Jabsco problem

J

jimhjimh

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Hi,

just re-floated by boat for the coming season, everthing fine execpt my Jabsco toilet won't draw any water up to flush. Pumps away fine (selector in both positions), just won't suck up. The toilet is only a year old and I have checked both the main gasket and the piston O ring - any ideas?

TIA

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I suppose you've already made sure the seacock is open? If not, that's the first thing to check. If that's not the problem, make sure there's no obstruction in the intake hose. If neither of those are the problem, there's only one thing left, which is a VERY common problem in Jabsco manual toilets built in the last 5 years: a failed wet/dry valve.

The wet/dry valve is only a little plastic "gate" that the lever swings to open or block the flow of incoming flush water. Due to a flaw in the tooling or design, it hangs up, refusing to open and often creating backpressure that many owners mistake for a clog downstream of the toilet. Jiggling the wet/dry lever enough MAY allow it to work temporarily, but the only permanent cure is replacement of the wet/dry valve. It can happen even in brand new toilets or after a year or two...it's a problem well-known by Jabsco and they usually send a replacement for no charge.


<hr width=100% size=1>Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987
 
I once had the same problem after replacing all the (rubbers) plastic parts of the pump. The reason was that the switch that activates the pumping in was misplaced probably during the time of final fitting. All I did was open the pump again and observe how it should be put in place. Of course all this happened after I had checked the seacock of perfectly functioning.

<hr width=100% size=1>Manos From Greece
S/Y Efaki, Mirage 28
www.sailingboatefaki.gr
 
thanks - forgot to mention that I had indeed checked the sea-cock.

I also stripped the top half of the pump down and could not spot anything obvious, although the operation of the lever felt different when all reassembled. I am also not getting any form of back pressure or resistance, as I mentioned earlier the toilet pumps away fine so I think your diagnosis of the wet / dry valve is probably the most likely. - I will send a note to Jabsco.

thanks to all for your help


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Hi Did you try disconnecting the hose which delivers seawater to the toilet bowl, filling the hose up with water, then reconnecting again i.e., priming it?
Cheers...R

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Hi,

I had the same problem and it was becuase it would not prime. Try disconnecting the inlet pipe from the toilet and connecting a hose to it. I flushed through the sea cock to be on the safe side and then left it full of water while I re-connected it to the toilet. After a few good pumps, it worked fine. Before that I spent ages stripping it down with no success.

Good luck

Andy

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Is the small lead weight on the top valve gasket still there? I had this problem last year and the circlip that holds the weight onto the rubber gasket had rusted and the weight had fallen off. You can buy a service kit with all the necessary parts - not a bad idea to do the lot if you haven't replaced seals etc. for a few years. There's a Jabsco manual <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.wightsailing.co.uk/pdffiles/jabscotoilet.pdf> here </A>if you haven't got one

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Mine does this if I don't use it for a few weeks. It's a priming problem - I deal with it by putting my finger over the siphon breaker hole and pumping until the loop is filled.

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If you have to put your finger over the siphon breaker hole to prime your toilet, two things are wrong with your installation:

1. The siphon breaker is in the wrong place. It should not be between the thru-hull and the pump, but between the pump and the bowl.

The purpose of a siphon breaker is to allow air into the line...The pump PULLS water from the thru-hull, so when a siphon break is between the thru-hull and the pump, it pulls air into the line, preventing the pump from priming and causing it to lose prime. But because the pump PUSHES water through the hose from the top of the pump to the back of the bowl, a siphon breaker cannot interfere.

2. The air valve is missing from your siphon breaker. Because they're replaceable and sold separately, it's not uncommon for air valves to be missing...in fact, many people aren't even aware that one should be there. There shouldn't be just a hole in the nipple on the top...an air valve (one way valve that only allows air in, nothing out) should be threaded into the hole. Without an air valve, water pushed through a siphon break is also squirted out the hole when it's in hose through which water or waste is pushed.

<hr width=100% size=1>Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987
 
Where? Where? Recently had a row with Jabisco UK as they would only supply the complete siphon fitting. Resolved by sensible person in the USA.

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If your siphon break is the typical vented loop, you'll see that the inside of the hole in the nipple on top is threaded. That's where the air valve goes, and they're mostly generic--one size fits all. They can be hard to find...when I owned my company, ours were supplied by Wilcox-Crittenden. I don't know who in the UK makes them.

<hr width=100% size=1>Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987
 
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