Jabsco Lite down the pan urine taker

[XTE]

I recently fitted one of these electric wonder loos and what a disappointment.

Firstly, if you have an anti syphon loop, which you would if you have a monohull, the foul water may splash back when flushing, so you have to be sure to close the lid quickly and then clean it after flushing.

Secondly, the adverts say "almost silent operation"!!! Well, maybe so if you happen to be deaf. A big ships fog horn would be quieter than mine! Not fun when you sneak to the loo in the night and wake everyone up when flushing.

Thirdly, after about 10 proper uses it blocked. You have to completely dismantle it to clear the blockage which you will find at the outlet elbow from the macerator. This elbow is only about 19mm dia and the rest of the pipework is 38mm!! And yes, i do have the cheap thin loo paper. This is a job not to be missed. I found it particularly more pleasurable in a rolling sea 30 miles off shore en route to Ostend!

Maybe i just have a duff one and maybe they upgraded it after selling me mine! Maybe I got more of a ****ty deal than i was looking for.

 

[prv]

I'm curious. Why would one want to fit an electric loo in the first place? It seems to have a number of drawbacks, and no obvious benefits.

Pete

 

[XTE]

The obvious benefit to me was that you don’t have to pump and don’t have to teach new comers how to pump. The simple press of a switch with your foot was attractive to me and with no use of hands, more hygienic, as long as you dodge the splash back!

 

[nickfabbri]

I too have heard bad things about this and the retro fit version for the standard loo. My friend installed one as his wife didnt like the pump action toilet . She refuses to use it as it is sooooooo loud, and the tone of the unit changes depending on whether solids or liquids are being disposed of. Thus her business echoes around the marina.

It is known as " the beast " now

 

[Dazedkipper]

Take it up with Jabsco. I had a problem with a new loo from them and they were very helpful, replacing parts without question.

 

[TeamSpirit]

I waited months for one of these to be in stock last year and sods law it arrived at the end of the season, it was duely fitted and I was reasonably pleased with it, yes, it wasn't quite living up to the makers 'almost silent claim' as the decibels it generates is enough to wake the crew, my neighbours crew, and anyone within 10 mtrs of us. But the luxury of not having to explain the technical methodology behind the previous dump and pump loo was a joy, until it broke !. The experience was as unpleasant as you could imagine and I have never seen as much S**t since changing nappy days, however I can only sing the praises of ITT who's customer service was frankly brilliant, within 48hrs they had shipped a replacement and the replacement is quieter and appears more efficient at pumping out. That is until last weekend when, you guessed it no 1 son after a hefty curry the night before had no option, nor will power to restrain himself and managed to block the thing up. My sincere appologies to anyone that may have come close to us last Sunday; particualrly if you may have been downwind you may have seen a rather pale chap looking decided weak and feeble with purple marigolds on deck and a young chap looking decidedly sheepish !. Some hours later..... the offending material, and boy was it offensive !!!! was removed and normal service was resumed.
Despite my experiences I am actually very pleased with the loo and commend the services I have received when it went wrong, they were second to none...... I have partially cured the noise issue by fitting a rubber gasket under the entire base so it is now very much quieter, now would I buy another one might be the question to ask. I think I would, if the outlet diameter could be sorted and the whole 'u' bend bit simplified this would improve the performance but as I can strip it down in a flash and could possibly do it with my eyes closed now it hardly matters.

 

[Ubergeekian]

I'm curious. Why would one want to fit an electric loo in the first place? It seems to have a number of drawbacks, and no obvious benefits.

Beats me. It's like pressurised water systems: all that complication, all that potential unreliability, all that power draw ... to save using a small hand or foot pump a few times per day.

 

[XTE]

Beats me. It's like pressurised water systems: all that complication, all that potential unreliability, all that power draw ... to save using a small hand or foot pump a few times per day.

Oh my, Ubergeekian, I bet you also manage to simplify your sailing experience without a GPS, VHF radio, antohelm, electric lighting and an engine!

 

[XTE]

Well, I have contacted ITT Jabsco and am waiting for a reply. I shall let you know how I get on.

It seem that we are agreed that these things are VERY noisy. So why are they being miss sold?

 

[prv]

Oh my, Ubergeekian, I bet you also manage to simplify your sailing experience without a GPS, VHF radio, antohelm, electric lighting and an engine!

But lacking a GPS or autohelm doesn't simplify things, it complicates them. VHF doesn't really do either most of the time, but could occasionally be vital. An engine adds complexity, but also some major benefit, so is a good tradeoff. Once you have an engine and battery, electric light doesn't have much extra downside (although I do often light the cabin with oil lamp only once I'm done cooking, planning for tomorrow, etc).

Electric khazis, on the other hand, seem to add power draw, noise, cost, and apparently increased cloggability, for not a great deal of benefit. I can just about see the "easy for new people to operate" argument, but I've not really had newbies struggle with a hand-pump that I can remember.

Pete

 

[XTE]

Pete, maybe you dont have kids then?

 

[DanTribe]

The obvious benefit to me was that you don’t have to pump and don’t have to teach new comers how to pump. The simple press of a switch with your foot was attractive to me and with no use of hands, more hygienic, as long as you dodge the splash back!

"Pee or dump , close the lid, 5 or 6 pumps"

Even I can understand that!

 

[prv]

Pete, maybe you dont have kids then?

Heh, it's true that I don't. However I once was one, as was my younger brother. I don't remember any lavatorial dramas when we visited my grandad on his boat. We even had to open and close seacocks there - come to think of it, an electric bog won't solve that, will it, for those who require seacocks to be closed when not in use?

Pete

 

[VicS]

Builders bucket in the cockpit!

No pumps, electric or other wise.

No seacocks, tw@t-valves or other mechanical things to leak, or jam.

No antisyphon loops to spray pee over you.

Excellent ventilation disperses the smell quickly.

AND

you can still keep watch while having a dump.

>

>


I really must get the new loo fitted this winter ... looks like its going to be Porta Potti unfortunately

 

[Robatbradwell]

Good plan, I shall upgrade to a builders bucket. I suspect that they are not very noisy!

 

[Ubergeekian]

Oh my, Ubergeekian, I bet you also manage to simplify your sailing experience without a GPS, VHF radio, antohelm, electric lighting and an engine!

GPS switched on when needed, VHF ditto, windvane, oil lamps, 1GM10. Since you ask.

I've got a water system too - I just don't find the foot pump (galley) and hand pump (heads) such a pain as to justify all the complexity of pressurised.

 

[prv]

Builders bucket in the cockpit!
No pumps, electric or other wise.
No seacocks, tw@t-valves or other mechanical things to leak, or jam.
No antisyphon loops to spray pee over you.
Excellent ventilation disperses the smell quickly.
AND
you can still keep watch while having a dump.

Excellent for singlehanding. Not sure my mates would appreciate it otherwise.

Pete

 

[KenMcCulloch]

I must say I'm with Ubergeeky on this one. I well remember a charter on a boat with a) an electric head, and b) a less than adequate domestic battery. We had to run the engine every morning for an hour to provide the wherewithal for 5 or 6 people to use the crapper. Fortunately it didn't break down.

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

Bucket......VicS ...Robatbradwell.
SWMBO never camped, never went much into the countryside in Texas where she spent her childhood and youth.
She has mostly led a gentile musicians life and at her lowest point in her 58years last month, had to pee in a bucket one evening whilst my boat was on land.
Surprisingly, whilst discussing some of lifes difficulties afloat with other seasoned sailing friends recently, she seemed very proud of the fact that she had now not only 'camped out' on board but had seen another side of boating life under the stars

 

[25931]

The obvious benefit to me was that you don’t have to pump and don’t have to teach new comers how to pump. The simple press of a switch with your foot was attractive to me and with no use of hands, more hygienic, as long as you dodge the splash back!

I've never had to explain the Lavac to anyone - it comes with a small instruction sticker which, as I don't have illiterates on board, has been sufficient and in all the years that I´ve used them one has never blocked although I suppose it would be possible if someone were to try really hard.