How many strokes for the toilet?

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NormanS

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The Jabsco toilet outlet pipe on my boat is about 6 metres long! It threatened to choke, a fortnight ago, and I was able to get it clear with one of those wire "snake" devices, from either Aldi or Lidl. It wasn't a particularly pleasant experience! The stuff that came out was like coarse sand, which had presumably precipitated from pee.

I had thought that I was pumping enough, but evidently not. I might put some granules of polystyrene into the bowl, and see how many strokes are needed before it appears from under the boat, but I'm sure that some mathematically minded person could easily calculate the theoretical answer. Its a normal compact Jabsco toilet. I don't know the pump bore and stroke, and the outlet pipe is the normal 38mm hose. Any helpers?
I
 
Different strokes for different folks..............I advise boat guests to keep pumping continuously while they are on the throne and doing the paperwork, has worked so far.
 
I have a similar length of outlet pipe on my forward heads and i always use 60 stokes once the bowl is emptied off what i have put in. the aft heads has a pipe run of about 2m so 25 strokes there. The bore of the pump is about the same as the pipe but the storke is only about 15cm.
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It's vital to pump sufficiently to clear the pipe of any waste (liquid or solid). The consequence of not doing so is the scale build-up which so many boats seem to be afflicted with. It's much easier to pump than to mess about removing pipes!
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I've not had a pipe problem since starting to do 20 pumps every time (was going to type "strokes" but thought better of it ;) ) with an outlet pipe that is 1.4m.

IMHO prevention is better than the cure in this case.
 
Thanks folks for your "input".
I've now done the calculation, and assuming 100% efficiency, it would require 40 pump strokes to flush completely. So in the real world, probably nearer 50. I must admit that it has never been getting anything like that, but it will now.
The stuff that came out was not grey. It was more a sandy colour, and indeed was quite heavy, and behaved, in the bilge, just like sand.
I dread to think of replacing the pipe. Part is straightforward, to the diverter valve for the black tank, but I reckon the main 4.5m run was put in place, and then the boat was built around it.
 
I had no idea that Jabsco gave a figure for pumps per metre, (and still haven't managed to find it), but my calculation gives the same result.
Equally, I had no idea of the length of the pipe, until faced with having to clear it. It is all completely hidden away, and I was amazed to find out how long it is. You live and learn.
 
NormanS said:
I had no idea that Jabsco gave a figure for pumps per metre, (and still haven't managed to find it), but my calculation gives the same result.
Equally, I had no idea of the length of the pipe, until faced with having to clear it. It is all completely hidden away, and I was amazed to find out how long it is. You live and learn.
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Just a simple tip; Pump S L O W L Y and put a drop of olive oil in once a week to stop the pump going stiff with all the salt and calcium build up. The oil goes in the bowl when flushing.
 
Sandyman said:
Toilet ??? assume you meant to say Heads !!

Another tip. Flush through with a bottle of full bore coke now & again.
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No, I meant to say "toilet", which is the term most people use for the actual device. Jabsco, for example, sell "marine toilets". For many people, the term "heads" refers to the compartment.

And flushing coke down the toilet is just a waste of coke.
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Just fitted a new Jabsco pump unit, and the instruction leaflet is in front of me - it says "allow 7 complete up/down strokes per metre of outlet pipe". I agree with those who suggest changing the pipe, my outlet pipe was down to about half it's original bore with a grey limescaly deposit.
 
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