Jabasco toilets

[tarik]

Evening all,



Am thinking of replacing my on board toilet, any views on Jabasco, does the outlet have to be above waterline?


as always many thanks for all replies.



David

 

[Tranona]

Jabsco is probably the most popular toilet on the market and widely available at discount prices. Uses a standard 3/4" inlet (below the waterline obviously) and discharges through a 1 1/2" outlet also below the waterline. Full installation instructions come with the unit. Do not be tempted by copy products which are a bit cheaper. If you want a different type of toilet then a Lavac is also worth considering but it is nearly twice the price.

 

[VicS]

Evening all,



Am thinking of replacing my on board toilet, any views on Jabasco, does the outlet have to be above waterline?


as always many thanks for all replies.



David

No the outlet does not have to be above the water line ( yuk!)

Jabsco by the way not Jabasco ... it helps to get the name right if you are Googling for information.


If the toilet is installed so that its top is below the heeled water line vented antisyphon loops are required in the inlet and outlet although the modern " Twist and lock" pump probably does away with the need for one on the outlet.

( note the inlet anti syphon loop should replace the short hose between pump and bowl supplied with the toilet)

 

[prv]

Jabsco are very much the standard, to the point that it's becoming unusual to find anything else (Lavac are probably a distant second). They're cheap and cheerful, basically work, are very much a known quantity, and spares are available everywhere.

They do wear out, but all the parts are available and interchangeable so you can just run a slow rolling replacement programme. Service kits to begin with, then after a few years it might be worth replacing the pump, the seat hinges will go after a while so replace those, etc etc. You can probably still find the whole toilet for under £100.

The outlet should be below the waterline, but pay attention to the installation instructions regarding loops up above the waterline with anti-siphon valves at the top. Note that one of these loops goes between the pump and the bowl, replacing the short length of hose it comes with. A lot of people seem to get that one wrong.

Pete

 

[laika]

Jabsco are very much the standard, [...] and spares are available everywhere.

...a point which should not be underestimated. Joker valve decides it is tired of life and you have an unpleasant problem when heeled. Service kits for Jabsco toilets do seem to be available in most chandelles although I note that joker valves on their own (£6 vs £26 for the kit) are harder to come by (none in Yarmouth or Alderney last week)).

I don't believe that Jabsco would say that the twist 'n' lock mechanism allows you to dispense with vented loops you would otherwise need for installation below the waterline and even if they did, you possibly shouldn't rely on all the crew to twist n lock every time.

 

[Steve Clayton]

If manual pump in/pump out gets a bit stiff pour a bit of cooking oil into the bowl :encouragement:

So why "joker" valve and not choker? Because "choker" is a registered/patented name elsewhere so Jabsco couldn't use it.

 

[LadyInBed]

To stop seat twist I have replaced the two forward pads with inverted L shapes.
I made mine from wood, but you can get plastic ones from Betterware or the like.

 

[oldvarnish]

Note that one of these loops goes between the pump and the bowl, replacing the short length of hose it comes with. A lot of people seem to get that one wrong.

Pete

Never knew that! And I've had one for years with no problems. Do you have to buy a special hose or stab a hole in the existing one and screw a valve in?

 

[VicS]

Never knew that! And I've had one for years with no problems. Do you have to buy a special hose or stab a hole in the existing one and screw a valve in?

The mistake people make is fitting a vented loop between the inlet seacock and the pump. What happens then is that the pump simply sucks air in via the vent.

The short hose that is supplied fitted between the pump and the bowl should be discarded and the vented loop fitted in its place.

The loop consists of a vent valve, at the highest point, and two lengths of hose. one from the pump the other back down to the bowl

Its all in the fitting instructions!

 

[oldvarnish]

Its all in the fitting instructions!

Ah! That would explain it.

I must say, I've had a vented loop twixt sea and pump (and no vent between pump and bowl) on two boats now with not the slightest problem. Perhaps I've been lucky.

 

[theoldsalt]

The Jabsco fitting instructions for a toilet discharging overboard say if the toilet is fitted below the waterline then a vented loop must be fitted between pump and bowl and a vented loop must be fitted to the discharge pipe. If the toilet is fitted above the waterline then no vented loop is required on the inlet but a non -return valve is optional. The vented loop on the discharge is also optional. However it does not state whether the loop on the discharge pipe is compulsary or optional (it only refers to a vented loop) but every installation I have seen does have one.

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/document.do?docId=768

 

[prv]

If the toilet is fitted above the waterline [...] it does not state whether the loop on the discharge pipe is compulsary or optional (it only refers to a vented loop) but every installation I have seen does have one.

I think it must be rather rare for a yacht toilet to be fully above the waterline at all angles of heel. Hence the above-waterline installation described in the instructions is rarely seen.

After all, if you're reliably above the waterline, you don't need all this pumping malarkey anyway. Just fit a normal domestic flush toilet with gravity drain.

Pete

 

[theoldsalt]

I think it must be rather rare for a yacht toilet to be fully above the waterline at all angles of heel. Hence the above-waterline installation described in the instructions is rarely seen.

Point taken but it does seem to be the most common piping option used.

 

[macd]

Views of Jabsco: cheap initial purchase, spares quite expensive (buying a complete loo is often the most cost-effective approach), amazingly complicated considering what they do and not very reliable long-term.

Get a Lavac: wonderfully simple, reliable and well worth the somewhat higher initial price.

(I've lived year-round with both.)

 

[prv]

Point taken but it does seem to be the most common piping option used.

Most of the ones I've encountered have had at least some looping of hoses, even if not fully in accordance with the instructions.

Otherwise, you're essentially relying on the joker valve to keep you from sinking.

Pete

 

[theoldsalt]

Most of the ones I've encountered have had at least some looping of hoses, even if not fully in accordance with the instructions.

Otherwise, you're essentially relying on the joker valve to keep you from sinking.

Pete

I agree. Virtually all the installations I have experienced have had an unvented loop on the discharge pipe and no loop on the inlet..

 

[prv]

I agree. Virtually all the installations I have experienced have had an unvented loop on the discharge pipe and no loop on the inlet..

I've known several on older charter boats which would siphon freely unless the seacocks were closed immediately after use. I didn't pay particular attention to the plumbing as I wasn't so aware of things back when we used to charter - but that's obviously an installation fault and a dangerous one at that.

Pete

 

[GrahamM376]

I've known several on older charter boats which would siphon freely unless the seacocks were closed immediately after use. I didn't pay particular attention to the plumbing as I wasn't so aware of things back when we used to charter - but that's obviously an installation fault and a dangerous one at that.

Pete

Neither of our heads have vented loops, neither had previous boats. Not very happy with the twist and lock pumps though, the shaft seals have to be replaced every 12 months or so as they leak, in use 24/7 for 9 months. Best source for spares is Cleghorn Waring.