Lavac popular sea toilet?

VicS said:
Some people say they are happy with the Jabscos a few even say they dont like the Lavac but I bet that if you did a survey of problems and questions on toilets on here over a few years you will find more problems with Jabscos and the like than with Lavacs ... many more!

But as said above may be difficult to arrange fresh water flushing.
Click to expand...

I wonder what the ratio of Jabsco's to Lavac etc is.

I bet its several hundred Jabsco's to every Lavac.

MTBF rate for each type of heads would be a better (but not available) stat.
 
I, like most, like to claim that what I have is the best. But I have had to remove my Lavac and replace it with an electric macerating unit. The Lavac does not macerate to our regulatory requirements and uses too much water to to make a holding tank a practical proposition. Were it not for the rules and the p00 police the Lavac would be back onboard.
 
No reason why you should not have an electric pump for a Lavac, nor a separate macerator for emptying the holding tank. Quite a common set up.
 
RogerMayne said:
Does anyone have the electric pump, how good is it?
Click to expand...

Page 10 of the LAVAC manual show the henderson Mk5 pump with an electric motor attached.

http://www.blakes-lavac-taylors.co.uk/pdf/lavac.pdf

The motor looks like a standard car wiper motor/gearbox that I have used for various motor driven items on my boat. I have been considering fitting a wiper motor to one of my spare henderson pumps to all to my lavac head.

Some time ago I converted my Jabsco head to electric but I had to add a flushing water pump to better clean the bowl but I don't think that would be a problem with my lavac.
 
Rogershaw said:
Page 10 of the LAVAC manual show the henderson Mk5 pump with an electric motor attached.

http://www.blakes-lavac-taylors.co.uk/pdf/lavac.pdf

The motor looks like a standard car wiper motor/gearbox that I have used for various motor driven items on my boat. I have been considering fitting a wiper motor to one of my spare henderson pumps to all to my lavac head.

Some time ago I converted my Jabsco head to electric but I had to add a flushing water pump to better clean the bowl but I don't think that would be a problem with my lavac.
Click to expand...

How interesting! Thanks very much ;-)
 
Got a Lavac and it has had liveaboard use for about 15 yrs with no real issues except for the hardening of the valves in the Henderson pump. currently on my 3rd set so not really a problem but what is a problem is the seat gaskets,I bought a set locally (SE Asia)and they didn't fit,dodgy supplier I thought ,so some friends bought some from the UK and guess what ? They didn't fit either,so when did they change the specs and where can I get the old sizes ?

Tricia
 
Tricia said:
Got a Lavac and it has had liveaboard use for about 15 yrs with no real issues except for the hardening of the valves in the Henderson pump. currently on my 3rd set so not really a problem but what is a problem is the seat gaskets,I bought a set locally (SE Asia)and they didn't fit,dodgy supplier I thought ,so some friends bought some from the UK and guess what ? They didn't fit either,so when did they change the specs and where can I get the old sizes ?

Tricia
Click to expand...

Some one will come along and tell me I am wrong but you might have the Zenith not the Popular? The Zenith if I recall has a slightly larger diameter bowl and seat.
 
Lavac + and - From My Experience

Lavac Pluses
Reliable
Can be plumbed as an internal bilge pump
Can manage large ones and paper
Simple design.

Lavac Negatives
Wet seat - I dislike the wet ring around the seat that the lid seal makes. After using one has to dry the seat and lid.
Pressurised blockage risk.
Expensive spares (my wife binned the lids when she cleaned our boat on taking delivery from the seller thinking we could just buy new ones - 2 of them. Hint - its pays to shop around and source spares from different places when faced with a £400 bill from one source - Zenith).
Instructions to flush are inadequate and one has to learn the best ratios and second cycle pump strokes for that clean pan experience post pooping.
Those not familiar with it can find the pump sequence challenging, requiring intervention to ensure a clean pan.
Wobbly seat and pan lid. For such an expensive toilet it's a poor hinge design.

I have experienced blockage in them 3 times: one was a sanitary towel which blocked off the outlet at the skin fitting and two were just at the bowl exit in the pedastel base where the hose spigot is at right angles to the bowl exit. This is the most likely place for a blockage because if the paper and poo mass get around the corner, then it's broken up enough to pass the pump and exit. I use a long handled, large size screw driver and stab the offending plug using a lever action away from the inlet and back into the bowl. This tends to tear bits off until the biggy returns, once cleared it pumps away. This is always the result of insufficient pumping by the inexperienced - If in doubt pump in excess for that first cycle.

I don't like them, not enough to change my pair out though, they are wet things where they should not be wet, other toilets are dry by comparison. I guess in warm climes the wet ring evaporates away, but not in damp Scotland.
 
BlowingOldBoots said:
Lavac Pluses
Reliable
Can be plumbed as an internal bilge pump
Can manage large ones and paper
Simple design.

Lavac Negatives
Wet seat - I dislike the wet ring around the seat that the lid seal makes. After using one has to dry the seat and lid.
Pressurised blockage risk.
Expensive spares (my wife binned the lids when she cleaned our boat on taking delivery from the seller thinking we could just buy new ones - 2 of them. Hint - its pays to shop around and source spares from different places when faced with a £400 bill from one source - Zenith).
Instructions to flush are inadequate and one has to learn the best ratios and second cycle pump strokes for that clean pan experience post pooping.
Those not familiar with it can find the pump sequence challenging, requiring intervention to ensure a clean pan.
Wobbly seat and pan lid. For such an expensive toilet it's a poor hinge design.

I have experienced blockage in them 3 times: one was a sanitary towel which blocked off the outlet at the skin fitting and two were just at the bowl exit in the pedastel base where the hose spigot is at right angles to the bowl exit. This is the most likely place for a blockage because if the paper and poo mass get around the corner, then it's broken up enough to pass the pump and exit. I use a long handled, large size screw driver and stab the offending plug using a lever action away from the inlet and back into the bowl. This tends to tear bits off until the biggy returns, once cleared it pumps away. This is always the result of insufficient pumping by the inexperienced - If in doubt pump in excess for that first cycle.

I don't like them, not enough to change my pair out though, they are wet things where they should not be wet, other toilets are dry by comparison. I guess in warm climes the wet ring evaporates away, but not in damp Scotland.
Click to expand...


This is an old thread you are replying to

Weve been over all the pros and cons of Lavacs vs jabsco already, and many times on other threads too.

This has been resurrected by Tricia today at #53 with a question abour Lavac seals, instead of starting a new topic.
 
VicS said:
This is an old thread you are replying to ....
Click to expand...

Thank you, I am sure the information will come in useful should anyone search the forum on this subject, so the effort is not entirely wasted.
 
BlowingOldBoots;4393749[B said:
Lavac Negatives[/B]
Wet seat - I dislike the wet ring around the seat that the lid seal makes. After using one has to dry the seat and lid.

I don't like them, not enough to change my pair out though, they are wet things where they should not be wet, other toilets are dry by comparison. I guess in warm climes the wet ring evaporates away, but not in damp Scotland.
Click to expand...

How on earth do you manage to get water onto the seat/lid? I've never had that problem and can't really see how it could occur.
 
alahol2 said:
How on earth do you manage to get water onto the seat/lid? I've never had that problem and can't really see how it could occur.
Click to expand...

Dunno why but there is usually a wet ring on the seat where the lid seals onto it. Splashes during flushing perhaps and because it is sealed does not dry off again.

No big deal though.......a quick wipe with a bit of bog-paper and its gone.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top