Joker Valve on Jabsco Toilet

[DavidBolger]

Hi All,

I have a manual Jabsco heads on my Sadler 34. When I pump the toilet dry, the water slowly seeps back in from the outlet hose and settles about halfway up the bowl. I have replaced the joker valve on the hose (twice now) but I get the same problems. The inlet and outlet seacocks get closed each time the toilet is used. Any suggestions on how I can stop the bowl filling back up?

regards

David

 

[Gwylan]

I shall be watching the replies to this, closely. Have had the same problem and tried changing the Joker. Even have a specially made screw driver to reach the screws - actually a paint can opener from Poundland, ground to make a screwdriver of the right size and length.

 

[Plum]

Hi All,

I have a manual Jabsco heads on my Sadler 34. When I pump the toilet dry, the water slowly seeps back in from the outlet hose and settles about halfway up the bowl. I have replaced the joker valve on the hose (twice now) but I get the same problems. The inlet and outlet seacocks get closed each time the toilet is used. Any suggestions on how I can stop the bowl filling back up?

regards

David

The joker valve is not a perfect one-way valve, in my experience. If the seacock is closed the water that flows back is what was in the outlet hose (assuming you have a long loop that goes above the waterline) so when you pump the bowl dry, keep pumping until you can hear air bubbles rising out of the skin fitting, then close the seacock so there is minimal water in the hose.

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[RichardS]

It's probably just the water in the outlet hose which runs up to the holding tank/outlet and closing the seacock is not going to make any difference. I'd be surprised if it is sea water siphoning back but, if it is, then you have a bigger problem and you need an anti-syphon loop and valve fitting.

If the joker valve will not stop the flow back then the Twist and Lock version is the only solution .... and even that doesn't work for everyone although both my T & L's work perfectly.

Richard

 

[Heckler]

Hi All,

I have a manual Jabsco heads on my Sadler 34. When I pump the toilet dry, the water slowly seeps back in from the outlet hose and settles about halfway up the bowl. I have replaced the joker valve on the hose (twice now) but I get the same problems. The inlet and outlet seacocks get closed each time the toilet is used. Any suggestions on how I can stop the bowl filling back up?

regards

David

The Joker Valve is exactly that! The main sealing mechanism is the flap valve under the pump piston which the later twist and lock push on to seal more securely. Unfortunately the pushing distorts and makes an indent in it and eventually they leak as you describe. If it is leaking with the seacocks shut, then either they are leaking OR, more likely as someone else has said, you need to pump until you hear air coming out of the through hull. This also avoids leaving urine contaminated sea water in the pipe to form the yucky grey stuff that you see people bashing pipes on pontoons to get rid of!
So, change the flap valve and clean the joker valve.

 

[vyv_cox]

The Joker Valve is exactly that! The main sealing mechanism is the flap valve under the pump piston which the later twist and lock push on to seal more securely. Unfortunately the pushing distorts and makes an indent in it and eventually they leak as you describe. If it is leaking with the seacocks shut, then either they are leaking OR, more likely as someone else has said, you need to pump until you hear air coming out of the through hull. This also avoids leaving urine contaminated sea water in the pipe to form the yucky grey stuff that you see people bashing pipes on pontoons to get rid of!
So, change the flap valve and clean the joker valve.

My Jabsco liteflush does not have a foot valve. When the bowl half fills with smelly water I clean or replace the joker valve (which Jabsco wanted to call a choker valve but somebody else had registered the name first).

 

[shaunksb]

The Joker Valve is exactly that! The main sealing mechanism is the flap valve under the pump piston which the later twist and lock push on to seal more securely. Unfortunately the pushing distorts and makes an indent in it and eventually they leak as you describe. If it is leaking with the seacocks shut, then either they are leaking OR, more likely as someone else has said, you need to pump until you hear air coming out of the through hull. This also avoids leaving urine contaminated sea water in the pipe to form the yucky grey stuff that you see people bashing pipes on pontoons to get rid of!
So, change the flap valve and clean the joker valve.

Ahhh that’s interesting.

I have the same problem too on a toilet that was changed just a couple of years ago.

However I usually don’t bother to actually twist and lock it. (I know...)

I’ll try that next weekend.

____________________________________

 

[RupertW]

In my experience in the last decade (3 Jabsco heads all used a lot when aboard as we very rarely use marina ones) it’s all about the joker valve and the pipes it’s in. We have Twist and Lock on 2 of them and it’s never stopped the backflow once the joker goes. So about once a year or more I change the valve for each one when it fails.

Usually a 5 minute job it only takes me longer if the pipes have limescale which needs softening and cleaning off. You can tell if a new joker valve isn’t going to work before fitting it by looking at a light through it. I can see the gap in about 1 in 4 and just chuck those. I used to try them but if they worked initially they failed far too soon.

What is in our favour for perfectly working (for a year)joker valves is that there is a 150cm head of fluid up to the bend above rhe holding tank to hold it tight shut.

 

[Heckler]

Ahhh that’s interesting.

I have the same problem too on a toilet that was changed just a couple of years ago.

However I usually don’t bother to actually twist and lock it. (I know...)

I’ll try that next weekend.

____________________________________

If you look at the bit of the flap valve that sits against the raised sealing bit of the plastic housing, you will see the deformation of the valve if it is no good, it looks like an impressed ring. Also sometimes you get a bit of scale there which doesnt help

 

[Heckler]

In my experience in the last decade (3 Jabsco heads all used a lot when aboard as we very rarely use marina ones) it’s all about the joker valve and the pipes it’s in. We have Twist and Lock on 2 of them and it’s never stopped the backflow once the joker goes. So about once a year or more I change the valve for each one when it fails.

Usually a 5 minute job it only takes me longer if the pipes have limescale which needs softening and cleaning off. You can tell if a new joker valve isn’t going to work before fitting it by looking at a light through it. I can see the gap in about 1 in 4 and just chuck those. I used to try them but if they worked initially they failed far too soon.

What is in our favour for perfectly working (for a year)joker valves is that there is a 150cm head of fluid up to the bend above rhe holding tank to hold it tight shut.

The twist and lock poker thing underneath the piston pushes that flap valve firmly closed, the joker valve is irrelevant as long as the flap valve is locked shut and NOT deformed.

 

[johnalison]

It is nice to have a perfect working system but in the end it comes down to how much work and cash you want to throw at the problem. My T&L pump is maybe 12 yrs old and the joker valve maybe 5 and some time last season it started to leak back. Pumping dry breaks the syphon and limits the amount but I have to decide whether to live with it and close the seacock more often or knuckle down and change the units. Either way, the boat won't sink.