Lavac head

[Biggles Wader]

Whoever produced that in your lavac should see the doctor ASAP

 

[Dan Tribe]

Our Lavac has given at least 20 years trouble free service, I don't know how old it was when we bought the boat.
It was getting "lazy", so I did service the pump last year which improved things a lot. It was quite calcified so maybe the pipe need a seing to, but it was still working OK.
It gets quite a hammering when grandkids and their mates are on board, but it's never been defeated yet. No restrictions on bunging paper down it. I think I would have many fewer teenagers wanting to sail if I tried that rule!
It's a Lavac Zenith but no longer available.

 

[differentroads]

Nah. Quite likely a blockage. The recommended pumping regime works fine on most boats. But you will eventually find the outlet pipe internal diameter is drastically reduced by calcium scale. some wet tissue added to that and hey presto, blocked.

We have lived on our boat for over 20 years with a lavac and have been duty plumber more times than I ever wanted!

What we do. First, no tissue down the head. Ever. Goes into a plastic bag in a bin and emptied regularly. And lots of spray disenfectant. You will get some squirmy people but these are generally ones who have never unblocked one!

Weekly, I put a strong cleaner through to break up the calcium. Where we are, dilute hydrochloric acid is widely available real cheap. Since Ive been using that, touch wood, Ive never had to remove/replace the outlet pipe, at least over ten years.

And a top tip. The pump does sometimes get blocked, usually around the non return valve. I carry a complete spare pump. Can whizz the old one off and replace it in a few minutes. Then I can dismantle, clean and refit old one in slow time. Again, using strong cleaner regularly, its ages since Ive done that.

Oh, if yours is blocked and its not a new boat, its often easier to replace the outlet pipe with new rather than fannying about on the dock for hours trying to sort out the smelly old one.

Good luck!

Great advice

SPOILER ALERT. Dont look at these pjotos while eating! ??
Having spent the afternoon digging out calcified p*** and s*** from my pump and Y valves, I am a fervent convert to Spanish 'Agua Furte' (25% Hydrochloric Acid) and pumping for longer than we seem to be in the habit of lately.
We use vinegar regularly to try and reduce calcification but its not done the trick. And watching Agua Fuerte fizz through lumps of scale that soaking in vinegar hadn't touched tells me what is effective and what isn't. We might use much more vinegar much more regularly to see if will help prevent build up. But I suspect that more asdiduous flushing is the answer.
These are pictures from today. I installed this pump only 20 months ago, just before we became liveaboards.

 

[TC Tuckton]

I advise guests "15 pumps after 15 sheets of toilet paper, wait until the pressure equalises, repeat as needed then finish off with a final 15 pumps to clear the outlet pipe. "

 

[ghostlymoron]

We flushed soft toilet paper down our heads for five years with no problems after briefly using the paper in bin approach. Plenty of pumping and it's fine.

 

[Muddy32]

I advise guests "15 pumps after 15 sheets of toilet paper, wait until the pressure equalises, repeat as needed then finish off with a final 15 pumps to clear the outlet pipe. "

"15 sheets of toilet paper"

Crikey, no wonder the shelves are empty.

 

[rogerthebodger]

Great advice

SPOILER ALERT. Dont look at these pjotos while eating! ??
Having spent the afternoon digging out calcified p*** and s*** from my pump and Y valves, I am a fervent convert to Spanish 'Agua Furte' (25% Hydrochloric Acid) and pumping for longer than we seem to be in the habit of lately.
We use vinegar regularly to try and reduce calcification but its not done the trick. And watching Agua Fuerte fizz through lumps of scale that soaking in vinegar hadn't touched tells me what is effective and what isn't. We might use much more vinegar much more regularly to see if will help prevent build up. But I suspect that more asdiduous flushing is the answer.
These are pictures from today. I installed this pump only 20 months ago, just before we became liveaboards.
View attachment 86176

View attachment 86177

Don't use too much Hydrochloric Acid below what happened to my Lavac henderson pump.

 

[differentroads]

Don't use too much Hydrochloric Acid below what happened to my Lavac henderson pump.

Cheers for the good advice. I rinsed twice in fresh water with lots of bicarbonate powder in it to try to neutralise the acid. And I've given the whole system a dozen pump throughs after removing and clearing the outlet hose to the seacock.