Marine toilet to hull fittings length

[Johnny5]

Hi
I'm in the process of fitting out a small steel cabin cruiser it has an existing sea toilet manual pump type that is mounted under one of the seats I would like to move it along closer to the cabin bulkhead where I can build a cubicle around it this would only be about 2-3 feet away I was wondering if there was a maximum recommended length of pipework from the toilet to the seacock ?

 

[prv]

If your boat's small enough to have originally put the toilet under a bunk, then any likely length should be OK. However, bear in mind that it takes seven pumps of a Jabsco handle to move waste 1m along the pipe, and you do want to flush the full length of the pipe every time otherwise it will eventually start to smell. So if you fit say five metres of hose, it'll be a boring and annoying 35 strokes each and every time.

I have three metres of hose and call it 20 pumps, and I wouldn't want much more.

Pete

 

[Johnny5]

Thanks for that reply by what your saying I should be fine to move it then as there is less than 1m of outlet pipe connected at the moment and I wouldn't be extending it by more than 1m so I'm looking at less than 14 pumps with your recommendation (maybe a little less) I'm assuming the inlet water pipe length makes no difrence ?

 

[NormanS]

Thanks for that reply by what your saying I should be fine to move it then as there is less than 1m of outlet pipe connected at the moment and I wouldn't be extending it by more than 1m so I'm looking at less than 14 pumps with your recommendation (maybe a little less) I'm assuming the inlet water pipe length makes no difrence ?

Yes, the inlet length will make no difference.
I am in the unfortunate position of having 6m of pipe between the toilet and the sea, and pumping more than 40 strokes every time is no fun, but as prv says, is needed to prevent blockages. Don't ask me how I know.:disgust:

 

[VicS]

Yes, the inlet length will make no difference.
I am in the unfortunate position of having 6m of pipe between the toilet and the sea, and pumping more than 40 strokes every time is no fun, but as prv says, is needed to prevent blockages. Don't ask me how I know.:disgust:

One has to ask, "Why is the outlet seacock so far from the toilet?"

 

[NormanS]

One has to ask, "Why is the outlet seacock so far from the toilet?"

Yes indeed. The toilet is to port, opposite the galley, and the effluent goes from there up round a loop with two diverter valves (so that if desired it can be directed to a holding tank), then down and across to the port side, then under the galley, into the engine space, but first under a battery compartment, then aft a couple of feet to the seacock. It's crazy, and because the toilet compartment is a complete moulding, and the hose passes down a shaped recess between it and the hull, and then passes through tight holes in various bulkheads and through inaccessible voids, it would be almost impossible to renew. I reckon when they built the boat, they started with the toilet outlet hose, and then built the boat around it. It's very surprising, because most of the engineering is very well thought out and executed. At least the outlet is well away from the inlet.
Having had a blockage, we are now extremely fussy about adequate flushing.

 

[prv]

Yes indeed. The toilet is to port, opposite the galley, and the effluent goes from there up round a loop with two diverter valves (so that if desired it can be directed to a holding tank), then down and across to the port side, then under the galley, into the engine space, but first under a battery compartment, then aft a couple of feet to the seacock. It's crazy

Certainly does sound crazy!

Appreciate you can't get behind the heads moulding, but isn't there some adjacent void or locker that you could put a new seacock in and shorten the run?

Pete

 

[NormanS]

Certainly does sound crazy!

Appreciate you can't get behind the heads moulding, but isn't there some adjacent void or locker that you could put a new seacock in and shorten the run?

Pete

We've just learned to live with it, or at least I have. My wife says it's alright for me, as often I can do something that she can't. The present seacock is quite easily accessible, which is good, and I can't see where else, further forward, I could re-site it, still on the stbd side. I do keep a good eye on it now, and with plenty of pumping, and an annual dose of Brick Cleaner, its keeping perfectly clear. Phew!