is to remove the outlet pipe to the seacock when was pipe last replaced?

 

[LadyInBed]

OK replaced the whole pump fitting and joker etc so it is not this. Thx for the info.

#7 was just an 'aside', #6 was the more purtenant post.

 

[oldgit]

Another vote for scaling.

Scale had reduced the internal ID of poo pipe to where your little finger could not be inserted into to remaining hole.
A temp fix was to remove the pipe, and bash the hell out of it to dislodge the scale and flush , no mean feat after the genius who designed the heads layout used about 4/5 metres of pipe from heads to seacock via half the boat.
The temp fix was still in use when boat sold 5 years later.

 

[Daydream believer]

Another vote for scaling.

Scale had reduced the internal ID of poo pipe to where your little finger could not be inserted into to remaining hole.
A temp fix was to remove the pipe, and bash the hell out of it to dislodge the scale and flush , no mean feat after the genius who designed the heads layout used about 4/5 metres of pipe from heads to seacock via half the boat.
The temp fix was still in use when boat sold 5 years later.

When I replaced my last hose I replaced it with a sanitary hose that was not wired. This means that I can squeeze it with a small "G" cramp to crack any calcium build up rather than start bashing things, which is not always successful with a wired hose that has gone stiff with age. One cannot always get access to swing hammers & is more likely to do damage.

I do not think ( unless I missed it) that anyone has mentioned pumping brick cleaner, patio cleaner, or white vinegar through the pipe & leaving for a couple of hours to disolve smaller amounts of calcium before they become a big problem. None of those do any damage to the seals in Jabsco toilets

It also helps to pump Elsan fluid or the Thetford blue, which helps break up solids & paper as the boat rolls with movement in a black water tank & to an extent in a pipe. . When doing so I prefer to fill the bowl with fresh water at the same time & pump that into the pipe. Any fluid that drains back has less bacteria from the salt water. I certainly do that every couple of days with the pink fluid to help with smells. Obviously that does not deal with the intake water side but does help.

 

[Star-Lord]

Thx for all the suggestions and advise. It was suggested the valve on top of the n pipe under the sink was not working properly. Water goes through and I can hear the air bubbles pop I. The water after pumping. So.. the n valve is hissing and leaking... I assume when I change the hose and inspect seackock etc that I will need to tbange the n bend as well because the valve is on top of the n.

 

[clyst]

Has an "untrained " lady used the heads ? if so I bet thats where your problem is .

 

[Star-Lord]

Has an "untrained " lady used the heads ? if so I bet thats where your problem is .

No untrained anyone! In the boatyard soon (first time since a year and a half before Covid) so will find out, But I flushed min 25 times with about a straight (no bends) 4m run. Bloody heads. Makes me think of compost toilets LOL