Heads you lose, Tales of winning and delicate subjects

[captainslarty]

Heads, a subject likely to come up in any liveaboard conversation, wierd, yes, but always seems to emerge at some point.
The best marine head is really a difficult thing to quantify.
For a start, and this is the delicate bit, I dont know how to say it any other way, but.... what size turd is the head designed for ??? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

I was, in a previous life, a paramedic for 14 years with Lancashire Ambulance Service, I remember a lecture in A&P about the ´normal and average´turd.....
Sometimes, depending on diet the results can be rather different to the norm.. this often causes problems for marine loos... as well as the producer /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

We have the excellent blakes lavac on board, but it is VERY expensive in the great schem of things to upkeep, and not a pleasent job to repair, to say the least... the problem is the diaphram in the henderson Mk5 pump unit.. and, the size of the inlet and outlet valves, sometimes, it just cant cope, or if made to cope applies far too much pressure on the diaphram. We end up replacing the darn thing at around 6 month intervals. The job of stripping the pump, rebuilding, the cost of the service kit et al is not good..... and I dont really want to clear every high vacuum pressure situation by HAND due to the non average, carefully factored in design stage deposit......

So, how to make the if not perfect, then at least far better heads arrangement....

This is the plan, will let you know the results...
Dump (No pun intended lol) the Mk5 as the primary unit and have it available as secondary only..
Fit a Macerator pump (Jabsco) to the bowl drain, use this electric option to evacuate the bowl (Not bowel /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif) and Bobs yer aunties husband. The suction of the mac pump allows the existing lavac vacuum system to function, and life is easier. The calcium build up in pipes is reduced, in theory, and is of less consequence with the mac unit anyways. No more endless beating of the pipes on the pontoon (I am sure other liveaboards will have been there)
I intend to valve the unit to allow the óld´manual system to be used if necessary to a holding tank.
AND make sure the button to ignite the system is not available in the ´prone´position, ouch !

Moohahahahaha !
More power Egor !

 

[Richard10002]

AFAIK, most turds are made up of a large %age of water, thus mashable by whatever it is that is doing the pumping.

It never ceases to amaze me the ease with which a jabsco manual loo sucks quite a large diameter turd down its' relatively narrow pipes and around its very sharp bends.

I guess yourproblem arises when a large diameter turd, with a low %age of water, needs dealing with - or could it be something else which is causing the problem.

On the macerator - that's fine.... I dont belive their is a turd that can beat one.... However, our jabsco Electric conversion, (with macerator), has just failed at one of the cork seals, and the coloured leakage is not pleasant - Not as unpleasant as a high pressure stream as you release the pressure in a Henderson, but not pleasant all the same.

So whichever way you look at it - with boat heads, you cant win.

 

[captainslarty]

Yes, spot on, its a turd size AND consistancy issue. I wonder how the manufacturers get the base info ??? /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

And please dont remind me of the high pressure Henderson release... what is it in the destructions, "Simply remove cover" .......
Perhaps a modified garbage disposal unit lol... ?? or a mini car crusher ? fitted to the bowl... hmmmmm theres an idea...

 

[catmandoo]

Why not start at the source of the problem . Fit an enema or equivalent /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[jimbaerselman]

Macerators? - the noisiest things on a boat. Wake up the whole pontoon.

And when you get hair down the loo (we have strict rules about what goes down - only stuff that's been through - but that didn't seem to stop a hair build up) that macerator has got to come out and be stripped of all the hair gunge . . .

All in all, I preferred banging the pipes ever other year.

 

[captainslarty]

No probs Jim, I aint got no hair !!!

Might to build a Pulse Width Modulator (PWM) motor control to slow it down, or, tell them its me new bow(el) thruster...

Joe

 

[Jake]

Captain Slarty - I salute you. Never in print can we discuss the T word, having to ever-so-delicately talk about 'solid waste' or 'fluids.'

A joy to read your prose, as always.

You mention calcium deposits. At PBO we've been following the development of a new enzyme product which is claimed to eat them up, and also kill off the creatures left to die in the standing water of your sea-inlet pipe. (Which create the rotten egg stench as they decompose).

The product is called Marine Bio-care, and is the 'Redex' of the toilet world, we're told. It is drip fed into the system, even when you're away from the boat, and should extend the life of your valves and seals, but we've a test coming up to find out for sure. Have a look at www.wessexchemicalfactors.co.uk

My own system is a humble porta-potti (on a 39-footer!) which is incredibly simple - until you're trapped in a harbour with no facilities, and the limited tank getting near the full mark!

Otherwise, nothing to go wrong, and I could squeeze an eye-watering three-incher through the opening slide. By avoiding that blue chemical stuff and opting for a green scented type, the loo doesn't have that horrible formaldehyde smell either.

The system I'm going for is sold by Lee Sanitation, and involves a large tank up under the deck. It gravity discharges straight down through the turn of the bilge, with a pump-out directly above ( so you can rod through if necessary.)

I was also going to fit a Lavac, with a manual valve to change between hold and dump. LS have been told that yachties don't like a full tank high up, but - as they point out - it will only get full in harbour, and not at sea.

Personally, I find the electric toilets very noisy - I was on a powerboat where the crew were happy to pee, but not to pump, as it woke up the whole pontoon. Result. A bowl overflowing with 'fluids' in the morning.

Yuk.

 

[ChrisE]

You must have a funny digestive tract or a an odd bog.

We use Jabsco's finest, the big bowl £99 cheapy, with impunity and replace it every 5 years or so (it works out cheaper and simpler than maintaining it). That's it no maintenance, no fixing, no blockages.

And before you ask we're big people as some on this board can attest...

 

[liverpoold]

Was just going to ask, for a cheap replacement toilet, Jabsco or XM?

 

[ChrisE]

I'm no expert but have had no probs with the aforementioned Jabsco cheapy.